Steve Kerr makes Brandon Williams the Warriors’ backup point guard, with one condition

SAN FRANCISCO — Oct. 14, 2026 — Brandon Williams arrived in Golden State on a non-guaranteed deal in late August. A week before opening night, Steve Kerr has removed any doubt about his role. “He is the backup point guard,” the Warriors coach told reporters after Monday’s practice, and in the same breath he named the one thing that will decide how many minutes come with the job.

“This is a great step for Brandon,” Kerr said. “He hasn’t really made it in the league yet, like solidified his spot in the league. In order for him to do that, he has to make those decisions, understand risk, reward and make the simple passes. The good news is he can do things that most people can’t. His explosiveness off the dribble, his speed in transition, he can get us a lot of easy hoops. But he’s got to recognize he is the backup point guard. He is the ball handler coming off the bench, and there’s a lot of responsibility that comes in that role. And a big part of that responsibility is ball security.”

Speed first, but the ball comes first

Kerr went out of his way to praise the 26-year-old’s burst, calling him the most explosive player the Warriors have had at getting past defenders in a long time. The preseason has shown both sides of what he described. In Saturday’s 111-106 win over the Sacramento Kings, Williams scored 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting in under 17 minutes, but he also committed five turnovers with one assist on a night the Warriors gave the ball away 23 times.

He was steadier in Tuesday’s 101-89 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas, scoring six points on 2-of-8 shooting with only one turnover in a little more than 15 minutes. That is the version Kerr is asking for: fewer highlight possessions if necessary, and far fewer giveaways.

A roster spot that is now all but settled

Williams signed a one-year, $2.6 million minimum deal with no guarantee, with $1.4 million of it becoming guaranteed if he is on the roster on opening night. San Francisco Chronicle’s Luca Evans noted that Kerr’s comments make it clear Williams has made the team. He comes off a 2025-26 season with the Dallas Mavericks in which he averaged 13.0 points and 3.9 assists.

The job matters more than a typical backup role this fall. Jimmy Butler is still working back from a torn right ACL and Moses Moody is out with a left patellar tendon injury, so Golden State has few other ball handlers to steady the second unit when Stephen Curry sits. Williams projects to cover most of Curry’s bench minutes, with De’Anthony Melton, his former high school teammate, alongside him in the reserve backcourt and more three-guard lineups expected until Butler returns.

The Warriors close the preseason Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center, then open the regular season Oct. 21 against the Lakers. More on WhyNBA: Kerr on his new contract and Podziemski’s extension.