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Golden State Warriors: What role could Glenn Robinson III play next season?

By Justin Fried

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 17: Glenn Robinson III #22 of the Detroit Pistons reacts to a fourth quarter play while playing the Brooklyn Nets during the home opener at Little Caesars Arena on October 17, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 17: Glenn Robinson III #22 of the Detroit Pistons reacts to a fourth quarter play while playing the Brooklyn Nets during the home opener at Little Caesars Arena on October 17, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors signed Glenn Robinson III in the offseason to give the team some added wing depth. What role could he play this upcoming season?

The Golden State Warriors lost key foundational players this offseason, but also suffered some significant casualties to their bench depth. And a player such as Glenn Robinson III could be the solution to their bench depth problem.

Robinson, the son of former NBA All-Star Glenn Robinson, has had an interesting career arc so far. The Indiana native excelled while in college at Michigan but turned pro after only two seasons, something that likely hurt his draft stock.

Robinson would end up being selected with the 40th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves but was waived before the end of the season and picked up by the Philadelphia 76ers.

However, it wasn’t until his return to his home state of Indiana in 2015 that he would begin to emerge as a solid rotational player. Robinson would play three seasons with the Pacers from 2015 to 2018 where he would serve as a key member of the team’s rotation.

He averaged career highs in points and minutes per game while shooting nearly 40% from three-point range. Robinson began to earn a reputation as a very reliable three-and-D wing around the league.

And then last season happened.

Robinson signed a contract with the Detroit Pistons last offseason after an injury-riddled 2017-18 season. Unfortunately, his time in the Motor City would be spent dealing with more injuries and posting inconsistent numbers.

The 25-year-old struggled to the worst season of his career averaging just 4.2 points in 13.0 minutes per game. Perhaps most discouraging was his dreadful 29% shooting percentage from long-range — the worst mark since his rookie season.

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Robinson never looked comfortable in his role and really struggled to remain a part of Detroit’s rotation.

Still, there’s reason to think that things will be different with the Warriors.

The athletic wing will hopefully benefit from a change of scenery and could be a great fit in Steve Kerr‘s movement-based offense. If he could tap into his prior shooting success, Robinson could be a huge benefit to a Warriors team lacking experienced bench contributors.

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And he should be given every opportunity to earn early playing time.

The Warriors are incredibly thin at small forward with Alfonzo McKinnie currently listed as the team’s projected starter. McKinnie is a much better rebounder than his adversary and has shown flashes on both offense and defense.

But his inconsistencies — particularly in the postseason — have limited his ceiling.

Other than that, the oft-injured Alec Burks was signed in the offseason to provide added depth on the wing. Burks is the most accomplished shooter of the three but has struggled to stay healthy throughout his eight-year NBA career.

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Robinson is unlikely to earn the starting job barring an injury or unforeseen circumstances in the preseason. However, he could secure himself regular bench minutes with a strong showing in the early fall.

If the Warriors could see Robinson return to his Indiana form, then they’ll likely use him as their top small forward off the bench with a possible starting role down the line.

The 6-foot-6 Robinson is an accomplished dunker having won the 2017 NBA Dunk Contest. And if his shooting touch could return to form, then he could be a very solid weapon on offense coming off the bench.

And as long as his defensive game doesn’t take a step back, Kerr should have no issues giving him regular minutes.

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Robinson will be out to prove that last season was just a fluke, and there will be no better place to do so than in Golden State.

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