Steve Kerr says Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg must be more aggressive after preseason loss

HONOLULU — The box score will show a one-point preseason defeat. The tape will show something far more important for the Golden State Warriors' future.

Yaxel Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, played 24 minutes in Sunday's 104-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Stan Sheriff Center. He finished with four points, nine rebounds, and three assists. He shot 1-of-6 from the field. Nothing flashy. Nothing alarming.

But it was a single play early in the third quarter that drew the sharpest reaction from head coach Steve Kerr — and it wasn't about the miss.

Lendeborg had the ball right underneath the basket. A layup was there for the taking. Instead, he tried to thread a pass to Charles Bassey. The pass was turned over. The Clippers sprinted the other way and buried a three.

That sequence, Kerr said, is exactly what the rookie must eliminate.

"Yaxel's good. We need him to be more aggressive. A really key play early in the second half where he has the ball right underneath the basket and he turns it over trying to throw it to Charles. [The Clippers] hit a three at the other end. That's got to be a layup," Kerr said after the game, via Anthony Slater of ESPN.