Draymond Green

Warriors Notes: Roster, Rotation, Looney, Kuminga, Moody, Staff

September 27th, 2024 at 4:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking on Thursday to reporters, including Anthony Slater of The Athletic and Kendra Andrews of ESPN, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said the front office believes it “improved the team” this offseason, though he suggested the club will remain on the lookout for further upgrades.

“We’re probably as impatient a franchise as you can be right now given our time horizon and all that,” Dunleavy said, per Slater. “But there’s a fine line between impatience and undisciplined. I feel good about the discipline that we held this summer and the roster we built and the growth from within that we’re going to have. I know everybody is always looking for big headline breaking news and all that, but I really like this team.”

As Slater writes, Dunleavy stressed that there’s “no point in going all in to be slightly above average,” but he and Warriors owner Joe Lacob have both expressed that they’re willing to surrender some future assets in order to upgrade the current roster.

“Does that mean we’re definitely going to do something? No,” the Warriors’ GM said. “We were super aggressive last year around the deadline. Didn’t do a whole lot. You’ve got to have a partner. Making deals in this league can be tough. But the effort and the urgency will always be there.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Head coach Steve Kerr feels good about the depth the Warriors have on their roster, suggesting that as many as 12 to 13 players have a case for rotation minutes and that multiple starting lineup spots could be up for grabs this fall, according to Andrews and Slater. “What I love about this camp is that we do have (starting) spots available,” Kerr said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who have started a lot of games. Last year Wiggs (Andrew Wiggins), (Jonathan Kuminga), Draymond (Green), Trayce (Jackson-Davis) started some games. (Brandin Podziemski), De’Anthony (Melton), Buddy (Hield) has been a starter most of his career. It’s the easiest thing for me to do is just to tell the guys we’ve got starting spots available. That doesn’t mean I’m going to say how many to you or to them.” As Slater writes, Stephen Curry and Green are locks to start, and Wiggins is a relatively safe bet to join them unless he plays himself out of the job, but there could be a competition for the other two spots in the starting five.
While it’s unclear what sort of role he’ll have for the Warriors in 2024/25, veteran big man Kevon Looney is in “phenomenal shape,” a source told Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Speaking to NBC Sports Bay Area, Looney agreed with that assessment. “I feel lighter on my feet, I feel like I can move better,” he said. “I can move the way I want to for longer and I feel like I got a little more stamina.”
Dunleavy said on Thursday that the team has had “positive conversations” with the representatives for Kuminga and Moses Moody about possible rookie scale extensions, tweets Andrews. “Regardless whether we get something done (by October 21), we want those guys here,” Dunleavy said. “Just because you don’t get an extension done doesn’t mean they’re not going to be here for a long time. We’ll still have their rights in free agency if we can’t come to an agreement by the 21st. I think for them, the most important thing is we’ll get through these next few weeks with a deal or not a deal, but all that matters is they have great seasons.”
The Warriors officially announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve hired Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse as assistant coaches, which was first reported early in the offseason. Khalid Robinson, Jacob Rubin, and Anthony Vereen have also been promoted to assistant coaching roles, the club confirmed.
Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard has passed along some of the highlights from his conversation with Kerr on a recent episode of his TK Show podcast. We relayed some of Kerr’s comments about Klay Thompson‘s departure on Wednesday.

Warriors Notes: Podziemski, Kuminga, Curry, Green, Moody, More

August 7th, 2024 at 3:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors viewed the Jazz‘s asking price in trade talks for Lauri Markkanen as one that would have made it a “bad deal” if they’d met it, sources tell Kendra Andrews of ESPN, which is why discussions between the two teams stalled. Those talks officially came to an end on Wednesday when Markkanen renegotiated and extended his contract with Utah, making him ineligible to be dealt until the 2025 offseason.

Confirming previous reporting from The Athletic, Andrews says the Warriors aren’t feeling any urgency to shift their focus to a new trade target now that Markkanen is off the board, citing team sources who say the club isn’t “hot on” any of the players currently available on the market.

