Warriors Rumors

Trade Rumors: Poeltl, Wizards, G. Harris, Noel, Warriors, Knicks, More

The Wizards are among the teams to register trade interest in Spurs center Jakob Poeltl, Marc Stein reports at Substack. As Stein writes, Boston and Toronto have been the clubs most frequently cited as suitors for the big man in recent weeks — Washington is a new addition to the Poeltl sweepstakes. Still, Stein hears that as of Wednesday morning, there didn’t appear to be a logical trade match between the Wizards and Spurs.

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

  • Although Gary Harris has been mentioned as a trade candidate in Orlando, Stein hears that the Magic may prefer to hang onto the veteran swingman through Thursday’s deadline, since the team values his locker room presence on a young roster.
  • Nerlens Noel is the Pistons veteran most likely to be on the move this week, according to Stein, who says the Heat and Sixers continue to convey interest in the veteran center.
  • Multiple rival executives consider the Warriors good bets to make a move by Thursday’s deadline, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “To me, there’s nobody more incentivized toward making a deal than the Warriors,” one league exec told Bulpett, pointing to Golden State’s veteran stars and pricey payroll. “Now. Right now. This is one of those years. You can’t waste this year. You’ve got to roll with this year.”
  • As of late Tuesday night, there was pessimism that the Knicks will make a deal with the Jazz for Jarred Vanderbilt and/or Malik Beasley, says Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Although the two teams have discussed a potential trade, as HoopsHype reported over the weekend, some people in New York’s front office aren’t sold on Vanderbilt’s and Beasley’s fit with the current roster, Begley explains.
  • Although there has been some speculation that the Nuggets may be reluctant to deal with the Timberwolves after how Tim Connelly‘s move from Denver to Minnesota played out, a Nuggets team source insisted to Sam Amick of The Athletic that Connelly’s history wouldn’t be a roadblock if the two teams wanted to make a deal involving Bones Hyland or another player.

Moore’s Latest: Pelicans, Spurs, Warriors, Nuggets, VanVleet, Vanderbilt, More

The latest trade intel column from Matt Moore of Action Network is packed full of tidbits about the upcoming deadline, including some details on which players a handful of Western Conference teams have made available.

According to Moore, the Pelicans – in the market for another shooter – have made players like Jaxson Hayes, Devonte’ Graham, and Naji Marshall available, while the Spurs are discussing Isaiah Roby in addition to previously reported trade candidates like Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott. Perhaps most interestingly, Moore says the Warriors consider Jonathan Kuminga “off limits,” but have been willing to discuss youngsters James Wiseman and Moses Moody.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets – who have put second-year guard Bones Hyland on the trade block – are seeking another wing and have their eye on players like Bulls guard Alex Caruso, Clippers guard Terance Mann, and Pacers swingman Chris Duarte, Moore writes.

Here’s more:

  • The Magic, who have previously been cited as a possible free agency suitor for Fred VanVleet, have “real” interest in the Raptors point guard, reports Moore. While VanVleet is thought to be available at the trade deadline due to his uncertain contract status beyond this season, one executive told Moore that trying to get a deal done with Toronto is “like blood from stone.”
  • There’s a growing belief that forward Jarred Vanderbilt will be on the move this week even if the Jazz don’t get the first-round pick they’re seeking for him, according to Moore, who suggest the Trail Blazers may be the frontrunner to land Vanderbilt.
  • Two league sources tell Moore that the Cavaliers have contacted the Hawks to inquire about Bogdan Bogdanovic. While there’s no indication those talks went anywhere, it’s worth noting Caris LeVert‘s $18.8MM salary is a near-perfect match for Bogdanovic’s $18MM cap hit.
  • Recent strong play from Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein has reduced the odds that he’ll be traded before Thursday’s deadline — the belief is that he’ll remain in New York, per Moore.

Warriors’ Ryan Rollins To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

Ryan Rollins‘ rookie season is expected to come to an early end, according to the Warriors, who announced in a press release that the first-year guard is undergoing surgery to repair a Jones fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot.

The procedure, which is scheduled to take place this Wednesday, will likely keep Rollins sidelined for the remainder of the 2022/23 season, according to the team.

The 44th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Rollins appeared in just 12 games this season for the Warriors and played a very limited role, scoring 23 points in 62 total minutes.

Rollins averaged 18.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.6 APG for Toledo as a sophomore last season before declaring for the draft as an early entrant. Golden State sent $2MM in cash to Atlanta during the draft to move up from No. 51 to No. 44 to nab him.

However, Rollins’ rookie season got off to an ominous start when he was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot shortly after being drafted. The injury, which was discovered during a medical evaluation that was part of Rollins’ on-boarding process, affected the same bone that he’s now undergoing surgery on.

