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Warriors’ Owner Suggests Trade For Simmons Unlikely

September 22nd, 2021 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

Multiple reports this offseason have suggested that Sixers star Ben Simmons would like to be traded to a West Coast team, but it doesn’t sound as if the Warriors are looking to pull the trigger on a deal for the three-time All-Star, as Rusty Simmons of The San Francisco Chronicle writes.

Simmons spoke to Warriors owner Joe Lacob about the possibility of trading for Simmons, and while Lacob was careful not to mention the 25-year-old by name in an effort to avoid a tampering fine, there was no doubt about which player he was referring to when he discussed a certain “Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Philadelphia.” Lacob said Golden State will always explore avenues to upgrade the roster, but strongly hinted that a trade for Simmons is unlikely.

“In some ways, it doesn’t really fit what we’re doing. He makes a lot of money. And, can he finish games? I don’t know,” Lacob said. “He’s very talented. The problem is: We have Draymond (Green). Draymond and him are very similar in the sense that neither one really shoots and they do a lot of the play-making. That’s one issue. The salary structure is another.”

The Warriors were viewed as a top candidate to make a major trade earlier in the offseason, when they could dangle two 2021 lottery picks in advance of this year’s draft. Once they used those two picks to select Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, a blockbuster deal became less likely for the Dubs, who appear focused on developing their rookies and young center James Wiseman rather than packaging them for a star.

“I like our team,” general manager Bob Myers said, per Simmons. “And I envision that the team we have will be the team that heads into camp and will be the team that starts the season.”

If Golden State isn’t seriously in the running for Simmons, who remains adamant about holding out and forcing a deal, it will take one potential trade partner off the table for the Sixers. However, a number of other suitors have reportedly discussed Simmons with Philadelphia this offseason, including the Timberwolves, Raptors, Spurs, Cavaliers, and Kings, among others.

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Klay Thompson, James Wiseman Making “Good Progress”

September 20th, 2021 at 6:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Injured Warriors Klay Thompson and James Wiseman have made “good progress” and are “on pace to return for the 2021/22 season,” the team’s PR department tweets.

Thompson, who underwent surgery on his torn right Achilles on November 25, is expected to participate in various controlled drills during training camp. His return to full practices will be determined at a later date.

There has been speculation that Thompson will return to action around Christmas if all goes well.

Wiseman, who underwent surgery for a right meniscal tear in mid-April, is expected to participate in individual shooting and other individual on-court activities during camp. His return to full practices will be determined after October 15, when he’s expected to begin full jumping on the surgically repaired knee.

Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, has seen his name thrown into trade rumors this offseason, particularly involving disgruntled Sixers star Ben Simmons.

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Avery Bradley, Quinn Cook Working Out For Warriors

September 20th, 2021 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors continue to work out free agent guards, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, who reports (via Twitter) that Avery Bradley and Quinn Cook are among the veterans getting a look from the team this week.

Isaiah Thomas, whose workout with the team was reported last Thursday, will also be among the players auditioning for Golden State this week, and Spears says (via Twitter) the Warriors’ interest in Thomas is “sincere.” Spears adds that the sessions this week will include 5-on-5 games, with other free agents in attendance.

According to Spears, the Warriors – who currently have three openings on their 20-man roster – would ideally like to add one big man and two guards to their roster for training camp.

Golden State has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, with Damion Lee also expected to make the regular season roster. Barring additional roster moves, that would leave just one opening on the 15-man squad, with Gary Payton II and Mychal Mulder among the players vying for that spot.

The Warriors are well over the luxury tax line and could theoretically keep the 15th spot open to save some money, but they aren’t particularly deep at point guard and aren’t acting like a team that plans to carrying just 14 players. Darren Collison and Ryan Arcidiacono are among the other guards who have worked out for the club.

Bradley, considered a three-and-D guard, appeared in a total of 27 games for the Heat and Rockets in 2020/21. His scoring average dipped to 6.4 PPG on .374/.327/.800 shooting, his worst numbers since his rookie season.

A two-time champion with the Warriors and Lakers, Cook appeared in 107 games for the Warriors from 2017-19. He played in 23 games last season for the Lakers and Cavs, and has career averages of 6.4 PPG and 1.6 APG on .461/.408/.795 shooting.

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2021/22 NBA Over/Unders: Pacific Division

September 20th, 2021 at 8:23am CST by Luke Adams

The 2021/22 NBA regular season will get underway in less than a month, so it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and to resume an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.

With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

In 2020/21, our voters went 17-13 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’21/22?

As a reminder, the NBA played a 72-game schedule in 2020/21, so a team that won 41 games last year finished with a 41-31 record. This year, a club that wins 41 games would be a .500 team (41-41). For added clarity, we’ve noted the record that each team would have to achieve to finish “over” its projected win total.

We’ll turn today to the Pacific division…

Los Angeles Lakers

Phoenix Suns

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Sacramento Kings

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Brooklyn Nets (55.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (51.5 wins): Under (70.0%)
  • Boston Celtics (46.5 wins): Over (58.1%)
  • New York Knicks (42.5 wins): Over (65.1%)
  • Toronto Raptors (36.5 wins): Under (50.6%)

Northwest:

  • Utah Jazz (52.5 wins): Over (61.7%)
  • Denver Nuggets (48.5 wins): Over (69.3%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (44.5 wins): Over (53.0%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (34.5 wins): Under (57.1%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (23.5 wins): Under (65.0%)

Central:

  • Milwaukee Bucks (54.5 wins): Over (63.7%)
  • Indiana Pacers (42.5 wins): Under (58.2%)
  • Chicago Bulls (42.5 wins): Over (68.3%)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (26.5 wins): Under (50.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (25.5 wins): Under (52.6%)
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Jonathan Kuminga Will Need To Be Versatile; Marc Gasol Could Become An Option

