Klay Thompson

Western Notes: Wembanyama, Thompson, Booker, Reddish, Russell

November 12th, 2024 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Victor Wembanyama enjoyed his best game of the season against Sacramento on Monday. The second-year Spurs star racked up 34 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. He knocked down half of his 12 three-point attempts and the team’s interim coach wants him to keep hunting shots after a slow offensive start to the season.

“He makes shots every day,” Mitch Johnson said, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. “He missed really good shots to start the year, and I understand why it’s a talking point. But I don’t think we ever wavered on him not making shots. I think it is just the percentages evening out at this point.”

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Klay Thompson feels even better now about his decision to move on from the Warriors and join the Mavericks, he told Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Thompson says it was a necessary move mentally as well as career-wise. “Honestly, it’s rejuvenated me and done something I needed bad just for my mental and my career,” Thompson said. “So, I really feel the love here, and I feel highly valued that I can do great things.” Thompson is averaging 13.8 points in 3o.1 minutes per night while starting 10 games.
Devin Booker is still adjusting to Mike Budenholzer‘s rotation patterns. With past coaches, Booker often played the entire first quarter. That hasn’t happened this season — Budenholzer prefers to utilize his players in shorter bursts, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic notes. “Probably the last eight years of my career, I played the first 12 minutes,” the Suns star guard said. “Trying to find a rhythm, but at the same time, set guys up. It’ll come.”
The Lakers are off to a 6-4 start and the Orange County Register’s Khobi Price offers 10 observations through the team’s first 10 games. He notes Cam Reddish has made the most of his increased playing time since being added to the rotation last week and that bench scoring has jumped since D’Angelo Russell was moved to the second unit.

Pacific Notes: Thompson, Melton, Leonard, Bamba, Monk

November 11th, 2024 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Before Klay Thompson decided to join the Mavericks in free agency, he met Warriors coach Steve Kerr for breakfast in late June, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Although Thompson had seen a reduced role in his final season with the team, Kerr assured him that the organization still valued him and wanted him to stay. However, Kerr was also honest about Thompson’s likely future if he re-signed with Golden State, which might include a full-time bench role.

“At the end of the breakfast, he said, ‘You know, I think it’s time. I think I’m going to go to Dallas,’” Kerr said. “I understood. I completely understood. Sometimes a fresh start can be healthy. I think it was the right decision for him.”

Thompson will return Tuesday night to the Chase Center, where he’s expected to receive a hero’s welcome. He’s still a beloved figure in the Bay Area for his role in helping the Warriors win four titles during his 13 years with the team. And even though there’s an acknowledgement that Thompson wasn’t fully happy last season, there’s also a strong bond with the city and his former teammates.

“This will be as emotional as anything we’ve ever experienced, I think, in my time here,” Kerr said. “I think it’ll be even more emotional than his return (from injuries) to play. Obviously now there’s a finality to it and appreciation for everything he did hanging the banners, helping get the arena built, just being so beloved by everybody.”

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Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton made his first start of the season in Sunday’s win at Oklahoma City alongside Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Kerr plans to keep that unit together, Slater tweets. “I think it gives us a really good two-way lineup,” Kerr said. “You saw what (Melton) can do at both ends.”
The Clippers are developing an identity without Kawhi Leonard and should be able to ease him back into the rotation once he’s fully recovered from inflammation in his right knee, Law Murray of The Athletic states in an overview of the team’s surprising start. Murray adds that there haven’t been any concerns about Leonard’s progress, but the medical staff is being cautious so he won’t be in and out of the lineup when he does return.
Free agent addition Mohamed Bamba, who hasn’t played yet this season due to a knee injury, has progressed to three-on-three and five-on-five scrimmages, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Coach Tyronn Lue indicated there’s a chance Bamba could be active during the Clippers‘ upcoming road trip.
Kings guard Malik Monk will miss tonight’s game with an ankle injury that’s still being evaluated, sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). He had to leave Sunday’s contest in the first half after hurting the ankle.

