Golden State Warriors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Western Conference

April 26th, 2019 at 7:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. With the playoffs in full swing, we turn our attention to the Western Conference:

Patrick Beverley, Clippers, 30, PG (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $23MM deal in 2015
Taking a charge while holding one his shoes that came loose epitomizes how Beverley and his team have played during the series. There’s a huge talent gap between them and the Warriors but they refuse to give an inch. Beverley has done a whole lot more than get under Kevin Durant‘s skin. He’s second on the team in assists and rebounds through the first five games while shooting 42.9% from deep. In Games 4 and 5, he averaged 14.5 PPG, 12 RPG and 4.5 APG. Beverley will get a nice raise this summer, whether he lands a starting job or a sixth man role.

Al-Farouq Aminu, Trail Blazers, 28, SF (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $30MM deal in 2015
Portland’s glue guy played an underrated role in the team’s first-round knockout of the Thunder. He was second on the team in defensive rebounds, a major factor with Jusuf Nurkic sidelined. He also led the team in blocks, was second in steals and shot 40.9% from distance, along with providing his usual solid defense. Aminu doesn’t dazzle but he quietly does his job. Reliable, durable role players like Aminu will always have suitors and he’ll receive a full mid-level exception or more on the open market.

Jordan Bell, Warriors, 24, PF/C (Down) — Signed to a two-year, $2.2MM deal in 2017
DeMarcus Cousins‘ season-ending injury hasn’t helped Bell get on the court. He only played 14 minutes in the first five games against the Clippers and was benched in Games 4 and 5. Bell’s immaturity has irked the staff, including a late-season suspension for making unauthorized charges to assistant coach Mike Brown‘s hotel room. Bell can be a restricted free agent if the Warriors extend a $1.8MM qualifying offer, but the 2017 second-round pick doesn’t appear to have a future with the organization.

Markieff Morris, Wizards, 29, SF (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $57.3K deal in 2019
Brother Marcus Morris ripped the Thunder coaching staff over Markieff’s limited role during the postseason. Markieff only played four minutes in the 118-115 Game 5 loss to Portland that ended the Thunder’s season. He wasn’t much of a factor in the first four games of the season, when he averaged around 13 MPG. Markieff praised the organization afterward but his minimal impact won’t help in unrestricted free agency. Add in the neck issue that limited him to 58 regular-season games and Morris won’t have teams beating down his door.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rockets To Practice In Bay Area

April 25th, 2019 at 10:46pm CST by clarkcrum

The Rockets, fresh off a first-round series win over the Jazz, will travel to the Bay Area tomorrow to begin preparation for what the team evidently believes will be a second-round match-up against the Warriors, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Interestingly, the Warriors have not yet been able to dispatch the Clippers in their first-round series, so the Rockets decision to assume they will face Golden State in the next round is curious at best and disrespectful to the Clippers at worst.

The Rockets, of course, say they intend no disrespect to the Clippers – who host the Warriors in Game 6 tomorrow night – but rather insist that the quick turnaround between series creates a situation where Houston needs to get used to the Pacific Time Zone in case they open the second round at Oracle Arena on Sunday afternoon, which will happen if the Warriors win tomorrow night.

Even if the Clippers win tomorrow night, the Rockets will reportedly remain in the Bay Area, and only head back to Houston if the Clippers beat the Warriors in Game 7 on Sunday afternoon.

It’s unlikely the Clippers, who seem to play as hard and with as big of a chip on their shoulders as anybody, would need any extra motivation for tomorrow night, but if they did, this sure qualifies as bulletin board material.

O’Connor’s Latest: Durant, Clippers, Kawhi, Gallinari

April 25th, 2019 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

As we’ve mentioned multiple times throughout the 2018/19 NBA league year, there’s a widespread belief among people around the NBA that Kevin Durant will leave the Warriors for the Knicks in free agency. However, uncertainty about Durant’s future has increased in recent months, Kevin O’Connor writes in his latest article for The Ringer.

As O’Connor explains, Durant seems more likely to go to the Knicks if Kyrie Irving goes with him, and there’s no guarantee that Irving will leave the Celtics, given how well things have gone in Boston over the last several weeks. LeBron James‘ struggles during his first year as a Laker could also serve as a cautionary tale for Durant.

One front office executive who spoke to O’Connor suggests that everything should be considered on the table for Durant, since the Warriors forward has proven to be unpredictable in the past.

O’Connor’s piece, which focuses primarily on the Clippers, features a few more items of note, so let’s round them up…

The Clippers continue to be viewed as the more likely destination than the Lakers if Kawhi Leonard decides to return home to Southern California, though O’Connor writes that it would be “foolish” to rule out the Lakers.
The odds of both Durant and Leonard joining the Clippers are slim, but the team could theoretically make it happen based on its cap situation. As O’Connor details, if the Clippers trade Danilo Gallinari and renounce all their free agents except Ivica Zubac, they’d have more than enough room for two max contracts, and would be able to go over the cap to re-sign Zubac.
Of course, in that scenario, the Clippers wouldn’t be able to take money back for Gallinari, which would limit their potential trade partners. Still, O’Connor has spoken to front office executives who don’t think it’d be too challenging to find a deal for Gallinari, especially if the Clips are willing to attach a future pick. O’Connor cites the Nets, Mavericks, Hawks, Jazz, and Pacers as a few teams that might be fits for the veteran forward in that scenario.

