Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wants All-Defensive First Team power forward Draymond Green to shoot more, writes Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Simmons reports that, ahead of Golden State’s 2021 preseason, Kerr told Green that he hopes the former three-time All-Star can average two or three three-point looks a night. “If you’re open, let it fly,” Kerr said. Green connected on just 27.0% of his 2.0 attempts per night during the 2020/21 season. He has not shot better than 31% from deep since the 2015/16 season.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Suns center Deandre Ayton has expressed his frustration that he has yet to secure a rookie contract extension with Phoenix, per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “I love Phoenix, but I’m really disappointed that we haven’t gotten a deal done yet,” Ayton said. “I mean we were two wins (away) from a championship (last season) and I just really want to be respected, to be honest. To be respected like my peers are being respected.” Several players among Ayton’s 2018 draft class, including Hawks All-Star point guard Trae Young, Mavericks All-Star point guard Luka Doncic, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nuggets power forward Michael Porter Jr., have been signed to maximum contract extensions this summer. The deadline for Ayton to complete an extension is October 18. Although Ayton initially seemed hopeful to get a deal done ahead of the season, reports last week suggested that talks were at an impasse — a separate report indicated that negotiations were still continuing.
- Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker had a surgery to address a right thumb tear, and is set to miss at least the next four weeks of action, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). It was reported that Horton-Tucker injured the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb earlier this week. This is a significant blow for the Lakers’ perimeter depth. The club has high hopes for Horton-Tucker this season, having inked him to a three-year, $32MM contract during the summer.
- Clippers forward Marcus Morris and big man Serge Ibaka are set to rejoin the club for their first full-contact practices following injuries suffered during L.A.’s 2021 playoff run, per Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times. “This will be his first opportunity to change ends of the floor, play with some contact, trying to get acclimated to what we are trying to do,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of Morris. “Serge is a great man, he’s happy all the time, I think he’s almost back,” starting center Ivica Zubac said of reserve Ibaka.
Young, SGA and Doncic are in a very very high class, and MPJ is generally thought of that way. Does Ayton think he’s in that class?— are they debating max? “Respect” can mean many things. Referencing it is not a good sign.
Yea Ayton had some big moments in playoffs but he has not shown he’s a legit max player yet.
He’s not in Luka’s stratosphere. But he can make a case that he’s in MPJ and SGA’s.
MPJ has a higher ceiling but troubling health issues. And SGA … it would help if we could evaluate him on an actual NBA franchise rather than OKC G-league rebuild.
SGA should force-out. Presti is all future, and acquiring PGs.
Understanding that Ayton’s pretty much just been a guy for the majority of his time in the NBA, if I were him, I wouldn’t be too worked up about Luka and Trae getting max deals, but Porter Jr getting one with such little actual court time would have me raising an eyebrow for sure.
Suns don’t plan to pay much luxury tax
Ayton has poor hands. He played out of his mind once during the playoffs. So his whining is a red flag. Weak.
Does the article say Draymond shoots 27% from 2pt? That’s awful
He shot 27% from three, although I guess it’s not terribly clear when it mentions his 2.0 attempts per night. Even from 3-point range that’s not good. Green’s 3-point shooting has gotten worse in each of the last five seasons. It has dropped from 38.8% in ’16 all the way down to 27% in ’21.
Green
45% field goal attempt
27% from the three and only 2.0 shot attempts from the three per game
No it says he shot 27% on 2 attempts a night.
He’s the most important player on that team. And yes, that includes CP3.
He’s a lot of things. The most important player on the Suns is not one of them.
Ayton, take 4/80 with escalators.
Sincerely,
Nerlens Noel
Buuurn
I guess Suns know they going to suck this year… what the heck are they doing not taking care of their #2 player?? They shouldnt have spent the money on Paul. Booker and Ayton is the future and not Paul. Ayton was arguably their best player in postseason, and now they’re messing with him. Big mistake!
The suns are nothing without Chris Paul right now. You don’t remember two years ago?
I suppose the hope is he gets them up and running and continual contenders and eventually replaced because of age. But right now he is huge for them.
Paul is a great player no doubt, but Suns were already playing really well two yrs ago in the bubble. Yes, Suns still need Paul but no way he should be getting paid more than Ayton going forward. Let’s not forget Auton is #1 draft player and has bought into his role for the team’s benefit.
Ayton is arguably the main reason they lost to Milwaukee after Milwaukee realized to stop using Brook Lopez so much after game 2. The matchups lined up well for him before that, but once he had to guard perimeter players like Portis and Giannis, it wasnt a good scenario
Chris Paul is still arguably the best 2 way guard in the NBA
You just pick and choose what you want. What did Paul do then?? He had couple good games here and there but he was mostly injury proned and used injury as excuse for poor performance. He choked as a Clipper, Rockets, Thunder, and as a Sun in postseason. He’s a great player but he hasnt won a championship. Going forward, he will still contribute but he will be hurt in postseason. He could have easily signed for $20m per…. but now everybody want Ayton to sacrificie. NO WAY!
Lol I dont see why you hate Chris Paul, but think whatever you want
Are you saying max for Ayton, Michol? Supposedly that is what he is looking for.
CP3 may have arguably been the best two-way guard in the NBA when he was still in his prime five or six years ago, but not now.
I still think he is. There are a couple of guys right there behind him now, but who do you think it is, if it’s not still him?
PHO weren’t much on the run this year, as they would need again every team to lose their main star to injury, agian… which would be very unlikely, right?
But they must do better for their players!
I mean how odd is that they are willing to bathe CP3, which I really like, in gold, at his age… but they have a young stud, that could be there for the next decade… but they don’t wanna pay him his due… really odd, for sure this is not the way to build a team to be in playoffs regularly, right?
#PayTheMan
Draymond has had tendencies the last couple of years of not looking at the rim, and telegraphing dribble handoffs with Curry or passes in general, and he needs to take some of those shots. It effected them at the end of both playin games too…
I’ve been saying for a long while. Bridges should get a nice extension in the 18-$21 million per range. Ayton maybe in the 16-$18 million range would be the most I would go, but I could see him somehow getting upto $22 million just based on them being capped out anyway, like we’ve seen for a couple of guys
If he wants the max, Phoenix definitely needs to continue to hold off on that, although they do risk someone giving him some wonky deal in RFA tough to match
Nothing against Ayton. He has improved, mostly thanks to Chris Paul. I personally dont think you should pay bigs more than a certain amount in today’s NBA, unless it is certain people
Last night Warriors B team played the lakers A team to a tie. Warriors showed chemistry and great rotation. This is not the previous 2 year bench that didn’t play well together. Lakers big need is 3 point shooters instead of trying to dunk every pass.
THT didn’t sign an extension, it was a new free agent deal. CBA-wise, there’s a stark difference.