Golden State Warriors to find minutes for rookie Jordan Bell

The Golden State Warriors enjoyed a highly successful offseason as they managed to retain the services of their championship core group. However, the Warriors took it a step further by adding rookie Jordan Bell besides veteran shooters Nick Young and Omri Casspi to a roster that some are hailing as the greatest of all time.

And while Young and Omri Casspi have already worked their way into the rotation in preseason, Bell is a player that has Warriors fans most excited. The 6-foot-9 power forward earned laurels in Oregon for his defensive prowess and that led the Warriors front office to pay the Chicago Bulls a sum of US$3.5 million (AU$4.4 million) to the Chicago Bulls for the rights to the No. 38 selection in the 2017 NBA Draft.

Bell impressed during the Las Vegas Summer League and has continue to raise eyebrows with his motor and toughness in the ongoing NBA preseason. Steve Kerr, coach of the Warriors, realises it will be difficult to keep the rookie out of the rotation as the regular season tips off on Tuesday (Wednesday in Australia).

Steve Kerr will find playing time for rookie Jordan Bell

"I'll put him out there for certain matchups. I wouldn't say that he's going to be in the rotation, because he's got a lot of guys ahead of him. ... But certain matchups, I'll throw Jordan out there," Kerr told the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday while discussing the rookie's progress with the team.

Kerr believes Bell has the intangibles which make him hard to keep out of the rotation. During Sunday's preseason victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bell made some sensational plays in the second half, including four straight baskets, all either dunks or layups. “He’s got a great feel for the game, and he sees it. He’s a good passer, and he’s a modern-day, multi-faceted defender.”

The 2017-18 NBA regular season starts on Tuesday, Oct. 17, with an opening night fixture pitting defending champions Golden State Warriors against Houston Rockets. The other opening night game will feature an Eastern Conference finals rematch between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.