Since its inception during the 2017-18 season, the All-LeagueFits awards have only gotten more contentious. LF legends like Russell Westbrook, Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Oubre are still dominating the landscape, but this next generation of tastemakers are rapidly closing in. From the lottery to the second round, the rookies put it ON for their first bout in the tunnels. Between Victor Wembanyama diving headfirst into San Antonio’s cowboy culture, Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s refined vibes echoing the beaches of Miami and Alperen Sengun walking away with Most Improved Player, the L has been left in more than capable hands.

Fresh off of his Rookie of the Year award last season, Jalen Williams has cemented a spot on the All-LeagueFits First Team. The OKC Thunder in general were consistently dressed to the nines, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becoming the first player in LF history to win MVP in back-to-back seasons while Lu Dort rounded out the Third Team.

This year’s All-LeagueFits teams were carefully selected. The voting system was split into three categories: 25 percent of the votes were calculated from the LeagueFits discord, another 25 percent were derived from a legendary LeagueFits panel highlighted by Dwyane Wade, Serge Ibaka and Ty Young. The remaining 50 percent of the votes were weighted by LeagueFits producer Ian Pierno.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: FIRST TEAM

Three players made their debuts this season on the All-LeagueFits First Team— Bol Bol, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Williams—and joined a squad rockin’ sleek, suave and braggadocios attire with flashy accessories.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: SECOND TEAM

LeBron James easily had the best-dressed season of his career this year while Ty pushing the limits of his style, from pea coats to berets and a stream of loafers. Longtime LF legend Russell Westbrook locked in his seventh-straight All-LeagueFits appearance. And after back-to-back honorable mentions, Jordan Poole finally cracked the code with his consistent workwear wardrobe.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: THIRD TEAM

Jarred Vanderbilt made his third-straight All-LeagueFits team while Jerami Grant’s eclectic style turned heads constantly. On the other side of the aisle, Kelly Oubre and D’Angelo Russell put another stamp on their historic LeagueFits passport, marking their fifth and fourth placements, respectively.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: ROOKIE TEAM

Let’s be real, the rooks went absolutely crazy this year. After becoming Louis Vuitton’s latest ambassador, Victor Wembanyama fully enveloped the legendary brand’s new wave led by Pharrell Williams. An insane amount of ice spearheaded Scoot Henderson’s selection amidst the backdrop of Amari Bailey’s puffer campaign and Brice Sensabaugh’s break-out year.

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: HONORABLE MENTIONS

Honorable mentions are a must. Don’t get it twisted. With only 15 slots on the All-LeagueFits teams and an otherworldly amount of drip, the guys on this years list stayed laced in layers of palettes, fabrics and textures.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS: 2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

2023-24 ALL-LEAGUEFITS: MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Check out the award winners from years past below:

2017-18 Awards

2018-19 Awards

2021-22 Awards

2023 WNBA Awards

The post The 2023-24 All-LeagueFits Awards: SGA Named MVP, Wemby Wins ROTY (Again) appeared first on SLAM.

This year’s voting style for the All-star League Fits was unique by mirroring the NBA’s voting process, with the ballot being split up by conference *and* frontcourt/backcourt. In the East, layering has been a critical style choice for stars like the Jays and Tyrese Haliburton while wearing many hats: beanies, fitted’s, and cowboy hats. Meanwhile, in the West, stars like SGA and Jordan Clarkson have been showing out in the tunnel, as they always do, with their effortlessly cool style, bold accessories, and choice of shades.

Here’s this year’s LeagueFits All-Stars:

That’s back-to-back starting selections on the LeagueFits All-Star teams for Jaylen Brown.

Is there anyone in the League whose outfits are more talked about more than Tyrese Haliburton’s? He’s in a class of his own right now.

Who said there’s no waves in Philadelphia? The first-ever LeagueFits MVP snags a starting spot on this year’s starting 5.

Sometimes less is (a lot) more. Jordan Poole led the entire Eastern conference in votes this season.

Jayson Tatum led the Eastern frontcourt in voting (and by a lot, too).

Save any and all other nicknames, after back-to-back style All-Star selections, he’s officially Thanasfits Antetokounmpo.

Aesthetic this, aesthetic that, nobody’s aesthetic is as defined and consistent as Bruce Brown’s. (Who says cowboys can’t come from Massachusetts?)

Nic Claxton’s consistently been NYC’s best-dressed player despite being nearly 7-feet tall. Well deserving of his first LeagueFits All-Star selection.

Buddy Hield’s been consistently throwing fits for a few seasons. Excited to see it continue in Philly.

Once upon a time, Kyle Kuzma was the first-ever LeagueFits Rookie of the Year. He clearly hasn’t slown down at all since then.

Y’all know scary Terry was the first box checked on my ballot.

A guy who dresses how he’s feeling, there’s few guys in the league with the same variety and range as Myles Turner.

It’s been a season of straight heaters since Bol Bol arrived in the desert. (Oh, and he’s been putting in work on the court since the turn of the new year, too).

The Alexander’s are officially the LeagueFits royal family. Nickel Alexander-Walker joins Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a western conference starter, beating out an absolutely stacked ballot feat. Two former LeagueFits MVP’s. 

 Yeah, nobody had more votes than this guy. It’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s world and we’re all living on it.

It’s not easy to get dressed night in and night out when you’re a 7-footer with the largest sneaker size in the association, but Karl Anthony Towns has managed to do it. Shout out to the on and off-court All-Star.

Jalen Williams is the THIRD member of the Oklahoma City Thunder to be voted a LeagueFits All-Star, and the second to be voted onto the starting lineup. S/O dub.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone as consistently dressed as Devin Booker.

The host of last year’s on-court All-Stars is back. No LeagueFits discussion is complete without Jordan Clarkson in the conversation.

The first (of many) LeagueFits accolades for Lu Dort. One of the best-dressed players on the league’s coolest team.

The only thing better than winning your first ring is being voted as a LeagueFits All-Star for the first time.

LeBron’s in the GOAT conversation. He’s a business mogul. He’s a husband and father. He’s maybe the busiest basketball player ever, and he’s still found time to craft the best slate of pregame style we’ve ever seen from him in his career.

Jarred Vanderbilt made our All-LeagueFits first team last spring, it’s not a surprise that Los Angeles’ best-dressed added another style All-Star to his resume.

Russell Westbrook’s wardrobe is gonna be carved into the NBA style Mt. Rushmore when he retires. In the meantime, tho, he has more fits to get off (and create).

The post The 2024 LeagueFits All-Stars: Full List appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s what happened in the NBA and WNBA over the weekend. Let’s get it!

Draymond Green Gets Candid in Interview with Taylor Rooks

Draymond Green recently sat down with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report. The Warriors legend dropped some revealing gems during their interview. Green admitted “the writings on the wall” when he was asked about leaving the Warriors as a free agent.

The two parties have had some incredible highs as four-time champs and a record-setting 2015-2016 regular, but the lows have been low during public spats with head coach Steve Kerr, Kevin Durant, and a controversial altercation with teammate Jordan Poole. When it comes to that infamous moment, Green said their relationship is “a work in progress,” and he’s willing to do the work because he was wrong.

He also said they “definitely moved forward” and that he’s “seen improvements day by day, week by week, month by month.”

TOMORROW pic.twitter.com/avHPFxt6MV

— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) January 13, 2023

Ja Morant’s Challenge to All Rim Protectors: ‘Jump with Me if You Want to Go Viral’

Do not get it confused; Ja Morant will never back down. The former No. 2 overall pick has posterized many a rim protector. Few, if any, were as impressive as Morant’s yam on Jalen Smith. The unbelievable slam was punctuated by Memphis winning their ninth straight game after beating Indiana, 130-112, on Sunday.

Postgame, Morant admitted his thunderous dunk was his best of the difficulty. Morant felt so good about it that he challenged all rim protectors to jump with him if they wanted to go viral.

“It’s what everybody has been waiting for. I finally made it.”

jump with me if you want to go viral https://t.co/3ESSiC3A1w

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) January 15, 2023

Jonquel Jones is Headed to New York Via Blockbuster Trade

Jonquel Jones is on the move! The 2021 MVP was a part of a three-team deal that will send her to the New York Liberty, while Rebecca Allen and Natasha Howard will be sent to the Connecticut Sun and Dallas Wings, respectively. The Wings will also receive Liberty guard Crystal Dangerfield, Kayla Thornton will go to New York, and Ty Harris is headed to Connecticut.

Connecticut will also receive the No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft.

JONQUEL TO BROOKLYN?!

Welcome to free agency @RachGall @Winsidr pic.twitter.com/PpZqvW1hgn

— WSLAM (@wslam) January 15, 2023

Nikola Jokic’s Game-Winner Sinks Orlando

Nikola Jokic delivered a stepback game-winner to sink the Orlando Magic 119-116. The back-to-back MVP posted 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists on 8-11 shooting from the field and 1-4 from beyond the arc.

“He stepped back, got the space, and just shot over the top,” teammate Aaron Gordon said per ESPN. “It was a beautiful shot.”

EVERY ANGLE OF NIKOLA JOKIC’S STEPBACK GAME-WINNER pic.twitter.com/007JQYDLas

— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2023

LeBron James Inches Closer to History After Scoring 38,000 Career Points

The King is the second player to score 38,000 career points and is now 364 points away from breaking Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbarr’s career scoring record. James accomplished the historic feat after knocking down a three-pointer from the top of the arc. The four-time MVP posted 35 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in the Lakers’ heartbreaking 113-112 loss to the 76ers.

LeBron tonight:

35 PTS
8 REB
10 AST

Only the second player in NBA history to score 38,000 career points pic.twitter.com/W7DvUvFB7s

— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2023

The post Weekend Recap: LeBron James Makes History and Ja Morant Challenges All Rim-Protectors appeared first on SLAM.

However, the Warriors will likely look to play with more intensity and focus on meeting their goal of making the NBA Finals again and defending their 2022 championship. That much is clear to four-time champion Klay Thompson (29 points), who noticed that Golden State “relaxed a bit more than we should have,”

“I think with Steph and [Andrew Wiggins] back, we probably relaxed a bit more than we should have,” Gy Thompson said, per ESPN. “We thought with them showing up; we’d just get the dub.”

Meanwhile, Curry and Wiggins are looking to regain their rhythm and swag. Chef Curry dropped 24 points on 8-22 shooting from the floor and 5-15 from beyond the arc. Wiggins contributed 10 points on 5-16 shooting and was noticeably looking to find that aggression and rhythm he had before he suffered his abductor strain and illness that took him out for over a month.

Curry said that he wasn’t thinking about his shoulder while he played and that he didn’t think his conditioning took much of a hit due to the 11 games he missed after suffering a shoulder issue on Dec. 14. He also believed that playing under a minute restriction made finding his rhythm back a little more complicated.

He noted that there was a level of pressure to play at a high level of play within a certain amount of time on the court. He tried to balance regaining his form while trying to play within the flow of the game and said that his first game back was “hit or miss” as he tried to knock the rust off and play within the speed of the game.

“It’s hit or miss with how much rust you will have and how close you can get to the speed of the game,” Curry said. “The first quarter, it felt good just to be out there, running with our guys. I felt like I got stronger as the game went on. In the fourth, the intensity of the game picked up. We were playing very desperately, trying to come back and make some plays. I felt like myself again.”

The Warriors were encouraged by their play in the fourth quarter when they outscored the Suns 34-27 as they climbed back into the game as Curry scored 14 points in the final frame. The two-time MVP hit three consecutive triples to give the Warriors some momentum, then Jordan Poole (27 points) hit a layup, the Dubs got a stop, and Poole hit a three-pointer to pull Golden State to within six after trailing by 27.

“I’m hoping that fourth quarter was the team that I have come to know and love and recognize,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “But we have to show in the first quarter, not in the fourth quarter.”

At the halfway point of the season, Kerr and the Warriors hope they can consistently play as they did in the fourth quarter. They have another 41 games left in the season to see if that’s who they are or if this Jekyll and Hyde type of season is who they are.

“We’ve been talking about it for a long time,” Curry said. “Eventually, you have to do it, or else time runs out. We have 41 games to figure it out — or else we won’t.”

The post Stephen Curry on His Return to Play and Regaining His Rhythm appeared first on SLAM.

Golden State outlasted Memphis 123-119 due to Jordan Poole’s magical 32-point outing helping make Ja Morant’s 36-point effort mute. The win was highlighted by some heated jaw-jacking between the Warriors and Grizzlies, particularly between teammates Klay Thompson (24 points, nine rebounds, four assists) and Draymond Green (13 rebounds, 13 dimes, two blocks, one steal) and Grizzlies swingman Dillon Brooks.

#NBAXmas was a vibe.@MichelobULTRA || Joy Cam pic.twitter.com/N4sPUkAExM

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

At one point, Thompson hit a mid-range J from the free-throw line to put the Dubs up 16, and while he ran back to play defense, Brooks stumbled backward and fell. Replays showed Thompson leaning over Brooks and sticking his tongue out in Brooks’ face as he shuffled back to the other end of the court.

“Some good, old-fashioned trash talk,” Thompson said per ESPN. “It’s always fun to talk trash. We’ve been doing that since we were in middle school. You usually play your best, or you get frazzled. For me, it’s usually the former.”

Get hype, #DubNation pic.twitter.com/0Ao8iD1njD

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

Although the Warriors and Grizzlies may not call it a rivalry, it’s hard not to call it with all the evidence in front of us. The contention started after the Grizzlies outlasted the Warriors during the 2021 play-in tournament to get a first-round matchup with the Utah Jazz. The following year, the Warriors beat the Grizzlies 4-2 in the second round of the Western Conference semifinals.

That playoff rematch lit the flames of a burgeoning rivalry as Green got ejected in Game 1 for a Flagrant 2 foul on Brandon Clarke, and then he got elbowed in the eye during Game 2.

Brooks earned a one-game suspension for his role Gary Payton II missed extensive time after he fouled Payton hard on a fast break resulting in Payton suffering an elbow injury that knocked him out of 10 postseason games. The damage only seemed to stoke some flames as Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called Brooks out for violating an unwritten code.

From there, the second-round playoff series only got more heated and physical as Golden State tried to prove the old grizzled (no pun intended) vets had some juice left in them and could outlast the young and hungry Grizzlies. Once the series was over and Golden State marched on to win their fourth title in eight seasons, the Warriors, specifically Thompson and Green, took offense to Memphis talking trash and called them out for what they perceived to be disrespectful comments.

Way to bring the energy tonight, #DubNation

pic.twitter.com/pFXTGubWTj

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

After the championship parade, Green and Morant had a back-and-forth on Twitter, with both parties declaring their excitement for a primetime Christmas. The anticipation and hype did not fail as the Dubs and Grizzlies put on a show. However, the Grizzlies will have to wait a little longer to exact their revenge after losing on Sunday.

The post The Memphis-Golden State Rivalry Continued with ‘Trash Talk’ on Christmas Day appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s what happened across the L over the weekend. Let’s get it.

James Harden is Reportedly “Seriously Considering” Returning to Houston:

According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski at ESPN, Harden is reportedly considering a reunion with the Rockets if he doesn’t re-sign with Philadelphia as a free agent in July.

However, after the Sixers’ win over the Knicks on Christmas Day, Harden addressed the media and let them know how he really feels about being in Philly.

“I’m here, we’re playing very well, and I don’t know where that report came from,” Harden said, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “But I’m excited to be here, and we’re playing well. We’re continuing to get better.”

Meanwhile, Harden caught everyone’s attention with this colorful holiday fit. Hide y’all presents.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LeagueFits (@leaguefits)

Joel Embiid and Harden Combine to Score 64 Points against the Knicks:

The Beard (29 points and 13 dimes) and Joel Embiid (35 points) put up a combined 64 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists to help the 76ers extend their win streak to eight games with a 119-112 dub over the Knicks on Sunday.

The Sixers outscored the Knicks 24-9 to open the fourth and turned a one-point deficit into a 116-102 lead late in the fourth quarter.

