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Pacific Notes: Vogel, Lakers, Fox, Kings, Wiseman, Klay

December 7th, 2021 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Asked on Monday about the criticism Lakers coach Frank Vogel has received this season and the job he has done, LeBron James didn’t exactly provide a full-throated endorsement for Vogel, but suggested that he and his teammates – not the head coach – bear responsibility for the team’s up-and-down start, as Bill Oram of The Athletic and Dave McMenamin of ESPN relay.

“I think criticism comes with the job, you know?” James said. “Frank is a strong-minded guy. He has a great coaching staff. And we as his players have to do a better job of going out and producing on the floor.”

Vogel is less than two years removed from taking the Lakers to a title in his first season on the job, but the club had a disappointing first-round exit last season and is just 12-12 so far this year. Although Vogel signed a contract extension during the offseason, that deal tacked just one year onto his current contract, so he’s only locked up through 2022/23. Still, he said he’s not concerned about facing increased scrutiny.

“There’s going to be criticism with this job,” Vogel said, per McMenamin. “It’s something we’re all accustomed to. And I’ve been a coach for 10 years, I’ve seen it all. Is it more national? Yes, it’s more national. Is there a bigger fanbase in this market in L.A.? Yes, there is. But it’s been there for every head coach, and it’s something I’m not unfamiliar with. So it just comes with the job.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Executives around the league think that if the Kings make a big move to shake up their roster, De’Aaron Fox might be at the center of it, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. General manager Monte McNair has drafted Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell since taking the reins of the front office in 2020, while Fox was selected by the previous regime.
The Warriors‘ public messaging about James Wiseman‘s recovery timeline following meniscus surgery has been a little inconsistent, but it has become increasingly clear that he won’t return until sometime in the new year, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who notes that Wiseman’s timeline has been similar to that of Jaren Jackson Jr. last year — the Grizzlies’ big man missed about eight-and-a-half months after undergoing meniscus surgery.
Klay Thompson won’t accompany the Warriors on the team’s five-game road trip that begins on Saturday in Philadelphia, head coach Steve Kerr said on Monday (Twitter link via Slater). Golden State’s home games on Dec. 20 and Dec. 23 have been cited as possible return dates for Thompson.

California Notes: Thompson, Payton II, Lue, Kings Guards

December 5th, 2021 at 1:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson, who has not suited up for Golden State since the 2019 NBA Finals due to an ACL tear and an Achilles tear incurred in two separate seasons, provided new insight into his expected return timeline this season. Per Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area (via Twitter), Thompson revealed on a recent Instagram Live stream that he’s looking to return to action from anywhere between a few weeks to a month.

The Warriors have been doing just fine without Thompson, a five-time All-Star, thus far this season, sporting a 19-4 record, tops in the Western Conference. The 6’6″ Thompson, who will be turning 32 this season, holds career averages of 19.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.3 APG, with a sparkling shooting line of .459/.419/.848.

There’s more out of California:

6’2″ Warriors guard Gary Payton II appears to have finally found a permanent NBA role as a do-everything perimeter defender for Golden State this season, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. “He’s so dynamic defensively,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “And when he’s scoring as well – he made a few 3s tonight but also scored around the basket as he does – it’s hard to take him off the floor because of what he does for us… He’s really earned all these minutes.” The 29-year-old out of Oregon State is averaging 14.6 MPG across 22 games with Golden State this year.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has explained that whether or not he opts to start two traditional big men – 7’1″ center Ivica Zubac and 6’10” power forward Serge Ibaka – will be contingent on matchups, per Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register. “I think it helps us with our rebounding,” Lue said. “It’ll be different on a night to night basis; if teams start a small four then it’d be tough to put Serge out there at the four. With this team starting the way they’re starting tonight then we can try to do it again tonight and get away with it.”
A four-guard crunch-time Kings lineup of De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Terence Davis and Davion Mitchell, playing alongside traditional center Richaun Holmes, has proven to be effective for Sacramento, observes Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee. This rotation was trotted out against a small-ball Clippers lineup in an eventual 104-99 Sacramento victory this weekend. “It was just about pushing the pace, making them play at our pace and running,” Haliburton said. “So I thought we did a really good job of that.”

Warriors Assign Klay Thompson, James Wiseman To G League Affiliate

November 28th, 2021 at 4:28pm CST by JD Shaw

The Warriors have assigned Klay Thompson and James Wiseman to the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the club announced on social media.

