Golden State Warriors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draymond Green: Durant FA Uncertainty “Not Important”

March 18th, 2019 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Kevin Durant‘s uncertain future has been hanging over the Warriors all season long, particularly since a heated on-court confrontation back in November in which Draymond Green reportedly accused Durant of planning to leave at season’s end. However, speaking to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Green suggested that neither KD’s upcoming free agency nor that November incident is a pressing concern in the locker room.

“It’s not important,” Green said. “We’re not about to sit around and walk around, or carry something around, that happened in November.”

Green didn’t deny that this may be Durant’s last season with the Warriors, but tells Amick that he and his teammates are focused on winning their third consecutive championship, regardless of what happens after that in free agency.

“He’s part of it right now,” Green said of Durant. “Whatever happens this summer happens. Whatever the hell he does, he does. If he goes, he goes. If he stays, he stays. But while he’s here, we’re going to win another championship. It’s just that simple. Nothing else matters.”

After signing short-term contracts with the Warriors in each of the last three offseasons, Durant will have full Bird rights this summer, which would allow for a five-year, maximum-salary contract projected to be worth approximately $221MM. He could max out at approximately $164MM over four years with another team.

However, while Durant’s forays into free agency in 2017 and 2018 were viewed as mere formalities due to an expectation that he’d re-sign with the Warriors, his upcoming free agency feels much different. Multiple reports throughout 2018/19 have indicated that people around the league view Durant as more likely to sign with the Knicks than the Warriors this summer.

If Golden State can complete a three-peat this June, Durant would head into July faced with a decision on whether or not to leave a team that hasn’t lost a playoff series since he arrived.

Bogut Joins Warriors, Cousins Day-To-Day

March 18th, 2019 at 3:25pm CST by Luke Adams

3:25pm: The Warriors have announced that Cousins’ MRI came back clean. He’s being listed as day-to-day, though he has been ruled out for tonight’s game vs. the Spurs and Medina wouldn’t be surprised if he missed Tuesday’s contest vs. the Wolves as well (Twitter link).

In Cousins’ absence, Bogut will play tonight for Golden State, Kerr confirmed earlier today (link via Medina).

8:48am: With Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins set to undergo an MRI on his sore right foot on Monday, newly-added big man Andrew Bogut will join the club earlier than expected, as Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News outlines.

After flying to the Bay Area from Australia, Bogut was initially expected to get settled in – and recover from jet lag – before meeting up with the Warriors when they return from their current road trip later this week. However, with Cousins at risk of missing a game or two, Bogut will be available for Monday’s game in San Antonio, writes Medina.

It’s not clear whether Bogut will immediately play a major role for the Warriors, but if Cousins is unable to suit up on Monday vs. the Spurs and Tuesday in Minnesota, the former No. 1 overall pick could be asked to step in right away.

Nick Friedell of ESPN.com notes that head coach Steve Kerr didn’t sound too concerned about Cousins’ injured foot over the weekend, so the MRI may just be precautionary. The Warriors have played it safe with minor ailments lately, sitting Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant for a couple games apiece after their MRIs came back clean. I’d expect the club to be even more cautious with Cousins, who returned from an Achilles tear earlier this year.

Durant, meanwhile, is expected to return to the Warriors’ lineup on Monday after missing the last two games, Friedell adds.

Andrew Bogut Set To Make Season Debut Next Week

March 16th, 2019 at 11:55am CST by marksuleymanov

Andrew Bogut‘s visa issues have been rectified and the Australian big man is expected to travel to Oakland on Saturday, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters, including Mark Medina of The Mercury News (Twitter link). However, Bogut will not play in any of Golden State’s upcoming road games against the Thunder, Spurs and Timberwolves.

“I didn’t think it made sense for him to fly across the country after flying across the world so he will probably just meet us in the Bay [Area] when we get back, more than likely,” Kerr said.

If Bogut skips the road trip, his first game with the Warriors will likely be this coming Thursday against the Pacers at Oracle Arena. He will have 12 games to get comfortable in the Warriors’ rotation as the team prepares for the playoffs.

Bogut, 34, spent four seasons with the Warriors from 2012-14. He has not appeared in the NBA since he suited up with the Lakers for 23 games last season. This season, Bogut played with Australia’s Sydney Kings. Bogut’s arrangement calls for the center to return to Australia after his quick NBA stint.

“To come back to the NBA, for me, was basically Golden State or nothing,” Bogut said of his return. “But the fact it was Golden State — it was the kind of opportunity that I would be kicking myself if I didn’t take.”

