Damion Lee’s big moment this season was his dramatic, game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the top of the key against the Bulls, giving the Warriors their first win.
But it was what happened moments before that shot that shows why Lee will likely move into the Warriors’ starting lineup any game now.
The play was designed to get the ball to Stephen Curry, but Lee — who would in-bound the ball — knew the Bulls would be on Curry like Smokey the Bear on a smoldering campfire.
So Lee, breaking the time-out huddle, told center Kevon Looney to be ready for the entry pass, in case Curry was covered, and then to give the ball right back to Lee. Curry was covered, so Lee passed to Looney, who gave it right back to Lee for the game-winner.
Smart play, smart player. Great shot, good shooter.
And so it is that Lee will soon replace Kelly Oubre Jr. in the starting lineup soon, which will signal the next big phase in the Warriors’ development into what could be a serious playoff team.
Coach Steve Kerr said Sunday that he’s not changing his starting lineup for Monday’s game against the Lakers, but he said he is in the process of re-evaluating the rotation.
This isn’t about how smart I am to concoct this great lineup move, it’s about how this is such an obvious upgrade to the Warriors’ operating system that even I can see it.
There is some risk.
The optics are bad. Oubre is costing the Warriors close to $80 million this year, including the luxury-tax hit. That’s a lot of money to move out of the starting lineup.
And taking Lee out of the very efficient second unit, where he has been super effective, risks minimizing his contribution.
Kerr isn’t afraid of risky moves. The first thing he did as Warriors’ coach in 2014 was move Andre Iguodala, who had been an effective starter for 10 seasons, out of the starting lineup and into a sixth-man role.
How’d that work out?
Sometimes, the right move is unconventional. (See: Re-inserting Iguodala in the starting lineup midway through the 2015 Finals.) Replacing your $80 million starter with a guy who was never drafted, and who is not as long or athletic as your $80 million guy, is unconventional.
In making any move, Kerr is guided by WWSP: What Would Steph Prefer?
Curry, as far as most of us know, does not interfere with coaching decisions. He isn’t a stealth head coach, like, say, LeBron James or Kevin Durant.
But Kerr’s main job from his first day in town has been to maximize Curry’s brilliance, and that’s why this move is obvious.
With Oubre shooting microscopic numbers from 3-point range, defenses are free to send what sometimes seems like six defenders at Curry. Oubre won’t shoot .197 (Hello, Mendoza line) on threes all season, and Lee won’t shoot at a .447 clip, either, but that’s a startling gap.
Curry’s decision at the beginning of every game so far has been whether to concentrate on getting himself off to a fast start or getting his teammates super involved. When Lee becomes a starter, Curry will be free to simply play the game, let it flow.
Oubre is working hard to find the system’s groove, but Lee is already there. Without free flow, and without the threat of another 3-point shooter, Curry is a struggling, outmanned superstar.
The Warriors’ offensive system is about ball movement, and Lee is averaging 1.7 assists in his 19.1 minutes of playing time, while Oubre is averaging 1 assist in 27.2 minutes.
Oubre figures to do better without the pressure of having to stick threes to in order to free up Curry. Also, as my colleague Connor Letourneau pointed out, most of Oubre’s threes are taken from the corners, while over 60 percent of Lee’s threes come from behind the curved part of the 3-point line, which are the kind of threes that are open when the Warriors are running effectively.
Why over-complicate the situation? Lee knows how to play off Curry better than Oubre does.
Another consideration, though not the biggest one right now: It is unlikely Oubre will be back with the Warriors next season. Lee will be. The more big minutes Lee gets with the big boys, the better off the Warriors will be when Klay Thompson returns.
Kerr’s task will be to sell Oubre on the new role, so his infectious enthusiasm and hustle do not flag. Kerr might remind Oubre that a similar move may have earned Iguodala a ticket to the Hall of Fame. Oubre’s never going there, but he wants to play on a winner, and this switch will help that happen.
Scott Ostler is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: sostler@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @scottostler
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Is it time for Warriors to move Damion Lee into the starting lineup? - San Francisco Chronicle
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