Texas Notes: Eason, Smith, Rockets, Thompson, Dinwiddie

November 3rd, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There was little doubt the Rockets would pick up the 2025/26 contract options of Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. However, both players expressed their appreciation, as The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen writes.

Eason had leg surgery in March.

“I’m very happy about that,” Eason said of the option decision. “I love this group, I love this city, I love this team. The fact that I have the opportunity to continue to be involved with these guys is truly a blessing. I’m very happy. Missing all that time, there’s a lot of questions, a lot of what-ifs. First major surgery for me, first injury for me, there’s a lot of question marks. But I think that they saw how serious I was in my work coming back and just how ready I was and eager I was to get back with the team. Seeing my work ethic, (the option decision showed) just the trust and faith was there.”

Smith also voiced his gratitude.

“It’s a blessing, everything is a blessing,” Smith said. “It’s just how you look at it. I’m really excited to know it’s another year I have in the league. Just trying to build on it.”

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The Rockets are near the bottom of the league in shooting percentage but are still scoring at a respectable rate by getting offensive rebounds and forcing turnovers, according to Feigen. Smith isn’t concerned about the team’s 40.9 field goal percentage. “Just keep shooting,” he said. “It can be like that sometimes. I feel like we’re getting good shots. When I rewatch the games, it looks like all my shots are wide open. Looks like everybody’s shooting the right type of shots. It’s just a matter of making them, and I know that’s going to come. Five games into the season, you can’t overreact to it too much. We know we can make shots. We know we can shoot the ball. It’s just a matter of keep trusting and keep getting good shots.”
Klay Thompson is taking 12.8 shots per game, his lowest total since his rookie season. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd wants Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to get the ball in Thompon’s hands more often. “We’ve got to make sure that Klay’s involved,” Kidd said, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “I think here of late, you look at Kyrie and Luka, their attempts have definitely gone up. It’s just about being conscious of who’s on the floor. And when Klay’s on the floor, we need to make sure that we use him the right way.”
Spencer Dinwiddie‘s role with the Mavs has been shifting game-t0-game, Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com notes. Dinwiddie, who is playing on a one-year contract, is trying to adjust. “To be honest, we’re figuring it out at the moment,” he said of his role. “I’ve been first off the bench some games and I’ve been told I wasn’t going to play some games. It’s early and we’re figuring all that out. I look forward to helping anyway I can.”

Southwest Notes: Zion, Pelicans, Kidd, Klay, Grizzlies

October 25th, 2024 at 9:36pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing the Pelicans‘ regular season opener on Wednesday, Zion Williamson was cleared to make his season debut on Friday in Portland, writes Anne M. Peterson of The Associated Press. Head coach Willie Green, who said it was “huge” to get Williamson back, told reporters that the star forward will be on a minutes restriction, though he didn’t share a specific target.

“It won’t be full throttle, but we’ll see how he feels once he gets on the floor,” Green said.

Williamson took Dejounte Murray‘s place in the Pelicans’ starting five after the team’s new starting point guard went down with a broken bone in his hand on Wednesday.

As Christian Clark of NOLA.com points out (via Twitter), after months of speculation about what New Orleans’ new starting lineup would look like, the Murray injury resulted in the team’s starters on Friday looking nearly identical to last season’s group, with Daniel Theis taking departed center Jonas Valanciunas‘s place. Since Murray it expected to be sidelined until at least late November – and likely into December – it will be a while before Green get a chance to get a look at his preferred starting five.