“It was one of those games where you’ve just got to stick around,” Harden said per ESPN. “Like, stick around, stick around, and then fourth quarter, you give yourself a chance.

64 PTS | 12 REB | 14 AST @JHarden13 & @JoelEmbiid‘s combined Christmas Day stat line. vote both for NBA All-Star: https://t.co/kNf5hhEIQx.

presented by @palottery pic.twitter.com/Lu2cQROE6c

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 25, 2022

Jayson Tatum Torches the Bucks For 41 Points while Jaylen Brown Takes Over:

Jayson Tatum posted 41 points, including a ferocious first-half yam over Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jaylen Brown scored 29 points to help Boston (24-10) reclaim the top record in the League with a 139-118 win over the Bucks (22-11).

Boston grabbed a 100-86 lead after Tatum scored 20 points in the third quarter, and Brown brought the Celtics home with 13 points in the final frame; he also refused to back down after posting a screen that sent the Greek Freak to the ground. Brown and Antetokounmpo had a back-and-forth, but y’all know it’s only basketball. The players don’t take it seriously, and neither should basketball fans.

Boston gave Milwaukee their first three-game losing streak, while the Celtics have now won back-to-back contests after losing five out of six recent games.

HE CAUGHT ONE @jaytatum0 hammered it home in tonight’s @JetBlue Play of the Game pic.twitter.com/ZU6oCbvRB0

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 26, 2022

Jordan Poole Put Up a Dominate 32 Points to Lead Golden State Past Memphis:

Jordan Poole did what he had to do to play Grinch and ruin the Grizzlies’ Christmas after he dropped a team-high 32 points to lead the Warriors past Memphis on Sunday. Draymond Green (13 rebounds, 13 assists, two blocks) and Klay Thompson (24 points on 8-25 shooting) also put up some solid performances. They played up the burgeoning rivalry they have with Memphis with some sublime shi*t talking toward Dillon Brooks as well.

“He knows that he can’t get a second one. He’s still a young player,” head coach Steve Kerr said per ESPN. “Jordan was fantastic tonight, and we needed his offensive firepower.”

Dray Jordan

» https://t.co/ocDF2EGGU9 pic.twitter.com/HL0YggMOBa

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

Nikola Jokic Drops a Christmas Day Triple-Double Against the Suns:

Nikola Jokic (41 points, 15 boards, and 15 dimes) dropped his 83rd career triple-double and led the Nuggets to a 128-125 win over the Phoenix Suns. The two-time MVP recorded a 40-point, 27-rebound, 10-assist performance a week ago. It was the fourth 40-point, 15-rebound, 15-assist game in League history. Oscar Robertson (1961, 1962) accomplished it twice, and James Harden did it in 2016.

“Sick,” Aaron Gordon said of Jokic’s outing, per ESPN. “Those are video game numbers.”

Another MVP performance

41/15/15. Triple-Double 8⃣3⃣ pic.twitter.com/W5PNYlDFar

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 26, 2022

Jamal Murray (26 points, five rebounds, and five assists) forced overtime with a game-tying dunk, and Aaron Gordon put the exclamation point on the win with a poster over Landry Shamet.

“Yeah,” Gordon said. “Because of the time and score.”

Nuggets Nation BROUGHT THE ENERGY tonight. For that, we leave you with this

Goodnight, Wuggets Wation pic.twitter.com/WOYUm1twk7

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 26, 2022

The post NBA Weekend Recap: Elite Christmas Day Matchups and James Harden Addresses Reports of His Return to Houston appeared first on SLAM.

They’re also 1-5 on their latest trip, highlighted by back-to-back blowout losses to the Knicks (132-94) and Nets (143-113).

“You are what your record says you are,” Kerr said, per ESPN. “It was a bad road trip. We are 15-18, so we’re a below-.500 team, and we’ve got to find a way to reverse that.”

Steve Kerr: “Bad road trip. We are 15-18. We’re a below .500 team. Gotta figure out a way to reverse that.” pic.twitter.com/FdgK0TZH7O

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 22, 2022

The Warriors gave up a 29-point lead in the first quarter, the second-worst deficit in franchise history, and they scored 17 points, the second-fewest in an opening frame this season. The Dubs also allowed the Nets to score a Brooklyn-record 91 points in the first half, becoming the third time in League history to score 91 points through the first half.

The 40-point lead Brooklyn held over Golden State was also a franchise record. The point differential is also the largest halftime deficit by a defending champion in the history of the NBA.

“That first half, it was kind of a shock,” Draymond Green told ESPN.

One way the Warriors can address their struggles is by cutting down on turnovers. They turned the ball over 13 times in the first and finished the night with 21, with Brooklyn scoring 36 points off those miscues. Another would be picking up the energy and allowing it to help them play more organized fashion on both ends of the floor.

Those changes will likely have to come from Jordan Poole (13 points on 4-17 shooting, 1-11 from beyond the arc, and seven turnovers) and James Wiseman (30 points on 12-14 shooting in 27 minutes). That means Wiseman will likely have to continue to play at a consistently high level as he did on Wednesday. The Warriors can deal with Poole figuring out how to adjust to playing as a scouting report focus, but they likely need him to refind the magic he possessed last season.

“The simpler [he] plays, the easier shots [he] gets. It sounds like a bit of a paradox, but it’s been an issue here for us the past few games,” Kerr said. “The last couple of nights [he was] just trying way too hard.”

For now, the Warriors are stuck in a weird place while they figure out their win-and-develop-now ethos. For Green, that means Golden State must keep their cool over this stretch without Curry in the lineup. As well as Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green, and maintaining Klay Thompson for the long haul.

“You have to have that understanding because you don’t want to overreact,” Green told ESPN. “In saying that, the most important thing is always playing right; as long as you’re not making effort-related mistakes, you live with the results — we just have to understand where we are.”

The post Steve Kerr On the Golden State Warriors’ ‘Bad Road Trip’ appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday, their 132-94 loss to the Knicks in Madison Square Garden can be chalked up as a mixed result as they never led and played without Stephen Curry for the third straight game since he went down with a shoulder injury on Dec. 14. Golden State never led after the Knicks opened the game with an 8-0 run and never looked back during a wire-twire-win that gave New York their eight straight win.

The Warriors made it as close as 35-33 in the first-half but the Knicks pulled away over time and entered halftime with a 69-56 lead.

“The Knicks are in a good groove right now. They totally outplayed us,” Kerr said per ESPN. “We sank tonight. We’re trying to hang in there and we will. Another game tomorrow.”

When Anthony Slater of The Athletic asked about the fourth quarter effort Kerr got from Jordan Poole (26 points), Moses Moody (11 points), Jonathan Kuminga (13 points, four rebounds, and four assists) James Wiseman (four points, three rebounds, one steal, two blocks), the nine-time champ said that Golden State’s young guys are “working their butts off” and that they have “to keep our energy and our spirit up” when “things don’t go well.”

Steve Kerr on the struggles from the younger portion of the roster tonight vs Knicks pic.twitter.com/6B5u1T5sj4

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 21, 2022

As the Warriors continue to mesh their maxamzie both their present and future lineups, they will have to see that Poole, Moody, Kuminga, Wiseman, and Andrew Wiggins (when healthy) are capable of taking the torch Curry, KlayThompson, and Draymond Green lit and continue to build on the championship DNA and culture that’s led to four titles since 2015.

The post Steve Kerr on Young Players Keeping Their ‘Spirits Up’ During Tough Times appeared first on SLAM.

Let’s get it!

Anthony Davis (right foot) is Out At Least One Month After Suffering A Foot Injury On Friday:

According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic, Antony Davis will reportedly miss at least one month after suffering an undisclosed right foot injury.

AD has been dominant this season while helping the Lakers surge to a 6-4 stretch over their last 10 contests. The Brow is averaging 27.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game on 59.3 percent shooting from the field and has dropped 19 30+ games with one 44-point game against the Bucks and a dominant 55-point effort against the Wizards.

Before he got hurt, AD had a three-game streak of scoring at least 30 points that were broken when he suffered his foot injury against the Nuggets.

Lakers are bracing for an indefinite absence for the Lakers star, sources say, after he sustained the right foot injury in Friday’s win over Denver. Davis has played arguably the most dominant ball of his career this season. https://t.co/WCTr2y7eNp

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 18, 2022

Devin Booker Puts Up a Historic 58-Point Effort to Beat New Orleans:

Devin Booker lifted the Suns over the Pelicans 118-114 after dropping a season-best 58 points. It was the second time this season that Book scored 50 points after he posted 51 against Chicago on Nov. 30.

He’s now the sixth-youngest player to score 12k points in his career, trailing only LeBron, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and Tracy McGrady.

“Once I get it going a little bit, shooting over a hand is the right play,” Booker said per ESPN.

.@DevinBook‘s second 50-point game of the season. pic.twitter.com/CMwBniJ5Mv

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 18, 2022

Nikola Jokic Posts His 81st Career Triple-Double After Dropping 40-27-10 Against the Hornets:

Nikola Jokic (40 points, 27 rebounds, and 10 dimes) f***ed around and got his fifth triple-double of the season to lead Denver to a 119-115 win over Charlotte on Sunday night.

The two-time MVP sealed the W with two game-winning free throws with 13 seconds left on the clock. Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said he didn’t know Jokic was putting up massive numbers but knew that Jokic was having “another Nikola Jokic stellar performance, efficient,” and praised Jokic for his “ability to make every one of his teammates better,” and called Joker a “generational talent.”

“To be honest, I think it’s because of our defense, and I was just in the right spot to rebound the ball,” Jokic said per ESPN. “It’s not that I was grabbing for them or whatever, chasing for them. It just happened, you know? I wish it could be every night, to be honest.”

Triple double # 8️⃣1️⃣

40-27-10

m.v.p pic.twitter.com/ljQpTIVCHl

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 19, 2022

Jordan Poole has a Career-High Night For the Ages:

Jordan Poole hung a career-high 43 points on 14-23 shooting from the field and 5-11 from beyond the arc. He also handed out six assists and scored career-best 25 points in the first half to lead the Warriors past the Raptors. The 126-110 win was the Dubs’ first win in five attempts without Stephen Curry in the lineup. ˝Golden State also snapped their three-game losing streak and are now 3-14 on the road.

“He was incredible on both sides of the ball,” Draymond Green (17 points and nine rebounds) said per Yahoo Sports. “And when you connect the game like that, things will go your way. We all know what a special talent he is. He’s been going through some growing pains. To see him come out tonight and have the game that he had – especially with Steph being down and us needing to get a win – was really huge.

“His effort on the defensive end carried over to the offensive end.”

What a night for 3️⃣.@googlecloud || Player of the Game pic.twitter.com/lKxkgmnlJz

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 19, 2022

WNBA Won’t Expand in 2024:

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The Athletic that the League’s plan for franchise expansion will be delayed until at least 2025. The commission is in touch with 10 investor groups discussing potential arenas, practice facilities, season ticket markets, and potential corporate partners.

Engelbert said that a new team would need around 18-24 months to hire coaches and executives and bring on players through an expansion draft, among the many preparations it takes to build a professional basketball franchise. Although expansion is delayed, Englerbet said it’s still a part of the W’s long-term plans and reiterated that the WNBA is on a growth trajectory.

Toronto, Nashville, and the Bay Area (Oakland and San Francisco) are on the short list of expansion cities.

“I’m a big, big believer in: let’s transform the economics, and then we’ll expand, not expand and then hope that economics transform,” she said per Front Office Sports. “We want to bring new owners in that are going to be successful in standing up a franchise that can compete for a championship.”

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After the loss, Kerr addressed the media about the NBA’s lack of enforcement on travel calls this year.

“I think only based on consistency,” said Kerr on Thursday via 95.7 The Game’s “Damon and Ratto” when asked if travel calls are currently being enforced in the League. “On tape, all seven of ours were definitely travels. There was one on Dallas that I did not think was a travel — But there were also five or six other plays in the game that were definitely travels, including where Luka (Dončić) carries the ball in the post when he’s backing you down, and he puts his hand all the way underneath the ball. That’s a travel, and you’ve got to enforce it all — especially if you’re going to call the one on Steph (Curry) at the end with the game on the line when it’s a tiny little shuffle.”

By all means, the nine-time champ is not disagreeing with travel calls being called more since players are somehow getting away with them nowadays. He is just saying that these rules have to be called both ways during games, and it has to happen with all the other 29 teams in the NBA. Kerr made sure to reiterate this point too.

“You know me; I’m Mr. Travel. I’m all for enforcing traveling,” Kerr pointed out. “But it just has to be done all the time. And it can’t just be sort of selective.”

These comments on there being more balance with which teams are being called out more for travels trace back to what Kerr touched on earlier in November after a game with the Miami Heat. Warriors guard Jordan Poole had more travel calls called on him than the entire Heat team by the final buzzer. 

“Jordan Poole has been called for, I would guess, seven or eight palming violations over the last month since the League decided to really enforce all that stuff,” Kerr said following the Warriors’ loss to Miami on Nov.1. “And if that’s the case, then we’ve got to call it on everybody – And that’s my only beef, is that these things are happening a lot. We got called for a bunch of them. I have no problem with it. Like I said, a rule’s a rule, but let’s just be consistent. That’s all I ask.”

The Warriors will be back in action on Friday in a showdown with the Chicago Bulls.

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Kerr made the announcement on Monday following Golden State’s 132-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Wiseman played nine minutes and posted two points, two rebounds, and assists. He didn’t play in any of Golden’s Staes’ previous three games.

“Yeah, he going to go to Santa Cruz tomorrow, and we will keep him there for an extended period to get really good practice time and some games,” Kerr said per NBCS Warriors. “It’s not going to be one game and bring him back; we want to give him 10 straight days, something like that, and then come back.”

Steve Kerr said James Wiseman will go to the G-League tomorrow and stay down there for an extended time. Warriors want to get him reps. Said it could be 10 consecutive days or longer. pic.twitter.com/zIMOKAK8J6

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 15, 2022

Wiseman was expected to be a meaningful contributor on a Warriors team looking to prioritize winning and developing their young studs like Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody. The former No. 2 played 39 games before he suffered a season-ending knee injury that forced him to miss the entire 2021-22 season.

Wiseman first played in the G League in March before the Warriors shut him down. This season, the former Memphis Tiger is averaging 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds on 58.8 percent shooting from the field. When Jordan Poole was asked about Wiseman getting a G League assignment, the Michigan Man said he told Wiseman not to see it as a demotion or punishment.

Furthermore, Poole believes that Wiseman will be “a-okay” and that the G League assignment will allow Wiseman to get back into his bag and work on shots and moves he doesn’t get to utilize while being on the main roster.

Jordan Poole on James Wiseman going to the G-League (which Poole once did): “I told him it’s not a demotion. It’s not a punishment. He’s going to go down there and shoot as many shots as he wants, get as many touches as he wants, work on as many moves as he wants.” pic.twitter.com/ISivLSigjn

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 15, 2022

From a former player and coach’s perspective, Kerr knows it’s tough being a young player falling out of the rotation. However, the veteran coach has confidence that Wiseman will “find his way back to the rotation at some point.” Most of all, Kerr believes that the G League stint is “the best thing for him” since he’ll get “play a lot of minutes.”

“It’s really hard. It’s really hard for anybody to be in and out of the lineup, but for a young guy who’s been through a lot already, it’s a lot to go through,” Kerr said. “But this is part of his journey. Everybody’s got a different one. Part of his is he barely played any basketball before he got to the NBA, and he had a major injury. What I love about James is that he’s got incredible character, work ethic, and care for the team.

The Warriors will look to build on their latest win and build a winning streak when they play the Suns on Wednesday.

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“I played with a really dominant, great leader in Milwaukee in Giannis,” DiVincenzo said when talking about the leadership of the Greek Freak and Stephen Curry, per NBC Sports. “And coming here, obviously hearing a bunch about Steph, he’s really shocked me in terms of how down-to-earth as a person, down-to-earth as a leader and as a basketball player, how damn good he is.”

The 25-year-old is “blown away at how great a leader Curry is both on and off the court and how the four-time NBA champion has exceeded all his expectations.”  

