Golden State Warriors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Woj: Warriors, Draymond Green Appear “Destined To Reunite”

June 20th, 2023 at 7:51am CST by Luke Adams

When new Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. talked on Monday about the team’s determination to retain Draymond Green, he wasn’t just speaking in platitudes, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Appearing on SportsCenter on Monday evening (YouTube link), Wojnarowski says the Warriors and Green have strong mutual interest in working out a new contract agreement after the forward decided to turn down his player option for 2023/24.

“These are two sides who very much want to get a deal done,” Wojnarowski said. “Draymond and (agent) Rich Paul, they’re not really posturing here and threatening that they’re going to go somewhere else.”

Wojnarowski went on to say that there would be “great options” on the open market for Green if he does want to seek a change of scenery. The 33-year-old’s hometown Pistons will have cap space, and there are over-the-cap contenders who would have interest in trying to negotiate a sign-and-trade with the Warriors, according to Wojnarowski. But for the time being, it doesn’t sound like Green is eager to explore other destinations.

“I think there’s certainly a desire on both sides to stay together. They want each other,” Woj said. “I think (for) Draymond Green, the idea of continuing with Steph Curry and with Klay Thompson and certainly (head coach) Steve Kerr, I think it means the world to him. It’s just a matter of negotiation. Is it a four-year deal? Is it a three-year deal?

“I don’t sense at all any real sense on either side that this could get sideways. It could happen, he becomes a free agent. But I think these sides are destined to reunite.”

Green’s scoring contributions remained limited in 2022/23, as he averaged single-digit points per game (8.5) for a fifth straight season. However, he’s a talented offensive play-maker (6.8 APG) and one of the NBA’s best defenders, having earned All-Defensive honors for an eight time this spring.

The player option that Green turned down was worth $27.6MM, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be pushing for a larger 2023/24 salary in a new contract. He and the Warriors could negotiate a multiyear deal that reduces his cap hit for next season but gives him a more significant overall guarantee. That would help keep the team’s rising payroll in check for ’23/24, at least to some extent.

Even after they resolve Green’s contract situation, the Warriors will have to make some major roster decisions this offseason. Jordan Poole and Jonathan Kuminga are among the players who have been cited as possible trade candidates, while Thompson will be extension-eligible as he enters a contract year.

Warriors Determined To Retain Draymond Green

June 19th, 2023 at 6:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors don’t plan to let Draymond Green walk without making a substantial push to retain him. Green is declining his $27.5MM option for next season so that he can become an unrestricted free agent.

New GM Mike Dunleavy Jr.. said during his introductory press conference on Monday that the Warriors are committed to keeping Green, Janie McCauley of The Associated Press reports.

“Until we get the paperwork and the filing we can’t really comment or say much,” Dunleavy said. “I will say it – I think Steve (Kerr) has said it, I’ll reiterate – we really want Draymond back. What he means to this organization and this team in terms of trying to win at the highest level, we feel like we have to have him. So that’s very important.”

Owner Joe Lacob said the “good overwhelms the bad” when it comes to Green and the controversies he’s been involved in, including punching teammate Jordan Poole just before last season began.

“He’s a bit of a controversial player perhaps in some corners around the league, certain things that have happened over the years. He knows that. We know that. But the good overwhelms the bad is what I would say,” Lacob said, adding, “I think if he does come back that he will be very important to our success certainly going forward in the next few years.”

Here’s more from Dunleavy’s first press conference as the Warriors’ new head of basketball operations:

Lacob indicated that he didn’t consider outside candidates to replace former top executive Bob Myers, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews relays. Dunleavy Jr. has been in the Warriors’ organization since 2018. He became VP of basketball operations in 2021. “Did I interview other people? No, not really. We didn’t go outside,” Lacob said. “We believe in continuity. We believe we have a really well-oiled machine, a well-running organization. Mike gets along fabulously with all the parties inside.”
Regarding Poole, his four-year, $125MM extension kicks in next season and Dunleavy said he’s not looking to deal the guard, despite his disappointing 2022/23 season. There are also questions about whether Green and Poole can continue to coexist.
Dunleavy believes Jonathan Kuminga can make more of an impact with expanding playing time, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets in a video clip. “Obviously, a lot of rumors come up this time of year but we’re happy with those guys (Poole and Kuminga),” Dunleavy said.
Dunleavy added “you’re always running things by” Stephen Curry but Curry is more concerned with working on his game than influencing roster decisions, Slater relays via another video clip.