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Many people within the Mavericks organization believe head coach Jason Kidd is “uniquely suited” to maximize the contributions of star guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon writes. In an in-depth feature story, MacMahon explores how Kidd has gotten the most out of Doncic and Irving and how the Mavs coach will handle the new challenge of incorporating future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson this season.
Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link) takes a closer look at Thompson’s early days with the Mavericks, detailing the steps the veteran sharpshooter has taken to fit in and get acclimated to his new NBA home. “When you’re on such a talented team, you don’t have to be a hero,” Thompson said of adjusting to his Mavs role. “That’s what attracted me to come here. I think these guys can help me get the best out of myself. And have fun. When you’re playing with a smile on your face, basketball is the best.” As we detailed earlier today, Klay had 22 points in 26 minutes in his Mavs debut.
The Grizzlies are missing multiple rotation players due to injuries and begin their season with six games in nine days, so head coach Taylor Jenkins plans to rely on his depth to get through that stretch and avoid leaning on any of his starters too heavily in the early going, writes Michael Wallace of Grind City Media. That approach includes using reserves like rookie Jaylen Wells, who admitted he was surprised to be one of the first players off the bench in Wednesday’s season opener. “I was not expecting that,” Wells told reporters. “I’m not even going to lie. I think they (yelled for) Scotty (Pippen Jr.). And I thought they only said, ‘Scotty!’ And then they said my name a second time. And I definitely wasn’t expecting that.”

Mavericks Notes: Thompson, Doncic, Gafford, Lively, Hardy

October 25th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The uniform was different, but otherwise Klay Thompson delivered a familiar performance Thursday night. Playing his first game for the Mavericks, Thompson hit six three-pointers and scored 22 points in 26 minutes in a win over San Antonio. In addition to providing the defending Western Conference champs with another outside shooting threat, Thompson showed he can still impact the game in other ways, collecting seven rebounds and three steals, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

“Great debut,” he said. “It’s only one game in October, but it feels good just to get that first one out of the way. … Just a ton of excitement, really just an awesome feeling. And you only get the first time of something so often.”

Last night marked the first time Thompson has played alongside Luka Doncic, who missed the entire preseason due to a left calf contusion. They seemed to have instant chemistry, as four of Thompson’s threes came directly off Doncic passes.

“What an incredible talent,” Thompson said. “I mean, it doesn’t make any sense because what we’re taught growing up as far as being the best basketball player is you got to jump the highest, you got to run the fastest, but somehow Luka defies that. He plays at his own speed and manipulates the game as good as I’ve ever seen anyone do it. And it’s great to be a recipient of that and get great looks.”

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Even though he finished with finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, Doncic felt the effects of sitting out the preseason, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. He shot just 8-of-21 on the night and felt like he played “terrible” despite nearly posting a triple-double. “I was telling someone that I was rusty the whole first half,” Doncic said. “The third quarter, it kind of opened up. The legs were back. It felt great just to be out there playing basketball.”
Head coach Jason Kidd wouldn’t reveal his starting center in his pregame meeting with reporters, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscription required), but he chose to go with Daniel Gafford and use Dereck Lively II off the bench. Both were productive, as Gafford had nine points, six rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes, while Lively put up 15 points, 10 rebounds and tied his career high with six assists in 27 minutes. “It’s an opportunity to start Gaff here, and we’ll look somewhere down the road to start D Live,” Kidd said. “But what I love about D Live coming off the bench is his energy, and that’s something that’s contagious. When you look at a team, there are going to be nights when we might be low energy, but D Live, as we’ve talked throughout preseason, we plug into him, and guys, you know, recharge or feed off that energy. He has a big responsibility with that second group.”
With a new three-year, $18MM extension in hand, Jaden Hardy appears to be an important part of the Mavericks’ second unit, Afseth adds. Kidd said Hardy has improved his play-making skills to complement his outside shooting as he begins his third NBA season.

Texas Notes: Thompson, Hardy, Collins, Johnson

October 13th, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Klay Thompson bristled as the notion that he can’t guard at a high level anymore and is eager to prove skeptics wrong, he told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“I still want to get rid of that notion that I’m not the same defender I once was,” Thompson said. “I truly believe I am. I’m excited to prove people wrong, that I can still guard the elite players in this league.”

The fact that he has joined a Mavericks team with two stars in Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic adds to that motivation.

“That’s a big reason why I came here, those two guys,” Thompson said. “(I have) big dreams and aspirations with this team. They were so close last year (reaching the NBA Finals) and I really feel we have everything we need.”

