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Warriors Notes: Curry, Cook, Bell

July 14th, 2018 at 10:50am CST by marksuleymanov

Stephen Curry has been the face of the Warriors franchise for the team’s three championships the past four years. He has shared the spotlight alongside Kevin Durant and two other All-Star teammates to form a modern-day dynasty.

While he was in the hospital for the birth of his child, a call from general manager Bob Myers notified him that the best team in the league got better. DeMarcus Cousins, recovering from a torn Achilles, agreed to join the Warriors for $5.3MM, giving Golden State a fifth All-Star for its starting lineup.

“I don’t think (adding Cousins in free agency) was on anybody’s radar going into the summer,” Curry said to USA Today’s Sam Amick. “(Myers) laid out how it happened with DeMarcus’ free agency, and the early stages and what-not, and he was like, ‘Hey if we can sign him would you like to play with him?’ And I said, ‘Obviously, hell yeah. That would be amazing.’”

However, the Warriors’ latest challenge will be competing with the LeBron James in the Pacific division. Curry said that Los Angeles has yet to establish an identity but when it does, the main challenge will be beating Golden State.

“There’s a lot that’s been made about the competition in the West and his eight straight Finals appearances and all that, but that just makes everybody raise the antenna up a little bit – including us,” Curry said. “It’s going to be fun for fans, playing (more) in the regular season and who knows in the playoffs. So the West obviously got stronger with LeBron but you’ve still got to beat us.”

Check out more Warriors notes below:

  • Just before the postseason started, Quinn Cook, who filled in for Curry while he was sidelined, signed a multi-year deal with the Warriors. During an appearance on  the Warriors Outsiders Podcast, Cook explained why he never considered restricted free agency (via NBC Sports).“I wanted to be part of the team,” Cook said. “They gave me a tremendous opportunity … I didn’t care.”
  • Jordan Bell is headed for restricted free agency next summer and it may come at a poor time for Golden State, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes (subscription required). When Golden State inked Nick Young using a full mid-level exception, Bell was only offered a two-year pact. Now, he will become a RFA a year sooner and it could cost Bell money and Golden State a useful player. “I don’t mind betting on myself, though,” Bell said. “I think it was a good thing for me, especially at my age.”
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NBA Finals Roundup: James, Lue, Durant, Curry, West, Young

June 9th, 2018 at 11:56am CST by marksuleymanov

With the season now over, the focus turns to LeBron James and his pending free agency decision. James can opt out of the final year of his contract and hit unrestricted free agency for the third time. He has until June 29 to make a decision.

Following the Cavaliers‘ loss to the Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which completed a sweep of Cleveland, James discussed his pending decision, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin writes. While James has not made up his mind, he said input from his family will be a major factor this summer.

“The one thing that I’ve always done is considered, obviously, my family,” James said. “Understanding especially where my boys are at this point in their age. They were a lot younger the last time I made a decision like this four years ago. I’ve got a teenage boy, a preteen and a little girl that wasn’t around as well. So sitting down and considering everything, my family is a huge part of whatever I’ll decide to do in my career, and it will continue to be that. So I don’t have an answer for you right now as far as that.”

James has left Cleveland once before, signing a deal in 2010 with the Heat, where he won two championships in four seasons. The 33-year-old returned to the Cavaliers prior to the 2014/15 season, leading the organization to a championship the following year.

Check out more news to come out of the NBA Finals below:

