- Lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody got the rare experience of playing on a championship team in their first year. Though they didn’t play large roles in the postseason, the Warriors rookies got invaluable experience as their playing time grows in future seasons, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes. “I never really worry about whether we’re playing, not playing,” Kuminga said. “As long as I’m still here, learning, getting better every day. When my moments get called, I know I’ll be ready. … Everybody here [is] just helping me, way more than dudes [other rookies around the league] are, wherever they are right now.”
- The Warriors hold the No. 28 pick but they might not add an rookie, according to Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. The Warriors are looking to trade the pick, in part because of their huge payroll and also because they’ve already got a trio of young players — James Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody — fighting for rotation minutes next season.
Four-time Warriors champion forward Draymond Green had an extensive chat with team president Bob Myers during a plane ride from Oakland to Boston this past Tuesday, with the Warriors leading the Celtics 3-2 in the 2022 NBA Finals ahead of what turned out to be a close-out Game 6, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic.
“We talked about everything but basketball that everyone deals with,” Myers said. “I don’t pretend to understand what it’s like to be them (the players) because I’m not a celebrity, or famous or as wealthy as them… I just think we get so focused on Game 5, Game 6, I don’t think we talk enough about (life). Once this stuff is over, we’re gonna go back to our lives. Everybody’s got challenges, so I’m just talking about that stuff.”
“Those are things that bring you together for a lifetime,” Green said of their conversation and others like it. “We’ve seen several people win trophies together, and they hate each other. It’s those things that bring you together and connect you forever.”
Amick also discusses the late benching Green received in the fourth quarter in Game 4. Head coach Steve Kerr played center Kevon Looney in Green’s stead for much of the frame, a decision that ultimately helped the Warriors knot the series at 2-2 with a 107-97 Game 4 victory.
“You have to (get through moments like that),” Green said. “But like I said, ultimately in those moments, the most important thing is that you trust each other. I didn’t question (Kerr). I was upset, (because) as a competitor you want to be in the game.”
There’s more out of Golden State:
- Warriors center James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick out of Memphis in the 2020 draft, said recently that he expects there is a “90% chance” he will be able to suit up for the team’s Summer League games, per NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter video link). “I’ve been feeling great,” Wiseman said. “I’m running now, I’m doing a lot of up-and-down stuff… I’ll most likely play in Summer League.” The seven-footer’s rookie season was cut short due to a mensicus tear that also kept him out for all of 2021/22. In 39 healthy games during the ’20/21 season, Wiseman averaged 11.5 PPG and 5.8 RPG, though his inconsistent defensive play limited him to just 21.4 MPG.
- Warriors team president Bob Myers credits former Celtics team president Danny Ainge, now with the Jazz, for helping Myers land his current job, per Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. Ainge was the architect behind much of the roster against which Golden State faced off in the Finals. “Without Danny, I wouldn’t be here,” said Myers. “He recommended that [Warriors owner Joe Lacob] meet with me… And Joe didn’t know me from anybody. And on Danny’s recommendation, he met with me. And then a few months later, Joe asked me if I wanted to work for the team. So I do owe that to Danny. Truly, without him I don’t get hired by the Warriors.”
- After a resurgent 53-29 regular season led to a charmed NBA Finals run and their first title since 2018, the Warriors actually have a chance to improve during the 2022/23 season, writes Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. Kawakami notes that talented recent lottery selections Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody did not play meaningful minutes in this year’s NBA Finals, but could be poised to contribute to the roster next year. Rookie wings Moody and Kuminga chipped in during Golden State’s playoff run, while second-year center Wiseman continues to work his way back from injury. Following a breakout regular season, 23-year-old shooting guard Jordan Poole saw more limited time during the playoffs, but still managed to be a solid contributor. Kawakami notes that Poole, too, could develop further next season.
With another NBA title in their possession, the Warriors will now see how much of their team they can keep together, writes Logan Murdock of The Ringer. One of the key pieces in question is center Kevon Looney, who will be an unrestricted free agent on June 30. Looney, who became the Golden State’s full-time starting center this season, said he hopes to re-sign with the team.
“This is definitely my number one option,” he said. “I’ve been here my whole career. … So this will definitely be number one.”