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Reserve guard Jaden Hardy is intent on establishing himself as a rugged defender, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Right now, I’m focused on defending the three better, picking up full court, and challenging guys while they bring the ball up,” he said. “I’m also working on being in the right spots on defense, communicating, and bringing energy.” Hardy will be a restricted free agent next summer.
Spurs big man Zach Collins made his preseason debut on Saturday after recovering from right shoulder surgery. He contributed 11 points in a win over Utah. “Considering (the layoff), I thought he looked really good,” coach Gregg Popovich said, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News. “He boarded. He banged with people. He wasn’t afraid of the shoulder or anything like that.”
In the same preseason game, Keldon Johnson excelled as the Spurs’ sixth man, pouring in 20 points. Johnson shed 10 pounds during the offseason and believes that has made a difference in his performance level, he told McDonald. “I feel fast, I feel strong,” Johnson said. “Best I felt in a long time.”

Mavericks Notes: Thompson, Irving, Prosper, Doncic

October 11th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The anticipation of his first game with the Mavericks led to a rare bout of nerves for Klay Thompson, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. After sitting out Monday’s preseason opener, Thompson was in his new uniform for the first time Thursday night, hitting three three-pointers and scoring 10 points in 18 minutes against Utah.

“I hadn’t been that nervous since the 2015 [NBA] Finals, Game 1,” Thompson said. “It felt so good to just get out there and play, and work those jitters out, because it was a new experience. It’s a natural feeling when you’ve been somewhere so long. … To finally put the uniform on, it felt amazing.”

The former Golden State star missed his first three attempts, but he discovered his shooting touch in the second quarter after returning to the game following a brief rest. Thompson admitted he needed to “sit down and breathe and realize it was just basketball,” and he felt more comfortable the rest of the way. Thompson added that his back “tightened up” later in the game, but he doesn’t believe it’s anything serious. Coach Jason Kidd expects him to play in the first half of Monday’s road game against the Clippers.

“I think Klay’s a weapon, no matter how fast he gets it or how closely he’s guarded,” Kidd said. “He’s able to get his shot up and he’s done that his whole career. For him tonight, there’s a lot of positives. He had some great looks that we all know he’s capable of making. He never rushes. He never forces anything. He probably turned down some shots that we would encourage for him to take. We trust that he’s making the right decision if he does turn it down to get something better.”

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Thursday also marked the first preseason action for Kyrie Irving after having offseason surgery on his left hand, notes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link). Irving scored 12 points in 16 minutes, and Kidd said he has already developed a great relationship with Thompson. “The chemistry with those two has been strong in practice,” Kidd said. “Seeing them together in a game setting was great, and it’s only going to get better as we keep working toward the regular season.”
Injuries to P.J. Washington and Maxi Kleber have created an opportunity for 2023 first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who was on the court for 33 minutes Thursday night, Afseth adds. He posted 10 points, 10 rebounds and two steals and put constant pressure on Utah’s ball-handlers. “It feels great to be out there starting with the guys,” Prosper said. “I’ve been working hard on defense, and I want to bring energy every night. I know there’s a lot to learn, but I’m getting more comfortable in the system, and the coaches and my teammates are helping me grow.”
Luka Doncic sat out the first two preseason games with a left calf contusion, and it’s not clear if he’ll play Monday. Kidd told reporters, including Afseth, that it’s good preparation in case Doncic is sidelined for an extended stretch during the regular season.

Warriors Notes: Thompson, Threes, Stotts, Lineup

October 11th, 2024 at 9:43am CST by Tristan Tucker

One of the longest-tenured players in Warriors history switched teams this summer when Klay Thompson departed for the Mavericks. Franchise icons Stephen Curry and Draymond Green honored Thompson’s request to not go to management to try to intervene in his decision, but it finally hit them that their former long-time teammate wouldn’t be joining them this season when they got to training camp, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk writes.

“[Klay] would usually enter the practice facility coming off of his boat,” Curry said. “With his Dockers on, whatever outfit he had on. He just had a presence about him, a lightness when he came in the room. And his one-liners were always great. … [I’m] talking about him like he died, [which is] super weird. … Life throws a lot of curve balls in sports. You’re used to seeing people change places and teams. [However] up until but a week before he decided to sign Dallas, we never really thought it was going to end.”

