Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Klay Thompson

Fallout From Andrew Bogut’s Extension

October 26th, 2013 at 1:16pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Warriors took a risk Friday, committing eight-figure salaries through 2017 to Andrew Bogut, who’s played just 44 regular season games over the past two seasons because of multiple injuries. It’s a foray into the unknown that GM Bob Myers appears comfortable with.

“Taking a cue from (co-owner) Joe Lacob, when we see something we like, we try to keep it,” Myers said. “We don’t want it to hit the market. I think that was the same we felt in regards to Steph (Curry). This was an asset we didn’t want to lose. So if it meant betting on our player, we were willing to do that. … Maybe it’s a philosophy of the organization.”

Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group passes along that quote and plenty more in a pair of pieces on the extension. We’ll cover the highlights from those, as well as reaction from others to Golden State’s gamble:

  • Thompson pegs the maximum amount Bogut can earn at $41.4MM, and estimates his base salary as $12.9MM for 2014/15, $12MM in ’15/’16, and $11.1MM in ’16/’17. Those numbers are lower than the ones previously reported. The extension is still worth much more than $10MM a year, a threshold that Bogut found important to surpass, according to Thompson.
  • Still, a three-year, $30MM deal wouldn’t have been acceptable to Bogut, as fellow Bay Area News Group scribe Tim Kawakami hears. The extension didn’t come cheaply for the Warriors, but the team made the right move in locking him up long-term, Kawakami opines.
  • Bogut believes he can attain his incentives, triggered each season if he plays 65 games and makes either the All-Star Game, one of the All-Defensive or All-NBA teams, or is named Defensive Player of the Year. “We came up with a number that was fair for both parties,” Bogut said, according to Thompson. “Obviously, I gave up a little bit now from what we could’ve gotten in the offseason. If you can walk in a straight line and chew gum, there is a premium on 7-footers in the league. I knew that. But I’ve enjoyed my time in the Bay here … so once we came to some common ground, it was a no-brainer for me.”
  • The Warriors told Bogut at the end of last season that they wanted to sign him to an extension, and Bogut set Friday as the deadline to come to a deal, Thompson writes. Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle provides detail on how negotiations for the extension got started.
  • Bogut sacrificed money in the deal to allow the team to preserve cash for Klay Thompson, who’s extension-eligible next summer, Marcus Thompson tweets.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Warriors Pick Up ’14/15 Options On Thompson, Barnes, Ezeli

October 25th, 2013 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have officially exercised their team options for 2014/15 on three players, according to a release from the team. The contracts for Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, and Festus Ezeli are all now guaranteed for the ’14/15 season.

For Thompson, it’s his fourth-year option, meaning he’ll be eligible for a contract extension next July. Barnes and Ezeli will be entering their third season, so the Warriors will hold one more team option on both players for 2015/16. Thompson and Barnes will earn a little over $3MM in ’14/15, while Ezeli’s guaranteed salary will be about $1.11MM.

For the latest updates on rookie contract option decisions, check out our tracker right here.

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Warriors Owner On Offseason, Iguodala, CBA

October 3rd, 2013 at 6:06pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Warriors owner Joe Lacob sat down with Sean Deveney of the Sporting News earlier today to disucss several topics, including how he feels about the improvements made during the offseason and how the new collective bargaining agreement will affect his decision-making moving forward. You can read some of the highlights from the Q&A transcript below: 

On how much the team has improved since last year: 

We have improved this team on paper. Perhaps even substantially. We’re still a very young team. We have a young core that hopefully begins to organically grow and get better. We added key free agents, we added size, we added depth. We’re pretty interesting. We have very good shooting, we have very good height and depth. We’re a big team now. We have, at any time, we can put out five individual defenders that are really good defenders. We couldn’t do that a year ago.

On how he thinks the team will stack up against the rest of the Western Conference: 

There are some really good teams in the West. But I think we are right there in that group. We believe we are right there. We feel that, if we stay injury-free, we can be a contender to finish in the Top 4 in the West and get homecourt advantage and from there, you see what happens.

On the significance of being able to add a top-tier free agent like Andre Iguodala: 

We started a process whereby we wanted to make a run at improving through the ways that you traditionally improve a team. Draft, we have bought draft picks all three years we have been involved here. We wanted to have more shots at bringing in players. Free agency, we wanted to be in the conversation every year. (Andre) wanted to come here and came here for less than he would have gotten somewhere else. It was emblematic of the way he sees our franchise and the changes we have made. We have made it clear we want a championship. We will spend the money. I said I would be willing to go into the luxury tax for that, and we would have. It wound up that we did not have to do it that way. 

