Golden State Warriors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Scotto’s Latest: Hartenstein, Knicks, Kuminga, Holmes, Missi, Lakers, More

June 24th, 2024 at 6:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Because they only hold his Early Bird rights, the Knicks are limited to a four-year offer worth approximately $72.5MM for Isaiah Hartenstein, and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype hears from league sources that New York is expected to put that full offer on the table for the free agent center.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv previously reported that the Knicks are considering other options at center, including Goga Bitadze, in the event that they’re unable to retain Hartenstein. Scotto confirms as much, writing that free agent big man Jonas Valanciunas and potential trade target Nick Richards of the Hornets are among the other fives on New York’s radar. There’s also an “outside chance,” sources tell Scotto, that the Knicks would consider pursuing Andre Drummond if they can’t bring back Hartenstein.

Here are several more highlights from Scotto’s aggregate mock draft at HoopsHype, which features many other items of interest that we passed along earlier in the day:

Jonathan Kuminga, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, is expected to remain with the Warriors for the foreseeable future unless the team has an opportunity to acquire an All-NBA caliber player, writes Scotto.
While there have been rumors that Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II received a draft promise from the Nuggets, Scotto hears that there’s no truth to that chatter, adding that multiple executives believe Holmes will be drafted before Denver picks at No. 28.
Baylor center Yves Missi is among the prospects who have worked out for the Lakers and is someone to keep an eye on at No. 17, Scotto writes.
Scotto’s aggregate mock draft has KJ Simpson coming off the board at No. 49, but he says the Colorado guard is a potential target to watch for the Timberwolves earlier in the draft. Minnesota currently holds the 27th and 37th overall picks.
Kyshawn George has some fans within the Cavaliers‘ organization, according to Scotto, who suggests that the Miami guard could be “an upside pick for the future” at No. 20.
Brendan Sabean, who most recently served as the assistant general manager of the Austin Spurs, is expected to be hired as the GM of Phoenix’s new G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, league sources tell Scotto.

Warriors Guaranteeing Kevon Looney’s Salary For 2024/25

June 24th, 2024 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have decided to guarantee Kevon Looney‘s salary for the 2024/25 season, sources tell Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).

Golden State would have had to waive Looney on Monday in order to avoid having his full $8MM salary for next season become guaranteed. Up until today, only $3MM of that total had been guaranteed, so the team could’ve saved $5MM by cutting him.

However, Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported over the weekend that Looney was unlikely to be waived, pointing out that cutting him and then signing a replacement wouldn’t create significant cap or tax savings, and cutting him to try to re-sign him to a minimum-salary deal was considered too risky, since he’d have other suitors. According to Slater, the veteran center is still one of head coach Steve Kerr‘s favorite players and his voice is valued in the locker room.

Looney, 28, has been with the Warriors since 2015, winning three titles during that time and starting 256 of his 523 regular season games with the franchise. His defensive versatility, toughness, and rebounding have made him an important part of Golden State’s frontcourt over the years, but he had a down season in 2023/24, as his averages dipped to 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 16.1 minutes per game.

While Looney will now be assured of receiving $8MM in 2024/25, that doesn’t mean he’ll spend the entire season with the Warriors. As Slater wrote on Saturday, the big man could emerge as a trade candidate if his expiring contract comes in handy as part of Golden State’s efforts to upgrade its roster.

The Warriors’ next major salary guarantee decision will come later this week — Chris Paul‘s $30MM contract for ’24/25 will become guaranteed if he remains on the roster through Friday. However, there’s virtually no chance Golden State will guarantee that full amount unless it’s necessary to accommodate a trade. It’s also possible that Paul will agree to push his salary guarantee date back into July to give the team more time to sift through its trade options.

Warriors Rumors: Thompson, Paul, Trade Market, Looney

June 22nd, 2024 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Contract talks between the Warriors and Klay Thompson are “essentially frozen,” according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who reports that Thompson’s departure from Golden State feels more plausible than ever.

There’s no offer currently on the table for Thompson, and no productive talks have taken place recently between the Warriors and the veteran’s representatives, Slater writes, explaining that the team has been focused on other offseason issues, including the possibility of finding a trade involving Chris Paul‘s expiring contract.

Paul’s $30MM salary for 2024/25 is non-guaranteed but could be partially or fully guaranteed if Golden State wants to use it as a salary-matching piece. Guaranteeing it for 50%, for example, would allow it to count as $15MM in outgoing salary in a trade. League sources tell The Athletic that there have been discussions with Paul about the possibility of moving his guarantee date from June 28 to July, which could push back potential resolution with Thompson even further.