The negotiations with Utah also showed that the Warriors intend to hang onto young players like Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga “very tightly,” Andrews writes, and would only be willing to move one or both of them in an “overwhelming” deal that made the team better in the long run.

For now, Podziemski, Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Trayce Jackson-Davis all appear poised to take on larger roles with the Warriors in 2024/25, though nothing will be handed to them, a source tell Andrews, meaning they’ll have to show that they deserve increased minutes and possibly starting spots. While Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are, of course, penciled in as starters, the other three spots in the starting five are considered “wide open” entering training camp, Andrews reports.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Curry and Green want to be consulted on the Warriors’ roster moves, but they’ve made it clear they don’t want to be “final decision-makers,” sources tell ESPN. “Steph has said, ‘Look, I do not want to be making those decisions. It puts me in a different spot than all of my teammates. I do not want that,'” one source said to Andrews. While the two stars are still adjusting to the fact that Klay Thompson is no longer on the roster, they’re excited about the moves Golden State has made this offseason, Andrews adds.
With Thompson and Chris Paul exiting Golden State this summer, adding scoring was the team’s top priority, which was the impetus for the addition of Buddy Hield in particular. The Warriors also expect Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton to contribute in that area while helping to solidify the defense, Andrews writes.
The Warriors haven’t engaged in any serious rookie scale extension discussions with Kuminga or Moody yet, but general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has expressed interest in exploring deals for both players. Andrews suggests Moody’s next deal could be in the range of $11-13MM per year.
One front office source told Andrews that it was “actually really fun” to be able to operate below the tax aprons this offseason for the first time in years. That allowed the Warriors to use their full mid-level exception (on Melton) and acquire two players (Hield and Anderson) via sign-and-trade.
“Diversifying” the coaching staff and bringing in fresh faces was a goal this offseason, which led to the additions of Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse. A source referred to head coach Steve Kerr and Stotts as “kindred spirits” and said Kerr appreciates the offensive acumen and communication skills the former Blazers head coach will bring to the club. Stackhouse, meanwhile, is expected to team up with assistant coach Chris DeMarco in focusing on the defensive side of the ball, says Andrews.

Western Notes: Jazz, Clarkson, Draymond, Klay, Blazers, Kings

July 25th, 2024 at 8:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at the Jazz‘s potential depth chart, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune says that Jordan Clarkson hasn’t drawn any real trade interest this offseason, so it appears the veteran guard will still be on Utah’s roster when the regular season tips off this fall.

In Larsen’s view, Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and Keyonte George all possess similar skill sets as score-first guards who aren’t particularly strong on defense or super-efficient as shooters. While each of them may be best suited as a sixth man, Larsen projects George and Sexton as the starters, with Clarkson coming off the bench.

Rather than trying to start John Collins again alongside Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler in the frontcourt, the Jazz should give 2024 lottery pick Cody Williams a shot in the starting five, Larsen contends, noting that the team needs to gamble on upside and adding that Williams looks capable of fitting in as an offensive connector.

In his hypothetical Jazz depth chart, Larsen has Isaiah Collier, Taylor Hendricks, and Drew Eubanks joining Clarkson and Collins on the second unit.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Appearing on the Club 520 Podcast with Jeff Teague (YouTube link), Warriors big man Draymond Green said he’s happy Klay Thompson was able to move on from Golden State this summer — for Thompson’s sake. “I’m happy as hell he’s gone, and the reason I’m happy he’s gone is because he wasn’t happy anymore,” Green said. “As a brother, I only want what’s best for you. Not what’s best for me, not what’s best for this team, not what’s best for the organization. … To see him unhappy – I wouldn’t even necessarily say unhappy, he was uneasy though, just bothered – and to see him that way… that bothered me. … I think it was time for him.”
The Trail Blazers have announced an addition to their coaching staff, issuing a press release to officially confirm the hiring of Ronnie Burrell as an assistant under Chauncey Billups. A former UNC Greensboro standout and a professional player in Europe, Burrell spent last season on Brooklyn’s staff after serving as head coach of the Long Island Nets in 2022/23.
Jim Moran, who coached the Rip City Remix in the G League last season, is joining Mike Brown‘s staff as a Kings assistant, league sources tell Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter links). Moran previously served as an assistant under Dwane Casey in Detroit and Terry Stotts in Portland, Cunningham notes.

