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NBA GMs High On Cavs’ Offseason Moves, Bucks’ Title Chances

October 4th, 2022 at 11:28am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers‘ acquisition of Donovan Mitchell made their offseason the most successful of any NBA team, according to the league’s general managers. In his annual survey of the NBA’s top basketball decision-makers, John Schuhmann of NBA.com writes that 41% of the GM respondents picked Cleveland as having made the best offseason moves, while 59% chose the addition of Mitchell as the move that will have the biggest impact.

The Timberwolves and Jazz were on opposite ends of one of the summer’s other blockbuster trades, but the two clubs tied for second (along with the Sixers) in the GM vote for which teams made the best overall offseason moves. Minnesota’s trade for Rudy Gobert was the second-leading vote-getter for the offseason’s most impactful single acquisition, earning 31% of the vote.

The team viewed by the majority of GMs as the title favorite for 2023 didn’t earn any votes for having the best offseason. According to Schuhmann, 43% of the poll respondents picked the Bucks to win next year’s Finals, with GMs apparently betting on continuity in Milwaukee. The Warriors (25%), Clippers (21%), and Celtics (11%) also received votes.

Here are a few more interesting results from Schuhmann’s GM survey, which is worth checking out in full:

NBA general managers expect the Clippers – who will have Kawhi Leonard back – to be the most improved team in 2022/23. L.A. received 41% of the vote, with the Cavaliers and Pelicans at 17% apiece.
The Celtics‘ trade for Malcolm Brogdon earned the most votes (28%) for the summer’s most underrated acquisition. The Sixers‘ signing of P.J. Tucker and the Clippers‘ addition of John Wall were the runners-up, with 14% each.
Asked which team has the most promising young core, NBA GMs overwhelmingly chose the Cavaliers (41%) and Grizzlies (38%). The Pistons (10%) were the only other club to get multiple votes.
NBA GMs view Magic forward Paolo Banchero as the best bet to win Rookie of the Year (79%) and also chose him as the 2022 draftee most likely to be the best player in five years (31%), narrowly edging Thunder big man Chet Holmgren (28%). As for the steal of the draft, GMs were split between Pistons big man Jalen Duren and Rockets forward Tari Eason (14% apiece), among many others.
Mavericks star Luka Doncic was picked as the favorite to win MVP, earning 48% of the vote from NBA GMs. Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks came in second with 34%.

Warriors Waive Trevion Williams

October 3rd, 2022 at 3:13pm CST by Rory Maher

The Warriors have waived big man Trevion Williams, the team’s PR department announced (via Twitter). Golden State also confirmed that it has waived Mac McClung, as expected.

Williams and McClung were waived to reportedly make room for Ty Jerome and Anthony Lamb on the 20-man training camp roster. Williams was signed to an Exhibit 10 deal, so he could earn a $50K bonus if he spends at least 60 days with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s G League affiliate. McClung’s contract did not contain Exhibit 10 language.

Williams, 22, went undrafted in June’s draft. He had a productive college career with the Purdue Boilermakers, earning a couple of All-Big Ten honors the past two seasons while averaging a combined 13.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 2.7 APG while shooting 53.5% from the floor and 55.2% from the line in 65 games (30 starts, 22.3 MPG). He was named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year in 2021/22.

It took a month for Williams to find an NBA contract even though he was high on ESPN’s list of best undrafted players. He spent Summer League with the Celtics and appeared in two preseason games with Golden State, averaging 2.5 PPG and 3.5 RPG in just 5.7 MPG.

Ty Jerome May Join Warriors On Training Camp Contract

October 2nd, 2022 at 8:39am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors are talking with Ty Jerome about a training camp deal once he clears waivers on Monday, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Jerome would be given a chance to compete for a roster spot, sources tell Slater and Shams Charania.

Golden State has 14 players with guaranteed contracts after the return of Andre Iguodala and is expected to keep its 15th slot open due to luxury tax concerns. Jerome’s best bet appears to be a two-way contract, and those are currently held by Lester Quinones and Quinndary Weatherspoon.

Jerome, a 25-year-old shooting guard, was shipped Friday from the Thunder to the Rockets in an eight-player trade. He was waived on Saturday, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Jerome was selected by the Sixers with the 24th pick in the 2019 draft, but was traded twice before making his NBA debut. He spent one season with the Suns before being sent to the Thunder as part of the Chris Paul deal in 2020. He was a rotation player in Oklahoma City the past two seasons, averaging 8.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 81 combined games.

The Warriors currently have a full 20-man roster, so someone would have to be waived to make room for Jerome.

Thompson Held Out Of Tokyo Exhibitions

October 1st, 2022 at 11:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

Klay Thompson was held out of playing in Tokyo this week because he didn’t do any scrimmaging this offseason after the Warriors won the title, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “I didn’t play much this summer,” Thompson said. “With what I went through the last summer, I was healthy, popping my Achilles, it was really hard for me to get out of it, mentally. It’s hard to explain. It’s a mental block or something.”
During the preseason opener in Tokyo, Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo played 17 minutes off the bench, contributing nine points, seven rebounds and two assists. He also didn’t commit any fouls or turnovers. Those types of contributions are why the Warriors added him, Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. DiVincenzo signed a two-year, $9.3MM contract early in free agency.