Trade Rumors: Brogdon, Ayton, Blazers, Zion, CP3, More

June 19th, 2023 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

With Bradley Beal headed to Phoenix, the Suns are no longer likely to be players for Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon, whom they were linked to last week, writes Brian Robb of MassLive.com.

As Robb notes, the Suns still have Deandre Ayton as a trade chip and could theoretically send him out in a Brogdon trade. But the Celtics aren’t interested in Ayton due to his pricey multiyear contract, Robb says, so a third team would have to be involved to take Ayton and send something to Boston. Even if the Suns and Celtics could find a third team, it seems unlikely that Phoenix would want to trade Ayton for another guard, given the current make-up of the team’s core.

Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer has gotten the sense from league sources that if the Trail Blazers were to make a trade with the Pelicans involving the No. 3 pick, they’d rather acquire Zion Williamson than Brandon Ingram. Shams Charania of The Athletic previously reported that the Hornets (at No. 2) would likely prefer Ingram to Williamson.
Although he expects Williamson to open the 2023/24 season with the Pelicans, Ian Begley of SNY.tv explores potential pathways for the Knicks to acquire the former No. 1 overall pick.
During an appearance on FanDuel TV (Twitter video link), Charania says the Warriors were among the teams to discuss a Chris Paul trade with the Suns before Phoenix agreed to acquire Beal from Washington. With the Wizards exploring the possibility of flipping Paul to a third team, it’s unclear whether or not they’ve touched base with Golden State.
The Clippers, previously identified as a possible trade partner for Paul, wouldn’t shut the door on re-signing Russell Westbrook if they were able to land CP3, according to Law Murray of The Athletic, who hears from sources that the Clips would still offer Westbrook the biggest deal they can using his Non-Bird rights (120% of the veteran’s minimum).

Draymond Green To Decline Player Option

June 19th, 2023 at 11:15am CST by Arthur Hill

Warriors forward Draymond Green will decline his $27.5MM player option and test the free agent market, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The decision was confirmed by Green’s agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, Charania adds.

“We will continue to talk to Golden State and explore all options,” Paul told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

The Warriors remain hopeful of signing Green to a new contact, according to Woj, who notes that Green will explore sign-and-trade possibilities as well as opportunities to sign with other teams.

Green, 33, has been Golden State’s fiery leader throughout the past decade, which has included four NBA titles and two additional trips to the Finals. He was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and was named to an All-Defensive team eight times, including this season.

Green’s versatility on offense has also played a role in the Warriors’ dynasty as he has consistently been among the NBA’s best passing big men. He averaged 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists this season while appearing in 73 games.

Green’s time with the Warriors has also featured controversy, with none greater than the punch he threw at Jordan Poole during training camp. That incident was believed to be at least partially motivated by the players’ contract status, with Poole in line for an extension and Green not expected at the time to receive an extension offer.

There has been speculation that Green’s future with the organization might be affected by the loss of general manager Bob Myers, who announced his resignation at the end of May. While the Warriors prefer to keep their championship core intact, Green is now in position to break it up this summer.

Scotto’s Latest: VanVleet, Anunoby, Middleton, DiVincenzo, G. Williams

June 18th, 2023 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

New head coach Ime Udoka’s desire to land a veteran point guard makes the Rockets a strong contender for Fred VanVleet in free agency, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Houston will be part of a large group of teams expected to pursue VanVleet, who remains open to re-signing with the Raptors, Scotto adds.

The Suns expressed interest in VanVleet the last time he was a free agent, Scotto notes. Chris Paul appears to be on the way out of Phoenix, as Scotto’s sources say the team has discussed a number of trade scenarios, including a proposed deal reported Saturday that would send him to Washington as part of a package for Bradley Beal.

The Lakers would also like to add VanVleet, according to Scotto, but would probably need to work out a sign-and-trade with the Raptors to make it happen. That would require Toronto to have interest in D’Angelo Russell, who is also a free agent.

VanVleet has also been linked to the Magic because president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman previously worked in Toronto, but Scotto cites skepticism that Orlando is ready to make a big free agent move while the core of the team is still young.

Scotto passes along more inside information:

The Grizzlies are a team to watch if the Raptors decide to part with OG Anunoby, Scotto states. Memphis is offering future first-round draft picks to add a wing player, according to Scotto’s sources, and Anunoby would be an attractive target if he becomes available. Scotto notes that the Grizzlies were willing to give four first-round picks to Brooklyn in February for Mikal Bridges, and the need for wing help has increased with Dillon Brooks not expected back next season.
League executives tell Scotto that they expect Khris Middleton to re-sign with the Bucks for about $130MM over four years if he turns down his $40.4MM player option. Milwaukee is hoping to re-sign Brook Lopez as well, Scotto adds, but the veteran center will likely get an offer from the Rockets.
Donte DiVincenzo is expected to turn down his $4.7MM player option and receive better offers than the Warriors can match. One executive told Scotto that DiVincenzo is likely to be offered the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is well above the four-year, $23.2MM deal that Golden State can give him due to cap restrictions. Scotto hears that the Warriors have also received interest in Jonathan Kuminga from several teams that believe he can be more successful with an increased role.
The Mavericks have expressed interest in Celtics free agent forward Grant Williams, who has the same agent as Luka Doncic, sources tell Scotto. Dallas has also considered bringing back former Maverick Harrison Barnes, Scotto adds.
League executives expect the Bulls to re-sign center Nikola Vucevic, likely for about $65MM over three years, according to Scotto.

Bob Myers Prepared Mike Dunleavy Jr. To Take Over As GM

June 17th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

New general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. was brought to the Warriors‘ management team by his former agent, Bob Myers, shortly after he retired as a player, notes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Myers hired Dunleavy as a scout in 2018, and he worked his way up through the organization. He has been taking on more of Myers’ duties over the past two years, including attending the league’s gatherings of general managers.

Jama Mahlalela Leaves Warriors To Return To Raptors

June 17th, 2023 at 10:35am CST by Luke Adams

Pat Delany and Jama Mahlalela will be the top assistants on Darko Rajakovic‘s new staff with the Raptors, reports Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Delany is an experienced assistant who has worked for Charlotte, Orlando, and – most recently – the Wizards. Mahlalela is returning to Toronto after spending eight seasons with the Raptors from 2013-21 (six as an assistant and two as the Raptors 905 head coach). He was an assistant with the Warriors from 2021-23.

Spears: Draymond Green Expected To Decline Player Option

June 16th, 2023 at 9:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors forward Draymond Green is expected to decline his $27,586,224 player option for 2023/24 and enter unrestricted free agency, Marc J. Spears of ESPN reported on NBA Today (video link).

“I’m told that (new general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.) has already met with Steph Curry and Draymond Green. The Warriors expect Draymond Green to opt out of the final year of his contract, I’m being told, but … the Warriors are going to do everything in their power, if he does as expected, to bring him back,” Spears said.

The television segment was centered on the impact of Dunleavy’s promotion ahead of a critical offseason. Spears hears it’s been a “smooth transition” thus far, citing the executive’s “strong relationship” with head coach Steve Kerr and his long NBA history as a former player. Spears added that the Warriors are fielding trade calls for Jonathan Kuminga and Jordan Poole.

The 2016/17 Defensive Player of the Year, Green is arguably the best defender of his generation, earning All-Defensive nods in eight of the past nine seasons, including ’22/23. He has been a critical member of Golden State’s dynastic run over that span, winning four championships to go along with four All-Star berths and two All-NBA selections.

That’s not to say Green’s time with the Warriors has been without controversy. He’s often among the league leaders in technical fouls, punched Poole before training camp started last fall, and was suspended for one game in the playoffs after an incident with Kings center Domantas Sabonis, among other prior transgressions.

The 33-year-old averaged 8.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 6.8 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.8 BPG on .527/.307/.713 shooting in 73 regular season games (31.5 MPG) this past season. The Warriors won the title in 2022, but lost their second-round playoff series against the Lakers last month.

Green has spent his entire 11-year career with Golden State, the team that selected him 35th overall in 2012. He will become one of the top names on the open market if he does indeed decline the option.