DiVincenzo is particularly impressed by Curry’s ability to listen. 

“I think that’s what makes him such a great leader and such a great player because, obviously, he knows other people see different things and he could blow you off at any time, but he doesn’t, and I think that’s the biggest thing as a leader that’s important,” the Villanova product noted.

After straining his left hamstring and watching the Warriors’ 0-5 road trip from his couch, DiVincenzo will likely return to play Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

“It was frustrating not being with the guys,” DiVincenzo said, per East Bay Times. “I knew, selfishly, it was the best thing for me getting back on the court. But I’m all about everyone being together. That was frustrating.”

The Warriors hope DiVincenzo’s veteran presence can boost the struggling bench. The guard averaged 15 minutes in his first three games with the Dubs. Upon returning, he wants to “take the energy to a whole other level” and have a “plus/minus in the energy and be really high on that end.”

On the hardwood, DiVincenzo can help loosen up the scoring load and, hopefully, give Jordan Poole a jumpstart. 

“Not going to come here and try to be a hero on Friday. Just coming in with that second unit and letting Jordan get back to his, letting his mind go free and letting him do his thing,” DiVincenzo said of his role. 

“For me, to keep the offense moving, facilitate everything. So when it comes back to JP, he doesn’t have so much pressure to initiate everything and try to be aggressive scoring the ball. Take a little bit of that load off him.”

DiVincenzo and the Dubs take on the Cleveland Cavaliers tomorrow night in the Bay Area.

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With the 130-129 loss yesterday, the Warriors now sit at 12th in the Western Conference. While it is still early in the season, through their nine games played thus far, the Warriors’ defensive and bench production struggles have been glaringly apparent.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke on the team’s struggle postgame per ESPN, stating;

“We have to save us because nobody else is coming.”

When asked what was the “first step” to save the team, Kerr added;

“We’ve had nine games now, so we’ve had a decent look at combinations. It’s time to try something different. Everybody’s going to get a chance to play. We’ve got guys who are dying to get on the floor, and we’ve got to find combinations that play. We will look at that as a staff.”

Warriors veteran Draymond Green also chimed in postgame on the team’s struggles, saying;

“It’s our defense; we have to correct our defense.”

Whatever adjustments that need to be made, best believe Kerr and the Warriors staff will figure things out. The Warriors have found diamonds in the rough before through their G-League system. Two prime examples are Jordan Poole and former Warrior, now Portland Trailblazer Gary Payton II.

There is no doubt that Golden State will turn things around. The only question is when? The Warriors look to bounce back Friday versus the New Orleans Pelicans on the road in the final stop on their current road trip.

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Wiggins’ improvement comes after he joined a Warriors team that allowed him to take a lesser role as a valuable third scorer and premium defender tasked with defending any opponent’s top perimeter threat. It’s the kind of role that’s allowed him to prevent anybody from saying he didn’t live up to his potential as Maple Jordan.

The rapid development caused Coach Steve Kerr to rave about how “confident” he looks this season and how he’s used his role on the ’22 title team to “springboard” into possibly having a better year than he did last year. During the Finals, Wiggs averaged 18.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while primarily being a thorn in Jayson Tatum’s side. He also played tough defense against Luka Doncic and Ja Morant while being a go-to scorer late in the shot clock.

“I think (Andrew) Wiggins — this is I’ve ever seen Wiggs,” Kerr said. “He’s an All-Star last year; he helped us win a championship. I think he’s used that momentum that he gained a year ago to kinda springboard into this season, and I don’t think he’s ever looked more confident.”

"This is the best I've ever seen Wiggs." pic.twitter.com/XopHFZCytm

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 24, 2022

As of Tuesday, Maple Jordan is averaging 22.3 points, a career-high 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on 52.0 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent from downtown. It’s a small sample (three games), but it’s the type of production that justifies Golden State’s commitment to its future while prioritizing its veteran championship experience.

“Not only in his own game but with what we’re doing, the way we play. You saw the extra pass last night that he made to (Stephen Curry) for the three. He’s making those simple plays, but then he’s attacking when he needs to attack and playing just really efficient basketball, playing great defense. So a lot of good stuff, but we have to put it together as a team, and that’s gonna take some time.”

Draymond Andrew pic.twitter.com/GDNRYHOHSR

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 24, 2022

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Right off the bat, Coach Steve Kerr has decided to put four-time champions Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on minute restrictions to start the campaign for conditioning. In the team’s season opener versus the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson played only 20 minutes, while Green finished at 25.

Kerr told reporters that the two veterans’ that he thinks their minute restrictions will be lifted slowly to their normal regular season minute level in a “couple of weeks.” 

Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins will be expected to step up during the process. In fact, they did exactly that on Tuesday. Poole dropped 12 points and seven assists in 28 minutes, while Wiggins scored 20 points in 29 minutes.

The Warriors will take on the Nuggets on Friday for their second game of the season. Perhaps Thompson and Green will see a slight increase in their playing time then.

The post Steve Kerr Expects to Lift Klay Thompson and Draymond Green’s Minute Restriction Soon appeared first on SLAM.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but for now, here are seven takeaways from last night’s action.

Revenge SZN: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are looking even better

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been a nightmare for teams on both sides of the ball for a few years now. They have three ECF trips under their belt and a recent appearance in the NBA Finals — they’re not supposed to still be getting better. After showing up to opening night rockin’ some pretty eye-catching fits, Brown and Tatum dropped a combined 70 points (dropping 35 points apiece) and solidified the dub over Philly.

Both were attacking from every part of the floor. Having two dynamic players like Brown and Tatum gives the Celtics a good chance to get back to the Finals and maybe even win it this time. 

Ring Night: The Warriors may be poised to make another championship run

On ring night, the Warriors look good. Damn good. Stephen Curry is still just as good as he’s always been, and the Warriors’ weapons all kept them afloat and out of reach. The Dubs had their trademark explosive third quarter, and signature contributions from Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Curry, and Andrew Wiggins on offense guided them to a win. Draymond Green and Kevon Looney anchored a strong defensive performance. Their young core (Moses Moody, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga) came in off the bench and provided valuable minutes. Sheesh, the Warriors are deep. 

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The Beard drops a 30-piece on Opening Night

James Harden has been a picture of perfect health for the majority of his NBA career, but during his tenure with the Nets, and leading into his tenure with the Sixers, Harden was dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that sapped away a lot of his explosiveness and his ability to change speeds that made him so difficult to contain during his days in Houston. Houston Harden showed up in Boston last night for Philadelphia.

He finished the game with 35 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 64.2 percent shooting from the field and 12/12 shooting from the line. Some may say vintage Harden; we say he’s back. 

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LeBron James speaks on Lakers’ Shooting Troubles:

The Los Angeles Lakers Big 3 finished with 77 of 109 points as the remainder of the team struggled to score all game with their limited spacing. Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis also shot a combined 4-16 from three, while the Lakers as a whole shot 10-40. After the game, The King was quick to recognize this deficiency in the Lakers’ offense, citing a lack of “lasers.”

Moving forward, the Lakers need better shooting performances if they do not want to repeat their fate from last season. 

Honoring No. 7: Jaylen Brown Speaks on Bill Russell’s Legacy

The legendary Bill Russell, and 11-time NBA Champion (twice as a head coach of the Celtics), passed away this past summer. The Boston Celtics legend had his No. 6 retired around the League, and every team is wearing a “6” patch on their jersey to honor him. The Celtics took each step, however, intent on honoring their greatest player. Jaylen Brown took a few moments to commemorate Bill Russell before the game, honoring him as a player, a father, a leader, and a man. 

Coaching Debuts of Mazzulla and Ham:

Darvin Ham and Joe Mazzulla both made their head coaching debuts on opening night. Mazzulla won his first game, and Ham lost his. Mazzulla is an interim head coach, for now, following Ime Udoka’s season-long suspension by the Boston Celtics.

Near the end of their contest against the Celtics, Stan Van Gundy joked that Mazzulla now has the best winning percentage in NBA history. This is true and looks to remain true, at least through his next game. Ham, on the other hand, has the tall task of coaching a veteran Lakers team back to promise. There are some positive takeaways to be had from the team’s performance but look for tweaks in the next few games as they look to find their footing. 

FREE BG 

October 18th marked the beginning of the NBA season, but it was also Britney Griner’s 32nd birthday. Stephen Curry took some time to bring awareness to her wrongful incarceration in Russia during his direct address to the fans in attendance as well as the fans watching on TV at home. The fight for Griner’s freedom continues to be a major point of emphasis as the season begins. 

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Andrew Wiggins’ deal includes a player option, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/V51QrQ7tkr

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 15, 2022

When Wiggins came to Golden State, he had a complicated resume as a “empty-calorie” scorer that hadn’t lived up to the massive contract he signed to be the leader in Minnesota. There was also questions about his intensity and whether or not he would live up to the moniker of Maple Jordan.

Since then, Wiggins has evolved into a first-time All-Star, two-way star, and third-scoring option who helped Golden State win their fourth title since starting their dynasty run in 2015. Maple Jordan took a paycut to stay in Golden State, going form making $33 million this year and will earn up to $24 million in 2023. Wiggins is set to make $15 million less than the max he could’ve made if he tested the open market next summer.

What makes this extension even sweeter is the fact that it cames just hours after teammate Jordan Poole signed his contract extension over the weekend. Golden State being able to lock down two of their young stars bodes well for a franchise that is looking to make the most out of their “foundational six” still being on the roster while aiming to develop the stars that they hope will carry the Warriors into the future.

“You never know what the future holds. I’m happy here,” Wiggins said. “We have a chance to do something special. I believe in the guys, the organization. So we have a deal done and I’m happy about it.”

Heading into the 2022-23 season, Wiggins will be asked to reprise his role as the ideal wing next to Stephen Curry. Namely being a primary defender against opposing teams’ best offensive players that attacks the boards at a high clip while filling in as the third option capable of being a strong shotmaker when the shot clock is winding down. In fact, it was

That’s the role he mastered on the way to his first title, and that’s the role he can be expected to refill while the Warriors look to successful defend their title.

“What I see with Wiggs is just a comfort level with his daily routine and our style,” Coach Steve Kerr said. “The way we play is very different from the way he played his first years. So he looks relaxed and ahead of the game compared to the first years where ehe had to figure out how we played, he’s comfortable in it because he’s got a couple of years of work within the style.”

When asked about that he wants to bring over from the playoff run of his life, Wiggins said that his main priority is continuing to rebiund the ball and play defense at a high level. Wiggins believes that he “took a step with the playoffs” that’s capable of continuing to play at that level. Heading into his second full year with the Warriors, Wiggins will look to prove Kerr’s thoughts about him correct.

“There are a handful of guys like Steph or LeBron (James), Giannis (Antetokounmpo) who are going to be great no matter where they are,” Kerr said. “But most of the league, you have to find a good spot. And Wiggs found a good spot.”

Photos via Getty Images.

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The former Michigan Wolverine went from showing a lot of promise during his rookie year to being demoted to the G League because he played so little during the 2020-21 season. He played 11 games with Golden State’s G League affiliate before they recalled him.

“His rookie year, he was lost, frankly,” Kerr said, per The Athletic. “But most rookies are. The game is different. The pace is different, the athleticism. What I admired about JP from the start was his understanding of how much work it would take to get where he wanted to go.”

How it started How it’s going pic.twitter.com/jOi0SbRkMy

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 16, 2022

Poole started the first 28 games of the 2021-22 season, with the Warriors going 23-5 before Coach Steve Kerr benched him to make way for Klay Thompson’s triumphant return from a two-season absence. Poole has repeatedly answered adversity through his first three seasons in the League.

When his rookie season was cut short by the pandemic, Poole reportedly lived at the gym and fully dedicated himself to improving his skillset. When he was sent down to the G League, Poole took full advantage of the opportunity by dominating on the court with his shifty handle and automatic jumper. Poole came back with unshakeable confidence and a chip on his shoulder when he came back.

Last year, Poole responded to coming off the bench by becoming an invaluable walking bucket capable of taking over games and being a significant part of Golden State’s title run.

“You go through different stages — high school, AAU, college,” Poole said. “There’ll be adversity. You just gotta have faith and have confidence. Self-belief will take you a very long way. Obviously, you mix that in with hard work and an open mindset, and anything is possible.

“Obviously,” he continued, digging into his bag of perspective, “people will try to write you off, and they’ll have things to say. That just comes with it. People will say good things. People say bad things – But as long as you focus and you have tunnel vision, and you lock in. Once you set your mind to something and you come up with a plan to do it, everything else takes care of itself. So it was just an amazing feeling not only for me but for my family. They put in so much time, so much money, and a lot of things that you can’t repay them for. So it’s just amazing to have them be a part of this as well. And my teammates who helped me get here. We can go down the entire line just talking about it. But it was a very, very special, life-changing moment.”

The @warriors dropped a 10 min video of Jordan Poole highlights. Watch this and be inspired the next time you hoop. pic.twitter.com/BYuNmijTfP

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 17, 2022

Now, the Warriors have rewarded his ability to persevere with a four-year, $140 million dollar extension. When Poole signed the contract, he couldn’t help but smile as he put ink to paper in Myers’ office.

“I couldn’t stop smiling,” Poole said Sunday. “I really tried to stop smiling. But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.”

Bag earned. : @_JordanJimenez pic.twitter.com/YljCsDiPHO

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 15, 2022

Poole’s deal signifies Golden State’s dedication to solidifying its future. It’s also a sign of things to come as the Warrior starts to contemplate their future without the foundational members of the dynasty. Stephen Curry is locked in for four more years while Draymond Green and Klay Thompson wait to see how their extension negotiations go.

When asked about the fallout of his altercation with Green, Poole responded diplomatically, only saying he and Green our professionals and that they “plan on handling ourselves that way.”

“In regards to the Draymond situation,” Poole said, addressing the altercation publicly for the first time, “you know, he apologized, and we’re professionals. We plan on handling ourselves that way. We’re gonna play basketball, and everybody in the locker room and on our team knows what it takes to win a championship. And we’re gonna do that on the court. I mean, that’s really all I have to say on the matter. We’re here to win a championship and keep hanging banners.”

It remains to be seen just how the Warrior’s dynamic will be changed, if at all, this season. Kerr called the situation” the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had” Knowing that the Warriors have been able to wither plenty of storms is a testament to their culture. What happens this season will be the ultimate test of the Warrior’s way and their”Strength in Number” mantra that resulted in four championships.

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The sides are reportedly close to crossing the Ts and dotting the Is on the rookie scale extension. According to Poole’s representatives, a formal agreement is expected to be completed later on Saturday. Poole’s extension comes days before Monday’s deadline for 2019 Draft class members.

Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole is finalizing a four-year, $140 million contract extension, his agents Drew Morrison and Austin Brown of CAA Sports tell ESPN. Sides are completing final details today and formal agreement expected soon. pic.twitter.com/hIP8MaOhzp

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 15, 2022

Poole’s extension solidifies the Warrior’s commitment and belief in Poole as a franchise cornerstone. At 23-years-old, Poole has become one of Golden State’s more solidified offensive weapons as they look to defend their fourth championship in eight seasons.

How to make the stadium explode 101: be like Poole.

(via @NBAUK) pic.twitter.com/P3LagLBtHC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 6, 2022

Last season, Poole averaged a career-high 18.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. During the Warriors’ run to the 2022 NBA championship, Poole averaged 17.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game and scored 25 points on 60 percent shooting six times, according to ESPN. That run of 25+ point outings Poole tied with Jerry West (1968 postseason) for second-most in a single-postseason, right behind Andrew Toney in 1982.

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Green stayed home for the last week to help cool down and mitigate the wounds caused by his controversial squabble with Poole. Since then, Coach Steve Kerr announced that the Warriors fined Green and decided not to suspend the four-time champion. Kerr put an exclamation point on the incident by calling it “the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had.”

“We had the conversations about what we need to do moving forward, and we’re going to do that,” Green said per ESPN. “We are not going to continue to hold on to the past.”