Southwest Notes: Green, Morris, Thompson, Sengun

July 4th, 2024 at 10:03am CST by Dana Gauruder

Klay Thompson‘s departure to Dallas broke up Golden State’s longtime big three. It almost happened last summer, according to Draymond Green. In an episode of his podcast (Twitter video link), Green revealed that he briefly thought he would be joining the Grizzlies as a free agent in 2023.

“I called Klay, and I called Steph (Curry), separate calls, and Steve (Kerr) and I was just telling them like ‘Yo, I’m leaving. I’m going to Memphis,’” he said.

Green wound up re-signing with the Warriors on a four-year, $100MM contract.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Free agent Markieff Morris hinted on Twitter (link) he’s planning to return to the Mavericks. “I’m coming back. I want bro to come with me,” he said in a reply to a fan urging him to re-sign with Dallas. His “bro,” naturally, is Marcus Morris, who is also a free agent. Markieff Morris, 34, appeared in 26 regular-season games and one postseason contest last season.
Thompson’s decision to join the Mavericks ends a lengthy history of the franchise falling short in its efforts to attract quality free agents, The Athletic’s Tim Cato opines. The reason why Thompson wanted to go there is that the franchise’s image has changed. There’s a newfound belief that Dallas offers a family atmosphere and comfort alongside its basketball success, Cato concludes.
The Rockets could follow the Sixers’ blueprint for creating max cap space, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes. If they forgo rookie scale extensions for Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun and keep cap holds on the duo next offseason as restricted free agents, Houston can make other roster moves to generate max or near-max cap space. The Rockets would have to decline team options on Fred VanVleet and Aaron Holiday and waive Jock Landale to do so, Hollinger writes. The Sixers put Tyrese Maxey‘s extension on hold until this summer and cleared as much space as possible. They wound up winning the Paul George sweepstakes.

Why Klay Thompson Left Warriors, Joined Mavericks

July 3rd, 2024 at 1:53pm CST by Rory Maher

Several authors — including Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Sam Amick of The Athletic, and Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews of ESPN — have written recent stories about Klay Thompson‘s departure from the Warriors, with various sourced details from within the organization and those close to Thompson.

All three stories indicate there have been multiple incidents from both sides over the years that “splintered” the relationship, but perhaps most importantly was majority owner Joe Lacob spearheading a “cold, mostly uncommunicative approach to Thompson’s next contract in his three summers of extension eligibility,” a source tell Slater. While that may have been a common negotiating tactic for Lacob with key Warriors stakeholders over the years, the 34-year-old swingman “operates on his own wavelength,” as Slater writes.

According to Shelburne and Andrews, Thompson was “miserable” over the past year-plus for several reasons, including disappointing contract negotiations and a perceived disrespect that the Warriors had chosen to extend or re-sign players like Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Draymond Green but were unwilling to give him long-term security. It was also difficult for Thompson to reconcile with the fact that he was no longer physically able to be the same player after a pair of major injuries — a torn ACL and a torn Achilles tendon — cost him two-and-a-half seasons.

Thompson’s discontent was palpable throughout the 2023/24 season, which saw him benched at one point before he reclaimed his starting job to close the campaign. Sources tell ESPN that Thompson’s actions exasperated “even his loyalists in the locker room” last season. He also had several “emotional meetings” with head coach Steve Kerr, who said after the season ended he wanted to bring Thompson off the bench and reduce his minutes in ’24/25, per Slater.