Thompson, who has missed the past two seasons due to a torn ACL and torn Achilles, will practice with Santa Cruz on Sunday. Joining the club’s G League affiliate is the latest step in his lengthy recovery.

Wiseman underwent surgery to repair a torn right meniscus in April. Golden State cleared him to participate in full team practices earlier in the month, but he has yet to play in a game this season. He averaged 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 21.4 minutes in 39 games during the 2021/22 campaign.

Despite Thompson and Wiseman being sidelined, the Warriors have opened the season with an impressive 17-2 record. Guards Jordan Poole and Damion Lee have helped make up for Thompson’s absence, while big men Kevon Looney and Nemanja Bjelica have impressed during their respective minutes.

Pacific Notes: LeBron, Barnes, Holmes, Klay, Bridges

November 27th, 2021 at 2:31pm CST by JD Shaw

The Lakers are still contemplating how often to use LeBron James at center this season, Harrison Faigen of SB Nation’s Silver Screen and Roll writes. Los Angeles has seen success with James at the five, albeit in a small sample size, but the team doesn’t want to overextend its 36-year-old superstar.

“It’s something we talk about,” head coach Frank Vogel said. “It’s something we consider. But you have to measure what that does for his workload… and whether that’s something that we just want to use in small doses when needed, or if it’s going to become part of us on a regular basis.”

James has played positions 1-through-4 at different points of his career. Having the ability to also play the five is unprecedented, but it’s something he may need to do when Anthony Davis sits this season. Having lost to the Kings on Saturday, the Lakers dropped to seventh in the Western Conference (10-11).

Here are some other notes from the Pacific:

Kings forward Harrison Barnes and center Richaun Holmes both missed Saturday’s game, but interim coach Alvin Gentry is confident the duo won’t be sidelined for long, James Ham of ESPN 1320 tweets. Barnes is day-to-day with a sprained right foot, while Holmes is dealing with a non-COVID-related illness.
Klay Thompson had a vulnerable moment after the Warriors‘ victory over Portland on Friday, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic writes. Thompson was seen sitting on the bench once the game ended for 35 minutes, clearly wanting to be part of the team’s success. He last played in an NBA game during the 2019 Finals, but he appears to be moving closer toward a return. He suffered torn ACL in 2019 and tore his Achilles in 2020 during a pick-up game.
Suns forward Mikal Bridges is making an early case for Defensive Player of the Year, Evan Sidery of BasketballNews.com opines. Bridges has provided a serious defensive boost for Phoenix, who ranks second in the Western Conference at 16-3. The team has also won 15 straight games.

Warriors Notes: Wiseman, Klay, Iguodala, Atkinson, Defense

November 23rd, 2021 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors center James Wiseman still hasn’t been fully cleared to participate in scrimmages and it remains unclear when that will happen, head coach Steve Kerr said today (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of ESPN).

Although Wiseman’s recovery from meniscus surgery is moving a little slowly, there’s nothing wrong structurally with his knee, according to Kerr, who told reporters that the club simply wants to be patient with the former No. 2 overall pick. Golden State has a league-best 15-2 record without Wiseman available, so there’s certainly no rush to get him back.

Here are a few more Warriors-related notes:

Kerr confirmed on Tuesday that Klay Thompson was able to do everything at practice today and the team is just focused now on building up his strength and endurance. December 20 and 23 have been cited as possible target dates for Thompson’s return, but Kerr said that the team isn’t circling any specific games and will make the decision based on what Klay and the training staff think (Twitter links via Friedell).
Thompson said today that his scrimmages so far have featured four-minute quarters — he plans to eventually ramp up to 12-minute quarters in the coming weeks, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Andre Iguodala, who has missed the Warriors’ last three games with a right knee ailment, didn’t practice today and has been ruled out of Wednesday’s game vs. Philadelphia. However, the swelling in Iguodala’s knee has gone down and he should resume on-court work within the next few days, Kerr told reporters, including Slater (Twitter link).
Assistant coach Kenny Atkinson, who has been away from the team recovering from a leg injury, was able to attend the Warriors’ coaching meeting this morning for the first time in a while (Twitter link via Slater). He’s still not ready to rejoin the club in the building or on the sidelines.
The Warriors’ success this season has been spearheaded by a defense that leads the NBA in defensive rating by two full points (100.0, compared to the Clippers’ 102.0). In a story for The Athletic, Slater takes a look at how increased accountability from Golden State’s youngsters, veterans, and coaches has contributed to the club’s strong play on that side of the ball.