Draft Rumors: Cavs, Pacers, Jazz, Warriors, Suns, Bucks

June 16th, 2023 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers currently only hold a second-round pick (No. 49) in the 2023 NBA draft, but they’ve been exploring ways they might be able to move into the first round, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Sources tell Fedor that the Cavs have an “organizational desire” to trade up in the draft and have made calls to teams in the 20-30 range to determine what it would cost to move up.

As Fedor explains, there’s a belief that there will be some older prospects available in that range who might be ready to claim NBA rotation roles as rookies. Several of those players are wings, which would appeal to a Cleveland team that has been on the lookout for help at that spot for the last year. Fedor identifies UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez as one of several prospects who could intrigue the Cavaliers.

It may be tricky for the Cavaliers to put together a package capable of getting them into the first round, however. They dealt several future first-rounders away in last year’s Donovan Mitchell blockbuster and would probably only be able to offer second-rounders along with a player or two. Lamar Stevens, Cedi Osman, Dean Wade, and Ricky Rubio are among the Cavs players who could be moved, Fedor writes, but none of them are likely to have substantial value on the trade market.

Here are a few more draft-related rumors from around the league:

The Pacers and Jazz are among the teams with multiple first-round picks who are worth keeping an eye on as the draft nears, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. According to Fischer, rival teams continue to mention that Indiana is interest in packaging some combination of No. 26, No. 29, and No. 32 in order to move up. Utah has talked to teams about various trade scenarios involving the No. 9, No. 16, and No. 28 picks, Fischer adds.
Sources who spoke to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic believe the Warriors may be focused on landing an older, more experienced prospect at No. 19 after getting mixed results when investing in young lottery picks in recent years. Meanwhile, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer has heard that Golden State have some interest in trading down from No. 19 or out of the draft entirely.
Sources around the NBA have named the Suns and Bucks – in addition to the Cavaliers – as teams interested in trading up into the late-20s or early-30s to draft an NBA-ready player, Vecenie writes for The Athletic. Phoenix and Milwaukee would have to move up even further than Cleveland — their second-round picks are at No. 52 and No. 58, respectively.

Warriors Promote Mike Dunleavy Jr. To General Manager

June 16th, 2023 at 9:35am CST by Luke Adams

9:35am: The Warriors have made Dunleavy’s promotion official, issuing a press release to announce the move.

“We think Mike is the perfect fit to lead our basketball operations department,” Joe Lacob said in a statement. “He has a wealth of basketball knowledge, stemming from his family upbringing, a 15-year NBA playing career and five seasons serving under Bob Myers in our front office. He’s young and energetic, has established numerous relationships around the league and communicates well with players and coaches—all important traits in this business. Mike’s ready for this challenge and responsibility.”

8:12am: Warriors executive Mike Dunleavy Jr. has reached an agreement to become the team’s new general manager, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Dunleavy’s previous title had been vice president of basketball operations, but he’ll receive a promotion following Bob Myers‘ exit from Golden State. Myers had been the Warriors’ longtime GM and president of basketball operations.

Dunleavy, who was close with Myers and has been one of the top lieutenants in the Warriors’ front office in recent years, was repeatedly identified by reporters as the frontrunner to become the club’s new head of basketball operations if the job opened up.

Following Myers’ departure, team owner Joe Lacob told reporters that he wasn’t yet ready to name a replacement, but his talks with Dunleavy’s agents at Excel Sports Management concluded on Thursday with a new long-term deal for the former NBA forward, sources tell ESPN.

The son of former NBA player and coach Mike Dunleavy Sr., Dunleavy Jr. won a national championship at Duke in 2001 and was drafted third overall in 2002 by the Warriors. He played in nearly 1,000 regular season games from 2002-17 for six teams before transitioning into a non-playing role with his original NBA club.

Originally hired by Golden State as a scout in 2018, Dunleavy was promoted to assistant GM in 2019 and was further elevated to VP of basketball operations in 2021.

Although it’s not clear whether he’ll also receive a formal promotion, Joe Lacob’s son Kirk Lacob is also expected to take on a larger decision-making role for the Warriors going forward, Wojnarowski writes. Kirk’s current title is executive VP of basketball operations.