Kerr hints at real reason Warriors vets wanted rookies on the road

One of the more interesting parts of the Warriors’ recent road trip involved Golden State’s two rookies and the love they received from the Dubs’ veteran players.

After Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski missed the first game of the Warriors’ four-game road trip in Oklahoma City for a preplanned workout with the G League Santa Cruz Warriors, Draymond Green called out the organization for them not being there, leading Golden State to race the rookies to Cleveland to join the team.

“Steve Kerr quipped that vets love rookies on road trips because they can force them to do things, which holds some truth,” Slater wrote. “Not many have ever run an errand or grabbed Stephen Curry some popcorn with as much enthusiasm as the eager Podziemski, who sparks conversation with anyone in his vicinity.”

“I think our young fellas not being here, Trayce and BP, and the energy they bring to this team, we missed that,” Green said last Friday. “Next time we have an In-Season Tournament game, we need those guys here, because they bring a lot of juice for us. You always talk about young guys bringing energy, that’s their job. And we don’t have to tell those guys to bring energy, they do every single day.

“I wasn’t overly shocked that our energy wasn’t there because they lift our energy level and they weren’t here,” said Green.

Following the Oklahoma City contest, the Warriors cut Jackson-Davis and Podziemski’s time at Santa Cruz’s training camp short, bringing them to Cleveland and taking them with the NBA team for the rest of the trip. Even though the Warriors lost two of the three games with the rookies on the trip, the duo earned high praise from the Warriors veterans for providing solid play off the bench.

“I love those rooks,” Klay Thompson said on Sunday. “They’re great. The energy they bring is much needed. Trayce was awesome tonight, so was BP. It’s just great to have them back in the fold. They’re going to be a huge help this year.”

Curry added that same day, “They bring great energy, they approach the game the right way. That’s why we love having them around. You can throw them in there and they look like they belong.”

Curry might love the popcorn delivery, too. But it’s clear that the Warriors’ brass found two rookies who are earning far more love and respect from the Warriors’ veterans and coaches than some of the higher-profile and higher-selected players Golden State has had in recent years.

“We believe in those guys, they’re ready to play,” Kerr said on Wednesday. “They’ve got great feel, they’re competitive. They’re strong physically, so they hold up really well. We’re really fortunate to have them and we’ll throw them out there in any situation. We have a lot of confidence in them.”