  • As we relayed earlier, James suffered a self-inflicted injury to his right hand after he punched a whiteboard out of frustration following the Cavaliers’ loss in Game 1.
  • After battling some health issues throughout the season, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue intends to return next year, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. “Yeah, I do,” Lue said of his intentions. “I had some tough problems going on throughout the course of the season, and … I probably could have folded myself, but I wasn’t going to do that.” Lue previously told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols that was treated for anxiety this season.
  • Kevin Durant became the 11th player to win two NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards, per The Associated Press. With back-to-back championships and Finals MVPs to his credit, Durant’s focus will now turn to his contract situation. He intends to remain with the Warriors, but will likely sign a new deal.
  • Stephen Curry has two regular season MVPs to his credit but Durant has taken home that honor the last two NBA Finals. However, Curry prioritizes the team success over his individual accolades, Mark Medina of the Mercury News writes. “K.D.’s been amazing these last two years, especially in The Finals, and so deserving of back-to-back Finals MVPs,” Curry said. “I’m going to be his biggest fan in there with what he’s able to do. I think the biggest thing we appreciate in the locker room is, again, what everybody brings to the table and we kind of unlock the greatness out of each other.”
  • One of the most visibly excited players to win his first championship was the Warriors’ Nick Young, per Alysha Tsuji of USA TODAY. ‘Swaggy P’ only played 38 combined minutes in the NBA Finals but he helped the team off the bench during the regular season. “I went from getting snitched on to putting a ring on!” Young told reporters.
  • Warriors veteran David West said the team’s championship victory is even more remarkable given various behind-the-scenes issues the public is not aware of, tweets The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears. “Y’all got no clue. No clue. That tells you about this team that nothing came out,” West said.
  • Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has now coached the club to three championships in four seasons. We noted earlier that Warriors ownership believes Kerr will sign an extension with the team this summer.
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Western Notes: Rockets, Jazz, Westbrook, Allen

May 27th, 2018 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets have reduced their rotation to seven players but they won’t use fatigue as an excuse for their second-half collapse against the Warriors in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Stephen Curry have all played more minutes per game than any Rockets player, Feigen notes. “Fatigue is never a factor in the playoffs,” Rockets forward Trevor Ariza told Feigen and other media members. “This is what we prepare for. This is what we work hard all summer for. They started playing harder. They started making shots. That’s it.” 

Also around the Western Conference:

  • The Jazz might keep their core group intact going into next season, GM Dennis Lindsey told Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News. “My best guess is the option that we’ll ultimately consider, is bringing the team back intact, but I don’t know what other things are going to come our way,” Lindsey said. In order to do that, they’d have to sign unrestricted free agent Derrick Favors and restricted free agent Dante Exum. If both players receive significant raises and the Jazz make other moves, they could find themselves close to the luxury tax. They currently have approximately $90MM in salary guarantees next season.
  • If Paul George re-signs with the Thunder, it will deal a blow to the narrative that other stars don’t like playing with Russell Westbrook, Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman writes. That’s why Westbrook has made public statements about wanting George to return, saying he thinks George “definitely wants to be here,” Dawson adds.
  • Duke combo guard Grayson Allen could be an option for the Kings if he slips into the second round, according to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. Sacramento holds the No. 36 overall pick and Allen is currently ranked No. 30 by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Allen would be a fit because the Kings need guards who can provide size and shooting, Jones adds.
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Pacific Notes: Thompson, Green, Clippers, Suns

May 25th, 2018 at 9:25am CST by Luke Adams

The results of this year’s All-NBA voting will have an impact on a pair of Warriors, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks observes (Twitter links). If Klay Thompson had earned a spot on an All-NBA team, he would have been eligible for a super-max extension this offseason. If Thompson doesn’t sign an extension with the club in the coming months, he could still gain super-max eligibility in 2019 by being named to next year’s All-NBA squad.

Meanwhile, Draymond Green, who also missed out on All-NBA honors this year, would’ve been eligible for a super-max in 2019 if he’d made the First, Second, or Third Team. Like Thompson, he could gain eligibility by earning an All-NBA nod next season, though only one of those two players could actually sign an early super-max extension with the Warriors — teams are limited to two such contracts, and Stephen Curry has already signed one (Kevin Durant‘s next deal isn’t a factor in this equation, since it’s a different form of contract).

While it’s worth monitoring Thompson’s and Green’s eligibility for those contracts worth 35% of the cap, it seems unlikely that the Warriors would be willing to offer either player that sort of deal anyway. The Dubs and Thompson have reportedly engaged in talks on an extension that would be worth well below the max, and Green will be on the wrong side of 30 when his current contract ends.