Swoosh@Oracle || Game Ready pic.twitter.com/wzOQcZBAqu

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 13, 2022

Before Green came back, the Dubs had meetings with the front office, coaching staff, and prominent players like Poole, Looney, Stephen Curry, and Andre Iguodala. Once players, specifically Poole, gave the thumbs up, the Warriors decided it was time to bring Green back.

Green is set to play in Golden States’ final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. He will also be available when the Warriors have presented their rings ahead of their opening night contest against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

GAME DAY pic.twitter.com/Mi74ILE99s

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 14, 2022

Green didn’t tell reporters what he was up to during his self-imposed break from the team, but he did say he was in a better mental state on Thursday than when he left. According to Green, Kerr, and Kevon Looney, Thursday’s practice was business as usual, and there was no on-court awkwardness between anyone.

Despite the public backing from Kerr and his teammates, Green admitted there would be lingering feelings about his quarrel with Poole. Kerr touched on the moment on Wednesday when he said that the Warriors’ “culture had been damaged by the incident. You have to work to repair that.” Kerr added that Green broke the team’s trust but also said that Green deserves the benefit of the doubt due to the relationship they’ve built since 2015.

“It’s about making sure our team camaraderie is right,” Green said. “You can tell when you’re playing against a team, and they have good camaraderie — if not, they can be broken easy — if you have that, you can build through anything. [Our camaraderie doesn’t] get very shaken.”

Although Green acknowledged that he had some work to do when he stepped away from the team, Green seemingly had some contention with the notion that he had to rebuild trust with his teammates. The Warriors have been victorious because of the trust the Warriors’ “foundational six” has built over the last eight seasons. Not to mention their desire to win and knowing what it takes to win.

Green will use that mindset to navigate his relationship with Poole for the foreseeable future.

“Jordan is a professional, and I am a professional. We have a job to do — we’re going to do just that,” Green said. “[As far as a personal relationship], I’m not sure. That’s not up to me, nor do I think there is much relevance. We’re paid to do a job, and we are going to do that job to the best of our abilities.”

The post Draymond Green: Warriors Won’t ‘Continue to Hold On to the Past’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kerr made the announcement after the Dubs’ preseason game against the Trail Blazers on Monday. He distinctly called the contentious moment “the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had.” Kerr also said Green would return to the team on Thursday and expects Green to play Golden State’s last preseason game and their opening night contest against the Lakers.

“It’s been an exhaustive process,” Kerr said per Yahoo Sports. “We feel like this is the best way after assessing everything for us to move forward. It’s never easy, no matter what decision you make in a situation like this. It’s not going to be perfect.”

Kerr said that key figures in the organization, including Green, Poole, Stephen Curry, and GM Bob Myers, were involved in the decision-making process leading up to Kerr’s announcement. Kerr added that he trusts Green and that the former Michigan State Spartan has earned the benefit of the doubt following Green’s lapse in judgment.

“I trust him,” Kerr added. “He broke our trust with this incident. But I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt because I think he’s earned that. I think our team feels the same way.”

Kerr added Green and Poole had played a role in deciding Green’s punishment and that the two veterans have “had a great discussion” that he believes will help them “move forward” from the incident.

Poole has yet to address what happened, but Kerr said that the franchise would make the former Michigan Wolverine available to reporters soon.

According to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, the tension between Green and Poole had been simmering since the start of the training camp. Although both players are eligible for contract extensions, Green flat-out denied that the dispute was over money. Green also said that he was “wrong for my actions that took place” last week and that he’s apologized not just to Poole and his teammates but to Poole’s family for “the embarrassment” he caused to the team. He also declared that: “I failed as a leader. I failed as a man.”

“I was wrong for my actions that took place on Wednesday,” Green said. “For that, I have apologized to my team. I have apologized to Jordan.”

The Warriors open their regular season at home on Oct. 18 against the Los Angeles Lakers, where they’ll celebrate their 2022 NBA championship with a ring ceremony.

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“Look, it’s the NBA in professional sports these things happen, nobody likes it we don’t condone it,” Myers said. “Draymond apologized to the team this morning, Jordan was there in the room.

Head coach Steve Kerr added: “I’m not going to answer anything more because Bob already answered what needed to be answered. The only thing I will say is that Jordan has been fantastic throughout camp. There was a report that I was made aware of last night that someone put out there that Jordan had an attitude in camp. Nothing could be further from the truth, he’s been fantastic. So, disappointing to see this information out there, but I wanted to make sure I set the record straight on that. Everything else, we will handle internally and go from there.”

Stephen Curry also reiterated Kerr’s sentiment about Poole’s behavior, saying, “JP’s been great. There’s nothing that warrented the situation yesterday. We made that clear, but it’s also something that we feel like will not derail our season and what we’re trying to build and that’s with Draymond as a part of that.”

It seems that for now at least, the Warriors have it under control and we’l; have to wait and see what comes about from the situation.

The post Warriors Briefly Address Practice Scuffle Between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors decided to go all in on maximizing their championship window by keeping their “foundational six” around and choosing to develop Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and James Wiseman by throwing them in the fire after deciding to let Porter Jr., Payton, and Juan Toscano-Anderson walk away to the Raptor, Trail Blazers, and Lakers respectively.

Column on my pre-camp conversation with Warriors president Bob Myers…https://t.co/A4eNHKKBeD

— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) September 16, 2022

The Warriors have yet to come to terms with a deal with Green, Poole, and Wiggins this summer. Wiggins can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, Poole can become a restricted free agent next July if he doesn’t sign a rookie extension by Oct. 17 per rookie extension rules, and Green can become a free agent if he decides to opt out of the current deal he’s currently on.

When Bob Myers was asked about keeping Wiggins and Poole, Myers included Green in his question, making it clear that he wanted to keep “all three as long as we can have them.”

“I think with both those guys and Draymond, the goal, we want all three as long as we can have them,” Myers said, per The Athletic. “We’ve had conversations with all three players, their representatives. I’m not going to get into the likelihood or not of any of them getting done. But we know how important they are — I don’t know that we win a championship last year if you take any of them away. Draymond, his pedigree here, he’ll go down as one of the best Warriors ever to put on a uniform.

“So we know the value of all those guys. Too early for me to say what will happen or won’t happen. But the goal is to keep those guys, all three of them, as long as we can. But again, there’s financial components.”

Being able to sign Green, Poole, and Wiggins will be a costly endeavor for the Warriors. Golden State currently has a $380 million payroll; unless the Warriors make cuts, Poole’s extension will take them over $400 million during the 2023-24 season. A scenario that Warriors owner Joe Lacob doesn’t see as “remotely possible.”

If there are any cuts to make, fans would think that Draymond Green fits that role as someone who doesn’t produce monster numbers. However, Stephen Curry wants to play the remainder of his career with Green, who is a part of that “foundational six,” he’s consistently healthy and has embodied the Warriors’ non-positional greatness and defensive prowess since 2015.

According to Myers, the Warriors see Green as “not a guy we look at and say he’s not going to be around,” but he did leave the door open about Golden State possibly having to make a difficult decision in not re-signing Green whether or not he opts-out of his player option.

“No, no, I would definitely, unequivocally say (he’s) not a guy we look at and say he’s not going to be around,” Myers said. “Now, at some point, decisions are going to have to be made. But as far as his importance to this organization and what he’s done, we’re going to do everything we can to keep him in the fold.

“We don’t make these decisions definitively, ‘This guy’s going to be here, this guy’s not.’ We don’t do that. Because right now, we’re not making those decisions today. So everything’s on the table. And you really have to, in my position, do your best, and you owe it to the fans and the organization, to players that have helped in the way that all of those players have.

“Draymond, certainly it’s obvious to anybody what he’s done for us. I could never sit here and say, ‘Well, he’s not going to be around.’ I can’t even get the words out of my mouth.”

The Warriors will celebrate their 2022 title on Oct. 18 when they host the Lakers for ring night.

The post Bob Myers: ‘We Want’ Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole ‘As Long We Can Keep Them’ appeared first on SLAM.

When Matt Sullivan of Rolling Stone asked Curry how much longer he’d like to play in the NBA, the Baby-Faced Assasin revealed that he’d like to “at least” play through his current four-year deal before contemplating retirement. Golden State’s main focus going into next season will be maximizing their championship core while developing their young hoopers like Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and James Wiseman.

“The championships are just getting in the way,” Curry told Sullivan.

GOODNIGHT. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/dkNo4Pv8lf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Curry averaged 25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and a career-low 38.0 percent from beyond the arc. Curry has the type of game that ages gracefully, relying more on finesse than physicality. However, Curry was able to unlock another level of physicality alongside his legendary stamina that helped him dominate when it mattered most in the playoffs.

Heading into his 14th season, Curry says that the hardwood remains “his safe space” even as his veteran status increases. The eight-time All-Star is renowned for his conditioning and can lean on his improved physicality to ward off the lengthy wings that match-up against him. Although he shot a career-low from three last year, it’s likely an outlier, not a sign of things to come. Curry is a career 42.8 percent shooter from three-point territory.

“There are more thoughts, as you get older, of that healthy insecurity: ‘How long can this go?’ ” Curry told Sullivan. “I’m not afraid of what’s next, but the invisibility — the fact that when you’re in your actual prime, you’re not thinking anything else — now I have a healthy balance of both.”

Curry and the Warriors will look to start their title defense against the Lakers on Oct. 18.

The post Stephen Curry Reveals He Wants to ‘at Least’ Play Four More Years appeared first on SLAM.

On Sunday, Rolling Stone revealed that the reports of a potential Warriors-KD reunion were being seriously discussed within Golden State, according to reigning Finals MVP and four-time champ Stephen Curry. Curry told Rolling Stone that he and the Warriors’ front office had a “conversation” about his thoughts on acquiring Durant.

“There was a conversation internally amongst us about ‘If he was available, would you?'” Curry said three days after Durant made his trade request. “Every team has those conversations, and obviously, in our situation, they’re gonna call me and ask me, ”How do you feel about it?”

However, Durant and the Nets made up last month despite Durant reiterating his trade request and giving team owner Joe Tsai the ultimatum of choosing him or Coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks. Curry sees the narrative around his future Hall-of-Famer teammate and says that Durant is “misunderstood” and that he would have welcomed Durant into Golden State with open arms.

When Curry sat down with Rolling Stone on Aug. 9, he told the magazine that he was “never hesitant” about playing with KD again and that he had “so much fun playing with him those three years.”

“I was never hesitant. The idea of playing with KD and knowing who he is as a person, from our history in those three years, I think KD’s a really good dude. I think he is misunderstood. I think he has had certain things happen in his life that hurt his ability to trust people around him, in a sense of making him feel safe at all times. So all of those things, I understand, having played with him and gotten to know him. I love that dude.”

Curry also gave the Warriors a resounding yes to acquiring Durant but understood it would take a lot of finesse to trade for KD.

“And if you said, ”Oh, KD’s’ coming back, and we’re gonna play with him,” I had so much fun playing with him those three years, I’d’ be like, ”Hell, yeah!” Then you have to think: What does that actually mean? What does it look like? You tell me I’m’ playing with [current Warriors teammates Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Draymond Green], I’m’ like, ”Hell, yeah!” There’s all types of emotion and things that happen to the league. And if anybody’s saying that you wouldn’t entertain that conversation—no disrespect to anybody on our team—but you don’t know how things work. But you also understand, like, if we run this thing back, I’ve’ got complete confidence in my team that we can win it again, as constructed.

“So, all those things were true. And it started with me wanting to play with KD at the beginning. Yeah, it’s about winning, it’s about having fun, playing the game of basketball. And that was part of the reaction of, like, ‘Yeah; it’d be amazing.”’

Curry also talked with his younger brother Seth, Durant’s teammate in Brooklyn, about a potential Durant deal that could put both the Currys on the same roster for the first time in their careers. When the prospect of Durant going to Phoenix or Boston came up, Curry suggested that it would be unrealistic for Durant to think any team he went to outside of Brooklyn could retain a championship roster around him.

He specifically stated that it would be a mind-blowing transaction if Boston did indeed swap Jaylen Brown for Durant. Curry does believe that Durant made the right move in staying in Brooklyn.

The Warriors begin their title defense on Oct. 14 against the Lakers after being presented with their championship rings.

The post Stephen Curry Reveals Warriors ‘Internally’ Discussed Trade for Kevin Durant appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: NBA’s 2022-23 Opening Night, Oct. 18 on TNT:

– 76ers at Celtics
– And as previously reported: Lakers at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2022

Shams Charania of The Athletic leaked the opening day and Christmas Day contests over the weekend. Some other key dates include the All-Star weekend that’ll be contested from February 17-19. The regular season will end on April 9, the Play-In tournament will take place from April 11-14, and the playoffs will start a day later on April 15.

The most noteworthy game will most likely be between the Grizzlies and the Warriors. The Warriors beat the Grizzlies on their way to winning their fourth championship since 2015. The two Western Conference foes have formed a fierce rivalry over the last two years after a pair of intense and physical playoff games and their recent second-round playoff series.

Sources: NBA’s 2022 Christmas Day schedule:

Bucks at Celtics
76ers at Knicks
Suns at Nuggets
Lakers at Mavericks
Grizzlies at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2022

The 2022-23 season will see the Warriors attempt to defend an NBA title for the first time in eight years. With their foundational core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green returning and their future stars like Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole all returning, the Dubs will be loaded.

The Boston Celtics will look to run it back and return to the NBA Finals after losing to the Warriors in six games. There will be some exciting storylines coming out of Beantown as Boston looks to integrate Malcolm Brogdon into the lineup. It’ll also be interesting if the front office continues to pursue a Kevin Durant trade. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will also return as perhaps the top wing-duo in the League.

Don’t count out the Bucks, Heat, and 76ers either. The Heat are always a threat, the Bucks lost after suffering injuries at the most inopportune time, and the 76ers will have an entire season of James Harden x Joel Embiid to work with.

Another question that needs answers will be can the Phoenix Suns continue their dominant stretch and improve upon their 64-18 record from last year. Getting better after being the top seed in the playoffs is difficult, but Phoenix brings back their entire team and is still headlined by Devin Booker and Chris Paul.

It’ll be fun to see how Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz will fare after Jalen Brunson and Rudy Gobert left for New York and Utah, respectively. The Minnesota Timberwolves are throwing it back to yesteryear with a twin tower lineup featuring Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. Not to mention how much better the Grizzlies will be after earning the second-best record in the NBA last season.

Last but not least, how will the LA teams play? The Lakers are coming off a tumultuous season but added a new head coach in Darvin Ham, who’s been trusted to improve a roster that still boasts LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis. The Clippers are perhaps a more significant title threat with the return of Kawhi Leonard and the addition of former All-Star point guard John Wall to the lineup.

Below are the team schedules for each team by division and conference. The Eastern Conference is first followed by the West.

Team Schedules

Eastern Conference

Atlantic

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

New York Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers

Toronto Raptors

Central

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Indiana Pacers

Milwaukee Bucks

Southeast

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Hornets

Miami Heat

Orlando Magic

Washington Wizards

Western Conference

Southwest

Dallas Mavericks

Houston Rockets

Memphis Grizzlies

New Orleans Pelicans

San Antonio Spurs

Northwest

Denver Nuggets

Minnesota Timberwolves

Portland Trail Blazers

Oklahoma City Thunder

Utah Jazz

Pacific

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

The post NBA Releases 2022-23 Regular-Season Schedule appeared first on SLAM.

The eighth-year head coach identified Kevon Looney, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green as the Warriors’ “foundational six,” with the latter three serving as the team’s established core.

Kerr believes Golden State’s core is among the best in the League, especially after adding the younger trio of Looney, Wiggins, and Poole to the mix.

“We have probably more continuity than anybody in the League with our core group,” Kerr said. “Add Wiggs and Jordan and the institutional knowledge they’ve gained, and we have a really strong foundation. That’s the most important thing you can have in this League.

“We had it going into last year. But the difference was, a year ago, we didn’t know if we were really contenders. That’s why the 18-2 start was so big. It reinforced it. This year, being defending champs, it doesn’t guarantee anything, but you have a confident sense in who you are. We have our main six guys back, the foundational six that we know are going to be on the court for big minutes every night. That allows us to bring our young guys along.”