Cavs Notes: Durant, Chriss, Knight, M. Richardson

March 13th, 2019 at 8:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Between the day that the Cavaliers beat the Warriors to win the 2016 NBA Finals and the day Kevin Durant opted to sign with Golden State, Cleveland’s then-GM David Griffin gathered his staff and instructed them to look into possible paths to landing Durant, writes ESPN’s Zach Lowe. As Lowe explains, there was a fear after the Finals that KD would head to the Dubs, and even though the Cavs recognized they had little chance of securing a meeting with him, they wanted to do all they could to explore the possibility.

“I don’t believe you can dream big enough in the NBA,” Griffin told Lowe recently, looking back on that 2016 offseason. “You have to go through the exercise.”

Of course, Durant ultimately signed with the Warriors and the Cavaliers didn’t get a meeting. That second part, at least, came as no surprise, since Cleveland was one of just three clubs during the summer of 2016 that ended up staying over the salary cap despite a huge cap spike that created room for 27 other teams. It would have been extremely difficult for the Cavs to create space to sign Durant, and a sign-and-trade with Oklahoma City would have been a long shot, even if the star forward had considered Cleveland.

It’s hard to even view the Cavs’ failed run at Durant an intriguing what-if scenario, since it never got off the ground at all. Still, it’s a reminder that even the league’s most successful teams will do their due diligence to find ways they can add another star and become even more dangerous — even if the road to an acquisition seems improbable.

Here’s more from out of Cleveland:

While many NBA observers and fans questioned the league’s decision to suspend Marquese Chriss for a game after he defended himself from a physical attack from Serge Ibaka, Cavs head coach Larry Drew thought it was the right call, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com relays. “Punches were thrown by both guys and I thought the ruling the league made was the right decision,” Drew said.
When the Cavaliers acquired Brandon Knight from the Rockets at last month’s trade deadline, he was viewed as the salary dump necessary for Cleveland to secure Houston’s first-round pick. Since his arrival though, Knight has been a regular part of the club’s rotation and has showed flashes of his old self, Fedor writes for Cleveland.com. “He’s the Brandon that I remember,” Drew said. “Probably not as explosive as he’s been in the past, prior to the injury, but still a guy who has a tremendous work ethic and he competes. That’s the thing I admire about him and respect about him. He’s a team player and he’s going to give you everything he has when he’s on the floor.”
Former Kings and Raptors swingman Malachi Richardson signed a G League contract and has been claimed off waivers by the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s NBAGL affiliate, a league source tells Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days (Twitter link). Richardson was traded from Toronto to Philadelphia at last month’s deadline and was subsequently waived by the Sixers.

Warriors Notes: Green, Kerr, Bogut, Durant

March 13th, 2019 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

A year away from free agency, Warriors forward Draymond Green has signed with Klutch Sports, writes Marc. J. Spears of The Undefeated. Green, who was formerly represented by B.J. Armstrong and The Wasserman Group, said he made the change late last month.

“Klutch is a cutting-edge company, it’s a pure environment, and I’ve grown to know [president and agent] Rich [Paul] over the years,” Green said. “We’ve become very close. When you really take a step back and actually study what is going on, he checks every box that a player would want in an agent. So, why not? Some are afraid of what people will think or what will be said. That’s not the case for me.”

Klutch represents some of the NBA’s top talents, including LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons and John Wall. Green serves as a minority owner in James’ “Uninterrupted” venture, but said LeBron never recruited him to the agency.

“It’s impossible to say LeBron played no part in me joining Klutch, simply because he has been Klutch since the beginning,” Green added. “He’s essentially a founding partner. I’ve already had a relationship with LeBron for years, so it’s always good to be able to do business with family that’s going about their business in the right fashion and getting things done. But as far as recruiting me — no, LeBron didn’t recruit me at all.”

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Green isn’t upset by a video clip of coach Steve Kerr in Sunday’s game telling assistant Mike Brown, “I’m so [bleeping] tired of Draymond,” relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Green said coaches get tired of players all the time and blamed the controversy on the overwhelming media attention the league gets. “We live in a day and age where there is a camera everywhere. If anything, he’ll be more conscious of that,” Green said of Kerr. “But as far as me and him clearing the air, there’s no air to clear.”
Andrew Bogut is now planning to join the Warriors after their current road trip ends next week, Medina adds in a separate story. Bogut’s agent, David Bauman, said that could be as soon as the March 21 game against the Pacers. An Australian citizen, Bogut is still attempting to get a work visa, which he hopes to acquire by this weekend.
Speculation about Kevin Durant‘s future has hung over everything that has happened for the Warriors this season as they pursue a third straight title, notes Nick Friedell of ESPN.

Owner Isn't Worried About Mediocre Stretch

March 11th, 2019 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors owner Joe Lacob is unfazed by the spotty play of his team, which he expressed to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. Golden State has gone 4-6 in its last 10 games, including a home loss to the last-place Suns on Sunday. “We have the best team in the world. Why wouldn’t I be confident?” Lacob said. “I think we have a great team, great talent. In the NBA, talent usually wins. … Guys usually figure it out. We have an intelligent group. As long as we stay healthy. That’s the caveat. But I’m confident and believe in our team.”

Kevin Durant’s Ankle Injury Not Considered Serious

March 11th, 2019 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors suffered perhaps their most surprising loss of the season on Sunday night when they fell at home to the lowly Suns. To add insult to injury, or perhaps the other way around, star forward Kevin Durant suffered an ankle contusion in the fourth quarter of the loss and didn’t return to the game, as Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News details. However, the club doesn’t believe the injury is significant.

“I think he’s going to be all right,” head coach Steve Kerr said of Durant. “I don’t think it’s bad. I talked to him briefly. He didn’t think it was too bad.”

Kerr said after the game that he didn’t believe Durant would require an MRI on the ankle in question, according to Medina. Team officials confirmed as much, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.com, who writes that the Warriors will continue to monitor the issue.

The Warriors have had a couple minor health scares within the last week or two, as Klay Thompson recently had an MRI on a knee injury. Thompson returned to the lineup after missing just two games though, and it sounds like Durant shouldn’t miss much – or any – time either, which is good news for Golden State. Despite the club’s recent up-and-down play, injuries are still considered the biggest threat to the team’s chances of winning its third straight championship.

Warriors Notes: Bogut, Jones, Looney, Cousins

March 8th, 2019 at 1:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andrew Bogut could return to the Warriors for their March 16 game at Oklahoma City, according to Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Circumstances are setting up for Bogut to make his debut in an ABC prime time game against one of Golden State’s top challengers, featuring a matchup against New Zealand rival Steven Adams.

After receiving clearance from his Australian team to rejoin the NBA, the next step for Bogut is to obtain a U.S. work visa, Medina continues. Bogut must decide whether to have a visa sent to the American consulate in Sydney or to obtain a tourist visa that would enable him to travel to Oakland. If he picks the second option, he will have to fly to Vancouver during the week to obtain a work visa.

“Maybe at the end of next week would be the hope,” Warriors GM Bob Myers said yesterday in his weekly interview on 95.7 The Game.

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Coach Steve Kerr hasn’t given up on the possibility that Damian Jones might return for the playoffs, even though it appears unlikely, Medina adds in the same piece. Jones hasn’t played since undergoing surgery in December on a torn left pectoral muscle. Kerr said the third-year center has done on-court work “in the last week or two,” but still hasn’t participated in “anything live,” such as a full-court scrimmage. The Warriors are already well stocked at center, with Bogut joining DeMarcus Cousins, Kevon Looney, Jordan Bell and Jonas Jerebko. Golden State has Jones under contract for $2.3MM next season.
The right pelvic soreness that Looney has been experiencing isn’t related to hip injuries that limited him to 58 games over his first two seasons, Medina relays in a separate story. Looney has missed the past two games and said the training staff told him to rest until the problem was resolved. “I know what real pain feels like. I know when it’s really serious,” he said. “I feel all ends of the injuries in that area. I knew it wasn’t serious and knew I could clean it up in a couple of days. It was best for me to take care of it now.”
Cousins credits assistant coach Jarron Collins for making his comeback from a ruptured Achilles successful, Medina writes in another piece. Cousins calls the 10-year NBA veteran and fifth-year coach “the biggest help for me this entire season.”

Warriors Notes: Durant, Jones, Cousins, Bogut

March 7th, 2019 at 6:02pm CST by JD Shaw

Some members of the Warriors organization are concerned that Kevin Durant‘s recent behavior could be a sign that he already has one foot out the door, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

The Warriors are coming off a deflating 128-95 home loss to the Celtics on Tuesday, with several figures around the team expressing their displeasure after the game. Among them was Durant, who appeared to be ticked off from the start of his postgame presser, Haynes notes.

“It starts with a passion, and an anger and an intensity, and it wasn’t there tonight,” head coach Steve Kerr said.

