Warriors' Kerr confirms David Lee will continue to come off bench

David Lee made his return for the Golden State Warriors on Monday, coming off the bench for six points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes.

Even when Lee is back to game shape and capable of a heavier minutes load, he won't be rejoining the starting lineup. Draymond Green has been phenomenal at both ends of the floor starting in place of Lee, and the Warriors' starting unit has been better than any other fivesome in basketball. At 23-3, it ain't broke, so head coach Steve Kerr isn't looking to fix it.

"I mean, Draymond has been fantastic," Kerr said Monday in explaining his decision to keep Lee in a reserve role.

It could be an adjustment for Lee, who has now come off the bench just 11 times since 2007-08. But in his first three seasons, he came off the bench in 151 of his 206 games, thriving in the role before breaking out and establishing himself as a starting power forward.

Like Andre Iguodala before him at the start of the season, it's a transition Lee seems to be embracing with the greater good in mind.

"Whether I start, get a DNP or anything in between, I trust coach that he's doing this to help us win games," Lee said. "That's his only agenda."

Lee's addition should help a second unit that has struggled on offense. Iguodala has been more aggressive of late and Kerr rarely plays five reserves together, but lineups without Steph Curry on the floor have lacked playmaking and scoring punch. Lee's interior scoring and playmaking from the elbows should help, even if he's a negative on the defensive end.

When Andrew Bogut returns to health, the Warriors' nine-man rotation will be downright terrifying. You know, because 23-3 with the No. 1 defense and No. 6 offense wasn't intimidating enough.