The Dubs’ roster also features future stars such as Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman, all of whom Kerr claims “have shown really good signs.” Moody and Kuminga saw action in the playoffs during the Warriors’ Finals run last season (and also impressed in the most recent NBA Summer League), while Wiseman was sidelined due to injury.

The Warriors will have a lot to prove as they focus on their win-and-develop mindset. Their future success will be predicated on their young core of Moody, Kuminga, Wiseman, Poole, and Wiggins being able to successfully takeover once Golden State’s “foundational six” leave the Warriors.

Next season will be a different journey after the Warriors’ lottery-bound seasons but coming off a championship brings a different level of confidence. Furthermore, being able to get substantial contributions from Moody, Kuminga, and Wiseman on top of his “foundational six” next season, the future could hold another championship for Golden State.

“I don’t know that it’s a bigger challenge because last year felt like a huge challenge going in,” Kerr said. “Last year felt more daunting because we’d had two lousy seasons in a row. This year feels different because we’re the defending champs. It feels like we’ve got our groove back. We’ll have Klay back for a full season. Our foundation in place. While we’re absolutely going to play a lot of young guys, we kind of have a core six, a foundational six players who are really the ones that make everything happen and will allow us to bring the young guys along.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Steve Kerr on the ‘Strong Foundation’ the Warriors Have Built appeared first on SLAM.

After his first pitch, Curry was subsequently interviewed and asked about living in the Bay Area and wanting to stay with the Golden State Warriors for the entirety of his career.

“That was a really natural process actually for me,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area, “Cause like you said, I just finished my 13th year, and to be able to say I’ve played for one team my entire career, and also to say between the 10 years in Oakland and these last three years in San Francisco, I can honestly say how special this place is — Honestly, I don’t want to leave ever. I want this to be my one and only home, and even thinking about what happens after basketball is done.”

“I don’t want to leave ever. I want this to be my one and only home” – Steph on the Bay Area pic.twitter.com/aWHLidy8b1

— NBC Sports Bay Area & CA (@NBCSAuthentic) July 27, 2022

Curry signed a four-year max extension last summer and won’t hit the free agent market until 2026, when he’s 38-years-old. The happiness that will come with playing Golden State comes with one caveat; he wants to play out the final years of his career with the championship teammates that he’s gone to battle with for the last decade.

Curry reportedly wants Golden State’s front office to pay Draymond Green and Klay Thompson so they can play together, at least through the end of his current contract. The only problem is the luxury tax the Warriors will have to pay to keep Green, Thompson, Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole on the team for the next three seasons. Green reportedly wants a max contract that, per multiple reports, could be in the four-year range.

The one thing that could keep the band together would be a player deciding to take a paycut. The Warriors are also in a win-and-develop mode right now as they focus on making the most out of Curry, Thompson, and Green’s remaining prime years while making sure that their young core of Poole, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman get a chance to play and be thrown the fire of playing on a championship contender team.

The post Stephen Curry Wants Golden State ‘to Be His One and Only Home’ appeared first on SLAM.

To mitigate concerns with paying the League’s luxury tax, the Warriors decided to fully invest in their win-and-develop now mentality by letting their bench mob walk in free agency and relying on their young core to compliment their championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green. Green, in particular, is reportedly set to request a max extension from Joe Lacob and Bob Meyers, per Marcus Thompson of The Athletic.

Steph Curry would not be happy if the Warriors lost Draymond Green because the team didn’t want to pay him, sources tell @ThompsonScribe and @anthonyVslater.

Curry has a desire for Green and Klay Thompson to be with him for the length of his stay. https://t.co/watYncUTw5 pic.twitter.com/0UNi0mzImq

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) July 27, 2022

Green has played a major role as the emotional leader and defensive anchor of Golden State’s championship teams. He’s also been a lightning rod for criticism from fans and national media for his trash-talking and physical play style. Be that as it may, Green has become the ultimate team player after winning four rings, winning the DPOY award in 2016, earning seven All-Defensive and two All-NBA team selections.

The former Michigan State Spartan is so integral to Golden State’s success that Curry would reportedly “not be happy” if the Dubs decide not to pay Green or Thompson, who is also eligible for an extension and can hit free agency in 2024.

Signing Green and Thompson to three-year deals would align their contracts with Curry, who is under contract until the summer of 2026. The critical factor will be who is most willing to take a pay cut to keep the band together and keep the Warriors championship window open for a few more seasons.

The post REPORT: Draymond Green Wants Max Extension Deal appeared first on SLAM.

However, just because that may be true doesn’t mean that Iggy is retired to hang up his sneakers and retire. If Iguodala knows one thing at this point, it’s that he doesn’t want to be a player-coach if he returns to the Warriors this summer.

“I like basketball,” Iguodala told NBC Sports Bay Area, “I actually like training, too. Summer training is probably the hardest thing. People don’t understand that to really get ready for a season what your body has to go through.

“I’m trying to reflect on the season, enjoy it, enjoy being a champion. And if that time comes — I don’t know if it’s going to be a tough decision, but I’m ready for whatever.”

Iggy filled that role for Golden State last season, similar to what former teammate Udonis Haslem has done over the previous six seasons.

When they were teammates on the Heat, Iguodala saw firsthand how hard Haslem worked as a player-coach, being ready to play despite playing only 58 games since the 2015-2016 season, his 5 a.m. wake-up calls, and attending every practice. Iggy called it a “testament to his work ethic.” but said that he’s “got to kill” any notion that that’s what he wants to do at this late stage of his career.

“The thing that I don’t want to see misconstrued, or I don’t want the perception thrown out there, is that I’m a coach,” he said, describing himself as a businessman who plays basketball. “I don’t want to get thrown into the ‘just go coach.’ That’s not a route I’m looking forward to taking. Not at all.”

If Iggy decides to return, he most likely will be tasked with mentoring the youngest players on the Warriors once again, 20-somethings like Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Jordan Poole, and the like. It’s not an easy job, but it’s a job Iguodala thrived in this past season, and it’ll be a part of the reason why Kuminga, Moody, and Poole end up stepping up and doing well when Coach Steve Kerr calls them into action this upcoming season.

The post Andre Iguodala On Continuing Career or Retiring: ‘Ready for Whatever’ appeared first on SLAM.

So far we have seen the Knicks land, Jalen Brunson, on a massive four-year deal, and Nikola Jokic and Karl-Anthony Towns have re-signed to their teams on supermax deals. Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal will remain with the Bulls and Wizards respectively after signing max deals. Young All-Stars like Ja Morant, Darius Garland, and Zion Williamson have also signed max extensions with their teams.

The Warriors will also look to be putting a different bench mob on the court this coming season after they let Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Juan Toscano-Anderson walk away in free agency. The decision seems to imply that the Warriors will invest 100 percent into their win-and-develop model as they keep their championship core intact while empowering Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody.

Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber is finalizing a three-year, $33 million contract extension, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Kleber was entering the final year of his deal, now under contract through 2025-26.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 8, 2022

Montrezl Harrell is headed to Philly after a tumultuous offseason where he dealt with some legal troubles surrounding marijuana trafficking that was later reduced to misdemeanor possession in a Madison County (KY) courthouse. The charge will be expunged from his record in 12 months if Harrell doesn’t get in any more legal trouble.

James Harden recruited Harrell due to their relationship as teammates on the Rockets. Harrell is expected to bring some toughness and grit to a Philly team that needed a backup big man behind two-time MVP runner-up Joel Embiid.

ESPN Sources: Free agent C Montrezl Harrell is signing two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, including a player option. Harrell brings more toughness to a team searching for it this offseason. He was Sixth Man of the Year with Doc Rivers/Sam Cassell in 2019-2020 w/ Clippers.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 6, 2022

Sources: The Toronto Raptors signed Thaddeus Young to a two-year, $17 million extension, which includes player incentive bonuses and a $1 million partial guarantee for the 2023-24 season, @hoopshype has learned.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 5, 2022

Gary Harris’ two-year extension with the Orlando Magic is flat $13M each season. The second season is fully non-guaranteed, a league source told @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 5, 2022

Sumner is fully recovered from a torn left Achilles that cost him the entire 2021-2022 season. He had been coming off his best NBA season with the Pacers prior to the injury, and now he’ll join the Nets’ backcourt rotation. https://t.co/5HfzZmkDZN

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 5, 2022

Free agent TJ Warren has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Free agent center Gorgui Dieng has agreed to a one-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Cole Swider signed a two-year Two-Way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, a league source tells @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 4, 2022

Free agent center Serge Ibaka has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2022

The Brooklyn Nets signed Wake Forest Alondes Williams to a 2-way deal.

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) July 4, 2022

Dragic is signing a one-year, $2.9M deal with the Bulls, sources said. https://t.co/f6VK9np1cf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

Free agent Josh Okogie has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has agreed on a five-year, $193 million designated maximum rookie extension that could earn him as much as $231 million, CAA Sports’ Co-Head of Basketball Austin Brown tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/z4lnVLD1GM

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Restricted free agent Cody Martin has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2022

Free agent G Eugene Omoruyi has agreed to a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Mike George of @OneLegacySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed on a five-year, $193M maximum designated rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $231M, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. It is the largest deal in franchise history.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent guard Damion Lee has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent Donte DiVincenzo has agreed to a two-year, $9.3M deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent guard Raul Neto is signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to a three-year, $25.5M deal to return to Golden State, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million deal to return to the Chicago Bulls, with player option in second season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Robin Lopez has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent F/C Drew Eubanks is returning to the Portland Trail Blazers on a one-year deal, his agent James Dunleavy of @excelbasketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

John Wall officially agrees with the Clippers on a two-year deal for the taxpayer midlevel. https://t.co/5yCuV4cePg

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 1, 2022

Free agent C Jusuf Nurkic has agreed on a new four-year, $70 million deal to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/6vmHrdOZI3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

NBA All-Star Zach LaVine has agreed to a five-year, $215.2 million maximum contract to return to the Chicago Bulls, with a player option in Year 5, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The defending champs lose another valuable two-way star after Otto Porter Jr. signed with the Raptors on a two-year deal that has a player option.

Free agent Otto Porter Jr. — vital member of Golden State Warriors championship team — reached an agreement with the Toronto Raptors on a two-year deal with a player option, league sources tell @YahooSports. https://t.co/ck81fptKZh

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2022

Free agent G Theo Pinson is returning to the Dallas Mavericks on a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent Aaron Holiday has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Mitchell Robinson has agreed on a new four-year, $60 million contract to stay with the New York Knicks, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @Wassbasketball tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/dnKtVQmln9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Bruce Brown has agreed to a 2-year, $13M+ deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 1, 2022

#Pistons to re-sign Marvin Bagley III, add Kevin Knox as free-agent frenzy begins: https://t.co/WVHahAmeKR

— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) July 1, 2022

Ricky Rubio played an integral part in the Cavs’ resurgence to the playoff scene last season before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December. Rubio was traded to the Pacers near the trade deadline but the Cavs and Rubio were mutually interested in bringing back the former lottery pick point guard.

Free agent guard Ricky Rubio is nearing a deal on a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Zion Williamson, the 2021 All-Star phenom, has locked in on signing a max extension deal with the Pelicans. Williamson missed all of the 2021-2022 season while he recovered from foot surgery. The deal keeps Williamson in New Orleans through 2027-28.

Williamson said after the season ended, “I couldn’t sign it fast enough.” Indeed, the All-Star locks in commitment to New Orleans.

The deal is expected to include protections that both sides were sorting through overnight and will finalize, sources said. https://t.co/n0hyRwRk9e

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The Golden State Warriors lose one of their best and most versatile defenders after Gary Payton II decided to head towards playing for the Portland Trail Blazers on a three-year deal. Payton led the League in steals per 36 minutes.

Warriors were unwilling to meet that high of a price tag (and resulting tax spike) for Gary Payton II and have now lost their defensive ace off the bench to the Blazers. He led the NBA in steals per 36 minutes last season. https://t.co/iaY6xmUrG7

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Andre Drummond is finalizing a deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent JaVale McGee has agreed to a three-year, $20.1 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, with player option for third season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Ja Morant is locked in with the Grizzlies after his agent told Woj that he signed a five-year max extension to lead Memphis as its lead guard for the foreseeable future.

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has agreed on a five-year, $193M designated rookie maximum extension that could become worth $231M, his agent Jim Tanner of @_TandemSE tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Karl Anthony-Towns has reportedly agreed to a four-year super max extension per his agent. KAT’s contract will begin during the 2024-2025 season.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns has agreed on a four-year, $224M super max extension, his agent Jessica Holtz of @CAA_Basketball tells ESPN. Deal begins with the 2024-25 season and delivers Towns’ total contract value to six years and $295M.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Jalen Brunson has reportedly agreed to the four-year deal that the Knicks offered him. Woj reported that the near-max deal includes a player option on its final season.

Free agent guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the New York Knicks, his agents Aaron Mintz and Sam Rose of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option on the final season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Wizards have added three veteran guards to join Bradley Beal in recent days — Will Barton, Monte Morris and now Delon Wright leaves the Hawks for Washington. https://t.co/4YFMxR2o7Z

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Kyle Anderson has agreed to a two-year, $18M deal to join the Timberwolves, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @wassbasketball tell ESPN. https://t.co/fWzhFhVfkx

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris has agreed on a two-year, $26 million contract extension, his agents Austin Brown and Aaron Mintz of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Anthony Gill is signing a two year-deal with the Washington Wizards, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Restricted free agent C Nic Claxton has agreed on a two-year, $20 million deal to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Troy Brown Jr. has agreed to a minimum deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Lonnie Walker IV is signing a one-year, $6.5M deal with the Lakers, sources said. https://t.co/7xBnStLWfo

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Rockets restricted free agent Jae’Sean Tate has agreed to a three-year, $22.1 million deal to return to Houston, his agents E.J. Kusnyer and Jordan Cornish of @beyond_am tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, agents Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of @steinbergsports tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Davon Reed has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent guard Jevon Carter has agreed to a two-year deal to return to Milwaukee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Wesley Matthews has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Trevelin Queen has agreed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent F Nic Batum has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Lu Dort has agreed to a five-year, $87.5M deal to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Thad Foucher of Wasserman tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Chris Boucher is returning to the Toronto Raptors on a three-year, $35.25M deal, his agent Sam Permut of @RocNationSports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Jones’ agent, Austin Brown of @CAA_Basketball, tells ESPN the second year is a player option.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Amir Coffey has agreed to a three-year, $11M deal with the Clippers, his agents Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of @BDA_Sports and WME Sports tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Tyus Jones is returning to the Memphis Grizzlies on a two-year, $30M deal, his agent Kevin Bradbury of @REP1Basketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Danuel House has agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Bobby Portis has agreed to a four-year, $49 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Deal includes a player option in Year 4.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent PJ Tucker is finalizing a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent Andre Buck (@andrebuck14) told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Victor Oladipo has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a two-year, $16 million-plus deal with the New York Knicks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fully guaranteed deal for Hartenstein.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center DeAndre Jordan has agreed to a deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Sources: Malik Monk is signing a two-year, $19M deal to join the Kings. https://t.co/spgbvRZspx

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have reportedly finalized a four-year supermax extension that he will likely sign sometime next week. Shams Charania reports that he will be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23.

The Phoenix Suns and All-NBA guard Devin Booker are finalizing a four-year, $214 million supermax contract extension that he’s set to sign as soon as next week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

Booker will also be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23, per sources.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Nikola Jokic has reportedly signed the richest deal in NBA history after signing a supermax contract extension with the Nuggets on Thursday.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fifth season (2027-28) will be a player option at $60M.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Bradley Beal will stay in the Nation’s Capital after he reportedly signed a five-year max deal.

All-Star guard Bradley Beal has agreed to a five-year, $251 million maximum contract to stay with the Washington Wizards, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has agreed on a four-year, $100 million contract extension, his agent Bill Duffy of @BDA_Sports + WME Sports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Spurs are pulling the qualifying offer on Lonnie Walker IV, making him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Expect a strong market for Walker immediately.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Jalen Brunson is headed to New York after Shams Charania reported that he intends on signing a four-year deal with the franchise.

