Golden State Warriors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Wiseman, Barrett, Dedmon, Barbosa, DeMarco

June 22nd, 2019 at 11:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

The latest 2020 mock draft has Memphis freshman center James Wiseman going to the Knicks with the No. 1 pick. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has Georgia guard Anthony Edwards going to the Cavaliers at No. 2 and North Carolina guard Cole Anthony heading to the Suns at No. 3.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Top pick Zion Williamson and his former college teammate R.J. Barrett could face each other in the Las Vegas summer league opener, the Associated Press reports. The Pelicans’ summer squad will face the Knicks on July 5.
Dewayne Dedmon, Bojan Bogdanovic and Rudy Gay are among the underrated free agents heading to the market, Ameer Tyree of the Sporting News writes.
Former NBA guard Leandro Barbosa will return to the Brazilian league and re-sign with Minas Storm, Sportando reports.
Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco has agreed to become the head coach of the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s national team, according to a report from ESPN’s Marc Spears. The Bahamas did not qualify for the FIBA World Cup this summer but it does have some NBA talent, including Deandre Ayton and Buddy Hield.

Woj's Latest On Kevin Durant

June 21st, 2019 at 12:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors, Nets, Knicks, and Clippers will all be “significant considerations” for Kevin Durant in free agency this summer, according to Wojnarowski. “One thing I’m told is he is really focused on making his decision independently of anyone else and that includes Kyrie Irving,” Woj said of Durant, per RealGM. “He’s at a point in his career where he’s going to decide really essentially on a four-year deal elsewhere or a five-year deal with Golden State, where he’s going to spend the rest of his prime.”

Jazz Buy 58th Pick, Select Yale’s Miye Oni

June 20th, 2019 at 11:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

JUNE 21: The trade is now official, per an NBA press release.

JUNE 20: The Jazz purchased the 58th pick from the Warriors and used it to select Yale guard Miye Oni, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Oni was named Ivy League Player of the Year for 2019 after averaging 17.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He left the Elis after his junior season and is the first Ivy League player to be drafted since 1995.

Oni is one of three second-round picks for Utah, which also selected Jarrell Brantley at No. 50 and Justin Wright-Foreman at No. 53.

Warriors Acquire No. 39 Pick, Select Smailagic

June 20th, 2019 at 10:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

11:13pm: The trade is now official. The Warriors gave New Orleans second-round picks in 2021 and 2023 and cash, Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News tweets.

10:43pm: The Warriors acquired the rights to the No. 39 pick from the Pelicans and selected Alen Smailagic, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

The Pelicans received two future second-rounders and cash in the trade, Will Guillory of The Athletic tweets.

This was an unusual case of Golden State gaining the rights to a player it had on its G League team last season.

The Serbian power forward played for Santa Cruz but wasn’t draft-eligible until this year. He was shut down early in the pre-draft process and stashed in Serbia from the rest of the NBA. He averaged 9.1 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 17.4 MPG over 47 G League appearances, mostly off the bench.

Draft Rumors: Trades, Knicks, Celtics, Warriors

June 20th, 2019 at 4:22pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s an “ongoing flurry” of trade talks involving draft picks in the 20-23 range, league sources tell Jake Fischer of SI.com (Twitter link). According to Fischer, teams like the Warriors, Nets, Kings, Mavericks, and Spurs have expressed interest in moving up into that range of the draft.

The Celtics hold the 20th and 22nd overall picks, and are unlikely to use all three of their first-rounders (they also have No. 14), so it makes sense that they’d be listening to inquiries. The Thunder are picking at No. 21 and have reportedly explored moving their pick in an effort to reduce team salary. The Grizzlies are acquiring No. 23 overall in the Mike Conley trade and are said to be listening to offers for the selection, which is their second of the first round.

