The Warriors will need to consider free agent backup point guard candidates during their upcoming offseason. Since Golden State will be stretched thin due to some exorbitant contracts to the team’s top four players, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater makes the case for 28-year-old injury-prone non-shooter Michael Carter-Williams, an unrestricted free agent, on a league minimum.
Carter-Williams, a career 40.3% shooter from the floor (and a 25.6% shooter from deep), has logged time with the Sixers, Bucks, Bulls, Hornets, Rockets and Magic in his seven NBA seasons. Slater lauds the 6’5″ guard’s size and notes that his three-point shooting has improved with Orlando, adding that he was a +27 in his time on the floor during the Magic’s three road games, all wins, before the NBA season pause on March 11. For 2019/20, Carter-Williams is shooting a below-average 29.4% from long range, which would be his career-high over a full season.
There are more updates out of California:
- The Clippers are using their practices in the NBA’s Disney World campus to fully integrate recent additions Marcus Morris, Reggie Jackson and Joakim Noah, per Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register. “It’s pretty much we know who we want to play, but as far as the rotations and the minutes, I think that’s still a little bit in flux,” head coach Doc Rivers noted. “We’ll see. You kind of decide on what you’re going to do going by how you’re practicing.”
- With several Kings players currently unavailable, rookies Justin James, Kyle Guy and DaQuan Jeffries will be able to use team practices and scrimmages in Disney World as an opportunity to prove their mettle, according to The Athletic’s Jason Jones. Sacramento head coach Luke Walton noted that the young players are “getting crucial reps in practice and most likely, at least in the preseason (scrimmage) games, they’ll be getting some meaningful minutes as well.”
- Newly-minted Lakers wings J.R. Smith and Dion Waiters have been using their Orlando campus tenure to bond with their L.A. teammates, per Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register. Head coach Frank Vogel commended the team’s new backcourt additions with helping to stoke everyone’s competitive fire. “They both bring toughness and swag — those guys are killers,” Vogel said. “They go after it with great competitive spirit and they have the talent to back it up and be highly productive on the court.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if GSW drafted a young point to play back up.
They currently have two mid second round picks and I wouldn’t be surprised if somehow they managed to get a Theo Maledon, Tre Jones, Nico Mannion or Kira Lewis Jr.
Maledon at 6’4 and 19 has the size and age which would be great to develop. He projects to be a great passer and driver and can shoot it a little from deep. Has loads of potential but is raw and probably not ready for a win now team but who knows
Lewis Jr is 19 is 6’3 can do a little bit of everything including score, shoot, pass and rebound. Is probably the best shooter of this group but is the most raw and has played against the easiest competition.
Mannion again 19 and 6’3 had a down year at Arizona but still was a decent floor general type player. He has great IQ and works really hard and again can pass well, shoot abit and rebound. I think In GSW he would really do well under Curry and with their staff and could be a future all star possibly.
Lastly Tre Jones, will be the oldest of the group at 20 almost 21, he’s a good floor manager and has played against good competition at Duke. He can do a little bit of everything and works really hard. I don’t think there is much potential there but would be a good back up.
This should be their top priority. Curry can no longer be counted on to stay healthy for more than 40-50 games a year. They need someone to fill in when Curry is out for weeks (or even months) at a time.
I don’t think Curry is that much of a liability to miss games. Aside from this year and the lock out season, so in 9 seasons he averages about 74 games a season which is about right. In the lock out year he missed just over half the season and this year he missed a season (mainly by choice).
I think he’s good for about 60-70 games a season but he is also now 32. I think getting someone young and having them learn the system and train with Curry would be a huge advantage. In 3 seasons as a back up someone could then take over and allow Curry to be a great bench scoring sixth man.
Naturally since those seasons when he played 74-80 games were all when he was in his 20’s. So he averaged 72 games a season in his 20’s (including the lock out year when he missed 40 games). But in the last 3 seasons he has played a total of 125 games out of a possible 229 games, so it’s foolish to think he will play anything close to 74 games next season.
He averaged about 74 and I said he will probably play about 60-70.
Only reason he missed games the last couple years was cause he didn’t need to play. His team were a title threat and were playoff locks so he didn’t need to play 80 games and he also rested in order to preform better in the playoffs.
Now he’s got something to prove and he’s fully rested. I reckon he easily plays 70 games
no you’re foolish, it’s called load management. Curry actually performs in the playoffs unlike the beard. nothing to fear there except maybe his atrocious shooting lines.
I like Ian Clark. I don’t want MCW.
Ian Clark is 29 years old now.
If 17.2MM TE gets Fournier from Magic, then draft Okongwu
If TE gets Grant from Nuggets, then draft Haliburton.
Did the Lakers found a gold on the street?
Waiters shot 47.1% from three for the Heat this season—although that was in 17 attempts over three games.
It’s called pyrite (FeS2).
They can find vet backups. But getting Maledon or Lewis down the draft. Is an excellent find. They have young guards. But a future PG is nice pickup. Getting Edwards also helps them manage mins. He’s one of few I believe they would draft.
MCW is basically Shaun Livingston with less severe injuries. I can see him work as their backup PG
MCW is a healthier version of Livingston? Are you nuts? He was unemployed! No one wanted him. Phew raps you can say he’s a poor-man’s Livingston but zero chance MCW is a superior version.
Waters and JR will help. Considering they lost Rondo. Waters career has been a big dud. Drafted high has never lived up to. And has always been upset about his playing time. It’s 8 yrs since he’s been drafted. And still he can’t find his way. To me he’s talented enough to be a solid rotation player. But seems he still thinks he’s a starter. He has a great opportunity here. May be his last ……
Waiters. Yes I think they’re better now with him and JR and not Rondo and Bradley. Also it will be fun to see if the Cavs get knocked out. Wait… It will be fun for sure.