Report Card Grades for Golden State Warriors Players After 2 Weeks

The following grades reflect how much each Warriors player has exceeded expectations or underwhelmed through seven games.

Jonathan Kuminga: A+

Kuminga’s rebounding (7.1 RPG) and passing (3.3 APG) would crush his previous career highs. He’s entrenched himself as a starter by averaging 17.4 points per game and often guarding the opposition’s best perimeter player. He’s the team’s biggest winner thus far.

Quinten Post: A+

Post’s defense was a mess last year, which is understandable for a rookie big who isn’t exactly fleet of foot. He’s shown major signs of growth, playing an especially big role against a Clippers team that was held to just 79 points. He leads the team in net rating.

Will Richard: A

Players drafted in the 50s are not supposed to be immediate contributors, but Richard has looked like he belongs. The only thing preventing him from an A+ is a net rating of minus-27.4.

Jimmy Butler: A-

Butler has been the Warriors’ best all-around player through seven games, spearheaded by a 50 percent clip from downtown. He gets docked a bit for his role in Golden State’s collapse against Indiana. He didn’t play bad down the stretch of that game, but the Warriors needed him to be more aggressive to stem the bleeding.

Draymond Green: B+

The three-point shooting (44.4 percent) has been a nice plus, and Green will always be a great defensive quarterback. But the on-ball defense has been spotty at times, as shown by Quenton Jackson’s game-sealing bank shot on Green.

Brandin Podziemski: B+

It’s been a good start for Podz, whose shooting marks (47.8 FG, 39.4 3PT) would be career bests. He’s fourth on the team in total minutes, which shows how much Steve Kerr trusts him.

Gui Santos: B

Santos has played just 40 minutes thus far. He made a case for more consistent playing time against Indiana, going 2-of-2 from the floor with five points and four rebounds.

Moses Moody: C+

Moody missed two games with a calf injury, which has likely contributed to his slow start on offense (35.5 FG percentage). Despite that, he’s still fourth on the team in net rating, and he’s making his threes (45.5 percent).

Stephen Curry: C+

If this report card had come out after the first five games, Curry would have received an A. But a forgettable road trip to Milwaukee and Indiana knocks him down. Curry was shockingly bad in the second half against the Pacers, going 2-of-10 from the floor with three turnovers and no assists.

Gary Payton II: C-

While De’Anthony Melton recovers from an ACL injury, Payton will be unopposed as the team’s best defensive guard off the bench. He hasn’t had much of an impact yet, notably going 0-of-6 from three-point range.

Buddy Hield: D+

Fair or not, when you’re Buddy Hield, you’re graded mostly on your three-point shooting. At 28.1 percent from downtown, Hield hasn’t shot it well enough to get a satisfactory grade.

Al Horford: D+

It’s been a surprisingly uneven start for Horford, who has the second-worst net rating among Warriors with at least 30 minutes played. It goes to show that even for a 39-year-old who is lauded for his versatility, it can take a few weeks to get comfortable in new surroundings.

Note: Trayce Jackson-Davis and Pat Spencer were not graded due to a lack of minutes.