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Warriors Rumors: Biedrins, Ezeli, Curry, Jackson

September 26th, 2012 at 6:38pm CST by Chuck Myron

Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group rounded up a number of comments from Warriors coach Mark Jackson today, including the coach's displeasure with Andris Biedrins, the only one of the Warriors under contract since Labor Day not to show up at the team facility since the holiday. Kawakami says there "little doubt" that rookie Festus Ezeli has the edge on Biedrins for the backup center job. Jackson says the starting small forward position is an open competition, and seems convinced that Stephen Curry, entering the final season of his rookie deal and eligible for an extension with the team until the end of October, will get a significant raise soon. "I laugh because the dude is going to be filthy rich," Jackson said. "There's no pressure. Don't let it get in your head? What? That I'm going to be paid? To me, it's hilarious. Hopefully, it's going to be us and I expect it to be us. But one way or another, Steph Curry is going to be paid and paid very well for a long time."

Here's plenty more from a busy day by the bay:

Curry's doctor has given him permission to resume all activities with no restrictions, and is ready to demonstrate his healthy ankles to the Warriors brass in training camp, as HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram writes. Curry and the team have agreed to table extension discussions until the end of preseason. “I’ve left most of that to my agent,” Curry said. “I’m sure they have talked about it before, but nothing happened yet. We’re just kind of letting training camp play out and any deal we can make before the deadline would be great. I would love to stay out here in Golden State and be a part of the future. That’s definitely high on my priority list right now but the only thing I can control is getting healthy and getting ready for training camp and letting those guys do their job.”
In the same piece, Curry also praised the team's additions of Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes.
Jackson promised the Warriors would make the playoffs before last season, a vow the team wound up breaking. This year, he feels the team has improved, but is holding back from any pronouncements, believing that the team's changed culture is a statement unto itself, writes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group.
Warriors GM Bob Myers, like Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby, is a former agent, and Sean Deveney of The Sporting News looks at how that experience helps them do their jobs.
The team officially announced four training camp invitees, as we noted earlier.

Stephen Curry, Agent Optimistic About Extension

September 24th, 2012 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

Stephen Curry and the Warriors have agreed to put extension talks on hold until after the team's slate of preseason games, so that both sides have a better idea of how Curry's ankle looks after an injury-plagued 2011/12. But according to Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com, Curry and agent Lance Young are both optimistic that they'll work out a long-term deal with the Warriors before the October 31st deadline.

"Definitely," Curry said, when asked if he'd like to get a new contract signed. "It’s not like I don’t want to be here. That would be a great opportunity, to be locked up another four years and make it happen before the season so I could personally feel good about it and my future."

Young added that he was "very optimistic" about working something out with the Warriors, which represents a change of tone from what we heard earlier this summer. When the free agent period began on July 1st, Ken Berger of CBS Sports reported that it appeared unlikely Curry and the Warriors would reach an agreement before the season began. However, with the the two sides waiting until after the preseason to resume talks, the Warriors should get a better idea of how confident they can be in Curry's health going forward.

"Obviously they (the Warriors) want to protect themselves and want to see during training camp," Curry said. "And I have no problem with that."

Michael Pina of Hoops Rumors examined Curry as a potential extension candidate back in August. The Golden State sharpshooter is one of 20 players entering the final year of their rookie contracts who are eligible for contract extensions. Two others, Blake Griffin and Serge Ibaka, have already agreed to new long-term deals this offseason. If Curry doesn't sign an extension by Halloween, he'll be eligible for restricted free agency next summer.

Pacific Notes: Curry, Bogut, Howard, Clippers

September 20th, 2012 at 10:04pm CST by Alex Lee

It's been a busy night out West in the NBA. On the depressing side of things, we found out that Channing Frye of the Suns will likely be sidelined for the entire year with a heart issue. Here is hoping that Frye makes it back to full strength, as he says he should. In lighter news, the Kings will give free agent center Hamady N'Diaye a shot to make their roster in training camp.

Here is what else is going on in the Pacific division:

We covered this yesterday, but the Warriors said today, via press release, that Stephen Curry has received full medical clearance on his right ankle. Curry is good to resume all basketball activities right away.
Curry's teammate, Andrew Bogut, has had ankle issues of his own. Bogut spoke with Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury, saying that he should be ready for the team's opener, among other things.
Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld transcribes parts of an interview that Lakers coach Mike Brown gave with ESPN LA, detailing where Brown outlines how newly acquired Dwight Howard will help the Lakers right now and in the future.
John Hollinger of ESPN gives a detailed breakdown of the Clippers 2012-13 roster, insider only. Jamal Crawford, Grant Hill and Lamar Odom highlight the offseason additions for the Clips.
HoopsWorld published their season preview for the Clippers. The HoopsWorld staff is predicting a second place finish across the board for the Clips, presumably with the Lakers finishing atop the Pacific pack.