Free agent Jalen Brunson intends to sign a four-year, near $110M deal with the New York Knicks in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Mavericks never received chance to make offer, sources said.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

According to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic, P.J. Tucker will be pursued by Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago. and Philadelphia during the free agency period of the NBA offseason. Furthermore, Schiffer reports that Tucker is unlikely to return to South Beach.

Multiple teams — including Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago and Philadelphia — are expected to compete for PJ Tucker in free agency. All are expected to offer the full mid-level/TPMLE exception. He is unlikely to return to Miami, per sources.

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) June 30, 2022

Trent Forrest will be an unrestricted free agent after the Jazz decided not to extend a qualifying offer to the point guard out of Florida State.

The Utah Jazz will not extend a qualifying offer to point guard Trent Forrest, making him an unrestricted free agent, League Sources tell The Athletic. There is interest in working something out during free agency. Forrest was a member of the rotation this past season

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 30, 2022

Per Marcus Thompson of The Athletic, Juan Toscano-Anderson will be an unrestricted free agent once the free agency period of the NBA offseason begins on Thursday. The 29-year-old became the first Mexican-American to win an NBA title after the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.

“I got a championship with my hometown team,” JTA told Thompson during a phone interview Wednesday night.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me. You’ve got to give a little to get a little. And I gave up playing time to, you know, become a legend. I’m a legend in the Town. I’m a legend in Mexico. And I’m not saying that myself. It’s showing, know what I mean?”

Juan Toscano-Anderson is at peace with leaving the Warriors.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me.”

It’s time for the next chapter of his storybook journey.https://t.co/m94B7ILm2u pic.twitter.com/5OxoGWXG6P

— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) June 30, 2022

According to Tim Reynolds, the Heat does not have a meeting scheduled with restricted free agent Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Heat are not planning to meet with Jalen Brunson today, and they did not have such a meeting scheduled, per league source.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 30, 2022

The Cavs are reportedly expected to match offers given to restricted free agent Collin Sexton. Multiple reports say Sexton wants a “starting guard” extension. The Alabama product is coming off a season-ending torn meniscus.

Cavs Expected To Match Outside Offers For Collin Sexton – Hoops Wire https://t.co/9k5zuRmUAd

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

The Jazz won’t extend a qualifying offer to forward Eric Paschall, sources tell @Tjonesonthenba.

He will become an unrestricted free agent.https://t.co/fcOCtqEmMN pic.twitter.com/ok07Xpx9Dr

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 30, 2022

Kemba Walker and the Pistons have reportedly agreed to a contract buyout. Walker will be a free agent after he clears waivers. Walker last played for the Knicks last season before he was traded to the Pistons as New York clears space to sign fellow free agent Jalen Brunson.

Four-time All-Star guard Kemba Walker and the Detroit Pistons are finalizing a contract buyout, sources tell ESPN. Once Walker clears waivers, he’ll join free agency.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat have guaranteed the contracts of Max Strus, Gabe Stevenson, and Omer Yurtseven as of Thursday morning.

Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven are still on the Heat’s roster this morning, which means their full $1.8 million salaries for next season are now guaranteed. This was seen as a formality. Carry on.

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) June 30, 2022

The Sacramento Kings are exercising the option on PF/C Chimezie Metu for the 2022-2023 season, sources tell ESPN. Metu averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 21 minutes a game for the Kings last season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Patty Mills will be exploring his options on the free-agent market after declining to sign his player option with the Nets on Wednesday afternoon.

Brooklyn Nets guard Patty Mills declined his $6.2M option and will become a free agent, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Kings won’t be offering a qualifying offer to Donte DiVencenzo, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Sacramento Kings are declining to offer Donte DiVencenzo a qualifying offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN. There will be significant interest in DiVencenzo on the open market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Lu Dort will be a restricted free agent after the OKC Thunder decided to not sign Durt’s team option for the 2022-23 season, per Shams Charania.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are declining the $1.9 million team option on froward Lu Dort for 2022-23 season, which makes him a restricted free agent and allows sides to negotiate a new deal in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

James Harden will hit the free-agent market for the first time in his career but he is likely to re-sign with the 76ers.

ESPN Sources: 76ers star James Harden has declined his $47.3M option and become a free agent. He keeps real the possibility of negotiating a new deal that would deliver the Sixers roster-building flexibility in free agency – including use of the full $10.5M exception.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Bobby Portis told the Bucks that he’ll decline his player option and will instead become a free agent.

Portis has early bird rights in Milwaukee.

The maximum that he can sign for is 4 years/$49M.

The contract has to be for a minimum of 2 seasons and cannot include an option in year 2. https://t.co/Nu5KC9G8D9

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 29, 2022

Bradley Beal has made his long-awaited decision and will become a free agent for the first time in his career after declining his player option.

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has declined his $36.4M option and become a free agent, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Beal is eligible to sign a 5-year max to return to Wizards – or sign elsewhere on a 4-year deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Jae-Sean Tate will be a restricted free agent after the ROckets declined his team option for the 2022-23 season. Shams Charania reports that Houston and Tate are mutually interested in signing a new deal once free agency begins on Thursday.

The Houston Rockets have declined forward Jae’Sean Tate’s $1.8 million team option for next season, making him a restricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Rockets and Tate have mutual interest in discussing new deal in free agency beginning Thursday night.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

The Cavaliers have reportedly elected to not offer Moses Brown a qualifying offer to Moses Brown, per Michael Scott of the Hoopshype. The decision allows Brown to enter the free-agent market as an unrestricted free agent.

Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers won’t tender a qualifying offer to center Moses Brown, @hoopshype has learned. The 7-foot-1, 22-year-old center will become an unrestricted free agent. Brown could be an intriguing development option for NBA teams around the league.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 28, 2022

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Taurean Prince and the Timberwolves have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Minnesota Timberwolves F Taurean Prince has agreed on a two-year, $16 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Ivica Zubac and his reps have reportedly agreed to a three-year extension with the Clippers, per Woj. The Clippers declining to sign his team option led to the agreement with Zubac.

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $33 million extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. The Clippers declined his $7.5M team option for 2022-2023, clearing the way for Zubac’s new deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

Tony Bradley is reportedly opting into his player option and will remain with the Bulls next season, per Woj.

Chicago Bulls center Tony Bradley is exercising his $2M player option for next season, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

The post 2022 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

Not only have the Warriors won their fourth title since 2015, but Curry won the 2022 NBA Finals MVP for the first time in his storied career. Curry finished Game 6 with 34 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, along with two steals and one block on 12-21 shooting from the field, knocking down 6-11 three-pointers to break his uncharacteristic streak of 10 straight missed triples.

4x Champ
2x MVP
8x All-Star
8x All-NBA
2x Scoring Champ
No. 1 All-Time 3’s Made
2022 NBA Finals MVP

The Chef’s resume is ridiculously extensive.

: @sammironko pic.twitter.com/QkjX7BGNl9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Curry entered Thursday night with the second-most career playoff points before winning his first Finals MVP, trailing only Bryant (4,381) and Chamberlain (3,430).

“It means we won; it means we took advantage of the opportunity to get back here,” Curry said during a postgame interview with Lisa Salters of ESPN. “We hear all the chatter; at the end it’s about what we do on the floor. Ain’t gotta talk about just gotta go do it, and that’s what this is about.”

It’s about damn time. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/LAiEBVoowa

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

The Warriors’ run to the ’22 title led by Curry highlights a record-breaking season for the two-time MVP. Curry started the season grabbing the all-time record for made threes; he created the 3k club for made three, won an All-Star MVP, and got to play with Splash Brother Klay Thompson for the first time in over 900 days. Curry also became the first Warrior to pass 3000 playoff points.

When you look back, the Warriors’ season was a roller coaster as they finished the season ranked third in the Western Conference season despite a foot injury that knocked Curry out for the final weeks of the regular season.

Back on top. Your 2022 NBA World Champions.

: @MarcusA11en pic.twitter.com/HJ04P2P3X3

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Now with the season mercifully over, Curry can sit back on his reclaimed throne.

“I’m so proud of our group,” Curry said. “I thank God every day that I get to play this game at the highest level with some amazing people.”

“You know this is what it’s all about — playing for a championship and what we’ve been through the last three years, beginning of the season, no one thought we’d be here except everybody on this court right now. It’s amazing. It’s very surreal, though, very surreal.”

Blood, sweat and tears.

: @sammironko pic.twitter.com/rv4PhdFfxe

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Game 6 was a game of runs; Boston raced out to a 12-2 run after making four of their first six shots, including two three-pointers from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But the Warriors went on a game-altering 21-0 run in the first half to bust the game wide and give themselves a 21-point cushion after a Thompson three-pointer.

Tatum stopped the bleeding and stopped the bleeding with a layup, but the Warriors had already thrown the first haymaker of the night. Oh yeah, and Chef Curry finally hit a three after missing his first attempt from the field.

Damn Stephen… (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/jGdIka9ZMk

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Boston was able to pick up some major runs in the second half, cutting the deficit to within nine points after unleashing a 12-2 run, highlighted by a nasty and-1 over Thompson and Jordan Poole. However, Boston was never able to get any closer than that.

No moment was more significant than the 29-footer Curry buried to give Golden State a 22-point lead with 6:15 left in the third quarter. To top it off, Curry pointed right to his right ring finger like Aaron Donald did throughout the Los Angeles Rams run to the Super Bowl in February.

The Chef wants #4. pic.twitter.com/tO7H1adzcB

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Curry couldn’t have gone the night without hitting his clutch silencer, putting the Celtics to sleep and sending his teammates, particularly Poole, into a frenzy as the Warriors grabbed a 96-81 lead with a little over three minutes to go in the game.

GOODNIGHT. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/dkNo4Pv8lf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

“We were so far away from it,” Curry said when asked why this title means so much. “We were here for five straight years and got three of them; then we hit rock bottom with injuries, then the long road of work ahead and just trying to fill in the right pieces and right guys. You could never take this for granted cause you never know when you’ll be back here. To get back here and get it done means the world.”

In six games against the Celtics, Curry averaged 31.2 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He shot 48 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc. Curry’s Final MVP performance has put him in some exclusive company. Curry joins Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Shaquille O’Neal as the only players to win an MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star Game MVP, and a scoring title per ESPN.

The post Stephen Curry Claims First-Ever NBA Finals MVP appeared first on SLAM.

But in Game 5, Curry’s rocketship of momentum came back down to earth after finishing Monday night’s game with 16 points on 7-22 shooting from the field, including missing all nine of his three-point attempt.

Coach Steve Kerr wasn’t surprised that Curry ended up having an off night.

“I think Steph was probably due for a game like this,” Kerr said per NBCSports. “He’s been shooting the ball so well. At some point, he’s going to have a tough night. But we’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of depth that can make up for that. And our guys did a good job of that tonight.” 

Chef with the layyy. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/w0V7NJ4Myp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

Up until Game 5, Curry knocked multiple triples down in 38 straight playoff games, including 132 games with at least one three made. Curry has made at least one three in 233 consecutive games between the regular season and postseason. The credit goes to Boston’s defense, wearing the two-time MVP with different defensive looks, and not allowing Curry to walk into his three-point attempts like he was able to in the previous four games.

"Warriors"

The energy from inside the Chase Center pic.twitter.com/t0cgxUsRZF

— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2022

However, Golden State proved that they could win even if Curry weren’t playing at a superhero level. Andrew Wiggins scored a team-high 26 points and 13 rebounds, Klay Thompson finished with 21 points, and Jordan Poole contributed 14 points, including three to beat the third-quarter buzzer to steal the momentum going into the final frame.

“Steph is the best to ever shoot it — everyone in this building, including the fans and those watching, believe the ball is going in when it leaves his fingertips,” Thompson said.

"Steph is the best to ever shoot it… everyone in this building including the fans and those watching believe the ball is going in when it leaves his fingertips."

Klay Thompson on Steph Curry's shooting struggles in Game 5. pic.twitter.com/kAi9pn6spM

— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2022

The Golden State Warriors are just one win away from claiming their first title since 2015. The Warriors’ 104-94 point win also snapped Boston’s 7-0 record after a loss.

The post Steve Kerr: Stephen Curry ‘Due’ For Rough Outing appeared first on SLAM.

Instead of allowing Curry’s slow night to deter him and his Warriors teammates, Maple Jordan showed up and showed out, finishing the Warrior’ 104-94 win over the Celtics with 26 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.

“Attacking the rim,” Wiggins said after being asked what felt good about his offense in a postgame TV interview with ESPN’s Lisa Salter. “I felt like I got a lot going on early and got in that mindset to stay aggressive and stay attacking.”

Wiggs is so damn smooth.
(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/T9unmLqnet

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

The Warriors, now up 3-2 in the Finals, are a game away from winning their fourth title since 2015, extending their home record to 11-1 and giving Boston their first back-to-back postseason losses.

It was Wiggins, and Draymond Green (seven rebounds and six assists) who set the tone of Game 5, playing with a burst of energy as Green was making plays on both sides of the game, scoring all eight of his points in the first half, throwing down a two-handed dunk for safety after faking a handoff to Klay Thompson (21 points and three rebounds)to give Golden State a 12-4 lead nearly five minutes into the game.

Draymond said see ya. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/5nhY04ZIIr

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

Wiggins scored 16 points in the first half, helping the Warriors grab an 11-point lead heading into the second quarter. Boston could cut that lead to six as Curry sat, but once he re-entered the game with seven minutes to go, Golden State’s offense opened up, and the Warriors led 51-39 at halftime.

Once halftime came and went, Boston woke up and smothered the Warriors’ offense as they jumped out to a 19-4 run to grab their first lead of an Al Horford (nine points and nine rebounds) triple. However, that dominant Celtics run was answered by Thompson and Jordan Poole (14 points), who hit a pair of threes apiece, including a buzzer-beater that stole the momentum while giving Golden State a one-point lead at the end of three quarters.

Thompson, Poole, and Wiggins continued to push that momentum forward with a 10-0 run to start the final frame. By the time Curry returned with 7:44 left on the clock, the Warriors had held an eight-point lead that Boston would never cut into.

“I’m just trying to do every little thing to win,” Wiggins said. “That’s it. Whether I gotta score, rebound, defend, anything I’m asked to do on the court or to help, I’m going to do.”

Quick Poole Party at the end of the third. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/tKBEI87s8l

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

The former No. 1 overall pick scored 10 points in the fourth on 5-6 shooting. His consistent effort defensively and in the rebounding effort meant everything on a night Curry only scored 16 points and eight dimes on 7-22 shooting.

Wiggs be soaring. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/4IP5Zvqgej

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

This time, the Warriors’ secondary players delivered when Curry rested to start the fourth quarter. Thompson, Poole, and Wiggins contributed heavily to Golden State’s 10-0 run to start the quarter. His poster on Derrick White cemented his big-time performance with a little over two minutes left in the game.

“We’re here, we’re hungry, and we want this. The team that wants it the most can get it, and we want it.”

HOW’S THE AIR UP THERE WIGGS? (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/dR3ehMFnft

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

Golden State looks to close the series out on Thursday at the TD Garden. Should the Warriors lose, Game 7 will be in San Francisco.

“I’m excited. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, something I’ve worked hard for; this whole team worked hard for. So I’m excited; I can’t wait.”

The post Andrew Wiggins After Game 5: ‘We’re Hungry and We Want This’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to Shams Charania, Wiseman could be ready to go for NBA Summer League as he nears clearance for full-contact basketball activities.

Wiseman hasn’t been on an NBA floor since April 4, 2021, when he played six minutes in a win over Houston, but hasn’t appeared since due to knee troubles. Wiseman flew to London to receive plasmic injection treatments with Warriors GM Bob Meyers and has been progressing ever since, per the Athletic:

“Wiseman underwent an orthobiologic injection during a multiday trip to London with Warriors general manager Bob Myers in April, multiple sources told The Athletic, as both sides worked to find a way to promote healing in the knee. The plasma-rich injection in Wiseman’s arm was a therapeutic treatment used to increase healing throughout the body.