Pacific Notes: Green, Thompson, Fox, Walton, James

November 22nd, 2021 at 9:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Draymond Green is playing with renewed vigor and the Warriors forward is aiming for another Defensive Player of the Year award, ESPN’s Nick Friedell writes. “Most importantly, I want to win, I want to be a Defensive Player of the Year again, and I want to be an All-Star again,” Green said. “And that is motivating me because a lot of people had counted me out. Same mistake people made before when I first came into the league — but a lot of people doubted me, and doubted me again. And that’s fuel to the fire.” Green won the DPOY award in 2017.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Warriors coach Steve Kerr reacted with feigned surprise regarding a report that Klay Thompson had received full medical clearance to practice. “I don’t know where that came from,” Kerr said, according to a tweet from Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. However, Kerr didn’t deny the report, Poole added in another tweet. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater said Kerr was trying to protect Thompson from media attention. If Thompson doesn’t participate in all team portions of practice, he could theoretically skip any required media requirements, which is Klay’s preference.
De’Aaron Fox said it was a bit of a shock that Luke Walton was fired at this stage of the season, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. However, he added that the Kings have to put that behind them quickly. “You’ve just got to keep on pushing,” Fox said. “Obviously, you have some guys who have been through it in the middle of a season before, but you can’t go into the game worried about what happened. We’ve still got games to play.”
LeBron James‘ one-game suspension will result in some cost savings for the Lakers, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. While James will lose a game check of $284K, the Lakers will receive a $142K credit toward the luxury tax that projects to save them $532.5K.

Klay Thompson Receives Full Medical Clearance For Practice

November 21st, 2021 at 11:40am CST by Arthur Hill

Klay Thompson has been cleared to fully participate in Warriors‘ practices and is moving toward a return the week before Christmas, according to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Thompson spent the past week participating in five-on-five scrimmages while the team was on a road trip, and sources tell the authors that he looked good. The scrimmages involved free agent players such as Dante Exum as well as Thompson’s older brother, Mychel.

Thompson hasn’t played since injuring his left ACL during the 2019 NBA Finals, which was nearly 900 days ago. He was prepared to return last season, but suffered a right Achilles tear during a workout. He has fully recovered from both injuries and is now working his way back into game shape.

The Warriors plan to use the next month as a “training camp” experience for Thompson, according to Charania and Slater. Intensity will be heightened throughout the scrimmages to help get him ready for game action.

Over the past month, Thompson has been participating in two-on-two and three-on-three drills with an increased willingness to perform in front of cameras. People who have watched him play say he’s shooting the ball as well as ever and has retained most of the physical aspects of his game, although he has been getting tired quickly.

The Warriors plan to have him make his season debut in a home game, which Charania and Slater note provides a few easy target dates. It appears he will play either December 20 against Sacramento or December 23 against Memphis, ahead of a nationally televised game Christmas Day in Phoenix. If Thompson isn’t ready by then, Golden State has a December 28 home game against Denver.

Klay Thompson Participated In First Post-Injury 5-On-5 Practice

November 16th, 2021 at 9:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Ahead of tonight’s marquee contest against the Nets, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told Allie LaForce of TNT (Twitter video link) that long-injured shooting guard Klay Thompson partook in his first five-on-five practice since tearing his Achilles last year.

Thompson had already participated in several three-on-three practices at this point, according to LaForce, who noted that five-on-five workouts marked the “next step” for Thompson’s recuperation. A Christmas Day return for Thompson has long been targeted. Without him, the Warriors are a league-leading 12-2, thanks in large part to the MVP caliber play of Thompson’s backcourt mate Stephen Curry.

It’s been a rough two years for Thompson. The former five-time All-Star and three-time champion first missed the entire 2019/20 NBA season due to a torn ACL, then tore his Achilles before the 2021/22 season.

LaForce added that injured Golden State center James Wiseman, meanwhile, has yet to participate in five-on-five workouts with the club. Wiseman suffered a season-ending right meniscus tear last season. He was cleared to begin practicing with the club earlier this month. LaForce cautioned that this isn’t necessarily an indicator that Wiseman would return to the floor for Golden State after Thompson. Wiseman was drafted with the second pick out of Memphis last year.

Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Thompson, Curry, Green

November 13th, 2021 at 6:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jonathan Kuminga was on the court for 16 minutes Friday night and it could be the start of expanded playing time for the Warriors‘ rookie forward, according to Alex Shultz of SFGate. Kuminga made the most of his opportunity, scoring eight points and playing strong defense on the Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan.

It was only the sixth game of the season for the No. 7 overall pick, whose progress was slowed by a strained patella in the preseason and later spent time in the G League. Head coach Steve Kerr indicated that Kuminga made “huge strides” in practice recently and Friday’s extra playing time was a reward for that effort.

“As long as he goes out there and runs the floor, plays defense, takes care of the ball and passes like he did tonight, we’re going to continue to give him opportunities,” Kerr said.

There’s more on the Warriors:

Klay Thompson continues to make “steady progress” in his recovery from Achilles surgery and could be ready to play in five to six weeks, tweets basketball writer Jordan Schultz. Sources tell Schultz that Thompson is in “great shape” and is close to being cleared for five-on-five play. That lines up with a report earlier this week that Thompson could return prior to his target date of Christmas Day.
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant enjoys watching the on-court relationship between Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, writes Alex Didion of NBC Sports Bay Area. As Golden State was pulling away from Chicago Friday night, Morant tweeted “chemistry crazy” after Green set up Curry for an open three-pointer.
In a mailbag column, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton addresses whether Kuminga, fellow rookie Moses Moody and second-year center James Wiseman can reach their potential on a title contending team where playing time is likely to be scarce. Pelton theorizes that players can improve enough through individual workouts and regular minutes in the G League that NBA playing time isn’t a vital part of the process.

Warriors Notes: Thompson, Green, Wiggins, Wiseman

November 11th, 2021 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson has made “really good progress” in his recovery from Achilles surgery, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link), who said during an NBA Countdown appearance that Thompson could even be a little ahead of his previously-reported timeline.

“I’m told if he continues on his current course in rehab that a target date for his return will be set probably within the next couple weeks and there’s optimism it could be as soon as December 20th, December 23rd,” Wojnarowski said, noting that the Warriors have home games on those dates. Christmas Day was previously identified as a potential target date.

“The plan for Klay Thompson is to continue to ramp up,” Woj continued. “The Warriors will go on a road trip in mid-December, and at that point, if Klay continues on this track, he’d go down and play with the Warriors’ G League team. And the idea is – and the hope is – they’ll have him back perhaps prior to Christmas.”

Thompson has missed two full seasons due to ACL and Achilles tears and the Warriors are off to an NBA-best 10-1 start in his absence, so there’s no pressure to rush him back before he’s 100%. On ESPN’s NBA today earlier this week, Brian Windhorst (video link) suggested Thompson’s getting close to that level.

“The whispers going on around the league right now about Klay Thompson, people are watching him, people are talking to people in the Warriors’ organization, and they say he looks good,” Windhorst said. “Now I’m not saying he’s coming back and he’s going to be (scoring) 40 points in his first quarter. But he looks good working out and there’s a real confidence that – especially by the end of the season – Klay’s going to be BACK back.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Draymond Green left Wednesday’s win over Minnesota in the third quarter due to a right thigh contusion, as Nick Friedell of ESPN writes. Head coach Steve Kerr called it a “pretty nasty” contusion and said Green would be questionable to play on Friday, but added that Green’s knee didn’t appear to be affected at all. “When he came off the floor he said it was a bad thigh, muscle bruise,” Kerr said. “Like he just got kneed in the thigh, but it was close to the knee. But I have no reason to believe it has anything to do with a joint contusion from what I understand.”
Andrew Wiggins said on Wednesday that the Timberwolves have turned over their roster so much since his time in Minnesota that it’s “basically like facing a whole new team” when he faces his former club, per Rusty Simmons of The San Francisco Chronicle. Wiggins also remains appreciative of the trade that sent him to Golden State. “Something had to be done, just the way everything was going,” he said. “The way things were, we knew changes were coming eventually. I feel like it worked out for both teams.”
Kerr provided a minor update on James Wiseman on Wednesday, hinting that the second-year center could begin scrimmaging next week with Santa Cruz, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (video link). Wiseman continues to make his way back from knee surgery.