September 18th, 2021 at 6:31pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • Jonathan Kuminga will need to be versatile to see significant playing time as a rookie, Warriors assistant Kris Weems tells Grant Liffman of NBC Sports. Golden State experimented with Kuminga as a small-ball center during Summer League to see how well he could defend post players. “When you are going to draft a kid that size, and knowing that long term he is going to be bigger and stronger, he may grow a couple inches taller, his versatility because of his size gives him a chance to stay on the floor longer,” Weems said.
  • Marc Gasol came close to signing with the Warriors last summer and could emerge as an option later this season, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Gasol has returned to Spain after being waived by the Grizzlies, but Slater notes that he’s the type of passing big man who performs well in Steve Kerr’s system and he could be tempted to return around midseason if Golden State is in the title hunt. The Warriors still have their taxpayer mid-level exception available, although using it would result in a significant increase in their luxury tax bill.
  • Darren Collison worked out for the Warriors earlier this month and remains an option for the 15th roster spot, but there’s speculation that he’s hoping for a training camp invitation from the Lakers, Slater adds in the same piece.
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Warriors Notes: Offseason, 15th Roster Spot, Gasol

September 16th, 2021 at 7:22pm CST by Rory Maher

The Warriors are one of the most interesting teams to monitor entering the new season. After reigning scoring-champion and two-time MVP Stephen Curry proved yet again the incredible impact he has when healthy, the team has high expectations.

The Warriors did not pull the trigger on any major trades, instead opting to keep their draft picks and focus on internal development, along with the shrewd signings of veterans Andre Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr., and Nemanja Bjelica to minimum contracts. Zach Harper of The Athletic liked Golden State’s moves overall, grading the offseason a B-plus and ranking the team as a playoff hopeful.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

  • In the same piece, Harper specifically mentions the wing and forward depth as noteworthy roster improvements over last season’s group. He also states that even if Klay Thompson is only able to find his old shooting form and nothing else, that would certainly help improve the team’s 20th-ranked offense.
  • While the Warriors currently only have 13 players on guaranteed contracts (and one two-way spot open), Damion Lee is considered likely to make the roster, leaving the 15th spot up for grabs. Anthony Slater of The Athletic explores the team’s options for the last spot, stating that Gary Payton II is a slight favorite due to his athleticism and defensive intensity.
  • Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area posits that the team would be wise to lure Marc Gasol back to the NBA at some point during the season, if possible. Poole notes that the Warriors lack depth at center, and even if Gasol is only asked to play 15-18 MPG in certain matchups, his passing and basketball IQ would be very valuable to the offense.
  • In case you missed it, the Warriors are evaluating their depth at backup point guard, as they have worked out (or will work out) veteran NBA point guards Ryan Arcidiacono, Darren Collison, and Isaiah Thomas.
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Isaiah Thomas To Work Out For Warriors

September 16th, 2021 at 8:08am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent point guard Isaiah Thomas will work out for the Warriors next week, sources tell Jorge Sierra and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Thomas, who has only appeared in 55 total games over the last three NBA seasons with the Nuggets, Wizards, and Pelicans, has indicated he’s fully recovered from the hip problems that bothered him for years and is looking to get back into the league. He recently worked out for the Lakers and Mavericks in the hopes of securing an NBA deal.

Rumors surfaced this week linking Thomas to EuroLeague club CSKA Moscow, but those reports were either inaccurate or were the result of a misunderstanding — both Thomas and his agent Bernie Lee took to Twitter on Wednesday to shoot them down and to stress that the 32-year-old remains focused on playing in the NBA rather than going overseas.

The Warriors, meanwhile, have been working out some free agent guards as they consider possible candidates to come to training camp and compete with Mychal Mulder and Gary Payton II for the 15th spot on the team’s regular season roster. Darren Collison and Ryan Arcidiacono are among the players who have recently auditioned for Golden State.

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Ryan Arcidiacono To Work Out For Warriors

September 13th, 2021 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors continue to take a look at free agent guards, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that Ryan Arcidiacono will work out for the team this week.

Arcidiacono, 27, has spent the last four seasons with the Bulls, averaging 4.8 PPG, 2.2 APG, and 2.0 RPG with a .431/.373/.807 shooting line across 207 total games (17.6 MPG). He signed a two-way deal with the team in 2017, a one-year contract in 2018, and a three-year pact in 2019. Chicago turned down Arcidiacono’s third-year team option in July, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Warriors currently have 16 players on standard contracts, but only 13 are fully guaranteed. While one player without a fully guaranteed contract (Damion Lee) is a safe bet to make the 15-man regular season roster, neither of the other two (Mychal Mulder or Gary Payton II) is a lock.

As Slater observes, Golden State appears to be on the lookout for different options – primarily point guards – who could compete for that 15th roster spot in training camp and the preseason. The Warriors worked out Darren Collison a couple weeks ago.

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Warriors Among Teams That Reportedly Worked Out Johnny O'Bryant

September 11th, 2021 at 8:10pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • On his Instagram account, Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton claims that team officials were crying during his 2018 pre-draft workout because they had lost to the Warriors in the NBA Finals the day before.
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Thompson, Wiseman Will Be Keys To Next Season

September 10th, 2021 at 7:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • There will be plenty of pressure on Klay Thompson and James Wiseman to produce for the Warriors during the upcoming season, Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. It’s unlikely that the Warriors’ floor-spacing will improve until Thompson’s return, and they need Wiseman to develop into a frontcourt force in order to become a contender again.
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