A torn meniscus cut Wiseman’s rookie season short, and he had surgery to repair it in April 2021 under the belief he would return in the middle of the 2021-22 season. But persistent swelling led to multiple setbacks and a December knee scope, eventually persuading the Warriors to shut down Wiseman and his decision to go the orthobiologic route.”

Having played in 39 NBA games, Wiseman holds career averages of 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds on 51.9 percent shooting from the field (31.6 percent from distance). Wiseman is included in a young core of Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody behind the leading group of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green to maintain Golden State’s stranglehold on the Western Conference.

Wiseman’s upcoming summer will be critical for his career. Golden State will be hosting the California Classic on July 2 and 3, giving Wiseman his first big opportunity to return to play before heading out to Las Vegas.

The post REPORT: Warriors Optimistic James Wiseman Can Play in Summer League appeared first on SLAM.

Stephen Curry dropped 29 points while Jordan Poole had 17 (including an insane half court three-pointer to cap off a huge third quarter run) as Golden State cruised to a dub in Game 2. Down 23 points entering the fourth quarter, Boston eventually went down 29 points with 10:45 minutes remaining. Celtics head coach Ime Udoka then elected to pull his starters at the ensuing timeout.

Draymond Green says he was surprised to see the Celtics’ first year head coach “pull the plug” with nearly an entire quarter to play.

“Going into the fourth quarter up 23, all it takes is one blow from there,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show.” “You throw one punch, and that’s kind of it. And that’s what happened. We threw a punch and went up 29, and then they pulled the plug.

“I was a little shocked to see them pull the plug so early. I do understand it and respect it. But I just did not expect to come back out of that timeout and (see) them pull the plug.”

Boston starters Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford never re-entered the game as Udoka suffered his first Finals loss as head coach.

Despite a perplexed reaction to Udoka’s decision, Green did praise the Celtics reserves, who actually outscored the Warriors by four in the fourth quarter.

“That is a championship organization and those guys didn’t come in and quit,” Green said. “They continued to fight and battle, and we had to continue to close the game out.”

Boston will get a much-needed boost from its home crowd as the series will now head back to the Bean for Games 3 and 4.

The post Draymond Green ‘Shocked’ Celtics Pulled Starters Early in Game 2 appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors turned the game upside during the third quarter when they outscored Boston 35-14. The Warriors grabbed a double-digit lead over the Celtics during the third frame with a 10-2 run. The decisive spurt was powered by Stephen Curry (29 points, six rebounds, four assists), who scored five points, including 14 points, two boards, and one assist during that timeframe.

How to make the stadium explode 101: be like Poole.

(via @NBAUK) pic.twitter.com/P3LagLBtHC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 6, 2022

However, it was third-year guard Jordan Poole (17 points, two rebounds, three assists, and two steals) who stole the show after knocking down back-to-back triples to give Golden State a 23-point leading going into the fourth quarter. Poole’s second three-pointer, a 39-footer, sent the Chase Center into a frenzy, with Curry dapping Poole up with a big smile across his face and a congratulatory hug.

“I want the ball at all of the ends of the quarters and shot-clocks,” Poole said in an NBA TV interview. “My teammates looked for me, and I knew I had him on his heels and having endless range, I guess — I saw the rim.”

From there, Poole scored eight points to cement Golden States’ series-tying win. The Warriors and Celtics are now tied at one win apiece as the series shifts to Boston for Games 3 and 4 at TD Garden.

The post Jordan Poole On His Viral Three-Pointer to End the Third Quarter appeared first on SLAM.

Boston enters the Finals after beating the Nets, Bucks, and Heat, who each beat the Celtics during the last three postseasons. The Celtics were able to make this run despite a slow start to the season. Boston went .500 over the first 50 games of the season but won after 26 of their last 32 games, finishing the season with the best defensive rating in the League.

The Warriors beat the Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Mavericks during their run to the Finals. They finished the regular-season with a 53-29 record, good for third in the West. They’ve had a season of triumph with Stephen Curry breaking the all-time record for made three-pointers and creating the 3k club and the happy return of Klay Thompson following 942 days away from the hardwood.

They also had to deal with injuries to Curry and Green that almost knocked them off the top of the West, but the emergence of Jordan Poole and some timely big games from Thompson helped them stave off any trouble.

The regular-season series between the Warriors and Celtics ended in a 1-1 tie, with both teams winning their home games; Boston won the last matchup 110-88, but the Warriors were missing Andrew Wiggins, and Curry suffered a foot sprain that night that sidelined him until Game 1 of the first-round after colliding with Marcus Smart as the two fought for a loose ball.

Here, we take a look at these two powerhouse squads:

Can Golden State Solve Boston’s Defense?

Boston has the top-ranked defense remaining in the Finals and is designed to stop the chaotic motion offense of the Warriors. The Celtics’ ability to wear teams out physically and their switching makes them the best defense in the League.

On the other side, the Dubs are the top-ranked offense in the playoffs, scoring 116.1 points per game—up to four points from what they scored during the regular season. Will Golden State rely on their typical offensive actions against a defense that’s been excellent at stopping superstar scorers like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Giannis Antetokounmpo? We’ll have to find out and see.

Tatum Exploiting Mismatches

While Boston is equipped with a squad full of bucket-getters, one standout has been Jayson Tatum, who has hunted mismatches against the Warriors—whether it’s shooting over defenders or whipping the ball around so that Boston can attack Golden State when have a 4-on-3 advantage. As JT continues to step up as a playmaker, Boston has continued to thrive.

Coach Steve Kerr’s solution may be to mix different coverages against him, likely doubling, switching, and mixing in some zone looks like the Warriors used against Luka Doncic. Another question is if Derrick White, Smart, and Brown can continue to show out and knock down shots, including the ones Tatum helps create for them.

X-FACTOR

An x-factor for Golden State has been two-way play of Andrew Wiggins. As a member of the Warriors, Wiggins has emerged as an All-Star after thriving as a third option scorer. His shot creation, defensive versatility, and offensive rebound makes him indispensable players. Will Wiggins make the most of his opportunities against a physical defense that thrives at reducing ball movement and forcing some iso play?

Robert Williams is another x-factor for the C’s. The Time Lord’s shot-blocking at the rim and perimeter has been invaluable when he was healthy. On the offensive end, Williams is a primetime lob threat.

The post 2022 NBA Finals Preview appeared first on SLAM.

But Iggy’s injury woes haven’t prevented him from playing a vital role for the Warriors as a player-assistant coach while in street clothes. This is mainly done by mentoring Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody all season and keeping this deep playoff run in perspective. According to Shayna Rubin of the Mercury News, Iguodala has made sure to remind the rookies to take plenty of pictures and keep memorabilia.

“Historically, they aren’t supposed to take on everything that comes with being in the Finals,” Iguodala said. “They’re supposed to be on college campuses learning about themselves, learning who they are as people, learning what they like, learning what they don’t like, instead of these guys making five-plus million dollars a year, got all the pressures, the madness of having money and being in the spotlight. You can become jaded. You can start taking these things for granted.

“It’s not their fault. I’m guilty of it, just being in the Finals so many times where I feel nothing. I just know it’s my job to go out and win. Really no joy in it; it’s just going to work.

Iggy has also maintained his brutal honesty with playoff vets like Kevon Looney and players playing in the playoffs for the first time like Jordan Poole. The third-year guard said Iggy “doesn’t leave any rock unturned,” and as a three-time champ, he coaches “how he sees the game unfold.”

“Extremely meticulous,” Poole said. “He likes to point out the details and small things. He has a lot of knowledge, and he’s willing to share, which is really cool to be a part of — He’s also extremely real. He’ll keep it a rack; he won’t sugarcoat anything. Being able to have him in our corner as a vet is huge.”

Iguodala’s knowledge as an 18-year vet and a player who played a significant role in the Warriors’ title runs as a versatile defender in Golden State’s small-ball lineups has earned him the ear of the younger Warriors.

His institutional knowledge of Golden State’s playstyle and culture has helped him stay in the League just as much as his quick hands, length, and athleticism. At 38-years-old, Iggy isn’t a part of the Warriors’ long-term plan, but for the time he’s relied on to be a strong voice on the bench.

He’s been given even more leeway as a veteran and player-coach because the Warriors championship core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson trust him to help Poole, Kuminga, and Moody see what they see on the floor. Having him in their collective ear will only make playing on the biggest stage of basketball even more when it matters the most.

“He has access, not just physical access but emotional access that the coaching staff does not have,” Coach Steve Kerr said. “Frankly, there’s a trust factor that exists that can’t possibly exist between players and coaches. That’s why the role is so important. He has a different vantage point, and the guys believe in him so much, and he’s just brilliant at demanding and embracing and everything in between.”

Iggy awaits clearance for Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The post Andre Iguodala’s Veteran Presence Essential to Finals Run appeared first on SLAM.

The three foundational members of the championship Warriors have gone through a lot since their first championship run in 2015. They’ve seen it all from failure in the Finals, teammates departing, and injuries. The journey from bottoming out in 2020 and narrowly missing the playoffs in 2021 makes this trip to the Finals all the sweeter for Curry, Green, and Thompson.

“It’s happened multiple times for me now,” Green told Marc J. Spears of Andscape after the Warriors’ practice on Monday. “You go through these moments, and you feel like you put all the work in to get through, and then you get to the moment, and the only two things I can think about once you get to the moment: No. 1, is the feeling of appreciation that I get for seeing guys that have not done it before. That first-time feeling, and just sitting there and watching them, and how they react, and how they smile, and how they appreciate that first-time feeling.

“You go through it, and you like, ‘Man, I got to feel that again.’ And the reality is you never feel it again. You go through it that first time, you never feel that way again — And so, I think for me, I get to that space, and then you just start to look around, and it just brings joy to see guys go through it for their first time.

For Green, he finds as much joy, if not more, when he sees the reactions of guys like Jordan Poole, Nemanja Bjelica, and Jonathan Kuminga, who are making their Finals run. As the Western Conference Finals trophy was moved and the Warriors celebrated their series win, Green recalled the familiar feeling of “you get to that moment after all the work that you put in, and it’s getting the trophy, and you just can’t help but think about the journey. What did it take to get here? How did this happen?”

Green also recollected being fearful of never getting that championship feeling again. Like many other past champions, Green said the only way to get that feeling back was to keep winning ‘ships. He did add one caveat, though. Winning, again and again, didn’t elicit the same feelings as the first title, but he does feel satisfied.

“Once you put yourself in the position to where you thought you would get that feeling back, it’s satisfying enough. I didn’t necessarily get that feeling that I got the first time, but I understand it now, and it’s satisfying, the feeling that I do get. The feeling of appreciation, the feeling of watching these guys for their first time experience the highest pinnacle of basketball, and their appreciation for it.”

When Game 1 of the NBA Finals kicks off on Thursday, Green recognized that the Celtics “have it on the offensive end, they have it on the defensive end.” and that Boston has been the best team in the NBA since January while also lauding their hunger for greatness and the culture they’ve built within the organization. The main thing the Warriors have to figure out, per Green, is Boston’s weakness on defense.

After learning what “the real NBA” is after two straight years of losing, Green and the Warriors are back in the spotlight and playing basketball when it matters the most. Green also said he’s back to enjoying hooping says he has “a much larger appreciation for it now than I did” since playing in the Finals “was kind of all I knew.” All in all, helping lead the Warriors to their sixth Finals trip since 2015 simply means this.

“It just shows the continuity and the focus level that we have. But most importantly, the competitive spirit and nature that we have. When we set out on this journey eight years ago, I can’t say we expected this. But we did know that we had a young group, a young core and that if we can put it together, we can be good for a very long time. And see it actually come to a fruition, it’s special.”

The post Draymond Green On His “Feelings of Appreciation” Making Sixth NBA Finals Appearence appeared first on SLAM.

That subsequent offseason featured a roster overhaul after two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant left for Brooklyn, and Andre Igoudala was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a deal to acquire D’Angelo Russell. The Warriors would also lose Klay Thompson for the first of two-and-a-half seasons after he tore his ACL during Game 6 of the 2019 Finals.

The following two seasons were a far departure from the supernova of greatness NBA fans grew accustomed to for the previous five seasons. The Warriors moved to San Francisco, leaving the fan-favorite Oakland Arena for the posh new Chase Center. What followed the subsequent two regular-season campaigns was a 15-50 COVID-19 shortened season 2019-2020, punctuated by the three-month absence of Stephen Curry due to a broken hand.

“None of these people really removed us from this space,” Green told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk of the team missing the playoffs the previous two seasons. “Toronto beat us, but no one really came and said, ‘All right, the Golden State Warriors’ time is up.'”

Draymond: “None of these people really removed us from this space. Toronto beat us, but no one really came and said, 'All right, the Golden State Warriors' time is up.'" https://t.co/gNK8gsRYwV

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) May 23, 2022

The Warriors didn’t spend that season just losing; at the 2020 trade deadline, the Warriors acquired Andrew Wiggins, a top-3 protected first-round pick and a second-rounder. Although the Warriors weren’t invited to the Orlando Bubble, the future looked bright.

The Warriors spent the offseason going into the 2020-21 season drafting James Wiseman with the No. 2 overall pick. However, the Warriors’ wind got knocked out of them when Thompson tore his Achilles during a pickup game, forcing him to miss the entirety of the season.

The Warriors responded to yet another tumultuous season by qualifying for the newly-created Play-In Tournament thanks to Curry’s scoring prowess, winning his second scoring title and leading the Warriors to a 39-33 record. However, the Warriors hit a brick wall after playing so hard to get to the Play-In Tournament, ultimately losing to the Lakers and the Grizzlies for the final two spots in the playoffs.

“We didn’t leave the space because we just got too old to do it,” Green told Youngmisuk. “We didn’t leave the space because all of us went our separate ways. We left the space because Klay Thompson was out, and then he was out again, and Andre [Iguodala] wasn’t here.

“And then Steph Curry was out. We didn’t leave this space because we weren’t capable of being in the space anymore.”

Heading into this last regular-season campaign, many around the NBA believed that the Warriors would once again be title favorites when healthy. Thompson finally had his glorious on-court return, playing for the first time in 941 days in January against the Pacers. But the season was marred by injuries to Draymond Green and Curry. However, the emergence of third-year guard Jordan Poole helped offset those losses.

The Warriors (53-29) finished the regular season with the third-best record in the West. They went on to gentlemen sweep the Nikola Jokic-led Nuggets, beat Ja Morant and the upstart Grizzlies in six games, and are on the verge of zooming past another superstar in Luka Doncic and the Mavs in a sweep.

His movement off the ball is god-tier. Curry with the iconic look-away three.

(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/QApyPsgQCJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

This run is even more impressive because the Warriors have beaten the young teams and superstars who are supposed to have next as this Warriors core grows older. Even as their Western Conference foes continue to grow, none of them have close to replacing the Warriors at the top of the League they ruled for five straight seasons.

Heading into Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Mavericks, the Warriors will have their first chance to sweep a WCF foe since 2019, when they beat the Trail Blazers to advance to that fateful 2020 NBA Finals loss. The Dubs have won nine straight conference finals games, going back to a Game 7 win against the Rockets in 2018

“For us to get back to this stage and win one playoff series, let alone where we are now, it’s not motivation,” said Curry, who finished Game 3 against Dallas with 31 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds. “It’s more of an excitement that we can do it a different way.

“The motivation is that we’re back on this stage with an opportunity to chase the Finals appearance after a two-year hiatus with our core and a new cast of characters.”

The post Draymond Green Speaks On the Warriors’ Two-Year Playoff Hiatus appeared first on SLAM.

31 PTS | 5 REB | 11 AST@StephenCurry30 pic.twitter.com/GBOXfHWNaD

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 23, 2022

Andrew Wiggins followed Curry up with 27 points and 11 rebounds on 11-20 shooting from the field, including this insane poster dunk on Luka Doncic that gave the Warriors a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Wiggins slam was initially called an offensive foul but was counted as a bucket after Coach Steve Kerr successfully protested otherwise.