Odds & Ends: Curry, Knicks, Jones, Trail Blazers

September 19th, 2012 at 8:31pm CST by Michael Pina

It appears Warriors guard Stephen Curry's ankles are either 100% or very close to it. Earlier today Curry tweeted that he was finally able to participate in scrimmages with his teammates, and CSNBayArea.com's Matt Steinmetz later confirmed the tweet by writing that Curry indeed played five-on-five at the team's downtown Oakland practice facility.

Here's some other news from around the league.

Current Nuggets forward and former member of the Knicks Danilo Gallinari said that the fact New York is rumored to bring Isiah Thomas back into their front office is why they'll never win, writes KnicksJournal.com's Keith Schlosser.
Rockets rookie forward Terrence Jones sat down with Rockets.com's Jason Friedman for an informative Q&A.
Houston Chronicle reporter Jonathan Feigen analyzes what San Antonio's new uniforms could mean for the rest of the league.
SpursNation.com's Dan McCarney talks about what the recent sale of AEG might mean for some other teams across the league, including the Spurs.
In an in-depth season preview for the loaded Northwest Division, NBA.com's John Schuhmman says that the Trail Blazers might be the worst defensive team in the entire league next year.
Lakers head coach Mike Brown recently stated on ESPN Radio that he's excited about the upcoming season, for obvious reasons, writes ESPNLosAngeles.com.
NBA.com's Earl K. Sneed quotes Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle as saying that this is the year Rodrigue Beaubois puts it all together.

Western Notes: Jazz, Stephen Curry, Coaches

September 1st, 2012 at 6:12pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Western Conference looks to be even more competitive heading into the 2012/13 season thanks to a series of trades and signings this offseason. While the Thunder should remain the proverbial favorite led by their own Big 3, the Lakers have closed the gap with a flurry of moves including the acquisition of Dwight Howard along with Steve Nash. The Nuggets are another club to watch as the team added Andre Iguodala to its roster as a part of the Howard trade.

Here's the latest news from around the Western Conference…

Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake City Tribune tracks the unlikely journey Dennis Lindsey took to become the general manager of the Jazz. Lindsey began his path to Utah after playing college ball at Baylor by coaching a variety of different sports at the high school level and serving as a special education teacher. It wasn't until Lindsey turned 27 that he received an entry-level opportunity with the Rockets that had him serve as a video scout, marking the first of 16 seasons of preparing for his new role with the Jazz.
Stephen Curry's long-term future with the Warriors will be decided by five different factors, opines Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. The fourth-year star's contract status, whether he re-signs or not, should be determined no sooner than hours before the October 31 deadline. Regardless of whether Curry can reach a deal with the Warriors, the former Davidson star will attract attention from around the league.
The head coaching position in the NBA has been a revolving door for the majority of the league the past few season, writes Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld. Beyond the likes of the Spurs' Gregg Popovich, the Nuggets' George Karl and a handful of others, teams are seemingly becoming more likely to pull the plug on a coach in hopes of a quick fix.

Odds & Ends: Lakers, Mavs, Curry, Hudson

August 22nd, 2012 at 4:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Congratulations to Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside, who has been hired by the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League as the team's director of basketball operations. We wish Schroeder the best of luck with the Skyforce, the squad that will serve as the D-League affiliate for the Magic, Heat, Timberwolves, and 76ers this season. Let's round up a few more Wednesday odds and ends….

Lakers coach Mike Brown spoke to Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com in an extensive Q&A, discussing the Princeton offense, the team's new acquisitions, and the expectations heading into 2012/13.
SI.com's Zach Lowe explains how Mark Cuban's comments about the Mavs being in better position without Deron Williams make some sense. Still, it seems like most fans still view Cuban's argument as spin — in this morning's poll, over 78% of you said the Mavs would be better off if they'd signed D-Will.
Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com wonders what a "reasonable" extension offer by the Warriors to Stephen Curry would look like.
In a tweet, Lester Hudson shot down rumors suggesting he'd be signing with Partizan in Serbia.
Vinny Del Negro and Avery Johnson are among the coaches who could be on the hot seat with slow starts this season, writes Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.
Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution examines how free agent signee Lou Williams will fit into the Hawks' lineup.
Wes Unseld Jr. is a candidate to join the Magic coaching staff, tweets Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.

Stephen Curry, Warriors To Discuss Extension

August 20th, 2012 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

MONDAY, 1:26pm: Warriors GM Bob Myers confirmed to SI.com's Zach Lowe that the team will explore an extension for Curry this offseason, and expressed optimism about a potential deal (Twitter link).

FRIDAY, 10:30am: With Stephen Curry entering the final year of his rookie deal, the Warriors have until October 31st to sign the sharpshooter to a long-term extension. If the two sides don't reach an agreement, Curry will become a restricted free agent next summer. According to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com, the Warriors do intend to talk about a new contract for the 24-year-old before the deadline, but it's not clear whether those talks will be "courtesy conversations, designed to let Curry know he is wanted yet minus the serious money to close the deal."

Given Curry's injury woes in 2011/12, the Warriors will be watching him closely in pre-camp workouts, training camp, and the preseason, Howard-Cooper writes. Committing to a long-term deal for a player coming off ankle surgery would be a risk, so Golden State will take every opportunity to gauge Curry's health and determine whether it's a risk worth taking. For his part, Curry sounds open to getting something done before the season begins.