Warriors Notes: Thompson, Wiseman, More

September 30th, 2022 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers are taking a cautious approach this preseason with a handful of veteran players, with head coach Tyronn Lue announcing on Thursday that Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, John Wall, and Reggie Jackson won’t play in the team’s preseason opener in Seattle on Friday (Twitter link via Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times). The Warriors are going the same route with Klay Thompson, holding him out of the club’s two preseason contests in Japan, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
The Warriors‘ preseason opener on Friday showed the new simplified offensive role the team envisions for center James Wiseman, who was primarily used as a slasher and roller en route to a 20-point, eight-rebound game, Slater writes for The Athletic.
Logan Murdock of The Ringer takes a look at the Warriors‘ efforts to balance their title defense in the short term with their vision of the franchise in the long term.

Kerr: JaMychal Green Was "Critical" Offseason Addition

September 28th, 2022 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

According to head coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors viewed JaMychal Green as a “critical” offseason addition because he adds some much-needed veteran experience to a young bench. Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area has the story.

Curry: Let's Keep It Together

September 26th, 2022 at 10:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green could be on the free agent market next summer, but Stephen Curry hopes that the current group of Warriors can remain in place, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. “You want that to be the spirit of how decisions are made, and we want the best chance to win every single year. And we’re proving with this squad, that’s what the results have been,” he said. “So, we want to keep that together for as long as we can. That’s the goal.”

Andre Iguodala Returns To Warriors For One More Season

September 26th, 2022 at 3:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 26: The Warriors have officially re-signed Iguodala, the team announced today in a press release.

SEPTEMBER 23: Andre Iguodala will play his 19th and final NBA season with the Warriors, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Iguodala made the announcement on his Point Forward podcast (video link).

Golden State had been keeping a roster spot open in hopes that Iguodala would return. His decision gives the team a full complement of 20 players heading into camp.

Iguodala played an important role in the Warriors’ ascension into title contenders in the latter part of the last decade. He was traded in 2019 to help clear salary, but he returned to the team as a free agent last summer after spending two seasons with Miami.

Iguodala, who remains one of Golden State’s most reliable perimeter defenders, appeared in 31 games last season, averaging 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 19.5 minutes per night. He saw only minimal playing time in seven postseason games during the Warriors’ title run.

The Warriors will presumably sign Iguodala to a guaranteed minimum-salary contract. Such a deal would make him the 14th Golden State player with a guaranteed salary for the 2022/23 season.

The team could carry one more player when the regular season begins, but may opt to keep that 15th spot open to maintain flexibility and avoid pushing its record-setting luxury tax bill any higher.

Draymond Green Not Expecting To Sign Extension Before Season

September 26th, 2022 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors forward/center Draymond Green is one of several key Golden State players currently eligible to sign a contract extension. However, when asked on Sunday about his contract situation, he told reporters that he’s not counting on signing a new deal before the 2022/23 season begins.

“Whether I’d like to or not, I don’t think it will happen,” Green said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (video link). “So for me, I’m just focused on this season and being as great as I can be, as I know I’m capable of being, and winning another championship. And reaching the individual goals that I have as well. I think that’s my main focus.”

Green is technically under contract for two more seasons, but the second year is a player option, so he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2023. He’ll earn approximately $25.8MM this season, with a $27.6MM option for ’23/24.

If he were to sign a long-term extension that begins in 2023, replacing his player option, Green would be eligible to earn up to $138.7MM over four years. A report in July suggested that the 32-year-old believes he’s earned that sort of contract, but it would be a surprise if the Warriors were to make that strong an offer this fall. With Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins also entering contract years, Golden State will do its best to try to lock up all three players to deals well below the max in order to avoid pushing the franchise’s record-setting luxury tax payments even higher.

Poole and Wiggins were also asked about possible extensions on Sunday — both players indicated they’re letting their agents handle those negotiations and brushed off concerns about the possible pressure of a contract year, as Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area writes.

Poole, who expressed confidence that he and the Warriors will be able to figure something out, will be a restricted free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign a rookie scale extension this fall. Wiggins will become an unrestricted free agent after the season if he doesn’t sign a veteran extension.

Western Notes: Poole, Billups, Nuggets, Rockets

September 25th, 2022 at 10:02pm CST by JD Shaw

Warriors guard Jordan Poole is confident he’ll work out a new contract agreement with the team, Marc J. Spears of ESPN tweets. Poole added he’s looking forward to those negotiations progressing when Golden State returns from Toyko in early October.

Poole may have faith that something can be worked out, but it’s still possible the sides won’t agree to a deal in the coming weeks. Should that happen, Poole would become a restricted free agent in 2023. The sides have until October 17 to reach a rookie scale extension.

Poole played a significant role in the Warriors’ championship campaign last year, averaging 18.5 points on 45% shooting during the regular season. The 23-year-old also averaged 17.0 points per game during the playoffs, shooting 51% from the floor and 39% from three-point range.

There are some other notes from the Western Conference tonight:

Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups must improve the team’s defense this season, Aaron J. Fentress writes for The Oregonian. Portland ranked 29th in defensive rating last season, but the team has the personnel to improve that ranking this season. The Blazers could start a group of Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart, Jerami Grant and Jusuf Nurkic, with Gary Payton II, Nassir Little, Justise Winslow and others coming off the bench.
Mike Singer of the Denver Post examines five storylines for the Nuggets entering training camp. Denver has a legitimate championship contender on paper, but the team must stay healthy and prove it can work together down the stretch. Unsurprisingly, the first storyline Singer looks at is the health of Jamal Murray, who suffered a torn ACL in 2021.
Jonathan Feigen (subscriber only) answers Rockets fans’ questions in his latest mailbag for the Houston Chronicle. Among the topics addressed is the coaching staff’s plan for incorporating No. 3 pick Jabari Smith and young center Alperen Sengun into the offense. Houston’s top two scorers last season, Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. combined to average 32.9 points per game, so it’s fair to assume they’ll still be the focal point offensively.