The Warriors added a trio of veterans to help replace Thompson’s impact from beyond the arc and on the perimeter, signing Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson as free agents. Those three will compete for minutes and a spot in the starting rotation.

“One of the reasons we are excited to get Buddy Hield is because we will run some of the same stuff that we ran for Klay for Buddy,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “Draymond and Steph will be looking for him on the perimeter when they’re playing with him. And then the other new guys, Melton, Kyle Anderson — there’s a reason we targeted them too. They fit any lineup, such smart tough players that they’re easy to play with.

“So I don’t anticipate a really difficult transition basketball-wise. It’s more just the emotional void of Klay being gone after being so close with him and going through so much with him. That part is really sad. But you have to move on.”

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The new-look Warriors continued their habit of hitting fast threes and playing in transition when they made 28 of their 52 attempts in a Wednesday preseason game against the Kings, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews writes. That would have been a franchise record for threes in a regular season game. The Warriors were fairly good at making outside shots a priority last season, ranking fourth in the league in attempts at 38.9 per game. But as Anthony Slater of The Athletic points out, the teams that ranked first (Boston) and second (Dallas), both reached the Finals. Slater reports that the Warriors are talking like they want to lead the league in three-point attempts. “I feel like it’s a little different in that we have more guys who can shoot the three besides Klay and Steph,” Brandin Podziemski said.
While the on-court additions for the Warriors look strong already, new assistant coach Terry Stotts is also making his impact felt this preseason, Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. Hield in particular should thrive with Stotts, who helped the Trail Blazers make the conference finals in 2019 behind hot three-point shooting from Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. “The stuff that we’re putting in with Terry, the Portland stuff, you saw some of that in the second half,” Kerr said. “The flares, Buddy is built for that.“
The Warriors have been cycling through several lineup combinations and possibilities in training camp and the preseason, Slater tweets. On Thursday in practice, the starters appeared to be Curry, Hield, Jonathan Kuminga, Anderson and Green. The lineup changed across both preseason games as well, with Trayce Jackson-Davis and Melton starting alongside Curry, Kuminga and Green in the first game before Kevon Looney and Podziemski took over in the second.

Southwest Notes: Morant, Zion, Pelicans, Mavericks

October 8th, 2024 at 8:31am CST by Luke Adams

Playing on Monday for the first time since January 5, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant looked like he was rounding into top form in his 18 minutes of action vs. Dallas , contributing 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists in the team’s preseason opener.

However, Morant briefly exited the game and went to the locker room in the first half after turning his ankle, then appeared to have issues with the same ankle after returning before checking out of the game for good in the second half.

Speaking to reporters after the Grizzlies’ win, head coach Taylor Jenkins referred to the first half injury as a “minor tweak” and added that Morant experienced a little discomfort trying to push off the ankle in the second half, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Jenkins, Morant will be evaluated in the coming days, but his removal from the game was mostly precautionary.

For his part, Morant downplayed the issue in his own post-game media session, telling reporters that he’s “all good” and pointing out that he was able to walk fine (Twitter link via Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com).

While it doesn’t sound at this point like the minor ankle injury will affect Morant’s availability for the Grizzlies’ regular season opener in a couple weeks, it’s worth keeping a close eye on the star guard after a season in which he was limited to just nine games due to a suspension and a shoulder injury. Memphis’ ability to bounce back in 2024/25 will hinge in large part on his ability to stay on the court.

