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NBA Reviewing Warriors/Timberwolves Altercation

November 15th, 2023 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA, as expected, is taking a closer look at Tuesday’s on-court scuffle between the Warriors and the Timberwolves, weighing whether additional punishment – in the form of fines and/or suspensions – will be necessary, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

As we detailed earlier today, the confrontation began when Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels got tied up battling for rebounding positioning early in the first quarter. They continued to grab and shove each other on the way back up the court, prompting referees to stop play and Wolves center Rudy Gobert to try to intervene.

Warriors forward Draymond Green rushed in and put Gobert in a headlock before players were separated (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report). McDaniels and Thompson were each given two technical fouls and ejected from the game, while Green was also thrown out after being assessed with a flagrant 2 foul.

Green’s headlock on Gobert figures to be a focus of the NBA’s review, according to Wojnarowski, who notes (via Twitter) that Green’s reputation as a “repeat offender” was cited by the league in the spring when he was suspended for stepping on Domantas Sabonis in Golden State’s first-round playoff series vs. Sacramento.

The Warriors’ next game is on Thursday vs. Oklahoma City, so the NBA figures to make a ruling by then, if not before the Wolves’ contest in Phoenix on Wednesday.

Head coach Steve Kerr defended Green after Tuesday’s game, telling reporters that the Warriors star went after Gobert because the Minnesota center “had his hands on Klay’s neck.” Gobert chuckled when informed of Kerr’s comments, according to Jon Krawczynski and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

“What do you want me to say? He’s backing his guy, but I think he knows,” Gobert said. “Deep inside, he (doesn’t) want to say it but his guy is a clown.”

Krawczynski and Amick suggest that Green held onto Gobert for about nine seconds. Gobert, who held up his arms during that time to show the officials he wasn’t retaliating, believes the outcome could’ve been worse than it was.

“He’s grabbing me, he’s grabbing me, he’s grabbing me,” Gobert said. “(But) the choke wasn’t good enough. Yeah, it wasn’t enough for me to really have to (go to sleep). But he tried. He tried really hard, but it wasn’t good enough to where I felt like I was really in danger of falling asleep or something like that.

“… It was a long time, and if he knew how to choke it could have been way worse. He tried to. His intention was to really take me out. And I kept my hands up the whole time just to show the officials that I wasn’t trying to escalate the situation.”

Warriors Notes: Green, Klay, Curry, Podziemski, More

November 15th, 2023 at 7:46am CST by Luke Adams

Tuesday’s in-season tournament game between the Warriors and Timberwolves got chippy before either team had scored a single point.

As Kendra Andrews of ESPN details, Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels got tied up battling for rebounding positioning early in the first quarter, then continued to grab and shove each other on the way back up the court, prompting referees to stop play and Wolves center Rudy Gobert to try to intervene. Warriors forward Draymond Green rushed in and put Gobert in a headlock before players were separated (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report).

McDaniels and Thompson were each given two technical fouls and ejected from the game, while Green was also thrown out after being assessed with a flagrant 2 foul. As Anthony Slater of The Athletic relays (via Twitter), official Tyler Ford explained after the game that the referees viewed Gobert as a peacemaker. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr didn’t agree with that ruling or the decision to eject Thompson.

“There is no way Klay should have been ejected. That was ridiculous,” Kerr said, per Andrews. “I was upset about that. As far as the Draymond piece of it, Rudy had his hands on Klay’s neck. That’s why Draymond went after Rudy.”

McDaniels downplayed his role in the altercation following a Minnesota victory, telling reporters that after Thompson grabbed him, he was “trying to defend myself and get him off me.” McDaniels said he was “laughing” as it happened and that he didn’t expect the situion to escalate the way it did, adding, “I guess it was a bigger deal to (Thompson).”