Durant was quick to disagree with this when a media member informed him of Kerr’s comment, curiously about his coach’s declaration.

“I thought we move off of joy?” Durant asked, fully knowing “joy” is a phrase Kerr often uses when discussing their style of play. “Now it’s anger? OK. I disagree with that one. I think all around, top to bottom, coaches, players, we just gotta be better.”

Durant tallied 18 points on just 5-of-16 shooting on Tuesday, also recording five turnovers with a minus-20 net rating. Haynes also noted in the same story how some members of the Warriors are not concerned with Durant’s behavior, labeling it as just a common rigor of the regular season.

Durant, a consensus top-three player in the NBA, has the option to decline a $31.5MM player option and become a free agent on July 1.

There’s more out of Golden State today:

Damian Jones is unlikely to return this season or during the playoffs despite conducting an on-court workout Thursday, Steve Kerr said, as relayed by Anthony Slater of the The Athletic (Twitter link). Jones underwent surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle in December.
Draymond Green defended DeMarcus Cousins after the loss to Boston, explaining why fans shouldn’t blame Cousins for the team’s defensive woes in recent weeks. “I think so many people are kind of looking at the starting lineup and saying, ‘Oh, DeMarcus is in there and the defense is worse,'” Green said, according to ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “But our defense has been horses— no matter who’s in there. It’s easy to look at the numbers and think the numbers tell a story, but the fact of the matter is we haven’t been competing.”
Kerr discussed the team’s decision to sign Andrew Bogut on a rest-of-season contract, as relayed by The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “We looked at this as an insurance policy in the frontcourt,” Kerr said. “A guy who obviously knows our system, knows our players. He’s great for our offense — his dribble hand-offs, passing ability, lob threat — and defensively he’s been one of the best in the game for a long time. He had a great season in Sydney. He’s healthy, he’s fresh. He was the best player available for us. We have to look ahead to the playoffs for different match-ups, and we felt vulnerable particularly in case of injury and against certain match-ups.” Bogut isn’t expected to make his debut with the team for at least another week.

Andrew Bogut Will Return To Australia Next Season

March 6th, 2019 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andrew Bogut‘s arrangement with the Warriors will only cover the rest of this season, according to a tweet from his Australian team, the Sydney Kings. The Kings referred to Bogut’s Golden State deal as “a short-term contract for the remainder of the current NBA season,” adding that he “will return to Sydney, and the purple and gold faithful, ready to go for #NBL20.”

Bogut will make $487K during his time in Golden State, according to salary cap expert Albert Nahmad (Twitter link). He will count $308K against the salary cap and will increase the Warriors’ tax payment by $1.2MM, pushing the total to $51.5MM.

The 34-year-old center told Marc Stein of The New York Times he is surprised to be back in the NBA, figuring that the door “had shut” when he didn’t get another opportunity after being waived by the Lakers in January of 2017.

Bogut said the Warriors began calling him in December, even though they knew he wouldn’t be available until Sydney’s season ended.

“To come back to the NBA, for me, was basically Golden State or nothing,” Bogut explained. “But the fact it was Golden State — it was the kind of opportunity that I would be kicking myself if I didn’t take.”

Bogut called it “my official retirement from the NBA” when he agreed to a two-year contract to play in Australia last April. The deal doesn’t include an escape clause for the NBA, so Bogut had to get the Kings’ permission to sign with the Warriors.

Stein notes that Golden State made an effort to add players in the buyout market, which would have filled the roster spot that went to Bogut. However, once the March 1 deadline for postseason eligibility arrived and it became clear that Robin Lopez was staying with the Bulls, the Warriors resumed their pursuit of Bogut when Sydney was ousted from the playoffs.

Warriors assistant GM Larry Harris, who drafted Bogut in 2005 when he served as GM in Milwaukee, traveled to Australia to scout the veteran center and let him know that Golden State wanted to get a deal done. Bogut was named Defensive Player of the Year in Australia – as well as MVP – and should help fortify a Warriors team that has fallen to 16th in the league in defensive efficiency.

He will return to play alongside Kevin Durant, who was responsible for his departure from Golden State after the 2016 season. In their effort to free up enough cap room to sign Durant, the Warriors traded Bogut to the Mavericks.

“The Golden State Warriors are a very special organization in my heart,” Bogut said. “I had a lot of great years there and won a championship. Even though they moved me, it was understandable to get a guy like Kevin Durant. I probably would have traded myself if I had the same opportunity.”