Looney should far exceed the three-year, $14.4MM contract he just completed, and the Hornets and Kings are both expected to pursue him, Marc Stein writes in a story for Substack. New Sacramento head coach Mike Brown worked closely with Looney during his time as a Warriors assistant.
There’s more on the NBA champs:
- The Warriors also face a decision on Andrew Wiggins, who will be eligible for an extension this summer ahead of unrestricted free agency in 2023, Murdock adds in the same piece. Wiggins has excelled since coming to Golden State in a 2020 trade and was an important part of this year’s playoff run. “I would love to stay here,” Wiggins said during today’s exit interviews. “This is top-notch. The way they treat their players, the way they treat your family. We’re all one big family. A lot of places might say that, but here their actions show it.” (Twitter link from Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area).
- Free agent forward Otto Porter expressed a similar sentiment in his exit interview, tweets Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Porter will be back on the open market after signing a one-year, minimum-salary deal last summer. “I do know this team can compete for another championship,” he said. “And I think it would be a great opportunity if I can stay here. It would be an amazing to be here with this group of guys again and do it all over again.”
- The Warriors set a league record by spending more than $350MM on combined salary and luxury tax payments this season, and that number could easily top $400MM in the next two years, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link). He points out that payroll would reach $390MM if Looney and Gary Payton II are brought back at $6MM per year and would balloon to $430MM if the Warriors also use their mid-level exception.
3:24pm: Atkinson will become the Warriors‘ new top assistant under Steve Kerr, Wojnarowski writes in a full story. He will replace Mike Brown, who is leaving to become the Kings’ head coach.
Wojnarowski states that after Atkinson accepted the Hornets’ job last week, he had “further conversations” with the team that made him reconsider. Sources tell Woj that Atkinson never signed a contract with Charlotte. He informed both clubs of his decision this afternoon.
2:39pm: Kenny Atkinson has decided to remain an assistant with the Warriors rather than becoming the Hornets‘ next head coach, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Charlotte made the decision to hire Atkinson eight days ago, with both sides agreeing in principle on a four-year contract. Former Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts and former Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni were the other finalists for the job. Stotts is also among the reported candidates for the head coaching vacancy in Utah.
Atkinson, 55, just completed his first season as an assistant coach with Golden State, winning an NBA title for the first time in his career. He spent last season as an assistant on Tyronn Lue‘s staff with the Clippers and has been as assistant with the Knicks and Hawks as well. His only head coaching experience came with the Nets from 2016-20.
Recent reports cited positive reaction for the Hornets’ decision to hire Atkinson and noted that he’s well-respected around the league.
Charlotte is left in the difficult position of being without a head coach five days before the draft and 12 days before the start of free agency. It’s not clear yet whether owner Michael Jordan intends to shift to one of his other finalists or start the coaching search over.
Warriors star Andrew Wiggins finished a transformation from underachiever to champion when Golden State won the NBA title on Thursday, Jon Krawczynski writes for The Athletic. Wiggins failed to consistently improve during his time with Minnesota from 2014-20, but the former No. 1 pick found his niche with the Warriors this season.
“It’s a feeling I can’t describe,” Wiggins said. “Every day, that stuff is motivating. That put fire in my eyes. I just wanted to prove everyone wrong. Now I’m a world champion. Everyone is going to have something to say, regardless. Whatever they say, they gotta say I’m a world champion, too.”
Wiggins averaged 17.2 points per game this season — the second-lowest mark of his career — and an argument could be made for or against him making his first All-Star Team. However, his improved shooting, defense and unselfishness were key reasons why Golden State won the championship. He shot 47% from the floor and a career-high 39% from deep.
Here are some other notes from the Pacific:
- LSU’s Shareef O’Neal — son of Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal — has an upcoming workout scheduled with the Lakers, as relayed by Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Shaq played with the Lakers from 1996-2004, winning three NBA championships. Shareef is a 6’10” big man who also recently worked out for the Heat, another team his father won a title with.
- John Hollinger and Jovan Buha of The Athletic analyze the Lakers‘ offseason, exploring Russell Westbrook‘s future, the team’s free agency outlook and more. Los Angeles is coming off an injury-riddled season, finishing with the fifth-worst record in the Western Conference at 33-49.