Gobert, meanwhile, referred to Green’s actions as “clown behavior” and offered an explanation for the Warriors star’s early ejection: “Every time Steph (Curry) doesn’t play, (Green) doesn’t want to play without his guy Steph, so he does anything he can to get ejected.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

While a suspension seems extremely unlikely for Gobert, McDaniels, or Thompson, it’s possible Green – who has a history of facing fines and suspensions for on-court physicality – will face further punishment. “I do hope that the league is going to do what needs to be done,” Gobert said after the game in reference to an additional penalty for Green, according to Andrews.
Kerr said the results of an MRI on Curry’s sore right knee were “good news” and that the two-time MVP is unlikely to be sidelined for an extended period, Slater writes for The Athletic. “Nothing alarming. So I would say he’s day to day and we’ll see,” Kerr said. “We’ll just have an update each day and let you know what’s going on. But it won’t be long. If he misses another game or two, whatever, it’s not going to be anything long-term.”
The Warriors’ rotation without Curry, Thompson, and Green was “jumbled up,” Slater notes, but it gave Brandin Podziemski a chance to play a career-high 39 minutes. The rookie became the first Warrior besides Curry this season to score more than 20 points in a game, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Forward Dario Saric, who got his second start as a Warrior, also surpassed the 20-point mark, contributing 21.
Tim Kawakami of The Athletic takes a closer look at Podziemski’s breakout game, suggesting that the No. 19 overall pick played with the sort of confidence and toughness that Golden State had been looking for. “He’s going to play,” Kerr said of Podziemski, who had previously logged 52 total minutes in six appearances. “He’s going to play every night. He’s earned that. He was incredible tonight. He’s been great in practice. There’s something unique about him at that size to rebound the way he does. He had seven tonight. He’s always in the right spot. He’s fearless. He connects the game. He plays the way we want to play. The ball moves when he’s out there. He’s attacking at the right times, he’s cutting at the right times. Defensively he’s really good. He’s a damn good player, so he’s going to play.”
Even though the Warriors were without their three stars for nearly all of Tuesday’s game, Jonathan Kuminga only played 16 minutes and Moses Moody just 14, according to Slater, who says neither player has staked out a bigger role in the rotation so far this season. The path to increased minutes for the two former lottery picks may be further complicated by Podziemski’s rise, Slater adds.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Wiggins, Thompson, Santos

November 13th, 2023 at 7:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

While Stephen Curry has produced like a Most Valuable Player, his teammates haven’t been contributing at their usual levels, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews notes. Curry has delivered six 30-point games, but the Warriors have gotten just one 20-point performance from anyone else.

“No question, we need some scoring and some play-making elsewhere,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

Golden State has lost three straight and Curry expects some tweaks to be made.

“Everything is on the table for us for adjustments,” Curry said. “When you’ve lost three straight, you have to make adjustments.”

We have more on the Warriors:

Andrew Wiggins is one of those players who is looking to regain his offensive rhythm. Wiggins had just six points in 25 minutes against Minnesota and hasn’t scored more than 17 in any contest this season. He hasn’t been part of the closing unit, either. “It’s tough,” Wiggins told Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “I’ve just got to do what I can to give them a reason to keep me in. Whether it’s crashing the glass harder, defensively picking up. … If your shot is off, you’ve got to do other stuff to stay on the floor. Or someone else will come in.”
Along the same lines, Klay Thompson is searching for answers to his shooting slump, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic details. Thompson, who is headed to free agency unless he signs an extension, is averaging 16.1 points per game — his lowest output since his rookie year. He’s shooting a career low 34.7% on 3-point attempts. Thompson says there’s nothing wrong with him physically and he hasn’t lost any confidence. “If history shows us anything, it’s most definitely coming. What’s the point of panicking and pressing? I’ve been through this more than a decade,” he said. “It’s hard. Basketball is hard. I’m not going to lose faith or confidence. One thing I’ve proved is the resiliency within me. I’ll come back and have a great month.”
The Warriors had financial motives to add 2022 second-round pick Gui Santos on a three-year contract, as John Hollinger of The Athletic explains. Santos is considered a “draft rookie” and thus his minimum salary for luxury-tax purposes is just $1.03MM instead the $2.02MM for a veteran on a minimum contract. Factoring in the luxury and repeater taxes, the Warriors would have been out another $8MM if they had used the 14th roster spot on a veteran. Due to the non-guaranteed status of Santos’ contract, the Warriors could waive Santos just before the Jan. 10 guarantee date, go two weeks with a 13-player roster and then add another player prior to the trade deadline.

Western Notes: Kerr, Vincent, Reaves, Kidd, Holmgren

November 3rd, 2023 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr suggested on a press call with international media on Thursday that he’d consider the idea of taking a sabbatical from the NBA if the longtime core players of his championship teams – Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green – were no longer the roster, according to Leonard Solms of ESPN.

“With the core group of Steph, Klay and Draymond, we’ve been together now almost a decade. If they were not here, I could see [myself] maybe taking a sabbatical,” Kerr said. “It might be refreshing and recharging to do so in some ways, but I love these guys and this team so much and we have this window and I’m not going anywhere for the time being. I want to be with them and continue to coach them [for] the next few years.”

Wary of burnout for both himself and his team, Kerr indicated that he plans to manage the workloads of the Warriors’ top players carefully this season in order to avoid fatigue and to keep them fresh. That could provide an opportunity for young players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to play more significant roles on a more regular basis.

“I think the players will enjoy it, and I know the coaches are excited about it,” Kerr said. “We’re not going to treat it like the NBA Finals — I’m not going to play Steph Curry for 45 minutes because we have to think of the long-term health of our team — but we definitely want to win, and we’re going to be very competitive.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Lakers guard Gabe Vincent has been diagnosed with left knee effusion and will miss at least two weeks of action before being reevaluated, the team announced on Thursday night (Twitter link via Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times). With Vincent unavailable, more minutes should open up for reserve guard Max Christie behind starters D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves.
In Vincent’s absence, the Lakers will also need more from Reaves, who got off to a slow start this season following a big summer that saw him sign a four-year, $54MM contract and represent Team USA in the World Cup. The club is optimistic that a solid game against the Clippers on Wednesday will be a jumping-off point for Reaves, writes Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is battling a non-COVID illness and didn’t travel with the team to Denver for Friday’s game, sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link). Assistant coach Sean Sweeney will be Dallas’ acting head coach for the team’s first in-season tournament game, Stein adds.
Following a lost rookie season, Thunder center Chet Holmgren is healthy again, and the way he’s playing on both ends of the court has clarified the team’s playing style, according to Zach Kram of The Ringer, who says the big man is also capable of accelerating Oklahoma City’s contention timeline.

Pacific Notes: Durant, Beal, Booker, James, Mann, Thompson, Kuminga

October 30th, 2023 at 10:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Many NBA fans are eager to see how Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker will mesh during the regular season. However, the wait for the Suns’ big three will continue through Tuesday. Booker (ankle) is doubtful and Beal (back) is out for Phoenix’s game against San Antonio on Tuesday, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

On the same topic, Durant told Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.com that he’s not fretting over the team’s health issues now or in the long run. “I don’t look at that stuff like that,” he said. “I know people have those concerns. But I just think that is just people hoping, to be honest, that we don’t finish the season. Every team can say, ‘Shouldn’t you be worried about injuries?’ Every team can say that.”
LeBron James popped up on the Lakers’ injury report prior to their game against Orlando, Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets. His issue was left ankle tendonitis. James was a game-time decision but was good to go.
Clippers guard Terance Mann (sprained ankle) has shed his walking boot but didn’t practice on Monday, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Mann has yet to make his season debut.
Klay Thompson (knee soreness) and Jonathan Kuminga (knee contusion) didn’t play for the Warriors against New Orleans on Monday, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets.

Pacific Notes: Paul, Ham, LeBron, Morris

October 30th, 2023 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Chris Paul came off the bench for the first time in his career Sunday night, and it looks like an arrangement that’s going to be successful for the Warriors, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Paul became an immediate starter when he entered the league with New Orleans in 2005, but the possibility of being shifted to a reserve emerged when he was traded to a Golden State team that already had Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in its backcourt. Paul started the season’s first two games with Draymond Green injured, but moved into his new role when Green returned on Sunday.

“It works,” Paul told reporters after the game. “It gives us a bigger lineup. I’ve never been on a team probably with this type of depth. I’ve been on really good teams, don’t get it twisted. But not necessarily where you could say: ‘All these guys can start.’ And I think last year that was the best starting five in the league.”

The Warriors are coming off a season that was disrupted by players who were unhappy about their minutes and changes to their roles, so Steve Kerr sought to get control of the situation right away, Slater adds. Prior to training camp, he called in Paul, Green, Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney for a meeting where they discussed what to do about essentially having six starters.

Although it was decided that starting roles would be influenced by matchups, Kerr seems happy with Paul as the leader of the second unit and it appears that will continue as long as everyone stays healthy. Green is excited about the edge that brings to the team.

“When you’re talking about replacing Steph Curry with Chris Paul, it doesn’t get much better than that,” he said. “You’re taking your starting point guard out and the next point guard is Chris Paul? That’s incredible. We will have that advantage all year.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Lakers coach Darvin Ham said he needs to “tighten up” his rotation after Sunday’s loss in Sacramento, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Ham has been trying to acclimate Gabe Vincent, who missed much of the preseason with tightness in his lower back, while also dealing with the loss of Jarred Vanderbilt, who is sidelined with bursitis in his left heel. “My rotation, we got to really dig into that,” Ham said. “Really take a close look and so guys are in rhythm. We have a great collection of players. And I played in this league. When you know when you’re going in and who you’re playing with, that matters. So buckling down on our rotation, I’ll start there.”
The minutes reduction that Ham planned for LeBron James hasn’t lasted past the season opener, McMenamin adds. James logged 39 minutes in Sunday’s contest, which was the first game of a back-to-back. “Obviously, I don’t want to run Bron into the ground,” Ham said. “I don’t want to run (Anthony Davis) into the ground too early. Obviously, it was an overtime game tonight and they’re playing at a high level, so you want to leave them out there. But just having that balance.”
Clippers forward Marcus Morris missed his third straight game Sunday, with “coach’s decision” being the explanation, tweets Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. However, coach Tyronn Lue said Morris is “very involved, and he’s been great, especially with our young guys.”

Warriors Notes: Thompson, Green, CP3, Kuminga

October 27th, 2023 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Klay Thompson and the Warriors can finalize an extension at any time between now and June 30, 2024, so they didn’t need to come to an agreement before the regular season begins. Still, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic notes (via Twitter video), some players view opening night as an artificial deadline and prefer to table those talks until after the season if they don’t agree to terms by then.

Asked if he’s taking that route, Thompson didn’t confirm it one way or the other, but he also didn’t sound like a player who plans to be actively engaged in pursuing a new deal during the season.

“I’m focused on the daily dedication it takes to do this job,” Thompson said. “I’m not worried about an extension right now. That’ll all play itself out.”

Recent reports from ESPN and The Athletic have indicated that the Warriors and Thompson are pretty far apart on years and money, increasing the likelihood that the veteran sharpshooter could reach free agency next summer. It’s very possible the two sides will bridge that gap at some point between now and June 30, but Thompson acknowledged that he intends to savor this season “just in case” it’s his last in Golden State.

“Oh yeah, you never know what’s going to happen,” Thompson said. “I’m going to savor this as much as I can, especially in this uniform. I was here before it sweet, before it was four championships. Twenty-three wins (in 2011/12). I was here building the foundation, so yeah I’m going to savor it. Because everyone around the world thinks it’s sweet when they look at (the) Warriors, but it hasn’t always been like this. So I’m going to savor the heck out of it.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Warriors forward Draymond Green won’t play on Friday vs. Sacramento, but he just needs to regain his proper conditioning and is “close” to returning to action, per head coach Steve Kerr (Twitter link via Kendra Andrews of ESPN).
Regardless of whether or not Chris Paul continues to start for the Warriors once Green returns, his main role will be as the floor general for the team’s second unit, a source tells Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Paul is the “quintessential” player for that role, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic, who observes that the veteran guard’s playing style represents the counterbalance to Golden State’s “organized chaos.”
Even after Green is back, Kerr expects it to take a few weeks for the Warriors to get fully comfortable with their new lineups and the new additions to their rotation, according to Andrews. “This is just the first glimpse of the regular season,” he said. “It usually takes 20, 25 games to really know your team and feel the actions you need, the combinations you have.”
After rolling with Jonathan Kuminga over Andrew Wiggins – and giving Gary Payton II some playing time – in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, Kerr told reporters that he liked the way Kuminga and Payton were defending, and that he won’t hesitate to go with the hot hand in crunch time this season. “That’s how it’s going to be a lot of nights this year,” Kerr said, per C.J. Holmes of The San Francisco Chronicle. “Whoever is playing best will finish the game.”

Warriors, Klay Thompson Making No Progress On Extension

October 15th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Extension talks between the Warriors and five-time All-Star wing Klay Thompson are at a standstill, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

Speaking on NBA Countdown on Sunday night (Twitter video link), Wojnarowski indicated that Thompson could very well wind up on the free agent market next summer.

“I’m told that there has been absolutely no progress on a Klay Thompson extension in Golden State, that they are still apart on years and money,” he said. “There’s a very real possibility Klay Thompson goes into free agency next summer without a deal.”

Thompson is entering the final season of his current five-year contract worth nearly $190MM. He’ll make $43,219,440 this season. His maximum salary in an extension projects to be upwards of $50MM, but it’s highly unlikely he’ll command the max as he enters his age-34 season. Thompson is eligible to sign an extension until June 30.

Golden State, of course, has salary concerns. While the team has regularly been willing to pay punitive luxury taxes, the creation of the second tax apron in the new CBA puts the Warriors’ front office in a more difficult spot.

Including Chris Paul‘s $30MM non-guaranteed salary, but without counting Thompson, Golden State is at the luxury tax and $20MM below the second apron next year, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.

Major injuries sidelined Thompson for the better part of two-and-a-half seasons. He bounced back last season to start 69 regular-season games, in which he averaged 21.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He made 41.2% of his 3-point attempts, right in line with his 41.6% career average, while knocking down a career-high 301 shots from beyond the arc.

If he can deliver a similar season, Wojnarowski believes Thompson will be valued on the free agent market despite his age.

“You know in the marketplace teams value shooting, they value high-level wing defense,” he said. “For Golden State, this has a chance to become the first real test of keeping together that core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.”

Former top Warriors executive Bob Myers, who also appeared on the show, believes Thompson would like to finish his career with Golden State.

“This is a delicate negotiation,” Myers said. “From what I know and see, he wants to stay and they want him to stay. Doesn’t mean it will happen. But it is a test … and this is probably the first real test.”

Klay Thompson “Absolutely” Wants To Spend Rest Of Career With Warriors

October 11th, 2023 at 10:07am CST by Luke Adams

If he doesn’t sign a contract extension between now and next June 30, Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2024.

However, speaking to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Thompson downplayed any urgency in his contract situation, suggesting that “it’s not going to be a thing” and expressing a strong desire to remain in Golden State for the rest of this career.