Here’s more from around the Pacific division:

  • Determining DeAndre Jordan‘s future and getting value out of their two late-lottery picks are among the top items on the Clippers‘ offseason to-do list, Marks writes in his offseason preview for the club (Insider link). The point guard position is also something of a mystery, with Milos Teodosic holding a player option and Patrick Beverley returning from a major knee injury.
  • While it remains to be seen whether Mike Woodson will formally join the Suns‘ coaching staff, as rumored, the team has hired another assistant, bringing aboard Magic assistant Corliss Williamson. Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic has the story on the hiring of Williamson, who appeared in over 800 regular season games as an NBA player.
  • Addressing the small forward spot will be one of the Kings‘ top priorities this summer, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee, who rates the position a perfect 10/10 in terms of level of need.
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NBA Announces 2017/18 All-NBA Teams

May 24th, 2018 at 1:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has formally announced the All-NBA First, Second, and Third Teams for the 2017/18 season, with James Harden and LeBron James leading the way as the two unanimous selections for the First Team.

The voting results will have major financial implications for the three All-NBA centers, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, and Karl-Anthony Towns. As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), Davis is now eligible for a supermax extension from the Pelicans next summer. Davis will be eligible to sign that deal, which projects to be worth $230MM, as of July 1, 2019.

As for Embiid, missing out on a First Team nod means his maximum-salary contract will remain at 25% of the cap rather than being bumped up to 30%. That means he’ll miss out on approximately $29MM over the next five years, as Dan Feldman of NBC Sports details.

Towns, meanwhile, will be eligible for an extension worth 30% of the cap this summer, Marks tweets. An extension of that sort, which would make the cap outlook in Minnesota very interesting, would go into effect for the 2019/20 season.

The full All-NBA teams are listed below, with their vote totals in parentheses. Players received five points for a First Team vote, three points for a Second Team vote, and one point for a Third Team vote, so Harden and James scored a perfect 500 — First Team nods from all 100 voters.

First Team

  • Guard: James Harden, Rockets (500)
  • Guard: Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers (432)
  • Forward: LeBron James, Cavaliers (500)
  • Forward: Kevin Durant, Warriors (426)
  • Center: Anthony Davis, Pelicans (492)

Second Team

Third Team

Among those results, the tightest race saw DeRozan edge Curry by a single point for a spot on the All-NBA Second Team. Both players received two First Team votes and 39 Second Team votes, with DeRozan grabbing one extra Third Team vote (38 to 37) to bump him up to the Second Team ahead of Curry.

As for the players who didn’t quite make the cut, Rockets point guard Chris Paul (54 points), Jazz center Rudy Gobert (51), Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (42), and Sixers guard/forward Ben Simmons (36) received the most support.

Al Horford (Celtics), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Andre Drummond (Pistons), Clint Capela (Rockets), Draymond Green (Warriors), Kyle Lowry (Raptors), Steven Adams (Thunder), Donovan Mitchell (Jazz), Klay Thompson (Warriors), Trevor Ariza (Rockets), DeMarcus Cousins (Pelicans), Dwight Howard (Hornets), Kevin Love (Cavaliers), and Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks) also each received at least one All-NBA vote.

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Warriors Notes: Looney, Curry, Durant, Coaches

May 3rd, 2018 at 1:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The better Kevon Looney plays, the less likely it is the Warriors will be able to afford him when he becomes a free agent this summer, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Golden State declined Looney’s option after two injury-plagued years related to a pair of hip surgeries. He responded by playing 66 games during the regular season and leading all Warriors centers with 147 playoff minutes.

Golden State could have locked up Looney for $2.3MM for 2018/19, but that wasn’t an easy decision when it had to be made in October. Not only was his career beset by injuries, but he was buried in a deep big man rotation that included promising rookie Jordan Bell.

“Our financial commitments [next year and beyond] are high,” GM Bob Myers said. “That factored in. Had we been in a different financial situation in the aggregate, maybe we make a different decision.”