Here are a few more draft-related notes and rumors:

The Knicks are interested in buying another second-round pick, league sources tell Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link). New York, which currently holds the No. 55 overall pick to go along with No. 3, hasn’t sent out any cash in trades so far this season, so the team has flexibility to make a move.
League sources tell Fischer and Jeremy Woo of SI.com (Twitter links) that the Celtics brought in six players for last-minute workouts on Wednesday: Darius Bazley, Jalen Lecque, Tremont Waters, Jordan Bone, Chris Clemons, and Jared Harper. It was the second workout with Boston for all six prospects.
People around the NBA are wondering how early the Warriors would be willing to draft Serbian power forward Alen Smailagic, tweets Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com. Smailagic played in the G League for Santa Cruz in 2018/19 but wasn’t draft-eligible until this year. He was shut down early in the pre-draft process and was “hidden” in Serbia from the rest of the NBA, according to Givony, who wonders if Golden State would use its newly-acquired No. 41 pick on Smailagic.
There are about 35 players whom various sources feel confident will be first-round picks, tweets Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. In other words, it’s tough to determine exactly which players will come off the board in the back half of the first round tonight.

Warriors May Offer Durant ‘Delayed Sign-And-Trade’

June 20th, 2019 at 12:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors are considering a “delayed sign-and-trade” arrangement with Kevin Durant that would let him maximize his earnings and allow him to be traded once his ruptured Achilles is fully healed, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this morning on “Get Up!” (video link)

Durant can lock in a five-year, $220MM contract by re-signing with Golden State, about $57MM more that he would earn in a four-year deal with anyone else.

“Let him rehab and then work with him to be traded,” Windhorst explained. “Potentially to New York, potentially to somewhere else. Be their way to sort of take care of him monetarily after what he just went through and also protect the franchise to get some assets. If that happens, the Knicks would be in tremendous position to get back into it because they’re going to have these young assets plus cap space.”

Windhorst called it “a last-ditch” effort on the Warriors’ part to avoid losing Durant in free agency with no return. He admits it would take a strong level of trust on Durant’s part to agree to such a deal, but adds that the Warriors have promised to help facilitate a trade to wherever he wants to go.

Warriors Trade For 41st Pick

June 20th, 2019 at 12:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:01pm: The Hawks have announced the deal, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Journal-Constitution.

8:18am: The Warriors have obtained the 41st pick in tonight’s draft from the Hawks, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Golden State paid $1.3MM for the pick and included a 2024 second-rounder in the deal.

It’s the second trade in two days for Atlanta, which sent the 44th selection to the Heat on Wednesday. GM Travis Schlenk said earlier this week that he wanted to unload some of the team’s three second-rounders in exchange for future assets.

The Hawks still have four selections tonight, holding picks No. 8, 10 and 17 in the first round, along with the 35th pick. The Warriors are slotted at No. 28, 41 and 58. The three picks will cost Golden State a total of about $3.8MM against the cap and will provide a low-cost way to fill out the roster, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).

Nets Debating Whether To Sign Irving Without Durant

June 19th, 2019 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Brooklyn is believed to be Kyrie Irving‘s top choice in free agency, but Nets officials aren’t unanimous in wanting him if they don’t sign Kevin Durant as well, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Adding Irving would mean giving up on restricted free agent D’Angelo Russell, who is a younger and less expensive option and who blossomed into a star during his two years in Brooklyn.

Irving is eligible for a four-year, $141MM contract with a starting salary of $32MM, while a max deal for Russell would pay him $117MM over four years, starting at $27MM. Russell also strongly wants to stay in Brooklyn, telling Lewis he hopes to be a “Net for life.”

“If we’re being completely honest, I enjoyed the team that we had this whole season,” Russell said. “I’m not going to say I didn’t enjoy our team and the pieces we had around.”

Lewis notes that some teams expected to pursue Irving have backed away because of the turmoil that surrounded him in Boston.

With Russell’s cap hold in place, the Nets have about $46MM in cap space, but that number grows to nearly $68MM if he is renounced, enough for two max offers. Lewis adds that if they don’t land Irving and Durant, then Sixers forward Tobias Harris and Celtics big man Al Horford could be considered for those deals.

Warriors Notes: Durant, Draft, Thompson, Summer League

June 19th, 2019 at 7:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Durant is doing “a lot of soul searching” as he decides whether to stay with the Warriors or leave for the Knicks or Nets, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on tonight’s draft preview show (hat tip to Real GM). Woj adds that all three teams are willing to give Durant a max offer even though he is expected to miss all of next season with a ruptured Achilles.