"You're playing chess with it," Curry said. "If they were to take that approach to wait and I've had a great season, hopefully it would spark some interest across the league for the future and the price would drive up. If I were the Warriors, I'd offer a reasonable amount and sign me up now."

Hoops Rumors' Michael Pina took a more in-depth look at Curry's extension candidacy earlier this month.

Odds & Ends: Harris, Curry, Shumpert

August 16th, 2012 at 9:24pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that the Heat are currently in talks with free agent Terrel Harris. The 25-year-old guard played in 22 games for Miami last season and was a member of the team’s summer league roster in Las Vegas. Winderman admits that he is suprised that Miami hasn't made a quicker commitment to Harris at this point (Sulia link). Here's what else we've heard from around the league this evening:

76ers guard Jason Richardson looks to continue to have the same success playing off of Andrew Bynum the way he was able to with Dwight Howard in Orlando, says John Finger of CSN Philly.
Howard Beck of the New York Times points out that the Knicks have yet to offer a reasoned explanation for declining to match Jeremy Lin's offer sheet with the Rockets.
Charlie Westbrook tweeted that he will pass on two opportunities to attend an NBA training camp and will head to Europe instead. Westbrook was not drafted by an NBA team in June but participated in Orlando as a member of the Magic's summer league roster.
Although he had been considering a job with the Magic, Rob Murphy chose to remain with Eastern Michigan University as the school's head basketball coach (the Detroit Free Press reports).
Marcus Thompson II of MercuryNews.com reports that Stephen Curry is optimistic that he will be ready for Warriors training camp and will undoubtedly be well enough to play by opening night. Curry, who says the only thing he hasn't done yet is play 5-on-5, had arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle in April and has been working out in Oakland.
Newsday's Marcus Henry says that Knicks guard Iman Shumpert rehabilitation process is progressing on schedule. The All-Rookie first team selection suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during New York's first-round playoff series in April and is projected to be able to return as early as December or January.
Greg Payne of ESPN Boston noted Jason Terry's thoughts on his role as a sixth man and what he can bring to the Celtics.
Jodie Meeks spoke with the Kamenetzky Brothers of ESPN LA today about why he chose the Lakers and what he hopes to accomplish. Andy Kamenetzky provided a breakdown of the talking points from the interview, including a post-interview discussion about the potential effect that Meeks can have on the team.

Extension Candidate: Stephen Curry

August 2nd, 2012 at 7:54pm CST by Michael Pina

Throughout his injury-plagued three-year career, Stephen Curry has proven to be one of the sharpest shooters in all of basketball. Two years ago he paced the entire league in free-throw percentage with an astonishing 93.4% mark, and his career three-point shooting percentage of 44.1% makes him a full-on priority for opposing defenses from almost anywhere on the court.

And still, it's because of those aforementioned injuries, specifically Curry's ankles, that the Warriors are unlikely to offer him the five-year extension he currently seeks. CBSSports.com's Ken Berger tweeted in early July that "early indications" suggested the Warriors would not agree to a contract extension this year. Despite Curry's incredible ability to make shots at an efficient rate, guaranteeing him a long-term deal is simply too big of a risk for any team to commit to, especially when you factor in the harsh tax penalties that will kick in through the life of his hypothetical contract.

And yet, one would think Curry is still a major part of the Warriors' future. He wants to play there for the long term, and time and time again the team has reportedly refused to part with Curry in deals for prominent stars like Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul. Then, in the face of a long-standing belief that Curry couldn't successfully co-exist in a winning backcourt with Monta Ellis, Golden State traded Ellis at last year's trading deadline.

For the next two years, the Warriors have eight-figure deals tied into Andrew Bogut, David Lee, and Richard Jefferson. Based on his skill level compared to equally experienced colleagues, Curry could command as much as $14MM on the open market. It's difficult to imagine him and the Warriors parting ways, but it might be even harder to picture a Golden State franchise paying four non-All-Stars annual salaries of over $10MM. All the while, the Warriors still haven't proved to be a playoff team.

One proposed possibility that's reportedly been discussed is an injury clause, which would give the Warriors some leeway in the event that Curry continues to miss significant time, or is forced to have another ankle surgery. It's a delicate situation for Warriors management to tip-toe around, and they only have until October 31 of this year to figure it out. The most likely scenario is the Warriors letting Curry become a restricted free agent, then matching the inevitable max offer sheet proposed by another team—a situation similar to what recently happened with Eric Gordon and the Hornets. This way Golden State saves a year's worth of salary, and Curry gets a hefty second contract.

Stephen Curry Extension Appears Unlikely

July 1st, 2012 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

"Early indications" suggest that the Warriors and Stephen Curry will not agree to a contract extension this year, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.

Because he's entering the final year of his rookie scale contract, Curry is eligible for a maximum-salary extension of up to five years. If he and the Warriors don't work out a deal, he'll be a restricted free agent next summer.

Curry is slated to earn about $3.96MM in 2012/13.