There’s more today from Golden State:

  • Stephen Curry‘s time as a reserve will last just one game, according to an ESPN report. Returning from an MCL sprain, Curry scored 28 points off the bench Tuesday, and he will be in the starting lineup when the series resumes Friday. “Oh yeah, yeah, he’ll start Game 3,” coach Steve Kerr said in an interview on 95.7 The Game. “You don’t keep a guy like that on the bench for long. … He’ll be in the starting lineup.”
  • Kevin Durant is hoping for easier looks from 3-point range with Curry back on the court, relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Durant averaged 27.9 points in six playoff games without Curry, but shot just 28% from long distance. “When you get a chance to work with one of the best to ever play, it sharpens you as well,” Durant said. “Steel sharpens steel. He makes me better and I make him better.”
  • Kerr won’t stand in the way if any of his assistants has a shot at a head coaching job, relays Medina adds in a separate story. Jarron Collins is a candidate in Atlanta, while Mike Brown is among the many who have interviewed with the Knicks. “Selfishly I hope guys stay but we always want them to move on with their careers and get these great opportunities,” Kerr said in the same radio interview. “So we’ll see what happens.” Alvin Gentry of the Pelicans and Luke Walton of the Lakers were both Golden State assistants before landing their current jobs.
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Stephen Curry To Return For Warriors In Game 2

May 1st, 2018 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

MAY 1: The Warriors have confirmed that Curry has been fully cleared and will return for the team in Game 2 on Tuesday night (Twitter link via Chris Haynes of ESPN).

APRIL 30: Stephen Curry‘s return to the court for the Warriors appears imminent, with head coach Steve Kerr telling reporters this afternoon that the two-time MVP has officially been upgraded to probable for Game 2 (video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic).

After missing Game 1 of the Warriors’ second-round series against the Pelicans, Curry was said to be “very likely” to play in Game 2, so today’s news doesn’t come as a surprise. According to Slater (Twitter link), Curry won’t face a formal minutes restriction in his first game back. His playing time will depend on how he looks in terms of conditioning and rhythm, Kerr said today.

Curry, who has battled ankle injuries on multiple occasions throughout the season, has missed more than a month with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee. He last appeared in a game for Golden State on March 23.

The Warriors have had little trouble winning without Curry so far in the postseason, defeating the Spurs in five games in round one and taking the first game from New Orleans in round two. Still, having the league’s best outside shooter back on the floor going forward will only make the Dubs more dangerous as they look to defend their title.

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Pacific Notes: Durant, Curry, Teodosic, Lakers

April 29th, 2018 at 8:14pm CST by marksuleymanov

Kevin Durant has already said he will re-sign with the Warriors this summer, but it will likely be for a significantly higher salary than his previous contract. During an appearance on the Warriors Plus/Minus podcast, Durant addressed his decision to take a $10MM pay cut last summer, which helped enable Golden State to comfortably re-sign Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.

Durant said that money has never been a driving force behind his decisions and he is more focused on playing well and dealing with contractual matters later. However, Durant also noted that he does not want to set a precedent for himself where the team can take advantage of him in future negotiations.

“I thought that, at that time, it was a good deal,” Durant said of his 2017/18 contract. “But that’s not setting a good precedent for me if I’m like, ‘Man, I’m taking [a $10MM discount].’ Now, they’re going to start taking advantage of me. You know what I’m saying? I know it’s a business, too. So, I’ve got a business to handle as well.”

For his part, Durant has put himself in position for another significant payday this offseason. In 68 games, he averaged 26.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 5.4 APG for the Warriors.