“Absolutely. I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else,” Thompson said. “To play for one franchise, man? That’s so rare. In any sport. Football. Baseball. Basketball. Australian Rules Football. To play for one club is insane. It’s some real legendary stuff. Even what Udonis Haslem did. He’s revered in Miami. Locally. That’s what I cherish.

“Going around the country, going around the world and people from Northern California or Warriors fans in general are just so prideful about the Warriors. And I was here before banners were hung up. So in a way, it’s our baby. You want to ride it out. I’ve just been so lucky to be a part of this franchise. It’d be so hard to envision myself in another uniform.”

Thompson will earn $43.22MM in 2023/24, the final season of the five-year, $190MM contract he signed in 2019. It’s unclear exactly what his next deal might look like. His maximum salary projects to be upwards of $50MM, but he’s extremely unlikely to command the max as he enters his age-34 season.

As Slater writes, Thompson won’t be looking to squeeze every possible dollar out of the Warriors when the two sides negotiate an extension. Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green accepted pay cuts when they signed their latest contracts with the team, but each also received a four-year, nine-figure commitment and a player option. Thompson and the Warriors could reach a similar compromise.

“I know if I just do my job and I’m in shape and I compete at my highest level, I’m going to make money in this league for a long time,” Thompson said. “So I don’t worry about it. I’m blessed beyond measure. Obviously you want to make the most in the window you have as an athlete. But I’m not going to let that get in the way of winning a championship. When you win, everything else will be taken care of.”

Because he’s on an expiring contract, Thompson will remain extension-eligible throughout the regular season even if he and the Warriors don’t reach an agreement before opening night.

Pacific Notes: Batum, LeBron, Hachimura, Christie, Warriors

October 6th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Rumors that Nicolas Batum may be entering his final NBA season swirled in August following a series of tweets from his wife, Aurelie. She clarified in those tweets that her husband hasn’t formally decided to retire following the 2023/24 season and that his future beyond his current contract is still up in the air. This week at training camp, the Clippers forward confirmed that message, as Janis Carr of The Orange County Register writes.

“I think I’ve done a lot in the NBA,” Batum said. “I’m trying to focus on this season. We’ll see what happens after this season. Maybe I’m going to stay, maybe not. I don’t know yet.

“… (I’m) thinking about what I’ve got left. All I’m thinking right now is I’m just ready for this year. … I’m really excited for this year and what’s ahead for this franchise, that’s for sure.”

Batum averaged 21.9 minutes per night in 78 appearances for the Clippers last season, his most games played in a season since 2013/14. The veteran anticipates having a rotation role again this season and indicated a willingness to play as much as head coach Tyronn Lue wants to use him, even though he’ll turn 35 in December.

“A bunch of guys want to get like minutes, and they don’t get it. I’m playing, so I’m not complaining about it,” Batum said. “You can’t be tired and complain because you play too much when guys only want opportunities to play.”

Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific:

No player was around LeBron James this offseason more than Rui Hachimura, according to LeBron, who has taken his Lakers teammate under his wing this offseason in the hopes of unlocking his full potential, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. James, the NBA’s oldest player, will sit out the team’s preseason opener on Saturday as the club manages his minutes, though he still plans to see plenty of action during the preseason, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Lakers guard Max Christie, who was expected to be given a chance to prove in training camp that he deserves a rotation spot, appears to be taking advantage of that opportunity, earning praise this week from coach Darvin Ham and his teammates, according to Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “Max Christie is a dog! … His game surprised me a lot,” big man Jaxson Hayes said of Christie. “I already knew he was a good player, but he can really go.”
Warriors wing Klay Thompson said on Thursday that he’s up to the challenge of defending some power forwards this season and will do whatever’s asked of him (Twitter video link via Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area). Head coach Steve Kerr spoke about that plan earlier in the week.
Stephen Curry said he played a lot of pickup ball with new Warriors teammate Chris Paul this summer and believes the fit on offense will be “seamless” (Twitter video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). The goal will be making sure the pairing works on defense as well.