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Warriors Notes: Curry, Wiggins, Spencer, Jackson-Davis

November 30th, 2024 at 7:35pm CST by Arthur Hill

Stephen Curry is expected to play tonight in Phoenix after missing Wednesday’s game with bilateral knee pain, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). In a pregame meeting with reporters, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said both Curry and Andrew Wiggins will have to go through warmups before a final decision is made on their status. Wiggins is dealing with a right ankle impingement, but hasn’t missed any games this month.

Curry sat out Golden State’s last contest after playing four games in six days, notes Sam Gordon of The San Francsico Chronicle. He was able to make it through Friday’s practice without an issue, and the Warriors will need him back on the court for another Western Conference showdown after they missed 14 straight shots in Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City.

Kerr talked to Gordon about the 12-man rotation he’s been using, which results in numerous five-man lineups during the course of each game. Kerr admitted that building chemistry hasn’t been easy under those conditions.

“What we have to narrow down is — with certain groups, what are three things that we can run really well? That’s on us as coaches to get to that point,” he said. “What’s tricky is, we’ve got a lot of different combinations night after night. It takes a little while longer to really settle into all these actions and patterns.”

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Curry’s absence on Wednesday resulted in the first significant opportunity for two-way player Pat Spencer, Gordon adds in a separate story. Making his fourth appearance of the season, the 28-year-old point guard delivered six points, four rebounds and three assists and had a plus-nine rating in his 14 minutes on the court. “It feels good to get minutes, but I think we have a whole team that can play,” Spencer said. “Might be right back out of the rotation. Might be in it the next game. The goal for me is to impact winning and unfortunately, we didn’t get that done. Keep moving forward.”
The Warriors are happy with the production they’re getting from Trayce Jackson-Davis, but they would like to see more emotion from him, per Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. Kerr said he wants the second-year big man moving at full speed all the time instead of sometimes lapsing into a “home-run trot.” “Your makeup is your makeup and he’s not an overly aggressive human being,” Draymond Green added. “So to expect he’s going to be this overly aggressive person on the court, that’s not really realistic. … As a leader it’s on me and (Kevon Looney) to get that fire out of him, to push him.”
Green took the blame for the team’s late-game scoring lapses in the loss to OKC, relays Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Without Curry on the court, the Warriors couldn’t match baskets with the talented Thunder. “Just got to settle down and make sure we get into something,” Green said. “Get into some sets. We were a bit scattered, and that’s on me. When the game gets to that point, somebody has to slow the game down and get us into a set. I’m the veteran out there. I’m the one with the most experience out there.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Harrison Barnes Named Players Of The Week

November 25th, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named the Player of the Week for the Eastern Conference, while Spurs forward Harrison Barnes has won the award in the West, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a perfect 4-0 week from November 18-24, helping the team climb out of the hole it dug itself early in the season. After dropping eight of their first 10 games this fall, the Bucks now rank sixth in the East at 8-9.

The two-time MVP averaged 32.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 34.3 minutes per game in victories over Houston, Chicago, Indiana, and Charlotte. He made 61.2% of his 21.3 field goal attempts per game for the week.

While it was the 24th career Player of the Week award for Antetokounmpo, it’s a first-time honor for Barnes, who has appeared in 928 regular season games since entering the NBA as the seventh overall pick in the 2012 draft.

According to the Spurs, Barnes is the first player since the Player of the Week award was introduced in 1979 to earn the first one of his career in his 13th season (or later). Barnes is also the first Spur to be named Player of the Week since DeMar DeRozan in January 2020, per the team.

Barnes’ Spurs went 3-0 this week, registering upset victories over the Thunder on Tuesday and the Warriors on Saturday. The 32-year-old forward played a key role, averaging 22.3 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 1.7 APG with a .618/.600/.727 shooting line.

The other nominees for the Eastern Conference award were Hornets teammates LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, Celtics teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Heat swingman Jimmy Butler, Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome, Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, and Magic forward Franz Wagner.

In the West, Lakers teammates Anthony Davis and LeBron James, Clippers teammates James Harden and Ivica Zubac, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, and Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins were also nominated (Twitter link).