Check out more Pacific Division notes below:

  • Per a report from yesterday, the Warriors expect to have two-time Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry for their Game 2 matchup against the Pelicans on Tuesday. Curry missed the first-round series against the Spurs — which Golden State won 4-1 — and was “50-50” heading into Saturday’s Game 1.
  • Milos Teodosic came to the Clippers this past season as one of the most popular and decorated players in Europe. While his first season was mired with injuries, his prolific passing ability was on display. Also, when healthy, the Clippers were 29-16 with Teodosic on the court, according to the Clippers’ website.
  • With the Thunder eliminated from the postseason, the focus now shifts to the Lakers pursuing top-tier free agents – including Paul George – to team up with their young studs, Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register writes.
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Stephen Curry To Miss Game 1, ‘Very Likely’ For Game 2

April 28th, 2018 at 8:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors will not use Stephen Curry in tonight’s opening game against the Pelicans, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Coach Steve Kerr told his team about the decision this morning, adds ESPN’s Chris Haynes, but said the star guard feels great and is “very likely” for Game 2 (Twitter link).

Curry is still recovering from a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee that he suffered in a March 23 game. He missed the entire opening-round series against the Spurs, but said Friday he considered himself “50-50” to play tonight.

Kerr said he had discussions with Curry, GM Bob Myers and trainer Chelsea Lane before making the decision, relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link), with Kerr adding, “We have to protect him from himself.” (Twitter link).

“He’s very likely to play Tuesday night,” Kerr said. “… When you’ve been out five weeks and you want to play in the playoffs, I don’t think one scrimmage is enough.” (Twitter link).

Kerr hasn’t decided what Curry’s role will be in Game 2, tweets Monte Poole of CSN Bay Area. He may start or come off the bench and he could be playing with a minutes restriction.

 

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Injury Updates: Curry, Porter, VanVleet, Mbah a Moute

April 27th, 2018 at 5:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Stephen Curry is officially listed as questionable for the start of the Warriors‘ series with the Pelicans tomorrow night, relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News.

The star guard, who is recovering from a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee, was able to go through a full-court scrimmage today for the first time since suffering the injury March 23. However, the team isn’t ready to commit to playing him in Game 1, and Curry calls his chances “50-50.”

“Still to be determined. They come up with those snazzy words for a reason – doubtful, questionable, probable,” he said. “Just trying to work my way up whatever I need to do with whatever [trainer] Chelsea [Lane], the rest of the athletic training staff and coaching staff need to see before I can get back out there.”

Curry and Lane spent about 20 minutes after practice talking to coach Steve Kerr, who said Curry will be re-examined tonight and after Saturday’s morning shootaround before making a decision.

“It’s not as simple as, ‘Does he feel good? Then throw him out there,’” Kerr said. “It’s more about, ‘Let’s give him a few days and see how he responds from it.’”

There’s more playoff-related injury news to pass along:

  • Wizards forward Otto Porter, who is out indefinitely following a surgical procedure today on his left leg, has been experiencing pain since Game 4 of the series with Toronto, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. The decision to perform a lower leg fasciotomy to address a build-up of blood flow in the contusion area was made after reviewing the results of an MRI conducted today. Kelly Oubre will take Porter’s spot in the starting lineup, with Tomas Satoransky and Ty Lawson both expected to get more playing time, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk (Twitter link). “We need Kelly on the floor,” coach Scott Brooks said to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. “Now that Otto is out, we need Kelly to give us great minutes. … It’s a great opportunity for him.” (Twitter link).
  • The Raptors will have guard Fred VanVleet available for tonight’s Game 6 with the Wizards, Lewenberg tweets. VanVleet has been limited to three minutes in the series because of soreness in his shoulder stemming from a collision on the final night of the season. “I don’t know what to expect,” said coach Dwane Casey, “but we’ll get him in.”
  • The Rockets had hoped to get Luc Mbah a Moute back for the start of their second-round series, but it appears that won’t happen, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Sidelined by a dislocated shoulder, Mbah a Moute won’t be re-evaluated until next week, although he was able to participate in the non-contact part of today’s practice, said coach Mike D’Antoni.
  • Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue still wasn’t sure of George Hill‘s  status when he met with reporters before tonight’s game, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Hill, who has been experiencing back spasms, warmed up before the game with a heat wrap on his back, notes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Twitter link).
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