While it has been reported multiple times that the Warriors offered Thompson a two-year extension worth around $48MM last offseason, the team’s front office evidently did not keep that offer on the table during the season. According to ESPN’s duo, Thompson’s agents put “at least four” contract proposals on the table and each were declined, with the team saying it wanted to wait. The final offer came in at about $40MM over two seasons, per Shelburne and Andrews. The Warriors never made counteroffers, according to Amick.

Sources tell Slater that Thompson asked Stephen Curry not to put pressure on the front office and ownership to bring his longtime backcourt partner back, as Thompson wanted the team’s interest to come organically. ESPN’s authors hear that Thompson also spoke to Kerr and Green and told them similarly.

According to Slater, once it became clear that re-signing Thompson wasn’t a top priority for the Warriors and that they wanted him to be patient as they attended to other business, Thompson’s decision became “easy.” Thompson never received a formal offer from Golden State in free agency, but several sources tell Slater the 34-year-old unofficially decided to leave weeks prior.

Being heavily scrutinized in a large market weighed on Thompson, and he was looking for a “fresh start” with a new organization. He “loved watching” the Mavericks‘ run to the NBA Finals, and was also interested in playing for the Thunder and Lakers, per ESPN.

Dallas was Thompson’s top choice, both for his potential fit alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and for being in a media environment that is a little more laid back. Thompson played with former rival Irving on Team USA in the 2016 Olympics and the two were in regular contact about the possibility of teaming up in Dallas, according to Amick, who adds that Thompson viewed the Mavs as his best chance to win a fifth championship ring.

Oklahoma City had interest in Thompson but used its cap room to sign Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, Shelburne and Andrews note. Thompson had “positive” conversations with key Lakers stakeholders like LeBron James, J.J. Redick and Rob Pelinka, and L.A. was willing to offer him a four-year, $80MM contract as part of a sign-and-trade; however, sources tell Amick that offer was contingent on the Lakers convincing Golden State to take back D’Angelo Russell (he also could have been routed to a third team).

Ultimately, Thompson had reservations about the attention playing in Los Angeles would bring, thinking it would be too similar to the unhappy end to his tenure with Golden State, per ESPN’s authors. Despite offering less money (he’ll reportedly receive $50MM over three years in the sign-and-trade), Thompson liked the fit with the Mavs, who made him their top priority in a meeting led by GM Nico Harrison and VP of basketball operations Michael Finley, as Amick writes.

All three stories have more details on Thompson’s departure and decision to join the Mavericks and are worth reading in full.

Warriors Believed They Were Close To Trading For Paul George

June 30th, 2024 at 10:47am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors believed several times on Saturday that they were close to a deal to acquire Paul George from the Clippers, sources tell Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.

Kawakami hears that the teams were involved in “very serious negotiations” right up until the Saturday afternoon deadline for George to decide on his $48.8MM player option for next season. George ultimately declined the option, putting him out of the reach of Golden State, which doesn’t have any cap space to pursue him in free agency.

The Warriors had committed to giving George a four-year maximum-salary contract (ie. a three-year extension on top of his option year) if the deal had gone through, Kawakami adds. That was the main holdup with L.A., which has been unwilling to go beyond three total years in its talks with the 34-year-old forward.

There were several versions of a trade that the Clippers seemed willing to accept, Kawakami states, and Stephen Curry and Draymond Green both endorsed the idea of adding George.

George also provided “strong indications” that he wanted to be traded to the Warriors, according to Kawakami’s sources, but L.A. never gave final approval to the deal and George opted for free agency.

According to Kawakami, Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and a first-round pick were among the Warriors’ potential outgoing trade chips that came up in discussions. If the two sides had agreed to a deal, it would have included some – but not all – of those pieces.

It’s a potentially devastating outcome for Golden State because George would have been an ideal replacement for Klay Thompson, who appears likely to be headed elsewhere. Even though Thompson can’t start talking to rival teams for a few more hours, an NBA source tells Kawakami that he has already said goodbye to several high-ranking members of the front office.

