Golden State Warriors: Eric Paschall is suddenly a crucial part of the equation
By Justin Fried
Golden State Warriors rookie Eric Paschall has been thrust into the limelight and has suddenly become one of the more important players on the roster.
The Golden State Warriors roster has been absolutely decimated this season by injuries forcing an abundance of young, inexperienced players into much larger roles. And perhaps none of those players have excelled as much as rookie Eric Paschall.
But before we even discuss him, it’s important to understand the magnitude of injuries woes that the Warriors have been subject to.
Injuries happen in the world of sports, of course. Sometimes teams even lose their star player(s) in the worst of scenarios.
But what has happened to the Warriors is a stretch of injury luck that has likely never been matched before in NBA history.
Must Read. Golden State Warriors: Which lineups should the team run without Stephen Curry?. light
In a span of their last seven games, the Warriors have lost Kevin Durant to a torn Achilles (and an offseason trade), Klay Thompson to a torn ACL, Stephen Curry to a broken hand, Draymond Green to a torn finger ligament, D’Angelo Russell to an ankle injury, and Kevon Looney to a hamstring injury.
That isn’t even including the losses of Jacob Evans and Alen Smailagic to injuries and the absences of players like Willie Cauley-Stein and Alec Burks as a result of training camp injuries to begin the season.
In fact, the only two players to have not suffered an injury since training camp or to have entered camp with a prior injury (Thompson and Paschall) are Damion Lee and Glenn Robinson III.
That’s it. Two healthy players.
This stretch of injury misfortune is unfathomable especially when you consider the players that have sustained them. During Saturday’s game, the highest-paid healthy player on the Warriors roster was Burks who is making the veteran’s minimum.
Wow.
Simply put, it was all healthy hands on deck for the Warriors on Saturday and even though they came up short against the lowly Charlotte Hornets, the team did continue to see the growth and development of one of their best young players.
More from Golden Gate Sports
- Raiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance
- 49ers sign new long snapper amidst a flurry of roster moves
- Oakland Athletics win Game 2 of Wild Card round with late-inning drama
- 49ers: George Kittle and Deebo Samuel cleared to return to practice
- 49ers expected to place DE Dee Ford on injured reserve
The aforementioned Paschall continues to impress, this time dropping a career-high 25 points while shooting an efficient 10-of-18 from the field. The coaching staff had been raving about the second-round pick all offseason and he has all the makings of a draft-day steal right now.
But perhaps his most valuable trait doesn’t come on the offensive side of the floor. While the Warriors need buckets right now with their stars out, it’s also very apparent how much help they need on defense.
And even without injuries, Paschall was expected to make an early impact because of his defense.
With comparison to Draymond Green, Eric Paschall has done his best to meet those lofty expectations while serving as a smart, crafty defender for the team. And despite being just 6-foot-7, Paschall has the positional flexibility to defend anywhere from shooting guards to even centers in a pinch.
More from Golden State Warriors
- Warriors unlikely to draft Anthony Edwards due to character concerns
- Warriors: September minicamp mimics NBA bubble
- Warriors: Eric Paschall named to NBA All-Rookie first team
- Warriors reportedly eyeing a wing in the 2020 NBA Draft
- Warriors: Is the team destined to trade its No. 2 overall draft pick?
Very reminiscent of his elder, Green.
Paschall has swiftly become one of the most crucial players on the roster and one of the lone highlights in an otherwise forgetful season thus far. As the season progresses, the development of the team’s young players will remain paramount.
The postseason seems like a distant hope at this point, especially if injuries continue to mount up. But Warriors fans could take solace in knowing that the future is bright for some of the team’s young role players.
Next. Golden State Warriors: 3 players who must step up in Stephen Curry’s absence. dark
Eric Paschall has a future on this team. And if the beginning of his career is anything to go off of, that future looks very, very bright.