- Projected top-five pick Keegan Murray likes the way he would fit in with the Kings, writes Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. The Kings own the No. 4 pick in the draft. “I’ve visited with them, met with them, talked to them, so I think just me fitting in with them, kind of being another guy who’s versatile, knows the game, and I think I just kind of bring a winning culture,” Murray said. “I feel like I have a winning mentality; not really that many distractions. Just focus on the task at hand and try to get that job done. I think I just fit in with all the other guys and bring in that winning mindset.”
Duke’s Paolo Banchero is projected by most mock drafts to be selected by the Rockets with the No. 3 pick. Banchero believes that’s two slots too low, USA Today’s David Thompson writes.
“I feel like I am the best player in the draft and I feel like I showed that throughout the year,” he said. “I feel like I showed everything with my skill sets and my intangibles.”
However, he wouldn’t be disappointed if he ends up playing with Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr in Houston.
“Those are two extremely skilled, extremely talented players,” Banchero said. “Both guys I’ve known for a while. I feel like playing with them would be fun.”
We have more draft-related info:
- Notre Dame’s Blake Wesley is the latest player to get a green room invite, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets. He’s currently ranked No. 27 on ESPN’s Best Available list. There are now 22 players with green room invitations.
- Jalen Williams has worked out for the Clippers, Warriors, Nuggets, Grizzlies, Bucks, Thunder and Spurs, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee tweets. ESPN ranks the Santa Clara guard at No. 21. Williams will soon visit the Cavaliers, Anderson adds.
- In Basketball News’ Matt Babcock’s latest mock draft, Williams winds up with the Grizzlies at No. 22. Jabari Smith is the Magic‘s pick at No. 1.
The Warriors‘ championship this year vindicated the belief of team management and ownership that the team could build a “two-timeline” roster, using its lottery picks in 2020 and 2021 on young prospects rather than in trades for win-now help, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
[RELATED: Warriors Win 2022 Title, Stephen Curry Named MVP]
As Slater details, president of basketball operations Bob Myers and owner Joe Lacob believed the roster was talented enough to contend for a title without having to trade those picks. Golden State ultimately opted to draft and develop James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody while continuing to lean on veterans like Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins.
“They were doubted,” Lacob said on Thursday night, referring to the Warriors’ veteran stars. “But these guys are not 40 years old. We believed in that core. Not many teams have a core four. A lot of people say core three. I say core four. We’re spending the money to do that. Then, we supplement and surround that team.
“I know some people thought we could’ve done more, got another star. But who were we going to get? Who was available that would make a difference? We didn’t think there was, and we really wanted these young guys to be developed and learn from these guys. They have learned. We are going to be even better as a result of that in the years going forward.”
Here’s more on the NBA champions:
- Lacob is confident that his club can continue to be a contender for years to come, as David Aldridge of The Athletic relays. “I intend to own this team for a long time and I intend to win as many championships as possible,” Lacob said. “It’s all about winning. That’s it. That’s all I care about. We’re going to do whatever it takes. The truth is, we’ve got really smart people who work in this organization, and we are, usually, going to figure it out and be real good.”
- The Warriors’ fourth title in the last eight years left no doubt of their star trio’s place in NBA history, says Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “Individually, we all do different, unique things to impact winning,” Curry said of himself, Green, and Thompson. “We all have a sense of humility about what it takes to win and knowing that we respect what every single one of us brings to the table. But there’s also an ego with that, too. So there’s a healthy balance. And the rest of it is trust.”
- Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype looks ahead to the offseason decisions facing the Warriors following their championship run, while Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN revisits seven important moments from that run.
- Oddsmakers and sportsbooks have made the Warriors the early favorites for the 2023 title, according to David Purdum of ESPN. Golden State is a little ahead of Brooklyn, Boston, Milwaukee, Phoenix, and the Clippers.
The Warriors returned to the mountaintop on Thursday, closing out the Celtics in Game 6 of the Finals to secure their fourth championship since 2015.
Stephen Curry, a two-time Most Valuable Player, secured his first Finals MVP award with another clutch performance. He racked up 34 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in Game 6.
Curry’s 43-point outburst in Game 4 in Boston was a series changer. He received all 11 votes from a media panel, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
Kevin Durant was awarded the Finals MVP in Golden State’s last two runs in 2017 and 2018. Andre Iguodala was chosen in 2015.
Draymond Green and Klay Thompson also added a fourth championship to their résumés, as did head coach Steve Kerr (also a five-time champ as a player). Andrew Wiggins delivered stellar contributions, particularly on the defensive end, and Jordan Poole had some big offensive games after his breakout regular season.
All of those players are under contract for next season, though the Warriors have some key free agent decisions to make. Kevon Looney, Otto Porter Jr., Nemanja Bjelica and Gary Payton II will all be unrestricted free agents. However, Golden State’s younger players — James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody — figure to play bigger roles going forward. The Warriors also own their first-round pick at No. 28.
The Celtics came up just shy of their first title since 2008. However, they figure to run it back next season with most of the same players that carried them through the rugged Eastern Conference playoffs. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will gain valuable lessons from their first Finals experience and it will surprise no one if they lead another Boston team to the Finals in the near future.
All of their rotation players are under contract for next season, though the Celtics may make some tweaks, particularly in the backcourt. Boston, which projects to be a luxury tax team, traded away its first-round pick to San Antonio.
With the Finals decided, the offseason is officially underway. The June 23 draft is just a week away, with free agency beginning the following week.
Draymond Green admits the Celtics present certain challenges, but it’s not the same as facing LeBron James in the NBA Finals, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. One victory away from picking up his fourth ring with the Warriors, Green reflected Wednesday on the four Finals matchups with James when he was in Cleveland.
“It doesn’t compare to mentally playing against LeBron James, who I think is arguably the smartest guy to ever play this game,” Green said. “Not one of, he is arguably the smartest guy to set foot on a basketball court. To say that it compares to that, it’s disrespectful to LeBron, and it’s a lie to you.”
Green noted that the Celtics provide matchup problems because they’re “super athletic,” but said he has been able to outthink them so far. He singled out point guard Marcus Smart and coach Ime Udoka as being especially cerebral, but again mentioned James and his ability to diagnose the game.
“Like that’s just a skill that not many people possess,” Green said. “Not many people can come and sit here and find a random stretch from seven minutes to four minutes in the second quarter and give you every play like to the T and not miss a beat. There’s not many people that can do that.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Golden State will lean on its experience as it tries to wrap up the series in Boston tonight, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN. The Warriors have been in this situation plenty of times before and realize the clinching game can be the hardest to win. “You just understand what the nerves are like,” Stephen Curry said. “We understand the specifics of how we need to approach the game from a physicality perspective, our game plan adjustments from Game 5 to Game 6, understanding what the building is going to feel like, that energy, being prepared for it.”
- Steve Kerr has a chance to add another championship to his legacy of success, per Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. Kerr is already the first person to win at least at least three titles as both a player and a coach. “Just hanging around the right people,” he said as an explanation. “You hang around superstars long enough, you’re going to get some residual success falling your way.”
- Former NBA guard Tyreke Evans was among the players at a Warriors mini-camp held Wednesday, tweets JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors, who adds that Evans worked out for the team in March. Justin Tillman and Louis King also attended.
By the time the draft rolls around next Thursday, G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels will have worked out for every team picking between No. 4 and No. 11, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, who suggests within his latest mock draft that Daniels’ maturity has stood out to teams during interviews. The 19-year-old is increasingly being viewed as the sort of player whose versatility and high floor makes him one of the safest picks in the mid-lottery, Wasserman adds.
Here are a few more draft-related notes:
- Jeremy Woo of SI.com has published his final big board for 2022’s draft class, featuring a top three of Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, and Jaden Ivey.
- David Aldridge of The Athletic spoke to several coaches and executives to get their thoughts on this year’s top draft-eligible forwards, including Smith, Banchero, Keegan Murray, and AJ Griffin. One college assistant coach who talked to Aldridge said it was “a joke” that Banchero had to go to college for a year, since he was NBA-ready after high school.
- The Bucks, Bulls, and Lakers are among the teams Gonzaga’s Andrew Nembhard has worked out for so far in the pre-draft process, he said today following a workout with the Pacers (Twitter link via James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star). Nembhard still has auditions on tap with the Thunder, Heat, and Timberwolves.
- As part of a Q&A with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Wake Forest wing Jake LaRavia said he has workouts coming up with the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Pacers.