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Lakers’ Coaching Search, M. Brown, Suns

May 22nd, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

After being eliminated in the play-in tournament, the Warriors know they’ll have to improve their defense to get back into title contention, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. That may include roster changes to bring in players who are more defensive-minded.

“It’s not just about scheme and personnel,” coach Steve Kerr said. “It’s also about how much better the rest of the league is. And how much different things are with the shooting and the pace. It’s just much, much harder to guard. There’s a reason the offensive ratings have skyrocketed. But there’s no doubt we’ve got to be better defensively. We were good at a lot of things. We were. We were, not surprisingly, excellent when Draymond (Green) was healthy.”

Suspensions and injuries caused Green to miss 27 games this season, which had a sharp impact on the team’s defensive numbers. Poole points out that the Warriors had a 113.5 defensive rating with Green, which would have ranked 11th in the league. It fell to 121.1 when he wasn’t available, the worst mark in the NBA.

“But we can’t just say, ‘Well, as long as Draymond’s healthy we will be fine defensively,'” Kerr added. “We’ve just got to be better. I’ve got to do a better job. Our staff has got to do a better job. We have to assess everything.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers are moving slowly in their head coaching search and are getting acquainted with several candidates they didn’t interview before hiring Darvin Ham two years ago, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link). He cites examples such as Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Pelicans assistant James Borrego and ESPN broadcaster J.J. Redick. Wojnarowski expects a lengthy hiring process, saying, “There’s no obvious choice, there just isn’t. There’s no star coach out there available.”
Mike Brown has proven he deserves an extension in his first two seasons as head coach of the Kings, contends James Ham of The Kings Beat (subscription required). Brown is entering the last year of his contract, and Ham believes the team should take care of him soon to avoid any speculation about his future.
Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein, who played a role in purchasing the franchise’s former G League affiliate when he was working for the Pistons, helped to unveil its replacement today, notes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. The Valley Suns give Phoenix a G League partner for the first time since 2021 when the Northern Arizona Suns were sold to Detroit and renamed the Motor City Cruise. “Ironically enough, I was the one on the other side buying the team from the Suns and getting it to Detroit, and now three years later, I’m here,” Bartelstein said. “It’s really, really important. I mean, the G League is a staple of many NBA franchises.”

Pacific Notes: LeBron, Bronny, Suns, Budenholzer, Green, Nurkic

May 15th, 2024 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up earlier this week (YouTube link), Brian Windhorst said that he believes Lakers star LeBron James will decline his player option for 2024/25. There are a number of reasons why James may be motivated to opt out, Windhorst says, and creating “optionality” to play with his son Bronny James is among them.

However, agent Rich Paul has made an effort in recent weeks and months to dispel the idea that his father-and-son clients need to play together, according to Windhorst, who suggests that if LeBron does opt out, that’s unlikely to be the primary reason why. Windhorst also says he believes the four-time MVP will ultimately end up back with the Lakers, whether or not his son lands there too.

“I think if the Lakers have an opportunity to draft Bronny James, they will do so, whether that’s with the 55th pick or if they make another deal around the draft where they (acquire) another pick, I think they will try,” Windhorst said. “I do not think it’s going to be their top priority. And I don’t think the league right now is looking at this like, ‘Draft Bronny James and you can get LeBron.'”

Shams Charania of The Athletic expressed a similar sentiment regarding the Lakers and Bronny during an appearance on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show (YouTube link). “In a perfect world,” Charania stated, Los Angeles would like to have a chance to draft Bronny, but the team won’t be structuring its draft plans around that goal.

Charania also went on to discuss how many years LeBron might have left in the NBA, explaining why family considerations will be a factor in that decision and why the longtime NBA superstar may just play a couple more seasons.