California Notes: Coffey, Moody, Curry, Wiggins, Lakers

November 24th, 2024 at 2:25pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After spending nearly three full seasons on two-way deals, Clippers guard Amir Coffey graduated to a regular roster role with the team late in the 2021/22 season, then inked a three-year, $11MM deal that summer. This year, Coffey has emerged as a critical role player on an injury-laden L.A. club, including starting multiple recent games.

As Janis Carr of The Orange County Register writes, Coffey has been enjoying his bigger role this season. He’s averaging a career-best 10.1 points per game on .496/.450/.853 shooting, while also contributing 2.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.5 steals per contest.

“It felt good,” Coffey said of a Wednesday start in which he scored 18 points while shooting 6-of-10 from the field. “I try not to get into minutes-wise or coming off the bench or starting. I just try to do my job when my name is called, so I got it going early tonight.”

Coffey reflected on his journey from being a borderline NBA player on a tenuous two-way contract to a real contributor on a 10-7 club.

“The G League is a grind, it’s a lot,” Coffey said. “So, just getting over that hump and getting to this point I’m in now, it means a lot. Like you said, the unseen hours – it’s thousands of ’em – just working on your game every day, trying to get better every summer and to end up in a position. This is a blessing.”

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Warriors guard Moses Moody has learned how to best extract wisdom out of All-NBA point guard Stephen Curry, he tells Mark Medina of Sportskeeda. “Steph is Steph,” Moody said. “He’s teaching and coaching with all the gems that he gives on the plane and in the locker room in conversations. He’s not going to offer it up for no reason if you don’t want it. He’s not going to force anything on you. But if you go ask him, he’ll open up and tell you whatever you want to hear. He’s smart. He knows what he’s doing in all aspects of life.” Moody inked a three-year, $39MM rookie scale contract extension with the Warriors last month that will kick in next season.
Early signs seem to point to a bounce-back season for Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. An extended illness to his father, former NBA wing Mitchell Wiggins, forced Andrew to miss time in each of the last two seasons, and appeared to somewhat impact his rhythm on the court. Mitchell passed in September at 64. “The last couple of years have been very tough on him on a personal level,” head coach Steve Kerr said of Andrew. “I think he has some peace of mind. He came into camp in great shape.” Wiggins seems to have regained his perimeter defensive acumen, plus his scoring upside. Across 14 games this season for the West’s top-seeded Warriors, Wiggins is averaging 17.4 points per game on .477/.408/.770 shooting.
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura returned to the starting lineup after a four-game injury absence due to a left ankle sprain, but it did nothing to save L.A. from the opponent that has been its Achilles heel the last several years, the Nuggets, on Saturday, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Los Angeles led at halftime, but collapsed in the third frame. “We were in a good rhythm and then we kind of relaxed for some reason,” Hachimura said. “And the third quarter, they just played harder. And we didn’t fight back. That was the game.” Denver decimated Los Angeles at home, 127-102. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Nuggets have won 12 of their past 13 encounters with the Lakers, which includes two playoff meetings in successive seasons.

Warriors Notes: Wiggins, Podziemski, Kuminga, Moody, Curry

November 4th, 2024 at 5:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors are banking on Andrew Wiggins playing at an All-Star level, as ESPN’s Kendra Andrews details. Golden State knows it needs Wiggins’ proven production with the departure of Klay Thompson.

Wiggins missed a chunk of last season due to personal reasons.

“I want to do right by them,” Wiggins said. “It feels so good when they have that confidence in you, when they have that high praise. You want to show up for them.”

Wiggins heads into Monday’s game against the Wizards — he’s listed as probable with a low back strain — with averages of 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He still has two years left, including a player option, on his four-year, $109MM contract after this season.

“I think he’s in a place where he knows the last couple years have been tough for a lot of reasons and I think he’s primed to get back to where he was a couple years ago,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s at the age where he’s right in his physical prime, and we’ve seen him do it. He helped us win a championship. I’m expecting a big year from Wiggs.”