As Slater observes, if the Warriors are able to acquire an impact, high-salary player in a deal involving Paul, it would affect what they might be willing to offer Thompson, since they’d like to move below the second tax apron this offseason, or perhaps even out of the tax altogether.

Here’s more from Slater:

One factor the Warriors are weighing in their approach to contract talks with Thompson is a belief that his free agent market may not be robust as expected. According to Slater, there has been chatter that teams may prefer shorter-term contracts for veteran free agents this summer, so Golden State may not have to top a big, longer-term bid from a rival suitor. There hasn’t been any traction between the Magic and Thompson, despite some reported mutual interest, sources tell Slater.
Still, even if Thompson’s price comes in lower than anticipated, that doesn’t mean he’ll end up back with the Warriors. It’s “increasingly conceivable” that the five-time All-Star and four-time champion could seek a fresh start elsewhere, per Slater, who cites some “built-up friction” from the past couple seasons.
While Kevon Looney has been viewed as a possible candidate to be released due to the structure of his contract (only $3MM of his $8MM salary is guaranteed), that’s not the Warriors’ plan right now, Slater reports. Looney’s contract will become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract through Monday, and there’s no indication at this point that he’ll be waived before then. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll remain in Golden State, since his expiring contract could be useful in a trade, Slater adds.
As Slater explains, waiving Looney and replacing him with a minimum-salary center wouldn’t create significant cap or tax savings, and cutting him to try to re-sign him on a minimum deal isn’t an option being seriously considered, since he might get a more lucrative offer from another team in that scenario. According to Slater, the big man is still one of head coach Steve Kerr‘s favorite players and his voice is valued in the locker room.

Magic’s Interest In Klay Thompson Overstated?

June 21st, 2024 at 9:23am CST by Rory Maher

Veteran swingman Klay Thompson will be eligible for unrestricted free agency on June 30, and he reportedly plans to test his value on the open market. The question is, which team (or teams) will pursue him?

“At this juncture, I am starting to be skeptical — outside of the Philly backup option plan for (Thompson) — there’s really much of a market out there,” Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports said on the No Cap Room podcast (YouTube link). “The Orlando stuff, I’m not so certain about. (There’s) definite word that the Magic are only going to be willing to offer a two-year balloon payment bigger than what they did for Joe Ingles last year.”

Ingles received a two-year, $22MM contract from Orlando last summer, but only the first season was guaranteed — the Magic hold an $11MM team option on his deal for 2024/25.

Thompson reportedly turned down a two-year, $48MM extension from the Warriors before the ’23/24 season began. Fischer expressed some skepticism that the Magic, who could have about $50MM in cap room, would be willing to offer the 34-year-old a deal in that range.

Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic have reported that while the Warriors would like to bring Thompson back, they also haven’t exactly been “beating down his door” to sign him to a new contract. That strongly suggests Golden State doesn’t view Thompson as its top priority this summer, which is understandable given how injuries have impacted his game.

One report earlier this week stated that Thompson was looking for a deal that covers a minimum of three years. Unless he’s willing to take less money for more long-term security, a three-year contract might be difficult to come by.

For what it’s worth, the Sixers‘ interest pursuing Paul George has “significantly waned,” perhaps opening a door for Thompson. The Thunder have also been floated as a cap-room contender that could be a fit, though it’s unclear if there’s real interest there from either side.

International Notes: Giannis, Team Canada, Hezonja, Clarkson, Vildoza, Ataman, Team China

June 20th, 2024 at 9:11am CST by Dana Gauruder

Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking forward to participating in Greece’s training camp, though he’s still dealing with the injury that short-circuited the Bucks’ playoff run. Milwaukee’s superstar will look to help Greece advance out of the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament in Piraeus early next month.

“I have not practiced yet, but I feel better. I cannot wait to join the training camp,” he told Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net and other reporters.

Antetokounmpo suffered a calf strain late in the NBA regular season. The announcement that he would play for Greece was made at the beginning of this month.