“He knows how much people around him have sacrificed,” Charania said. “His wife, his kids, his close friends, his loved ones – they’ve sacrificed a lot for him over these 21 years, could end up being up to 23 years that he plays in the league, and so pouring that back to them at some point in the next one to two years, I know that’s a priority as well.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

The Suns are expected to be “aggressive” on the trade market this summer, Charania said during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link). Charania points out that Phoenix will be able to trade its 2024 first-round pick (a deal could be agreed upon prior to the draft and officially finalized after the Suns make the pick) and its 2031 first-rounder this offseason. Still, the team’s ability to be aggressive will be somewhat limited due to the restrictive trade rules that apply to teams whose salaries are above the second tax apron, including an inability to aggregate player salaries.
Doug Haller of The Athletic takes a look at what the Suns are getting in new head coach Mike Budenholzer, speaking to some of Budenholzer’s former players and outlining why the coach’s “bulldog” personality might be just what Phoenix needs.
Warriors forward/center Draymond Green and Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, who had their share of run-ins during the 2023/24 season, have continued to trade barbs following the end of their teams’ respective seasons, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic details. After Green said during a TNT segment that the Suns “have no big man” (Twitter video link), Nurkic tweeted, “I see that brother still needs help,” and suggested that Green still hasn’t gotten over Suns tar Kevin Durant leaving Golden State in 2019.

Warriors Notes: Green, Thompson, Financials

April 20th, 2024 at 11:56am CST by Tristan Tucker

During exit interviews, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gave his most in-depth response when asked about where the franchise stands with Draymond Green, who was given a lengthy suspension this season after striking Suns center Jusuf Nurkic. According to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Kerr was emphatic that the franchise was going to support Green while establishing clear boundaries on his behavior going forward after two separate suspensions this year.

“He punched Jordan [Poole]. He grabbed Rudy Gobert by the neck. He flailed at [Nurkic]. That stuff, just by basic laws of society, basic norms, you can’t do that, right? So at that point, you know, when the league suspended him, it was the best thing to happen to Draymond,” Kerr said. “His career was on the line. It is on the line every day.”

The Warriors went 26-14 after Green’s second suspension with him in the lineup, securing a play-in appearance at 46-36.

“As someone who loves Draymond and values him so much, I am going to continue to help him any way that I can to live his best life, to be the best version of himself, which he really was for the last two months,” Kerr said. “I’ll be really honest, during the suspension, I was sitting there, like, ‘Can he actually get a few sessions of therapy and change? I don’t think that’s possible.’

“But whatever he did over the last three months, he was the best version of himself, not just on the court, in the locker room, leading the young guys. His teammates would all tell you how great he was.”

According to Slater, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said he couldn’t imagine a scenario where Green isn’t back on the team next season. He’s under contract for three more years after re-signing with the franchise last offseason.

“Draymond’s complex. His relationship with our franchise is complex,” Kerr said. “But at the core of it is a deep loyalty and passion and love, and we share that with him. That’s really tricky to reconcile. You almost don’t even try to reconcile it. You help him through it and you make sure he’s the best version of himself and you keep pushing.”

We have more Warriors notes:

Former Warriors general manager Bob Myers weighed in on Klay Thompson‘s impending free agency, stating that he believes Thompson wants to remain with Golden State, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jordan Elliott writes. Myers also said that Thompson will stay if he’s feels he’s appreciated and paid appropriately. For what it’s worth, Dunleavy backed up what Kerr, Green and Stephen Curry said on Wednesday, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. “Look, everybody wants Klay back,” Dunleavy said. In a similar article, Kendra Andrews of ESPN explores why the Warriors value continuity.
As we noted on Wednesday, Thompson’s priority is to return to Golden State. Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show (YouTube link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst says he doesn’t think the Warriors want to break up their “Big Three” and that Thompson will take a pay cut to stay. However, Windhorst questions how the Warriors can improve without spending upward of $400MM on the roster.
While Windhorst says Thompson will take a pay cut, ESPN’s Zach Lowe says Thompson will draw interest around the league (Apple Podcast link). According to Lowe, Thompson and the Warriors “took note” of Jrue Holiday‘s $135MM extension with the Celtics. Thompson likely won’t be in line for that sort of payday, but he’s only a few months older than Holiday.
Speaking in his exit press conference, Dunleavy expressed disappointment to be out of the playoffs and stressed that he’s under no directive to duck the luxury tax as he builds on the roster this offseason (Twitter links via The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II and Anthony Slater). However, Dunleavy added that it’s unreasonable to pay $400MM for a roster that didn’t make the playoffs.