If he's worried about keeping his young and talented core together under the new CBA: 

As time goes by, we will have some challenges in that regard. We will have to deal with that as those situations occur. Steph Curry is signed up for the long term—the long term is four years in the NBA now. (Klay Thompson) is in his third year, (Harrison Barnes) is in his second year. So it is not an urgent problem right now. But eventually, that could become a problem, how do you keep them? It is not going to be a monetary issue because this ownership is willing to spend whatever it takes to build a championship here and be extremely competitive every year. That isn’t something I even think about, we will spend the money.

I don’t want to pay the luxury tax, nobody wants to. That’s why it is a luxury tax, it is very punitive. But if it means winning vs. not winning, I choose winning. So that’s not an issue. At the end of the day, all the things we are talking about are important, but the fans care about one thing: Are you winning? Not the luxury tax. If I am not here to win, then I shouldn’t be here. We need to win.

On the risk of signing Stephen Curry to an extension after he had been injured: 

 A lot of people questioned signing him to a long-term deal—I would read it, every day, ‘Will he ever be healthy? Ever?’ He had several years of chronic ankle problems. But I looked at that and thought, ‘I don’t remember an ankle ending a guy’s career.’ I believed with good medical attention, he was going to be able to overcome that. And we probably got a discount relative to what someone else would have paid for him at the end of last year, given the performance he had. At that moment, though, yes, a lot of people wouldn’t have signed him. We took the chance, we signed him and now we look like we’re pretty smart.

Read more

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Odds & Ends: Bynum, Thompson, Redick

September 11th, 2013 at 10:33pm CST by Alex Lee

Here are the latest odds and ends from around the NBA on Wednesday night:

  • The Cavaliers' addition of Andrew Bynum is the most underrated move of the 2013 offseason, according to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy.  Kennedy writes that a healthy Bynum, who played for Cleveland head coach Mike Brown in L.A., could take the Cavs "to another level."  With an incentive-laden contract, Kennedy expects Bynum to be more motivated than he was in Philadelphia. 
  • Klay Thompson is excited about how the offseason additions of Andre Iguodala and Toney Douglas may help him on the offensive side of the floor, writes Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News.  With Stephen Curry focused on scoring and running the point, Thompson frequently became gassed last season when he was asked to be a defensive stopper along with contributing on offense.  Particularly with the defense-oriented Iguodala now in the fold for the Warriors, Thompson figures that relief in pressure may result in him shooting better than the 42.2 percent he shot last season. 
  • While it seems like a stretch to compare J.J. Redick to Ray Allen, it probably isn't a coincidence that one of Doc Rivers' first moves as senior vice president of the Clippers was to acquire someone capable of filling the role Allen manned for Rivers' championship Celtics team, writes D.J. Foster for ESPN.com.  Foster argues that Redick and that version of Allen are more similar than you'd think when you break down the statistics and that if Rivers and the Clips make finding Redick open looks a priority, the Duke product could be a pleasant surprise in Los Angeles. 
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Thompson, Cousins, Marshall

July 22nd, 2013 at 10:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Even though the Lakers said repeatedly that they wouldn't entertain a sign-and-trade for Dwight Howard this summer, many believed that the Warriors would have been able to change their minds with a package involving Klay Thompson if D12 chose Golden State.  Thompson has obvious ties to L.A., but he stayed even-keeled as the speculation was going on, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.  “If it happened, it happened,” Thompson said. “That’s nothing you can control. I’m happy where I’m at.”  Here's more out of the Pacific Division..

  • Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins says that he's not worried about a potential contract extension and he's only focused on Team USA at the moment, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.  Cousins added (link) that new GM Pete D'Alessandro has asked for his input on free agents, which hasn't happened before under previous management.
  • When asked if he wants to stay with the Kings, Cousins answered in the affirmative without hesitation, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
  • Despite a disappointing rookie year, Suns guard Kendall Marshall is working to play a key role in the club's rotation this season, writes RealGM's Shams Charania.  He'll have his work cut out for him as he'll jockey for time with Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, Shannon Brown, and Malcolm Lee.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Warriors Notes: Cap, Lee, Picks, TPEs, Jackson

July 11th, 2013 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

3:44pm: Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group passes along a couple more notes on the Warriors' cap situation, via Twitter.