We have more international basketball news:

Canada’s preliminary Olympic roster is loaded with NBA players and there will be tough decisions ahead to pare it to 12 players, Josh Lewenberg of TSN notes. Kings forward Trey Lyles, former NBA bigs Khem Birch and Mfiondu Kabengele and two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey are some of the players who, on paper, will be fighting for the last two spots on the roster, writes Lewenberg.
Former NBA forward Mario Hezonja announced on social media that he’s re-signing with Real Madrid, Sportando relays. “Real Madrid believed in me when many didn’t, cared for me and my family since the first day I arrived and made us feel at home. My only intention was to stay so I am happy to communicate to you that I will continue my journey at MY HOME, MY REAL MADRID for a long time!” he wrote. There had been speculation he might look at NBA opportunities.
Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson was not on the Philippines’ 12-man roster for the FIBA Olympic qualifier. Coach Tim Cone opted for continuity, according to executive director Erika Dy. Cone decided to go with the same group that participated in an Asia Cup qualifier over the winter. “Premise of coach Tim, we have the same roster every time. The shorter training periods will accumulate, and the players will build chemistry,” Dy said, per BasketNews.
Virtus Bologna is reportedly interested in former NBA guard Luca Vildoza, who is leaving Greece’s Panathinaikos, according to another Sportando report. Vildoza had a seven-game stint with the Bucks in 2021/22.
After leading Panathinaikos to a Euroleague title, Ergin Ataman is eager to get a shot at coaching in the NBA. But he told the Spanish outlet AS that he only wants to make the jump if he’s offered a head coaching job. “Before it was my dream, now it’s not, but if you want a star coach from Europe, here I am. Why would I be afraid of training NBA stars?” he said, per Eurohoops.net.
The Chinese national team will participate in the California Classic in Sacramento next month, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee reports. They’ll be grouped against Summer League teams from the Kings, Hornets, and Spurs. Squads from the Warriors, Lakers and Heat will play against each other in San Francisco.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Murray Headline Canada’s Preliminary Olympic Roster

June 19th, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Canada Basketball has formally announced its preliminary roster for the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris. The 20-man group will have to be trimmed to 12 players for Paris.

Here are the 20 players vying for spots on Team Canada’s Olympic roster, which will be coached by new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez:

Kyle Alexander (Hapoel Tel Aviv)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Timberwolves)
RJ Barrett (Raptors)
Trae Bell-Haynes (Zaragoza)
Khem Birch (Girona)
Oshae Brissett (Celtics)
Dillon Brooks (Rockets)
Luguentz Dort (Thunder)
Zach Edey (Purdue)
Melvin Ejim (Unicaja)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
Mfiondu Kabengele (Venezia)
Trey Lyles (Kings)
Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
Andrew Nembhard (Pacers)
Kelly Olynyk (Raptors)
Dwight Powell (Mavericks)
Phil Scrubb (Bahcesehir Koleji)
Thomas Scrubb (Obradoiro)
Andrew Wiggins (Warriors)

All 12 players who helped Canada clinch an Olympic berth and claim a bronze medal at the 2023 World Cup are included in the preliminary roster, along with several notable newcomers, including Murray, Wiggins, Lyles, and Nembhard.

Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe and Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, whose seasons ended earlier due to injuries, will also attend training camp with Team Canada, but won’t be in the mix for roster spots this summer, according to today’s announcement.

Even without Sharpe or Mathurin in the mix, the Canadians can put together a formidable NBA-heavy squad that should be in contention for a medal in Paris. Gilgeous-Alexander, Barrett, Brooks, Dort, Powell, Olynyk, and Alexander-Walker were the top seven players on last year’s squad and look like relatively safe bets to represent Canada again. If Murray, Wiggins, Lyles, and Nembhard were to join them, that would leave just one open spot for the remaining nine invitees.

One notable omission from the 20-man preliminary roster is veteran guard Cory Joseph, who spoke to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca earlier this week to express his disappointment about being left off the list. Joseph was unable to compete for a spot on the World Cup team last year due to a back injury, but was among the 14 players who made a commitment in 2022 to be part of Canada’s “summer core” for the current Olympic cycle.

“I took the honor of playing for your country very seriously and did it many times over the years,” Joseph told Grange. “This is not me complaining, I’m not a complainer. But there were times when I put FIBA basketball and playing for my country over my NBA situation at the time, whether I was in a contract year and I had no contract at the time and I went to go play for my country, whether I had little bumps and tweaks, I was there. Whether guys came or not, I always thought we still had a chance. For me it’s a little disheartening to be like, ‘Wow, I wasn’t even given an opportunity to compete for whatever position?’

“… I had planned to go to camp, and when you’re talking about the (last three or four spots) on the roster, there’s a pool of talented guys you could put on the roster, (but) I don’t see, in that situation, where I wouldn’t at least be invited to camp to be one of those guys (to compete for a spot), so that’s where my disappointment is with the organization. … I don’t want to take away from the fact that Canada Basketball is in a great place. This is not that. I love all those guys. I want them to do well. Quote that. I just think I should have been invited to camp at the very least, 100 per cent.”

Team Canada will hold its training camp in Toronto from June 28 to July 7 before heading to Las Vegas for an exhibition game vs. Team USA on July 10. The Canadians will also play exhibition matches with France on July 19 and the winner of the Puerto Rico Olympic qualifying tournament on July 21.

Canada will be in Group A at the Olympics, along with Australia. The group will be filled out by the winners of the qualifying tournaments in Spain and Greece.

Warriors’ Gary Payton II Picks Up 2024/25 Player Option

June 19th, 2024 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors guard Gary Payton II has exercised his player option for the 2024/25 season, reports Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link). While most player option decisions are due on June 29, Payton’s deadline to opt in was June 19.

The move will guarantee Payton a $9.13MM salary for next season, putting him on track to reach unrestricted free agency in 2025 if he doesn’t sign a contract extension before then. He’ll be extension-eligible for the entire 2024/25 league year, beginning in July.

A stalwart perimeter defender, Payton averaged 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 15.5 minutes per game across 44 appearances off the bench for the Warriors last season, with a shooting line of .563/.364/.609. The 31-year-old has been affected by injuries over the past couple years, appearing in just 66 total regular season games since playing in 83 total contests (71 regular season, 12 playoffs) for Golden State’s title-winning team in 2021/22.

At the end of the Warriors’ season in April, Payton expressed a desire to remain with the team and referenced the possibility of “redoing” his deal, leading to speculation that he might turn down his option in order to sign a longer-term contract with a smaller starting salary, giving Golden State some additional short-term cap flexibility. However, while that scenario was explored, the numbers didn’t make for both sides, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Payton’s decision to opt in means the club will have to account for his $9MM+ cap hit, pushing team salary closer to the luxury tax threshold. The Warriors now have $137MM in guaranteed money on their books for eight players in 2024/25. That figure doesn’t include the $5MM non-guaranteed portion of Kevon Looney‘s contract, Chris Paul‘s $30MM non-guaranteed salary, or a potential deal for free agent swingman Klay Thompson. The luxury tax line next season projects to be just north of $171MM.

As Slater points out, Payton’s opt-in doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll spend next season in Golden State, since his expiring contract could be a useful salary-matching piece in a trade. But as long as he’s healthy, the veteran guard is the team’s best backcourt defender and a valuable role player — his +5.8 net rating was the second-best mark among Warriors regulars in 2023/24, Slater notes.

Warriors Top List Of NBA’s 2023/24 Taxpayers

June 18th, 2024 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

While the official numbers from the NBA aren’t yet in, Bobby Marks of ESPN estimates (via Twitter) that the Warriors led all teams in 2023/24 with a luxury tax bill in the neighborhood of $176.9MM.

Golden State was subject once again to the “repeater” tax penalties this season, meaning that every dollar spent above the luxury tax line cost them more than a first-time taxpayer. The Warriors paid roughly $206MM in player salaries, meaning their roster as a whole cost more than $380MM. They didn’t make the playoffs, having been eliminated in the first play-in game by Sacramento.

The Warriors weren’t alone among teams that are on the hook for tax payments without a playoff series win to show for it. Of the eight taxpayers, only two (the Celtics and Nuggets) made it beyond the first round of the postseason, with only one Boston advancing past the second round. Unlike Golden State, the Clippers, Suns, Bucks, Heat, and Lakers all made the playoffs, but they were each eliminated in the conference quarterfinals.

Here are the estimated tax penalties for 2023/24, according to Marks:

Golden State Warriors: $176.9MM
Los Angeles Clippers: $142.4MM
Phoenix Suns: $68.2MM
Milwaukee Bucks: $52.5MM
Boston Celtics: $43.8MM
Denver Nuggets: $20.2MM
Miami Heat: $15.7MM
Los Angeles Lakers: $6.9MM

Half of those tax payments get distributed among non-taxpaying teams, so those 22 clubs should each receive a little less than $12MM, Marks observes.

That payout for non-taxpayers serves to highlight why some teams who were hovering around the luxury tax line earlier in the season made a concerted effort to duck below – or stay below – that threshold. For instance, the Pelicans finished the season below the tax line by less than $400K after initially moving out of tax territory by salary-dumping Kira Lewis‘ expiring contract back in January. That cost-cutting move didn’t just save Pels ownership a tax payment — it also ensured that the team will receive that extra $12MM.

The tax line for 2024/25 is projected to be just north of $171MM, and while many of the teams listed above project to once again be taxpayers next spring, at least a couple of them could be in position to avoid the tax next season, including the Warriors.