Rollins’ three-year contract with the Warriors includes a fully guaranteed minimum salary for 2023/24, so he’s on track to remain on the club’s roster for next season.

Stephen Curry Out Several Weeks With Partially Torn Ligaments In Leg

2:35pm: Imaging on Curry’s left leg on Saturday night revealed that he partially tore his superior tibiofibular ligaments and interosseous membrane, in addition to incurring a lower leg contusion, the Warriors have announced in a press statement (Twitter link). The team intends to establish a recovery timeline for Curry in the coming days.


12:36pm: Warriors All-Star point guard Stephen Curry will be sidelined for several weeks with a left leg injury, sources inform Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Curry departed Golden State’s victory over the Mavericks on Saturday night in the third quarter after incurring the injury. He underwent imaging subsequently that determined the ailment was more serious than his club had hoped.

This is naturally a huge blow for Golden State, currently the seventh seed in the West at 27-26. There are just 29 games left in the 2022/23 regular season and only two-and-a-half games separate the Warriors and the No. 13 seeded-Lakers. If Golden State cannot at least tread water in the absence of Curry, the team could quickly fall out of the play-in tournament bracket.

As Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets, Curry’s injury means he will likely be sidelined through at least the 2023 All-Star Weekend, so an injury replacement figures to be selected. Slater cautions that the Warriors are continuing to determine exactly how severe the injury is and exactly how long Curry will be shelved.

Per Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link), Golden State is hopeful Curry could come back soon after the All-Star break. The regular season resumes on February 23.

The reigning Finals MVP is having another great individual season, despite his team’s middling record. Curry is averaging 29.4 PPG on .495/.427/.922 shooting splits, along with 6.4 APG, 6.3 RPG and 1.0 SPG across 38 games.

This could also further complicate the Warriors’ approach to the impending league trade deadline, as the club will have to determine what young assets it is willing to surrender – if any – in order to make a playoff push.

Stephen Curry Undergoing MRI On Injured Knee

11:46am: Curry will miss Monday’s game vs. Oklahoma City as the Warriors continue to evaluate his injury, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who tweets that it might take a couple days for the team to officially announce a diagnosis and timeline for the All-Star guard.


8:35am: The Warriors got a win over Dallas on Saturday night, but lost their star player along the way, as Stephen Curry exited in the third quarter due to an apparent left knee injury.

According to Kendra Andrews of ESPN, X-rays on Curry’s knee were negative, but he’s undergoing an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.

The injury occurred when Curry was defending Mavericks guard McKinley Wright IV with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. The two players’ knees appeared to collide on Wright’s drive and Curry immediately came up limping (video link). The two-time MVP, who was called for a foul on the play, checked out of the game, was briefly examined on the bench, then made his way to the locker room.

The Warriors won’t have a clear sense of whether Curry will have to miss time – and how long an absence might last – until they get the results of the MRI.

“Any time a guy gets an MRI, there’s a concern level,” head coach Steve Kerr said, per Andrews. “We’ll just have to wait and see the results. … This has happened many, many times over the years. So fingers crossed he’s OK.”

Curry has only missed one extended stretch of games so far this season — he sat out 11 contests in December and January due to a left shoulder subluxation. He was unavailable for four other games over the course of the season, but three of those were rest nights on the second halves of back-to-back sets.

The 34-year-old has been playing at his usual All-NBA level so far this season, averaging 29.4 points, 6.4 assists, and 6.3 rebounds in 38 games (34.6 MPG), with an eye-popping shooting line of .495/.427/.922.

Warriors Among Teams Eyeing Matisse Thybulle

The Warriors have had internal discussions about the possibility of trading for Matisse Thybulle, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who reports that Golden State likes the Sixers wing as a defensive stopper.

Marc Stein reported earlier in the week that the Kings are also among the teams with some level of interest in Thybulle, which Pompey confirms. A league source tells The Inquirer that Sacramento head coach Mike Brown is a fan of the 25-year-old.

Thybulle has made the All-Defensive Second Team twice in his first three NBA seasons, but has yet to develop into a reliable contributor at the offensive end. He’s averaging just 2.7 points in 12.1 minutes per night (45 games) for Philadelphia this season. The former 20th overall pick is also on an expiring contract and will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer.

Multiple league sources tell Pompey that Thybulle’s inconsistent production and role in Philadelphia (he was out of the rotation earlier in the season) have hurt his trade value, suggesting he’s not worth a first-round pick at this point. As a result, Pompey wonders if the 76ers might be better off hanging onto the defensive ace, pointing out that the club has an 18-4 record when he plays at least 12 minutes and hasn’t lost any of the 10 games in which he has played at least 20 minutes.