Exec Estimates Injuries Cost Cousins $150MM

April 24th, 2019 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

In an in-depth look at Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins, Ken Berger of Bleacher Report cites one Western Conference executive who believes that Cousins’ Achilles and quad injuries over the last two years may ultimately cost him upwards of $150MM. Berger also explores whether it’s realistic to believe that Golden State could re-sign Cousins, even after his latest health issue.
While the Clippers have tried to hold their own against the Warriors and have one impressive comeback win under their belts, the series has reaffirmed why L.A. ultimately needs a superstar on its roster, says Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Despite their depth, the Clips don’t have the sort of No. 1 option who can go head to head with Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant, so their foray into free agency this summer will be worth watching closely.

Stein’s Latest: Clippers, Warriors, Westbrook

April 23rd, 2019 at 8:36pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer believes his franchise can win an NBA championship before their co-tenants in Los Angeles and will look to add star talent this offseason. Marc Stein of the New York Times puts the “over/under” for superstars signed by the Clips this summer at one, as he writes in the mailbag section of his latest newsletter.

Stein adds that Kawhi Leonard is still the most likely superstar to join Ballmer’s team this summer. Los Angeles has a desirable situation for any star, and with their collection of draft picks and players on team-friendly deals, the Clippers could feasibly sign someone like Leonard and swing a deal that gives him a top running mate.

Stein has more in his latest newsletter, which you can subscribe to here. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights:

One Western Conference scout told Stein that this year’s version of Steve Kerr‘s Warriors may not be as sharp as the teams in the past. “I just question the Warriors’ ability to continually focus,” the scout said. “It seems like nowadays they need to be punched in the mouth before they’re Golden State. They’re not just coming out on a mission and overwhelming teams. Maybe I will regret saying this, but I just don’t trust them like I used to.”
The Warriors‘ familiarity with the Rockets may give them an advantage in a potential playoff rematch, another scout tells Stein. “Stylistically Houston is a very different team,” the scout said. “It takes most teams two games just to try to figure out how they want to deal with Harden. Golden State will already know. And with Ron Adams running the defense, they do a great job of changing it up and not letting Harden get a great rhythm.”
The Thunder inked Russell Westbrook to a five-year, $200MM+ extension back in 2017. While the move will face some scrutiny as Westbrook ages, Stein reminds readers that the alternative to the extension was risking the former MVP walking out the door as Kevin Durant previously did.

Kevon Looney Wants To Stay With Warriors

April 22nd, 2019 at 10:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors big man Kevon Looney wants to re-sign with the team this summer, he told Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.

“I’d love to stay here,” he said. “I like being on this team. I want to be there when Chase Center (the team’s new arena) opens later this year.”

The 6’9” Looney is averaging 9.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG in 22.3 MPG during the opening-round series against the Clippers. He’s had two double-figure games in the series, giving Golden State a lift in the wake of DeMarcus Cousins‘ season-ending injury. During the regular season, Looney averaged 6.3 PPG and 5.2 RPG in 18.5 MPG while appearing in 80 games.

Looney re-signed with the Warriors last summer on a one-year, minimum salary deal. This summer, Golden State holds Looney’s Bird rights, allowing the team to exceed the cap to re-sign him, though Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant will obviously be the top priorities.

If the Warriors re-sign their stars and are wary of going too far into the tax for role players, Looney could get a more lucrative offer from another club, as teammate Andre Iguodala suggested last week.

For his part, head coach Steve Kerr gave Looney a ringing endorsement over the weekend, indicating he hopes the front office can reach a multi-year agreement with the 2015 first-round pick.

“For two years now, he has been a rock for us,” Kerr said. “I want him to be here for a long time. I think everybody in this locker room wants Loon to be rewarded for his effort.”

Luke Walton Sued For Alleged Assault

April 22nd, 2019 at 10:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

10:41pm: The Warriors, who employed Walton as an assistant coach before he was hired by the Lakers, say they were unaware of the alleged incident, per a statement passed along by the New York Times’ Marc Stein (Twitter link). “We became aware of the alleged incident and story this evening and are in the process of seeking more information. We’ll have no further comment at this time.”

10:18pm: An ESPN report from Dave McMenamin gives a conflicting timeline, saying the alleged incident happened before Walton was named Lakers coach in April 2016. “No one ever reported it to the team,” a source told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “And that is not why the team parted ways with him.”

8:39pm: New Kings head coach and former Lakers coach Luke Walton is being sued by a female reporter for an alleged sexual assault in May 2017, according to a TMZ report relayed by Yahoo Sports’ Jack Baer.