Central Notes: Caruso, Pacers Workout, Haliburton, Bucks

June 17th, 2024 at 7:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls have fielded numerous inquiries and proposals regarding guard Alex Caruso, says Will Gottlieb of AllCHGO.com. According to Gottlieb, Chicago was offered multiple protected first-round picks ahead of this year’s trade deadline, with the Warriors among the teams who made a strong offer for Caruso. One of those proposed deals included a 2024 pick that ended up being a top-10 selection, per Gottlieb.

However, the Bulls have thus far resisted moving Caruso, with ownership pushing the front office to continue competing for the postseason rather than undergoing a major rebuild. Caruso is extension-eligible this summer.

We have more from the Central Division:

The Pacers are holding a pre-draft workout on Tuesday with some potential second-round picks in the mix. They’ll host Nikola Djurisic (Serbia), Allen Flanigan (Mississippi), Isaac Jones (Washington State), Tristen Newton (Connecticut), Donta Scott (Maryland), and Santiago Vescovi (Tennessee). Shooting guard Djurisic is ranked No. 41 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list, with forward Jones (No. 57) and Newton (No. 68), point guard for national champion UConn, also among the top 75.
Coming off their run to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers now must focus on taking the next step, star guard Tyrese Haliburton told Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. “It was a great year for us as a team, me individually, of course, but we know there’s another step for us to go, and obviously not satisfied with just Eastern Conference Finals. We want to do a lot more,” he said.
The Bucks currently hold the No. 23 and 33 picks in the draft. What type of players should they target? The Athletic’s Eric Nehm and Sam Vecenie explore that topic, with Vecenie suggesting Indiana’s Kel’el Ware, Purdue’s Zach Edey and Dayton’s DaRon Holmes could get a long look with one of their selections as the club seeks a long-term option at the center spot. Vecenie also mentions numerous prospects at other positions.

Latest On Klay Thompson

June 17th, 2024 at 4:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Klay Thompson has spent his entire NBA career with the Warriors after being selected 11th overall in the 2011 draft, making five consecutive All-Star teams from 2015-19 and winning four championships. However, the 34-year-old is set to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent, and a return to Golden State appears far from certain.

“Klay Thompson, I’m told, is open to all external options in free agency coming up,” Shams Charania of The Athletic said on FanDuelTV’s Run It Back show (Twitter video link). “He intends to test free agency.

“We know the Warriors want him back — they offered him an extension before the start of the season. … What team out there could step up for Klay Thompson? That is gonna be the big question. But the Warriors will stay in touch with him.”

League sources tell Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic that there’s “mutual interest” between Thompson and the Magic, which has been rumored to be the case for at least two months. Golden State has “made clear” it wants to retain Thompson “at the right price and in the right role,” per The Athletic’s duo.

According to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, Thompson is looking for a deal that covers a minimum of three years. Poole also hears the Warriors’ front office wasn’t alarmed by Thompson’s decision to stop following the team on Instagram, which has become common practice in contract negotiations.

“He’s going to have to be really patient,” Thompson’s friend and former teammate Leandro Barbosa told Poole. “I hope he comes back to the Warriors. I don’t know what’s the situation, but it’s going to be tough. I know the money (in NBA contracts) is going up, and he’s been thinking about the money.

“But I think he needs to be happy. I think that’s the most important thing.”

Poole suggests rival teams could be willing to offer Thompson more money than the Warriors. Still, as Charania mentioned, it’s unclear which teams might target Thompson beyond perhaps Orlando. Slater previously floated the Sixers and Thunder as possibilities, though Thompson would presumably be a fallback option for Philadelphia, which is reportedly focused on Paul George.

Thompson remains one of the league’s top three-point shooters, averaging 9.7 attempts per game while converting 40.0% of his looks beyond the arc over the past two seasons. However, the torn ACL and torn Achilles tendon that cost him two full seasons have sapped his lateral quickness and athleticism, so he isn’t the same player he once was, particularly on defense.

For what it’s worth, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and longtime teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green all expressed a desire for Thompson to return after the veteran guard/forward was held scoreless (he went 0-10 from the field) when Golden State was eliminated by Sacramento in the West’s play-in tournament.

Thompson will join the Bahamian national team for its training camp this week in Houston, but he isn’t expected to play in the country’s Olympic qualifying tournament early next month, according to Charania and Slater. Thompson would need official clearance to play for the Bahamas in international competition since he won a gold medal with Team USA in 2016, and that is not expected to occur, per The Athletic.

Thompson’s father Mychal Thompson is from the Bahamas and his brother Mychel is an assistant coach on the national team.