It’s unclear what exactly the Sixers would be looking for if they traded Thybulle, who is earning $4.4MM in the final year of his rookie deal. If they talk to the Kings, Terence Davis could be one name who comes up — he’s rumored to be less than thrilled with his dip in playing time and is earning $4MM on an expiring contract. Philadelphia is also said to be in the market for a backup center, so Alex Len ($3.9MM) and Chimezie Metu ($1.9MM) may be of some interest, along with stretch four Trey Lyles ($2.6MM).

As for the Warriors, perhaps veteran stretch four JaMychal Green, who is on a minimum-salary contract and playing center in Golden State, would appeal to the Sixers. It’s hard to imagine Golden State parting with any of its recent first-round picks (James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, or Patrick Baldwin) in a deal for Thybulle. Wiseman would theoretically be an intriguing target for a Philadelphia team seeking size, but he can’t realistically be counted on for regular playoff minutes and his $9.6MM cap hit would complicate salary matching, as well as the Sixers’ reported desire to dip below the luxury tax line.

Kerr, Wiseman Hold One-On-One Meeting

  • Warriors coach Steve Kerr met with James Wiseman over the weekend to give the young center some encouraging words, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Wiseman has struggled to establish a rotation spot this season. “One of the things I told James is that in this league things change quickly,” Kerr said. “You just don’t know. … I would love to get him out there, but right now, JaMychal (Green) is playing really well. Obviously, we’ve gone to a smaller lineup, so that … creates a little bit of a logjam at that position. James just has to stay ready.”
  • The Warriors have recalled second-year guard Moses Moody from their G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the team’s PR department tweets. Moody played two games with the G League team after being assigned last week, averaging 23 points in those games. Moody has appeared in 39 games with Golden State this season but recently fell out of the rotation.

Injury Updates: Davis, James, Doncic, Wiggins, Gobert, Haliburton

The Lakers will play without both of their superstars against the Nets on Monday, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes.

LeBron James has a sore left ankle ankle, while Anthony Davis will rest his right foot. It’s the first game of a back-to-back, so they both could return on Tuesday against the Knicks.

We have more notable injury updates:

  • Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is listed as questionable to play against Detroit on Monday, the team’s PR department tweets. Doncic suffered a left ankle sprain three minutes into their game against Phoenix on Thursday. He missed their loss to Utah on Saturday.
  • Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, who missed the last two games due to a non-COVID illness, is not listed on the injury report for Monday’s game against Oklahoma City, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets.
  • Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is listed as questionable to play against Sacramento on Monday due to right groin soreness, the team’s PR department tweets. Gobert played 36 minutes in Minnesota’s victory over the Kings on Saturday.
  • Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton hopes to practice Tuesday and Wednesday with “the aim to play this weekend,” according to coach Rick Carlisle, Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star tweets. Indiana plays home games against the Lakers, Kings and Cavaliers later this week. Haliburton has missed 10 games due to knee and elbow injuries.

Small-Ball Lineups Affecting Center Rotation

  • The Warriors have been using some small-ball lineups featuring four guards and Draymond Green at center in recent games, and that is having an impact on the rest of the team’s big men, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. For example, James Wiseman has been active the past two games after recovering from a left ankle sprain, but he’s fourth on the current center depth chart behind Green, Kevon Looney and JaMychal Green, so he hasn’t played in either contest. “Do the math,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “It’s hard to get four centers into a game, especially in 2023.”

Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid Each Fined $25K By NBA

Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Sixers center Joel Embiid have each been fined $25K by the NBA for separate incidents, the league announced (Twitter links).

Curry, the reigning Finals MVP, was given a technical foul and ejected for tossing his mouthpiece with 1:14 remaining in Wednesday’s two-point victory over Memphis. As Kendra Andrews of ESPN writes, Curry was frustrated by an “ill-advised” three-point attempt by teammate Jordan Poole.

According to Andrews, the mouthpiece “ricocheted off the court and landed near the courtside seats” and Curry received his third career ejection (second in the regular season). The NBA’s press release states that he was fined for “throwing his mouthpiece into the spectator stands” (video link).

It was a crucial time in the game, and the way that our season has gone, questions about a heightened sense of urgency … when you want something really bad … I reacted in a way that put myself out of the game and put the team in a tough place,” said Curry, who disagreed with the immediate ejection because his mouthpiece didn’t come in contact with anyone.

Embiid, meanwhile, was fined for “making an obscene gesture on the playing court” in the third quarter of Wednesday’s victory over Brooklyn. He was not penalized during the game for his D-Generation X-inspired celebration.