Warriors Notes: Thompson, CP3, Kuminga, Wiggins, Offseason

April 17th, 2024 at 8:24am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors wing Klay Thompson had his worst game of the season at the most inopportune time on Tuesday, as he went 0-from-10 from the field and was held scoreless in 32 minutes of action during Golden State’s season-ending play-in loss to the Kings.

It’s an inauspicious way for Thompson to wrap up a contract year, but his head coach and longtime teammates made it clear after the game that they still want to see the 34-year-old sign a new deal with the Warriors this summer, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN.

“We need Klay back,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “He’s still got good years left. And I know I speak for everybody in the organization: We want him back. … What Klay has meant to this franchise and as good as he still is, we desperately want him back.”

Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, who have won four championships with Thompson during their time in Golden State, agreed with Kerr’s assessment of the situation.

“(Klay is) going to make the best decision for him, the team’s got a decision to make and they’ll make the best decision for the team. … I don’t think there’s any scenario where Klay leaves and that’s the best decision for this team and organization,” Green said. “(The organization) has shown nothing but respect, loyalty, love and trust. I’ve got no reason to think, ‘Oh man, they’re not going to do right by Klay.'”

“I could never see myself not with those two guys (Thompson and Gren),” Curry said. “I understand this league changes and there are so many things that go into it and we’re not going to play forever, but we’ve experienced so much together and at the end of the day I know they want to win, I know I want to win, and that’s all I’m worried about.”

As Andrews writes, extension discussions between Thompson and the Warriors stalled in October and were put on the back-burner during the season. While Andrews suggests there were no reassurances from the team that the two sides would eventually work something out, there’s still reportedly mutual interest in a new deal.

Sources tell ESPN that Thompson would ideally like a contract that aligns with the rest of the Warriors’ core. Curry, Green, and Kerr are all under contract through at least 2026.

Here’s more on the Warriors as their offseason begins:

Tim Kawakami of The Athletic also explores Thompson’s upcoming free agency, predicting that the Warriors will make a fair offer, possibly in the range of $20MM per year for two or three seasons. If another team exceeds that offer, it will likely come down to whether Thompson wants a change of scenery or would take a little less to stay in Golden State, Kawkami writes.
Veteran point guard Chris Paul, who will turn 39 next month, made it clear on Tuesday that he doesn’t intend to retire, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be back with the Warriors, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Kerr told reporters that he “loves” coaching Paul and that he “really hopes” the Warriors are able to retain him. However, it probably isn’t practical for the team to keep Paul on his non-guaranteed $30MM contract, and the Warriors would lose any form of Bird rights if they waive him. Within his story on Thompson, Kawkami suggests that CP3 “almost certainly” won’t remain in Golden State.
In addition to exploring Thompson’s free agency and Paul’s future in his preview of the Warriors’ offseason, Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) discusses the organization’s financial outlook and roster-building restrictions while pointing out that Jonathan Kuminga will be extension-eligible beginning in July. The Warriors spent a total of $382.5MM on this year’s roster in salary and tax penalties, Marks notes (via Twitter).
The Warriors have no interest in tanking and still plan to make the most of Curry’s remaining seasons, sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link).
Within his look at what’s next for the franchise, Lowe suggests Andrew Wiggins is a possible trade candidate, but cites sources who say that Wiggins’ contract (three years, $85MM) may be viewed as a negative asset by potential trade partners, who would ask Golden State to attach a more valuable asset to take it on. Lowe adds that Golden State’s front office “remains very high” on Kuminga’s potential as the young forward becomes extension-eligible.

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