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With Stephen Curry sidelined by an ankle sprain the last three games, Brandin Podziemski has gotten a greater opportunity to show his play-making skills, Anthony Slater of The Athletic notes. He has averaged 14.7 points and six assists during that span.
Jonathan Kuminga has been a sparkplug since Kerr moved him to the bench the past three games, Slater adds. He scored 23 points in 26 minutes against Houston in Saturday’s overtime win. He’s averaging 18.7 points on 51.4% shooting as a reserve. “I don’t want him to love coming off the bench,” Draymond Green said. “He believes he’s a superstar. I believe he’s a superstar. As long as you believe that, you shouldn’t be OK coming off the bench. How you respond is important.” Kuminga will be a restricted free agent next summer after failing to reach a rookie scale extension agreement prior to last month’s deadline.
The incentives in Moses Moody‘s extension begins at $462,093 in 2025/26 and increase by the maximum allowable 8% a year, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger. The incentives pay out if Moody plays at least 1,600 minutes, attempts at least nine 3-pointers per 100 possessions, and achieves at least 60% true shooting. Since the extension begins next season, the only impact of Moody hitting all three of those marks this season would be whether the incentives are considered “likely” or “unlikely” for his 2025/26 cap number. If it is deemed “likely,” his cap hit goes from $11,574,075 to $12,037,038. Moody signed his three-year, $37.5MM extension on Oct. 21.
Curry returned to the lineup on Monday. Kerr announced prior to the game that his star guard was available, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets.

Injury Notes: Curry, Melton, Wiggins, Raptors, Clarkson, More

November 1st, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors guards Stephen Curry (left peroneal strain) and De’Anthony Melton (strained lower back) have been ruled out for Saturday’s contest against Houston, the team announced today (via Twitter), and Melton will remain sidelined for at least two games beyond that before being reevaluated a week from now.

However, the injury news from Golden State isn’t all bad. As Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets, Curry has been cleared to participate in parts of Friday night’s practice and will be reevaluated on Sunday, so it’s possible he could return to action as soon as Monday vs. Washington.

Additionally, forward Andrew Wiggins is on track to suit up on Saturday after missing two games due to a low back strain. He’ll be immediately reinserted into the starting lineup upon returning, according to head coach Steve Kerr (Twitter link via Slater).

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

After missing the first five games of his rookie season, Raptors first-round pick Ja’Kobe Walter was cleared to make his NBA debut on Friday vs. the Lakers, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Elsewhere on the Raptors injury front, forward Scottie Barnes (orbital fracture) has a doctor’s appointment on Monday, which could help determine the treatment plan for his injury, while big man Kelly Olynyk (back/lumbar strain) is still at least a “couple more weeks” away from playing, per head coach Darko Rajakovic (Twitter links via Lewenberg). Guard Immanuel Quickley (pelvic contusion) isn’t far off from returning, but he remains out on Friday and will likely miss Saturday’s game vs. Sacramento too, tweets Lewenberg.
Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson has been diagnosed with left plantar fasciitis and will be reevaluated in a week, the team announced today (via Twitter). Collin Sexton, who figures to play an increased role with Clarkson out, suffered a left fourth finger distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint avulsion fracture on Thursday but will attempt to play through the injury, according to the Jazz.
Hornets center Mark Williams is doing a “good amount of individual work,” per head coach Charles Lee, but he hasn’t been cleared for full team drills or scrimmages yet, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Williams has yet to play this season due to a sprained tendon in his left foot.
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who is recovering from offseason surgeries on both feet, has experienced some “minor discomfort,” but that’s a normal part of the recovery process, head coach J.J. Redick told reporters on Friday (Twitter link via Jovan Buha of The Athletic). Redick added that Vanderbilt is “progressing” but that his return isn’t imminent. “We’ll have another update in a week or so,” he said.

Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Lineup, Waters, Wiggins, Moody

October 30th, 2024 at 7:41am CST by Luke Adams

With Stephen Curry sidelined on Tuesday due to a sprained ankle and Andrew Wiggins out dealing with a back strain, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr decided to revamp his starting lineup, removing Jonathan Kuminga and inserting Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Buddy Hield alongside Trayce Jackson-Davis and Draymond Green. As Kendra Andrews of ESPN relays, Kerr explained his thinking following an 18-point win over New Orleans.

“Without Steph and Wiggs, I didn’t want to start Trayce, Draymond, and JK,” Kerr said. “I wanted a little more spacing. I knew it would be a JK game. I knew he would play a lot … this is just about combinations and getting a bit more spacing on the floor to start. All it is, is shuffling the lineup to try to get the right five-man grouping out there.”

Although Kuminga came off the bench for the first time this fall, his 17 points and 28 minutes were both season highs. Still, while Kerr made it clear with his comments and rotation decisions that it wasn’t a demotion for Kuminga, it would have been easy for him to view it as one. Asked after the game how he felt about the move, the fourth-year forward, who will be a restricted free agent at season’s end, suggested to reporters that he and Kerr didn’t have any sort of extended conversation about it.

“It wasn’t my decision. I got a text, this is how it’s going to go, this is who it’s going to be, and I went with it,” Kuminga said. “What am I supposed to do … ask why am I not starting? This is the decision of the coach, and we will follow what he’s going to do. … At the end of the day, I’m still a professional. I’m going to do what I’ve got to do.”

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Lindy Waters has seen the floor in all four Warriors games, but Tuesday was the first time he earned rotation minutes, notes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The 27-year-old guard delivered in a major way, racking up 21 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in nearly 31 minutes of action. Golden State was a plus-26 in those minutes. “From day one of camp, this guy has been one of our best players, frankly,” Kerr said, joking that he’ll have to expand his rotation from 12 players to 13 when everyone is healthy in order to incorporate Waters.
Kerr and the Warriors plan to continue using an extended rotation for the foreseeable future, according to Andrews, who hears from sources that the club wants to use the first 30 games to trim that rotation based on which role players make the strongest cases for minutes.
Taking a look back at the Warriors’ offseason pursuits of Paul George and Lauri Markkanen, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN covers some familiar ground while also providing a couple new details. According to Youngmisuk, Kuminga’s name was never seriously discussed with the Clippers in regard to George — Golden State’s offer likely would have consisted of Wiggins, Moody, expiring contracts, and “some draft capital,” Youngmisuk writes. The Clippers weren’t interested, since taking on Wiggins’ contract would have meant continuing to operate over the tax aprons and may have complicated their pursuit of a young star in the future, sources tell ESPN.
The Santa Cruz Warriors have announced their training camp roster ahead of the 2024/25 G League season, with former lottery pick Kevin Knox among the headliners.

Pacific Notes: Hield, Wiggins, Powell, LeBron

October 26th, 2024 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Buddy Hield has been one of the best acquisitions of the summer, providing instant offense for a Warriors team that hasn’t lost since the preseason started, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. After scoring 22 points in Golden State’s opener, Hield singed the Jazz for 24 points in the first half Friday night and now has 49 points in 35 minutes while shooting 12-of-16 from three-point range.

Slater notes that the only downside for the Warriors has been an awkward starting lineup that hasn’t quite meshed despite the team’s overall success. The unit features an excess of size with Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis lining up alongside Stephen Curry. Golden State has fallen behind 12-5 and 13-6 in its first two games before rallying to take control. Coach Steve Kerr admits there are spacing issues, but he plans to keep the group together because of its defensive potential.

“That unit is still learning how to play (together),” Green said. “We didn’t have Wiggins all training camp. … Now this lineup is getting a chance to get minutes together. What you’ll start to see if we will start to settle in offensively. We’re coming out in the first quarter and everyone is trying to get to it: Go. Go. Go. Because we want that lineup to do well so bad. Everyone is coming out pressing. But once we settle down, that lineup takes over.”