New York has been considered the strongest threat to take Durant away from Golden State, but tonight’s report indicates that he is also giving serious consideration to Brooklyn, where he likely can join forces with his close friend Kyrie Irving. With at least three max offers awaiting, it’s virtually certain that Durant will opt out of his $31.5MM salary for next season.

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

GM Bob Myers tells Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News that he will focus on talent over need in tomorrow’s draft, even though the team suddenly has a lot of holes to fill. In addition to Durant, who may not be back at all, Golden State has to replace Klay Thompson, who will miss most of the year with a torn ACL, and possibly free agent big men DeMarcus Cousins, Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell. “Good young players, whatever position they are,” will be the focus, Myers said. “Those players have the most value in the NBA – rookie contract players that show themselves to have a skill and can play. Especially next year, we afford more opportunity for who we pick. Maybe we get a guy who can step in. We will have more opportunity next year. No matter what happens in free agency, we’ll have more of an opportunity for a young guy.” The Warriors have also become more likely to buy extra picks, Myers said.
Thompson is waiting for the swelling in his knee to subside before having surgery, Medina adds. Myers didn’t offer any medical update on Durant, whose surgery was last week.
Alen Smailagic is a strong candidate to go to Golden State with the No. 58 pick, according to Medina. The Serbian big man spent this season with the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
Jacob Evans will be part of Golden State’s Summer League team, Myers tells Medina, while Alfonzo McKinnie, who has a $1.6MM team option for next season, won’t play but will be training in Las Vegas.

2019 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Golden State Warriors

June 19th, 2019 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors earned a spot in the NBA Finals for a fifth straight year in 2019, but health issues slowed them down against the Raptors and now appear likely to compromise their ability to contend for a title next season. With potential free-agents-to-be Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson recovering from a ruptured Achilles and torn ACL, respectively, Golden State may be preparing to commit huge money to two players who will barely see the court in 2019/20.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Warriors financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2019:

Guaranteed Salary

Stephen Curry ($40,231,758)
Draymond Green ($18,539,130)
Andre Iguodala ($17,185,185)
Damian Jones ($2,305,057)
Shaun Livingston ($2,000,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below. ¹
Jacob Evans ($1,925,880)
Total: $82,187,010

Player Options

Kevin Durant ($31,500,000)
Total: $31,500,000

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Shaun Livingston ($5,692,308) ¹
Alfonzo McKinnie ($1,588,231)
Total: $7,280,539

Restricted Free Agents

Quinn Cook ($1,931,189 qualifying offer / $1,931,189 cap hold): Early Bird rights
Jordan Bell ($1,818,486 qualifying offer / $1,818,486 cap hold): Early Bird rights
Marcus Derrickson (two-way qualifying offer / $1,443,842 cap hold): Non-Bird rights ²
Damion Lee (two-way qualifying offer / $1,443,842 cap hold): Non-Bird rights ²
Total: $6,637,359

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Klay Thompson ($28,483,088): Bird rights
DeMarcus Cousins ($6,404,400): Non-Bird rights
No. 28 overall pick ($1,962,360)
Matt Barnes ($1,618,486): Non-Bird rights ³
Andrew Bogut ($1,618,486): Non-Bird rights
Jonas Jerebko ($1,618,486): Non-Bird rights
Kevon Looney ($1,618,486): Bird rights
David West ($1,618,486): Early Bird rights ³
Total: $44,942,278

Projected Salary Cap: $109,000,000
Projected Tax Line: $132,000,000

Offseason Cap Outlook

Realistic cap room projection: $0
If the Warriors let all their free agents go, they could create some cap room, but that’s extremely unlikely. Thompson, at least, is expected to sign a deal that would put the club over the cap, and Durant, Cousins, Cook, and Looney are all candidates to return too.

Cap Exceptions Available

Taxpayer mid-level exception: $5,711,000 ⁴

Footnotes

Livingston’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
The salaries for two-way players don’t count against a team’s cap, but their cap holds do during the offseason.
The cap holds for Barnes and West remain on the Warriors’ books because they haven’t been renounced after going unsigned in 2018/19. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
This is a projected value. If the Warriors don’t re-sign both Thompson and Durant, they may be able to stay out of tax territory. In that case, they could instead have access to the full mid-level exception ($9,246,000) and the bi-annual exception ($3,619,000).

Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and RealGM was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.