2:07pm: Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News has conducted a lengthy Q&A with Warriors owner Joe Lacob about the team's approach to the offseason, and its recent moves. Lacob explains how Golden State identified Dwight Howard and Andre Iguodala as its top targets and went about acquiring Iguodala. The entire piece is worth a read, particularly for Warriors fans, but here are a few of the most notable tidbits:

  • According to Lacob, the Warriors decided that now was the time to make a big move and add a major piece to the core, rather than letting contracts like Richard Jefferson's and Andris Biedrins' expire and trying to make a splash next summer.
  • Lacob adds that the team was "never going to part with [its] core." While he doesn't name specific players, I'm guessing he's referring to Steph Curry, Harrison Barnes, and Klay Thompson.
  • The Warriors "were always going to keep" David Lee as well, says Lacob, adding that the club never offered Lee to another team in trade talks.
  • Lacob, addressing the fact that Andrew Bogut's and Lee's names surfaced in trade rumors: "These are NBA players; they know trades happen. It’s part of their lives, part of their business…. We didn’t want to trade any of them or give them up in any way. We wanted to do whatever could to add to them."
  • The two first-round picks the Warriors sent to the Jazz are unprotected, Lacob confirms.
  • Asked if more moves are coming, Lacob says he thinks the Warriors are "done for now."
  • If the club does want to add another player, there should be trade exceptions available from the three-way trade with the Jazz and Nuggets. Lacob's words: "I know we have at least an 11 I believe and a 4. There might be a 9 in there too." By my math, the Warriors created TPEs worth $11,046,000 and $4,000,000, but won't have one for $9,000,000.
  • Golden State is prepared to go into luxury-tax territory going forward, says Lacob.
  • Lacob on possible trade options down the road: "We have a lot of assets at this point, a lot of really good players that people want. Bob Myers gets called every day—we had some amazing offers, people calling, not us calling them, on some really good players."
  • Lacob envisions Mark Jackson as the Warriors' long-term coach, but says there's no specific timetable for extension talks.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Dwight Howard Rumors: Friday

July 5th, 2013 at 2:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Today is Friday, which means decision day for Dwight Howard may finally be here. Or it may not be. Various reports this week have indicated Howard would like to announce his decision today, but at least as many reports have suggested an announcement may not come until later in the weekend. Considering how indecisive Howard has been in the past, resolution today is far from a sure thing, but we at least seem to be nearing the final stages of a saga that's been playing out for the last couple years.

The big Howard story yesterday had the Warriors exploring the possibility of clearing cap space to sign D12 outright. It certainly wouldn't be easy, and there's no guarantee the big man will choose the Warriors anyway, but here's the latest on Golden State's efforts, and the rest of today's Howard rumors:

  • The Warriors, Lakers, and Rockets appear to be the three teams left standing for Howard, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, who says the events of the last 24 hours have sent "strong signs" to the Mavericks and Hawks that they're out of the running. Meanwhile, a source tells Amick that the Warriors have been given indications that the Rockets are the "strong favorite" to land Howard.
  • Multiple teams involved in the race for Howard fear that the Rockets will be the winners, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

Earlier updates:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Odds & Ends: Lakers, Asik, Warriors

July 4th, 2013 at 11:59pm CST by Ryan Raroque

While trying to rationalize a sign-and-trade involving the Lakers sending Dwight Howard to the Warriors from L.A.'s point of view, Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com (Insiders only) writes that Golden State could possibly sweeten their offer by adding another expiring contract to the table while agreeing to take on the rest of Steve Nash's deal in return. If in fact Dwight decides to leave, Pelton thinks that acquiring expiring contracts, future first round picks, and a young talent like Harrison Barnes would be much more preferable than seeing their star free agent walk away for nothing. 

Here are more of the rest of tonight's miscellaneous notes:

  • Although 76ers GM Sam Hinkie chose not to comment much on the team's possible interest in Omer Asik, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Hinkie is very familiar with the Rockets big man, as he was part of Houston's front office when they signed him to a deal last summer. 
  • ESPN's Marc Stein tweets that the most notable aspect of the D12 rumors from the Warriors' perspective is how they'll deal with Andrew Bogut if their pursuit of Howard falls through. Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area (via Twitter) adds David Lee, Barnes, and Klay Thompson to the list of players that will be owed an explanation as well. 
  • A number of the Mavericks' point guard targets – including Monta Ellis, Mo Williams, Jarrett Jack, Chauncey Billups, and Jose Calderon – remain on the free agent market, and Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW writes that the team is working behind the scenes with multiple agents regarding potential acquisitions. In another piece, Sefko details why Howard would fit and make a much needed positive impact in Dallas. 
  • Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times goes through the potential repercussions for the four teams that miss out on signing Howard this summer.
  • John Canzano of The Oregonian endorses the under-the-radar moves Neil Olshey has completed recently for the Trail Blazers, even if they may not appeal to fans who were expecting a big splash thus far. 
  • Kevin Sherrington of SportsDayDFW says that there’s virtually no chance that Mark Cuban sells the Mavericks even if things don’t continue to go well, citing a tweet from the team owner himself. 
  • Jared Zwerling of ESPN NY recommends keeping an eye out for Reyshawn Terry and Toure Murry as players who could find themselves on an NBA team's radar soon (Twitter links). Terry, whom Zwerling thinks could be another team's 'Chris Copeland,' has reportedly played well overseas and could find himself on an NBA summer league team. Murry is currently on the Knicks' summer team and could be good enough to make a team's regular season roster. 
  • Earlier tonight, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE tweeted that the Mavericks were expected to see if the Celtics are more willing to trade Rajon Rondo now with Brad Stevens as the new head coach.  However, with a report that Rondo is keeping an open mind to the hiring, it might not seem likely that Danny Ainge would be receptive to trade overtures just yet. 
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Warriors Increase Efforts To Pursue Dwight Howard