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Wiggins seems to have revived his career in the early part of the season, observes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. The much-maligned forward scored 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting in the Warriors‘ opener and followed that with 13 rebounds Friday night, which is a regular-season record for him. “He’s getting off to a great start,” Kevon Looney said. “… He came with a different focus. A different energy. He’s been locked in and it’s good to see all his hard work has been paying off.”
Norman Powell is helping the Clippers stay competitive while they wait for Kawhi Leonard to return from injury, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Powell shot 14-of-21 from the field and scored 37 points as L.A. picked up its first win Saturday at Denver. “I was just focusing on what the next play was, what the next read was and really just staying in the moment,” he said. “I don’t think about how much I’m scoring or what’s going on, missed shots, made shots, good games, bad games.”
Lakers coach J.J. Redick will be supportive if LeBron James is sincere about his goal of playing every game this season, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Most players go into a season wanting to play 82 games,” Redick said. “So if that’s what he wants to do, great. I love it. I would love to have him for 82. We’ll manage the minutes accordingly.”

Warriors Notes: Moody, Kuminga, Wiggins, Melton, Podziemski

October 16th, 2024 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Former first-round pick Moses Moody is making a strong case this month for a more consistent regular season role than the one he has played in his first three NBA seasons, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Moody has racked up 58 points in just 69 minutes of action across his last three preseason outings and knocked down five three-pointers in Tuesday’s victory over the Lakers.

“He’s playing great,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s gotten so much better in so many ways. We’ve always loved his character, his work ethic. This is the most confidence he’s played with. … There’s a reason we drafted him. Size, strength and ability to shoot the ball. I think he’s grown into his body. He looks stronger to me. When he’s putting the ball on the floor, people are bouncing off of him. He’s shooting much better off pindowns on the move. He’s put all the work in and he’s earned this.”

Although Kerr stated that he expects Moody to “play a big role for us,” he quickly added that there are many players on the roster who have shown they deserve regular minutes, suggesting that the Warriors still haven’t determined who will be the odd men out of the regular season rotation.

“We’re sitting in that coaches room every day saying: ‘How are we going to play all these guys?'” Kerr said. “Because they all deserve to play. I’ve asked all of them to play their hardest, make it difficult for us.”

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Moody’s representatives and the Warriors have discussed the framework of a possible multiyear rookie scale extension that would be near the “mid-level range,” sources tell Slater. As Slater observes, a deal in that neighborhood could look like a steal or an overpay a year from now, depending on whether or not Moody finds a firm foothold in Kerr’s rotation in 2024/25.
Here’s what Kerr had to say about the extension talks the team is having with Moody and Jonathan Kuminga, according to Slater: “Both Moses and (Kuminga) are handling that stuff really well.They’re focused on playing. I’ve talked to them both about the extension stuff. They know that I understand their situations, having been there as a player. Every guy is facing a unique set of circumstances.” The rookie scale extension deadline is Monday. A player without a new deal in place by that evening will be on track for restricted free agency in 2025.
Andrew Wiggins made his preseason debut on Tuesday and started at shooting guard, with Kuminga at the three. According to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, a Wiggins/Stephen Curry backcourt is a possibility Kerr has considered for quite some time, and he liked the way Wiggins and Kuminga looked alongside one another on the wing against the Lakers. “The key is JK and Wiggs running the floor,” Kerr said. “It puts a lot of pressure on teams. And they set a good tone tonight, the way they just got downhill, with or without the ball, they were gone. I really like the way both of those guys played and the impact that they can make with their athleticism and force.”
De’Anthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski are among the other candidates to start at the two alongside Curry, but neither player was active on Tuesday, with Melton battling some mid-back tightness and Podziemski waiting for a mask to arrive after breaking his nose on Sunday, Slater writes. However, neither issue is considered serious, according to Slater, who confirms that Podziemski plans to play through his broken nose once he gets his mask.

Pacific Notes: Warriors Lineup, Hield, Dunn, Jones

October 14th, 2024 at 5:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were the only players who entered Warriors camp with guaranteed starting jobs. ESPN’s Kendra Andrews takes a look at the battles for the other starting spots.

As Andrews details, De’Anthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski are fighting for the shooting guard spot with Buddy Hield pegged as a sixth man. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney are the candidates to play up front next to Green. Jonathan Kuminga is pushing for the starting small forward job with Andrew Wiggins sidelined by an illness during training camp.

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Hield made a nasty remark about Sacramento in a “hot mic” moment two seasons ago after the Kings traded him to the Pacers, but the Warriors swingman told Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee that he harbors no ill toward the organization or the city. “I’ll always love Sacramento,” Hield said. “Sacramento is kind of where my career started. I always thank (former GM) Vlade (Divac) and (team owner) Vivek (Ranadive) for reaching out and giving me an opportunity to come play for the city and this organization. My comments are my comments. I can’t take them back, but when you have a mic open, friendly conversation with your friends, and a hot mic catches you, you can’t take that back. I’ve got to take that on the chin, but I love Sacramento.”
Rookie wing Ryan Dunn has opened some eyes during Suns training camp and could be the steal of the draft, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. Dunn only made a dozen three-pointers in 51 attempts during two seasons at Virginia, but has knocked down 12 on 27 attempts this preseason. Dunn’s strength entering the draft was his defense, so if he can continue to make threes, the 28th overall pick will be a valuable addition.
Kai Jones didn’t appear in an NBA game last season after two disappointing years with the Hornets. Jones is competing for a roster spot on the Clippers after signing a training camp contract this summer. Head coach Tyronn Lue‘s advice to him hit home, he told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. “(Lue) told me when I got here, that everything that I did in the past (I needed to) forgive myself, you know, just learn from it, grow from it and just be better,” Jones said.

Pacific Notes: DeRozan, Kings, Curry, Warriors, Kaminsky

October 13th, 2024 at 2:55pm CST by Rory Maher

The Kings dropped their second straight preseason game to Golden State on Friday, but they came away encouraged by their performance, particularly the play of the starting five, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Point guard De’Aaron Fox is pleased by how seamlessly DeMar DeRozan has fit in.

“It definitely feels natural right now,” Fox said of playing with DeRozan. “Obviously, we have someone else who can really post up and create their own shot, but he’s also still creating for others and making our jobs easier, so I feel like there are no hiccups. Right now we’re not running much. We’re just running our flow offense and I think it’s looked good.”

DeRozan, who was acquired from Chicago over the summer in a three-team sign-and-trade, concurred with Fox’s assessment.

“It’s comfortable,” DeRozan said. “Now, it’s just about getting that consistent rhythm, and the more we play, the more opportunities we get, the easier it becomes.”

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In other Kings news, a league source tells Anderson that Malik Monk will be active on Sunday vs. Portland after missing Friday’s contest due to personal reasons (Twitter link). Monk re-signed with Sacramento on a four-year, $78MM contract as a free agent.
Warriors star Stephen Curry sustained a jammed right index finger in the second quarter of Friday’s victory and was held out for the remainder of the game, but he was able to go throughout his typical post-game workout, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic relays (Twitter links). Curry underwent an X-ray, which came back negative, and he’s considered day-to-day.
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins was sidelined by an illness during training camp and will miss his fourth straight preseason game on Sunday vs. Detroit. However, the former No. 1 overall pick has recovered from the unspecified illness and is expected to suit up for Tuesday’s contest vs. the Lakers, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters, including Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link).
Kerr continues to experiment with the Warriors‘ starting lineup in preseason, Slater notes (Twitter video link). On Friday, Kerr went with a small-ball approach, with Curry, Gary Payton II, Moses Moody, Kyle Anderson and Draymond Green as the starting five. While they’re taking a “game-by-game” approach right now, in part due to Wiggins’ absence, Kerr downplayed the possibility of that continuing into the regular season. “We want a starting lineup to form, and to establish some continuity, for sure,” he said.
Frank Kaminsky is on a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Suns and is vying for the 15th spot on their standard roster. Even if he’s waived before the season begins, the veteran big man is thankful to have another NBA opportunity after dealing with a knee injury and playing in Serbia last season. “I’m just going with it,” Kaminsky told Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “Whatever happens, happens. I’m in the position I wanted to be after getting healthy and playing overseas last year. Just grateful for this opportunity. Whatever happens, happens.”