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Morant and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, the top two picks in the 2019 draft, each have a pair of All-Star nods under their belts but have had stop-and-start ascents to stardom due to health issues and – in the case of the Grizzlies guard – off-court behavior, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Vardon considers what heights the two young stars could still reach and explores their potential importance to USA Basketball, which could lose a handful of longtime stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant by the next Olympics.
In a pair of stories for NOLA.com, Christian Clark highlights Williamson’s impressive preseason debut vs. Orlando on Monday and writes that the Pelicans believe they have the personnel necessary to finally reach their longtime goal of averaging 40 three-point attempts per game this season. It’s a lofty objective, given that only one team (Boston) cracked the 40-attempt threshold last season and New Orleans ranked 24th with 32.6 per game. “It’s manageable for the lineups we have out there,” reserve sharpshooter Matt Ryan said. “We are going to have so much shooting. So much guard and wing play.”
The Mavericks aren’t stressing the loss of reserve guard Dante Exum to a wrist injury, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News, who notes that Spencer Dinwiddie and head coach Jason Kidd were among those to laud the backcourt depth on the roster. Dinwiddie – who called this iteration of the Mavs “the most talented team I’ve been on” – and Jaden Hardy are expected to get more opportunities with Exum out.
Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link) and Curtis (Dallas Morning News subscriber link) each shared their takeaways from the Mavericks‘ training camp, discussing Klay Thompson‘s smooth integration, the impressive two-way versatility displayed by newcomer Naji Marshall, and Dereck Lively showing the potential to take another big step forward in his second NBA season.

Southwest Notes: Grimes, LaRavia, Sheppard, Castle, Barnes

October 5th, 2024 at 9:15am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Mavericks acquired young guard Quentin Grimes this offseason, providing him with a change of scenery that brings him closer to his hometown of Houston, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News writes. Grimes believes his skill set can help a Dallas team looking to head back to the NBA Finals.

“I feel like with the unselfishness and the amount of freedom everybody has, I’ll be able to show more like how I did in New York,” Grimes said. “Whenever somebody was down and injured, I was always able to show more of my offensive game.”

Grimes has a history of helping playoff teams. In his second season in the league with the Knicks, he averaged 11.3 points per game while making 66 starts. In his nine playoff appearances, he started six games and helped New York reach the second round. However, injuries and inconsistent shooting led to Grimes being traded from New York to Detroit, and he was rerouted again to Dallas this offseason.

The Mavericks got plenty of help on the wing this offseason, adding Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall alongside Grimes. Curtis writes that Thompson has taken Grimes under his wing through training camp and that the former could serve as a model for the latter.

“I’ve been trying to talk his ear off the whole time,” Grimes said of Thompson. “I shoot with him almost every day after practice. He’s just been a really good mentor for me, just telling me little things about my shot and how to get easier shots off pin-downs. They call it the ‘Klay action’ for a reason. Just learning from one of the greatest shooters to play is going to only elevate my game.”

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Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia has been one of the primary standouts of training camp, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes (subscriber link). The Wake Forest product was part of an up-and-down 2022 Grizzlies draft class that also included David Roddy, Kennedy Chandler and Vince Williams. LaRavia didn’t play many minutes his first season and didn’t dress much at the beginning of 2023/24, but he played 28.5 minutes per night across his final 24 appearances last season, averaging 14.1 points and making 36.4% of his 5.5 three-point attempts per game.
Fred VanVleet was a common draft comparison for what Reed Sheppard could do in the NBA, so it’s only fitting that the two ended up on the same team. Now, as Jonathan Feigen of Houston Chronicle writes, VanVleet is serving as a mentor for the Rockets‘ rookie. “He was talking the whole time, just encouraging me,” Sheppard said. “He’s been great. A great leader and a great role model, for sure.“
Spurs rookie No. 4 overall pick Stephon Castle is turning heads this summer, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes. “He never gets rushed or sped up or anything,” teammate Tre Jones said. “He goes at his own pace.” Chris Paul was also complimentary of Castle’s demeanor and how he was coached in college.
Harrison Barnes has been at the center of the Spurs‘ chemistry-building efforts this offseason, according to The San Antonio Express-News’ Tom Orsborn. He’s been organizing dinners with the team and trying to lead younger players by example. “Camaraderie off the court feeds into how we play on the court,” Barnes said. “Guys have been great communicating with the group chat and with dinners we have done. That is going to bode well for us down the line.“

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