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Warriors Notes: Green, Looney, Durant, Livingston

October 3rd, 2018 at 6:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

Draymond Green may be kept out of action for the rest of the week because of pain in his right knee, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr doesn’t believe it’s a serious condition, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Green won’t play against the Kings in Friday’s game, but he will travel to Seattle with the team.

“Just being careful,” Kerr said after today’s practice. “He still had a little inflammation this morning.”

Kerr added that Green underwent an MRI, which came back clean. Free agent Jonas Jerebko is expected to take Green’s spot in the starting lineup on Friday.

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Kerr was concerned that center Kevon Looney would be lost in free agency, writes Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area. Looney was an unrestricted free agent because the team declined his fourth-year option of nearly $2.23MM. He re-signed with the Warriors for the minimum, which was about $700K less than his option. “When we didn’t pick up his option and then all of a sudden he had a great camp and a great start to the season and a great finish, it was a little nerve-wracking thinking we might lose him,” Kerr said. “But it all worked out in the end for us. I’d really like to see him make some money and do really well for himself. He deserves it. And hopefully that’s here.”
Kevin Durant plans to be open and honest about the free agency process next summer, relays Nick Friedell of ESPN. Durant said he believes he handled things the same way in 2016, even though he received a firestorm of criticism after leaving Oklahoma City to join the Warriors. “I’m like, ‘Man, there’s so much attention on me because I switched teams,'” he said. “I thought I did something wrong, but I knew deep down in my heart that was the perfect decision for me and I know that now I just got to stand on that, outwardly say it, and that will stop the speculation from a lot of people.”
Shaun Livingston is focused on enjoying the upcoming season without worrying that it might his last with Golden State, Poole writes in a separate story. Livingston has a partial guarantee on his $7.7MM contract for next season, and the Warriors will have to pay him just $2.2MM if they waive him before July 1. That would save the team almost $20MM in luxury tax.

Latest On Patrick McCaw

October 3rd, 2018 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

Three months after 2018’s free agent period opened, Warriors shooting guard Patrick McCaw remains unsigned, having let his qualifying offer deadline pass this week without accepting that QO. In an in-depth look at McCaw’s situation, Anthony Slater of The Athletic attempts to make sense of what the restricted free agent is thinking.

According to Slater, McCaw’s representatives have urged him to take one of two options — either accept his $1.71MM qualifying offer or sign a two-year offer from the Warriors that included a $2MM+ starting salary and a non-guaranteed second year. However, the 22-year-old didn’t sign his QO prior to Monday’s deadline and has thus far been unwilling to accept Golden State’s multiyear offer.

While McCaw’s stance is a surprising one, the former UNLV standout appears to be prioritizing opportunity as much as – or more than – his 2018/19 earnings. If he remains with the Warriors, McCaw would have “limited playmaking responsibility and no guaranteed nightly role,” writes Slater.

Sources suggest to Slater that both McCaw and his father Jeff believe that a “more expansive” role would be in the youngster’s best long-term interests as he looks to develop his game and increase his value in advance of his next free agency.

At this point in the fall, most teams around the NBA are fairly set in terms of their 14- or 15-man rosters for the coming season, so it’s not clear if any clubs are willing to make a play for McCaw as long as he remains restricted.

It will be interesting to see which side blinks first in the standoff between McCaw and the Warriors. If Golden State eventually decides that the contract dispute isn’t worth it, the club could pursue other free agent wings, with Jamal Crawford, Arron Afflalo, and Nick Young among those still on the market.

NBA GMs Weigh In On 2018/19 Season

October 3rd, 2018 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

NBA.com has completed its annual survey of NBA general managers, with John Schuhmann of NBA.com asking each of the league’s 30 GMs to answer an array of questions about the league’s top teams, players, and coaches. Unsurprisingly, the Warriors are once again viewed by the NBA’s general managers as the overwhelming favorites to be the last team standing, with 26 of 30 GMs (87%) picking Golden State to win the NBA championship for the fourth time in five years.

While there are many responses in the GM survey worth checking out, we’ll focus on rounding up some of the more noteworthy ones related to rosters and player movement. Let’s dive in…

LeBron James (30%) and Kevin Durant (27%) are viewed as the frontrunners for the 2018/19 MVP award, but two younger players led the voting for the player GMs would most want to build a franchise around starting today. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo (30%) and Pelicans big man Anthony Davis (23%) led the way in that category. Interestingly, Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t receive a single vote this year after leading the way with 29% of the vote in 2017.
The Lakers‘ signing of James helped them earn 70% of the vote for the team that made the best overall moves this offseason. The Raptors, buoyed by their acquisition of Kawhi Leonard, finished second at 20%.
A ton of different signings and trade acquisitions received votes for the most underrated addition of the summer, with the Pacers‘ signing of Tyreke Evans barely leading the way with four votes. The Spurs‘ trade for DeMar DeRozan, the Bulls‘ signing of Jabari Parker, the Pelicans‘ addition of Julius Randle, and the Thunder‘s acquisition of Dennis Schroder received three votes apiece.
DeMarcus Cousins‘ decision to join the Warriors (35%) was considered the most surprising move of the offseason, followed by the Spurs/Raptors blockbuster trade (29%) and Paul George remaining with the Thunder (19%).
While Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is the strong frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, GMs expect Suns center Deandre Ayton and Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to be the best players five years from now. Meanwhile, the Clippers‘ selection of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at No. 11 was viewed by the most GMs as the steal of the draft.
The Sixers (47%) and Celtics (33%) dominated voting for the teams with the most promising young cores.

Warriors Notes: Kerr, Myers, McCaw, Thompson

October 2nd, 2018 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Timberwolves make an effort to handle Jimmy Butler‘s trade request, Tom Thibodeau‘s dual role as the club’s head coach and president of basketball operations may be a complicating factor — Thibodeau reportedly has no interest in rebuilding or in making a deal that would see the Wolves take a major step back on the court.

While Thibodeau has plenty of power – for now – in Minnesota, not every NBA head coach is envious of his extra responsibilities. As Chris Hine of The Minneapolis Star Tribune details, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is one coach who has no interest in assuming both of those roles at once, despite having previously served as an NBA general manager.

“It wouldn’t work for me,” Kerr said of holding both jobs at once. “It depends on the circumstances, the situations. It depends on relationships within the organization. Everybody is going to be structured a little differently, but having sat in both chairs, I would not feel comfortable doing both jobs.”

Here’s more on Kerr and the Warriors:

As Hine relays, Kerr offered a few additional thoughts on why he’s happy simply coaching the Warriors: “One of the reasons I wanted to coach is because frankly it’s easier than being a GM and facing some of those choices. I’m lucky. I’ve got a great GM. Great friend in Bob [Myers] and when we’ve been faced with difficult decisions, the collaboration and the process we’ve had has been sound. … We’re lucky to be where we are, and it’s been smooth. We’re all going to face our moments. It’s the NBA, and it’s tough out there.”
One issue that Myers and the Warriors’ front office are currently dealing with is Patrick McCaw‘s restricted free agency. McCaw let Monday’s qualifying offer deadline pass without accepting his QO, a decision that is both “risky and mystifying,” according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Asked by Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link) whether he’d be interested in having his “own team,” 2019 free-agent-to-be Klay Thompson questioned that concept, noting that he doesn’t believe the Warriors are any one player’s team. “I just want to be on a great team,” Thompson added. “I don’t want to necessarily be the focal point at all times.”

Klay, Draymond Can Qualify For Super-Max With All-NBA Nods In 2018/19

October 2nd, 2018 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

Marks also notes that several players will have a chance to become eligible for super-max contracts with their current clubs if they make All-NBA teams this season. That list includes Anthony Davis (Pelicans), Draymond Green (Warriors), Klay Thompson (Warriors), Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), and Kemba Walker (Hornets). Additionally, Devin Booker‘s new extension with the Suns would start at 27.5% of the cap if he’s named to the All-NBA Third Team, 28.5% if he’s named to the Second Team, and 30% for First Team.

[SOURCE LINK]

Kerr Says Back Issues Have Subsided

October 2nd, 2018 at 8:51am CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors coach Steve Kerr believes he’s made significant progress from his prior back issues, Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. Kerr spoke of his health during a Tim Kawakami podcast. “I work every day — I do a lot of stuff to make sure I’m staying on the improving path,” he said. “The worst is behind me … when I had to sit out in the (2017) playoffs, that was a brutally difficult time and I wasn’t sure what was gonna happen. I think all of that is behind me and I’m looking at much better days.” Kerr’s interview with Kawakami from The Athletic can be found here.

Patrick McCaw Passes On Qualifying Offer

October 1st, 2018 at 8:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Restricted free agent guard Patrick McCaw is expected to decline his one-year, $1.71MM qualifying offer from the Warriors, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

If that comes to fruition, McCaw would remain an RFA. McCaw was reportedly offered a two-year contract from the Warriors but also plans to turn that down. The previous report indicted it was a $4MM offer but ESPN’s Marc Spears tweets that Golden State proposed a two-year deal worth approximately $5MM with the second year not guaranteed.

McCaw had an October 1st deadline to sign the qualifying offer.

By NBA rules, teams are permitted to extend the qualifying offer deadline beyond that date, so the Warriors could leave McCaw’s QO on the table. However, clubs rarely agree to push back that deadline, since removing the qualifying offer from the equation improves a team’s leverage, limiting the restricted free agent’s options.

His qualifying offer is worth $200K more than his minimum salary of $1.51MM. He’s apparently willing to roll the dice with the hope that Golden State will let him go. As Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets, McCaw could drag out the process and force the Warriors to move on without him, hoping they won’t match offer sheet once his roster spot is committed to someone else.

The Warriors have been holding a spot open for McCaw, who struggled during his sophomore season in 2017/18. In 57 games (16.9 MPG), the former second-round pick averaged 4.0 PPG, 1.4 RPG, and 1.4 APG with a .409/.238/.765 shooting line.

McCaw is the only restricted free agent left on the market.

Qualifying Offer Deadline Looms For Patrick McCaw

October 1st, 2018 at 8:30pm CST by Luke Adams

8:30pm: McCaw plans to turn down the two-year offer, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets.

7:21pm: McCaw is mulling a two-year, $4MM offer from the Warriors, Logan Murdock of the San Jose Mercury News reports. The team’s offer will still stand even after Monday deadline, Murdock adds.

9:23am: Today is October 1, which means it will likely be the last day for Patrick McCaw to accept his qualifying offer from the Warriors. If McCaw doesn’t sign his qualifying offer – or another deal – today, he would remain a restricted free agent, but he’d no longer have that QO as a fallback option.

By NBA rules, teams are permitted to extend the qualifying offer deadline beyond October 1, so the Warriors could leave McCaw’s QO on the table if they so choose. However, clubs rarely agree to push back that deadline, since removing the qualifying offer from the equation improves a team’s leverage, limiting the restricted free agent’s options.

In McCaw’s case, his qualifying offer is worth approximately $1.71MM, which is $200K more than his minimum salary of $1.51MM. At this point on the NBA calendar, the 22-year-old shooting guard seems unlikely to receive an offer sheet from a rival team, so if he’s uncertain about his chances of getting a decent multiyear offer from Golden State, it might make sense to accept his QO today.

Still, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), because he only has two years of NBA experience under his belt, McCaw is in a tough spot. Unlike players who accept qualifying offers at the end of their four-year rookie contracts – such as Rodney Hood with the Cavaliers – McCaw wouldn’t be on track for unrestricted free agency in 2019 if he signs his QO this season. Instead, he’d be eligible for restricted free agency again next summer.

The Warriors have been holding a roster spot open for McCaw, who struggled during his sophomore season in 2017/18. In 57 games (16.9 MPG), the former second-round pick averaged 4.0 PPG, 1.4 RPG, and 1.4 APG with a .409/.238/.765 shooting line.

McCaw is the only restricted free agent left on the market.

Warriors Notes: Durant, Thompson, Lakers

September 28th, 2018 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Like LeBron James has done in the past, Warriors forward Kevin Durant has decided to sign short-term contracts with opt-outs in order to maximize his flexibility, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I could have easily signed a long-term [contract], but I just wanted to take it season-by-season and see where it takes me,” Durant said earlier this week. The two-time Finals MVP will be eligible for free agency again in 2019, but isn’t talking about that decision at this point.
Durant’s teammate Klay Thompson will also be eligible for free agency in 2019 and has been more willing to talk about his desire to stay with the Warriors long-term — he reiterated that preference on Thursday, as Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes. “It’s hard to walk away from something — you were here when it started and yeah, you just want to stay on the train as long as you can,” Thompson said.
After LeBron James spoke earlier this week about the Lakers having a long way to go before they can seriously challenge the Warriors, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com explores what “success” might look like for LeBron’s Lakers, this season and beyond.

DeMarcus Cousins Explains Decision To Sign With Warriors

September 27th, 2018 at 8:04pm CST by JD Shaw

Despite having a talented roster, Lakers forward LeBron James knows there’s still plenty of work to do before catching the Warriors. “We got a long way to go to get to Golden State,” James said, according to USA TODAY’s Josh Peter. “They could pick up right where they left off starting with training camp if they start today. We’re picking up from scratch, so we have a long way to go.”
New Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins published a piece on The Players’ Tribune about why he chose to sign with Golden State this offseason. “It was the best basketball decision I ever made,” Cousins wrote.