July 4th, 2013 at 11:09pm CST by Ryan Raroque

11:09pm: On the possibility that the Warriors complete some deals and Dwight still decides to sign elsewhere, one source tells Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group that there's no chance of that happening, as Golden State would presumably only follow through with cap-clearing trades if he were to commit to them. Thompson II also says that even if the Warriors were to agree to some deals, they could still cancel them before the moratorium ends if Howard decides to head elsewhere.

9:41pm: Earlier tonight, Heisler (via Twitter) cited a Lakers source who said that the team would consider a combination of Curry, Barnes, or Thompson to go along with Bogut and a number one draft pick in a sign-and-trade for Howard, although Golden State hasn't offered any three of those young players.  

6:52pm: Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times says that the Lakers aren't actively looking for a sign-and-trade and still hope that Howard returns. If he were to be included in a deal, L.A. would want young talent in return and would have to find a third team to take on any expiring contracts. If the Lakers were to complete a trade with the Warriors and take back expiring contracts, they would still be accountable for roughly the same tax bill that they'd face if they were to successfully re-sign Howard, which is why they wouldn't want any expiring deals in return. Pincus adds that the Lakers would rather have Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill constitute their frontcourt than have to pay an additional $50MM in luxury tax in return for dealing Dwight (All Twitter links). 

6:12pm: According to Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein of ESPN, sources with knowledge of the Warriors' thinking report that Golden State has begun aggressively shopping their players in an attempt to clear enough salary cap space to land Dwight Howard. Stein tweets that although no move would be easy for the Warriors, the team felt "emboldened" by the impression that they made on the free agent big man during their meeting with him this week, enough to where it is believed that they had gained ground on the Rockets and Mavericks.

As currently constructed, the Warriors chances at landing the star center primarily involved convincing the Lakers to agree to a sign-and-trade, although Windhorst and Stein make note that Los Angeles would prefer to let Dwight walk and preserve cap space for next summer – in addition to not being so open to helping him land on a division rival. With that in mind, Golden State is now trying to shop expiring contracts to teams with cap space in order to create enough room to sign Howard outright. Such expiring deals include those of Andris Biedrins ($9MM), Richard Jefferson ($11M), and Andrew Bogut ($14MM), and sources say that the franchise has tried to unload all three this week.

It is reported that Golden State would be willing to include a future first round pick in order to sweeten a potential deal, but they may also have to consider dealing away some of their promising young players – such as Harrison Barnes or Klay Thompson – in order complete a trade. Stein and Windhorst write that when the Warriors had tried to attempt to offload a large contract last year, prospective trading partners tended to include Barnes or Thompson into the discussion. 

Mark Heisler of Sheridan Hoops (via Twitter) cites a source who indicates that if a sign-and-trade were to materialize between the Lakers and Warriors, L.A. would insist that Stephen Curry, Thompson, or Barnes would have to be involved. According to Stein and Windhorst, a source close to the situation says that Dwight is expected to make his decision by tomorrow. All things considered, it'll be quite intriguing to see if and what the Warriors can try to come up with until then. 

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Dwight Howard Rumors: Monday

July 1st, 2013 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets had what they felt was an "encouraging meeting" with Dwight Howard last night, and Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak was able to get in a quick word with the All-Star center as well. Houston and Los Angeles are among the teams expected to increase their pursuit of D12 in the coming days, so let's check out the latest rumblings on Howard:

  • Although the Warriors appear willing to make the Lakers a competitive offer for Howard (story below), the two teams haven't engaged in sign-and-trade talks, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. According to Berger, for that to happen, Howard would have to indicate that the Warriors are his first choice, and even then, the Lakers may not be willing to engage. The team has "demonstrated no appetite" for a sign-and-trade so far, notes Berger (all Twitter links).

Earlier updates:

Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts