Who is Lindy Waters III? The Warriors shooter faces the Pelicans

SAN FRANCISCO – Lindy Waters III has been one of the Warriors' best players since the first day of training camp, according to Steve Kerr.

One of the best players, clearly.

But Waters began the season outside of Kerr's 12-man rotation, the victim of the cruel numbers game that creates a strong roster. Still, Waters got a chance in the fourth game of the season when Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins and De'Anthony Melton were unavailable due to injuries.

Waters is already a Kerr favorite. Even if he didn't play, Kerr said he would like to add Waters to the starting lineup. Tuesday night's circumstances against the Pelicans gave the winger a chance, and he seemed to have no trouble staying fresh despite a lack of playing time up front.

“I put a strap on,” Waters said after the game. “I just wake up and I can shoot whether I’m playing or not.”

Waters fueled the Warriors' 20-point comeback win over the Pelicans. He scored 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting off the bench, posting a team-best plus-26 in the penalty area.

In recent years, the Warriors have been lost in games without Curry. They don't have enough scoring options to boost their offense. But with Waters and Buddy Hield, the Warriors have two motion shooters who drive defenses crazy.

“The game is on when he’s out there,” Kerr said after the game. “It’s not just because he’s a good shooter, he’s also a good basketball player. It’s the shots he doesn’t take because of his patience, it’s the cuts he makes to the basket, it’s about getting into the fight defensively.”

Kerr joked that Waters might have to expand his rotation to 13 players because of the way he played against the Pelicans.

But seriously, the Warriors' theory that their skill level makes them injury-resistant was confirmed on Tuesday.

Golden State started its season with a 12-man rotation. Injuries, the thinking goes, only force players to take on larger roles than normal.

There's Kyle Anderson, who can step into a Draymond Green-like role whenever the defensive ace needs to miss time. Hield can provide immediate offense. Brandin Podziemski, normally a connecting backup, is capable of running the show.

And Waters, who wasn't part of the plans for the first three games, is undoubtedly an NBA-caliber player. In addition to being a top-notch 3-point shooter, he also has a good height of 6'3″ and is active enough to grab eight rebounds, a career-best. He also added two steals and four assists.

“I'm grateful for what I have, so I can't be greedy and have a bad attitude whether I get playing time or not,” Waters said. “I will be the same person every day. I will always have a smile on my face and encourage my teammates. Whatever my role is that day, I will accept it and I just want the team to win.”

The Warriors picked up Waters from the Thunder in a draft day chicanery that netted Golden State Waters and rookie center Quinten Post for essentially ridiculous money.