Kelli Tennant, a reporter who previously worked for Spectrum Sportsnet LA, claims that Walton assaulted her in a hotel room in Santa Monica while discussing a book she was writing.

The lawsuit reportedly asserts that Walton forcibly kissed Tennant and rubbed his body against her despite pleas to stop.

Tennant claims she did not initially report the alleged assault since she had to continually interact with him because of her job, according to TMZ.

Tennant left Spectrum Sportsnet LA that year. She now works for Amazon Prime, covering the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour, and also has a podcast focusing on women’s issues.

The accusation casts a shadow over Walton and his swift hiring by Sacramento GM Vlade Divac.

The Kings issued a statement, Sam Amick of The Athletic tweets, which states, “We are aware of the report and are gathering additional information. We have no further comment at this time.”

Durant Insists He’s Made No Decision About Free Agency

April 22nd, 2019 at 10:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant continues to maintain, at least publicly, that he has no idea where he will wind up in free agency, which he expressed to Logan Murdock of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Barring an unforeseen change of heart, the Warriors superstar forward will decline his $31.5MM option this season and become an unrestricted free agent once again.

“I don’t know. I never know,” Durant said of his plans. “Nothing. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. … Of course, I think about it, but not like, let me make these [plans], let me go ahead and go through the logistics and the details. I don’t go through details on [stuff] like this.”

Speculation has swirled that if Durant leaves Golden State, he will head to New York City to join either the Knicks or Nets. The Clippers have also been a rumored destination.

Durant, who is averaging 27.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 6.8 APG in the first round of the playoffs, surprised a lot of people in 2016 by joining the Warriors. So it’s not out of the question he’ll do something unexpected in free agency again.

While Durant understands his decision will be one of the big stories this summer, he hates the speculation and questions he gets regarding his future.

“That’s a hot topic. But you don’t have to talk about it. And then you don’t have to get mad when I don’t want to talk about it,” he said. “And then you don’t have to get mad when your little brain is roaming around, but you can’t find the correct answers. That’s bad journalism. That’s not doing your job well.”

He also gets annoyed and somewhat amused when he hears how other perceive his actions during a game, especially when the Warriors are struggling.

“‘KD is not smiling right now. Something must be going on about him leaving,'” he said of a typical reaction to his mood. “‘His foot must be out the door. He not smiling on the bench.'”

Playoffs Could Be Chance For Green To Prove Value

April 21st, 2019 at 8:11pm CST by JD Shaw

Warriors coach Steve Kerr agrees with Andre Iguodala that he could play beyond his current contract, which is set to expire at the end of next season, as relayed by Mark Medina of The Mercury News. “I think he can play beyond this contract, if he really wants,” Kerr said. “He may not want to be. He may just want to go to the golf course and call it a career. But he can keep playing if he wants.” Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP, has averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in a career-low 23.2 minutes per game this season.
The playoffs could be a prime chance for Draymond Green to raise his value ahead of potential contract extension talks with the Warriors this summer, Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. When asked if he could use the playoffs as an opportunity to boost his value entering any potential negotiations, Green said, “Not at all. No, I can’t negotiate any contract right now, so I’ll be damned if I’m going to stress myself out trying to negotiate it in my head. It makes no sense. It’s a waste of time and energy.”

Warriors Notes: Iguodala, Green, Durant

April 20th, 2019 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andre Iguodala believes he can play past his current contract, which expires at the end of next season, but he’ll only do it if the price is right, relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Iguodala will be 36 years old when his $17.18MM deal is up next summer, and he has no doubts about his ability to remain in the league.

“Yeah I can easily,” he said. “But it’s going to cost you.” Iguodala refused to name a dollar amount, but added, “For whoever wants me to play, I ain’t playing to play. I’m playing to help my guys. It’s got to be worth my time. … Depending on what the salary cap is. What is the team, coach, ownership as well as the stakeholders?”

Coming off a non-invasive procedure on his left leg during the offseason, Iguodala played in 71 games, even though his minutes were limited to a career-low 23.2 per night. A vegan diet has helped to prolong his career, along with weight training, meditation, yoga and icing.

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Draymond Green responded to a February request to improve his conditioning by losing 23 pounds, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Green already had a plan in place when GM Bob Myers approached him about the issue. “I knew I wasn’t in good shape,” Green said. “But I also know if anybody knows how to get in shape and get in shape quick, I know how. I’ve been doing it all my life.” He added that a toe injury and a sore knee contributed to his conditioning problems. He took motivation not only from the approaching postseason, but the knowledge that he is eligible for a contract extension this summer and the negative reaction from some Golden State fans after his early-season altercation with Kevin Durant.
Technical fouls called against Durant and the Clippers’ JaMychal Green during Game 3 of their series have been rescinded by the league, The Associated Press reports. The news is especially significant for Durant, who picked up two technicals in the series opener and faces an automatic one-game suspension if he reaches seven.
Facing a rare 12:30pm (Pacific Time) start tomorrow, the Warriors insist the L.A. nightlife won’t interfere with their preparations for the game, Medina writes in a separate story.