“He hasn’t had the opportunity to be on the stage before,” Curry said. “With the confidence that we have as a team and the ability to come out here and prove who he is as a player in games that matter and I always say ‘just find ways to impact winning,’ he’s figured that out.

Wiggins with the poster on Luka .

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/RgHjDk8a61

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

The Warriors’ other starters were in rhythm and flowed throughout Game 3. Klay Thompson finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, Kevon Looney contributed nine points, 12 rebounds, and four assists, and Draymond Green posted 10 points, five rebounds, and five dimes. Not to mention the 10 points and five rebounds effort from Jordan Poole.

The Mavs’ apparent game plan to stretch the floor and match the Warrior’s firepower with a barrage of three-pointers fell flat on its face. Dallas made just 13-45 triples on Sunday, with Luka Magic’s first-quarter buzzer-beating three bringing the Dallas fans to their feet. The Mavericks’ two long-range snipers, Reggie Bullock and Maxi Kleber, struggled on Sunday, missing all 12 of their combined long-range attempts.

The first half of Sunday’s Game 3 was a roller coaster ride for the WCF foes. The Warriors led by as many as 12 in the first quarter, while the Mavs led by as many as nine. The Warriors took over and sustained that effort over the long haul after ending the half on a 15-5 run.

With a look-away three-pointer, Curry put a bow on the Warriors’ first-half effort. Curry’s bucket irritated Doncic, who promptly exchanged words with Poole and Juan Toscano-Anderson. After officials stepped in to claim the situation down, a confused Curry asked Doncic what happened. The two superstars cleared the air, with Green eventually playing peacemaker when the conversation ran its course.

His movement off the ball is god-tier. Curry with the iconic look-away three.

(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/QApyPsgQCJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

The Warriors controlled the tempo and continued to keep Dallas at bay. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter, at the 1:15 mark, in fact, that the Mavs made the game close with a Spencer Dinwiddie (26 points) triple to cut the Warriors’ lead to five points. Poole promptly slammed the door shut on any comeback bid with a triple from the left wing to cement the Warriors’ nine-point win.

POOLE PARTY pic.twitter.com/gLIZCIf1tu

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 23, 2022

The last time the Warriors swept a WCF series was in 2019 against the Portland Trail Blazers. They lost the 2019 NBA Finals to the Raptors in six games. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit.

“When you’re up 2-0, and you come on the road, to stranglehold control of the series, that’s huge. It’s a good feeling to know that we came in and gotta win, and then we can play with house money on Tuesday and try to get a dub,” Curry said.

The post Stephen Curry Scores 31 to Lead Warriors to 109-100 Win and 3-0 Series Over Mavs appeared first on SLAM.

With countless tunnel fits to choose from, the All-LeagueFits Teams were carefully selected by a voting system that include one-third of fan votes, one-third of votes from LF’s Survival of the Fitted Podcast, and the remaining votes from an exclusive panel that includes designer Mamadou, former WNBA star Ty Young, fashion publicist John Guidry, NBA champ Axel Toupane, NFL star and designer Rodney McLeod, designer Caroline Bentley Noble, Los Angeles Sparks’ star Liz Cambage, fashion Tik Tok influencer Ayeeron, former NBA standout and designer/ ‘Bucks in 6’ legend Brandon Jennings, Richard aka @thehapablonde and stylist Devon Byrd.

Here are the official results of the First, Second and Third Teams, as well as the All-Rookie and Honorable Mentions. Stay tuned for the individual award selections.

Jordan Clarkson is truly in a class of his own. This is his third consecutive first team selection, and he was one of only two unanimous picks between the panel, fans and pod. Kelly Oubre Jr. was the first-ever LeagueFits MVP, and he makes an epic return to the first team after showing out in a major way with charlotte this past season.

As for SGA, no debates to be had this time around. He showed off his versatility this season and rightfully secured his spot on the top team. Then there’s Devin Booker, who has the most defined aesthetic in basketball. he was one of two players to be unanimously voted to the first team.

Meanwhile, D-Lo elevated his looks to another level this season, and he did it in the classiest way possible.

These five did it their way and one time for some of the tunnel’s tuffest. Russ came back to Hollywood this year, and he owned the tunnel at STAPLES for the full 82, while CP3 has yet to miss out on the LeagueFits teams since we started doing this in 2018. Jerry Lorenzo’s favorite hooper, Frank Jackson is making his return to the LF teams, and so is Kuz, who was the first-ever LF Rookie of the Year and has turned up the heat more and more. He’s never afraid to push the boundaries of self-expression and is a permanent LF mainstay.

While these awards are based on the regular season, we’ll admit that JT is the last guy we want to see on the court, or in the tunnel, during this postseason.

Jalen Green claims his spot on the third team after a heavy dosage of love from the fan vote and bringing in some unique looks his rookie season. Caris LeVert is maybe the most underrated tunnel star in the League. No more sleeping on Levert, he’s like that on the court and in the closet.

One time for Myles Turner, who’s gotta be the tallest dude to ever make a LeagueFits team standing at 6’11. We’re also not going to let y’all snub Jared Vanderbilt this year because he deserves this one, and Pj Tucker is gonna have a permanent spot on the LeagueFits teams as long as he plays in this League. True legend and true drip OG.

Nobody in the freshman class went harder post All-Star Game than Scottie Barnes. He’s surely cemented as a future LeagueFits and NBA star. Jonathan Kuminga’s been doing it his own way his entire life. No surprises he’s the same way in the tunnel.

Josh Christopher was the first (and we think the only) high school player to ever be posted on LeagueFits. This has been in the works for years. And, if you watched even five seconds of the 2021 NBA draft, you knew Jalen Green was going to be a superstar.

David Duke Jr held nothing back with his bold play on the court and in the tunnel his rookie campaign. The undrafted rook surpassed every expectation that was set, and it’s just the beginning.

Consistency matters in a season that’s 82-plus games long and Nickeil Alexander-Walker routinely delivered. Then we’ve got the LF fan favorite, Tyler Herro, who burst onto the scene as our rookie of the year a few years back and has kept the bar high since.

Jordan Poole might be from the midwest, but he embraced the laid-back California style to the fullest this year, while Thanasis Antetokounmpo used the Milwaukee winters as the perfect reason to consistently layer up, earning his first-ever LeagueFits award.

James Harden might be an OG in the tunnel, but he’s been dressing since before LF was even an idea. Tristan Thompson played in a few cities this year, and he dressed up in all of them. He earns LeagueFits awards honors for the second straight season.

And last but definitely not least, we confirmed on the Survival of the Fitted Pod that Gary Trent Jr. had the fit of the year. It’s only right he gets an LF awards nod.

The post The 2021-22 All-LeagueFits Teams Awards Results appeared first on SLAM.

The win was partly due to Andrew Wiggins doing a solid job of defending and ultimately slowing Luka Doncic down. Wiggins thrived on guarding Doncic the full 94 feet at times while also using a box-and-one and mixing up zone looks to hold the three-time All-Star to 20 points on 6-18 shooting from the field, including shooting 3-10 from deep. Wiggins also forced Doncic to turn the ball over three times.

Wiggins’ efforts to shadow Doncic all 94 feet up the court did the job of wearing Doncic down and frustrating him.

“It’s a tactic obviously in terms of just making guys work,” Stephen Curry said per ESPN. “It’s just one more thing to think about. I wouldn’t say it bothers you, but something you can’t try to overcome. Wiggs is going to keep doing it, but it’s just one more thing to think about, and that’s good playoff basketball.”

For many players, guarding a superstar like Doncic with max effort would take away from their offensive production. Not Wiggins, who told reporters that the matchup didn’t make him tired after the final buzzer.

“I feel like I’m still young. I don’t really get too tired,” Wiggins said. “I’m locked in. I’m motivated, and when you see it work or I feel like it’s helping us play better, it just motivates me to do it more. I’m not tired or nothing. You know, it’s adrenaline. I just feel good.”

Holding Luka Legend below his average of 31.5 points in the playoffs is a confidence boost for the former No. 1 overall draft pick. Since arriving in Golden State, Maple Jordan had transformed into the two-way monster so many were expecting to see when Minnesota first drafted him, earning his first All-Star nod after averaging 17.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on 46.6 percent shooting from the field.

”I thought Wiggs was fantastic,” Coach Steve Kerr said. ”Doncic is as difficult a cover as there is in this League. — It’s important to make him work. He’s so good. Any great player in the League, you’re trying to limit the damage that they do.”

Wiggins scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half and finished Game 1 with five rebounds and three dimes. All five Warriors starters scored in double-digits, including Jordan Poole (19 points) and Otto Porter Jr. (10 points, six rebounds).

The Dubs were able to outscore the Mavs, 58-42, in the second half. For the game, the Warriors held the Mavericks to 36.0 percent shooting from the field, 22.9 from distance. Golden State also scored 18 points off of 13 turnovers.

With Friday’s Game 2 looming, expect Dallas to make the necessary adjustments to tie the WCF at 1-1. Stealing home-court advantage as the series shifts to Dallas will be pivotal for a Mavericks team essentially playing with house money this deep into the playoffs.

The post Andrew Wiggins Thrives in Game 1 Matchup Against Luka Doncic appeared first on SLAM.

In the first half, the Splash Bros couldn’t throw a penny in the ocean, combining to hit 1-9 three-pointers in the first half. Klay Thompson himself didn’t score until early in the second half. Only Curry could get something going, scoring 10 points in the first, including the Splash Bro’s one made triple through the first 24 minutes of Game 1.

“A little ugly in the first quarter, but our defense, our focus, our multiple efforts made it tough on them. We got momentum, and our offense clicked. We got a lot of separation, so we did what we’re supposed to do.” Curry said during his on-tv interview after the final buzzer.

A whole mood: (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/5EE7VqXZDb

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 19, 2022

From there, Curry and Thompson turned in vintage performances during the second half. After Luka Doncic (20 points, seven rebounds, four assists) hit back-to-back triples late in the first half to cut Golden State’s lead to 54-45 at the break, Curry then responded, sparking a 10-2 run with two quick three-pointers to begin the third quarter while Thompson scored all 15 of his points in the second half.

Five of the Warriors scored in double digits on the more glamorous side, including Jordan Poole (19 points) and Otto Porter Jr. (10 points, six rebounds).

The Warriors will look to get a 2-0 lead in the WCF when they face Dallas on Thursday in San Francisco.

The post Steph Curry on Taking Game 1 of the WCF: ‘We Did What We Were Supposed to Do’ appeared first on SLAM.

Poole has put it all together during the Warriors’ playoff run to the Western Conference Finals, averaging 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Through 11 career playoff games, Poole has logged at least 30 points twice, scoring a then playoff career-high 30 points in his first playoff game against Denver. Poole eclipsed that mark in the second round, scoring 31 points in a Game 1 win of the Memphis-Golden State series.

The court is Jordan Poole's canvas.

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/TXiDBrsQu4

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 19, 2022

“We saw the potential. But when we Draft players [late in the first round], realistically, it’s really hard to know where it’s going to go. We thought it was possible, but we didn’t know he would reach it. But credit to him and the coaching staff that put the time in to perfect his craft. I’m happy for him that he’s showcasing this on a big stage, showing his skillset and fitting in with guys that are leading him.” Meyers said.

The development of Poole has made Meyers look good once again. Especially since he was able to get Poole so late in the draft, in his third season in the NBA, Poole has proven he can be the third Splash Brother and a safety valve for the Dubs when Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson is struggling.

“He’s been great, and I don’t know if we’d be where we are without him. It’ll be interesting to see where it all keeps going. It’s a great experience, but he’s never been in the playoffs before this year. That’s what you want from any young player — to taste the playoffs and get a sense of it. A lot of players play a long career and don’t get this far. For him to be this young and get an opportunity, it’s really very valuable.”

Love everything about this play, Jordan Poole is fun to watch.

(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/PBbvUyESi8

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 8, 2022

Because Poole has made himself so indispensable, he’s been able to be a part of the Warriors’ most efficient small-ball lineup featuring Curry, Thompson, himself, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green.

When it comes to Poole’s next step, that’ll be seen when the Warriors take on the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. It bodes well that regardless of starting or coming off the bench, heavy workload or not, Poole remains consistent in being a shot-creator and playmaker alongside the Warriors’ Big 3. When Meyers was asked where he sees Poole going from here, he just stated the Warriors had needed him, and he’s answered the call to perform every time.

“Each round gets harder, but it’s all informative. You look for consistency, confidence, and skill. The playoffs are the most informative time of the year. You can’t hide during the playoffs. It’s just too competitive, too physical, and too high level. As an executive, it’s the best time to evaluate your team, assuming that you are healthy. If you don’t make it to the playoffs, it’s hard to know much. But if you do, it’s fantastic because you get to see what’s what. With Jordan, it’s another chance to watch him grow. He’s answered the bell: Started, not started, played big minutes, played fewer minutes. Credit to him for always being ready. We’re going to definitely need him in this round, and however far we can go.”

The post Bob Meyers Saw ‘the Potential’ in Jordan Poole From the Draft appeared first on SLAM.

The Grizzlies were led by Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones, and Jaren Jackson Jr., who each scored 21 points apiece to avoid elimination and force Game 6 in San Francisco.

Memphis never trailed in Game 5, leading by as much as 55 points while shooting 47.5 percent from the field, 43.9 percent from beyond the arc, and manhandled the Warriors inside to the tune of 55 rebounds and 50 points in the paint. The Grizzlies scored a franchise-record 77 points in the first half, their 52-point lead going into the fourth quarter tied for the largest deficit in a playoff game in the past 70 years.

The Grizzlies also forced the Warriors into 22 turnovers

Unicorn. pic.twitter.com/PHKtId2kPC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 12, 2022

“We knew what was at stake,” Jackson said per ESPN. “We didn’t change anything, though. We just calmed down, looked at the film, understand what we had to take away from the last game, and just went out there and executed.”

The big-time Game 5 win was thanks to Memphis going back to what helped them become the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, sheer dominance on the boards, forcing turnovers, and reliable bench scoring.

Bane with the and-1. pic.twitter.com/o5QwdEzlE4

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 12, 2022

The Grizzlies got back to doing the things that helped them post the second-best record during the regular season. They outrebounded Golden State and dominated on the offensive boards. They forced turnovers and got their best production from the bench of this series. The Grizzlies finished the night with a 52-35 edge and held Jordan Poole, who outpaced the Grizzlies in the first games of the series, to just eight points and three assists.

Memphis entered the second quarter with a 35-28 lead and left the second half with a 77-50 lead after unleashing a 20-4 run, including 14 straight, to outscore the Warriors 39-22 in the second frame. Out of halftime, the onslaught continued with the Grizzlies opening the second half with a 20-6 outburst that all but ended any hopes of Golden State making a comeback.

Tyus Jones three ball after the warriors turnover. pic.twitter.com/mKCun7FD4f

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 12, 2022

The Memphis faithful celebrated while chanting their signature rallying cry, “Whoop That Trick! Whoop That Trick”, which drew a laugh from Stephen Curry (14 points, four assists, three rebounds), who infamously said the Warrior’s game plan for Game 5 was “Whoop That Trick” earlier on the Wednesday edition of NBA Today.

“Obviously, this was a very impressive win for our group, great bounce-back for sure,”  Memphis Coach Taylor Jenkins said.

Watch JA after this play. pic.twitter.com/PG2rom1urJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 12, 2022

The Warriors will look to close the series out on Friday in San Francisco. The Dubs have won five straight playoff games at home, including their last seven overall.

The post Jaren Jackson Jr. On Memphis’ Dominant Game 5 Win: ‘We Knew What Was At Stake’ appeared first on SLAM.

“I don’t even know what that means in the playoffs. I did not even understand what he meant by that,” Brooks said.

The 26-year-old later followed up by saying he would “take the playback if he could.”

“It’s in the past,” Brooks said per ESPN. “I didn’t mean for it to hurt somebody. If I were to take it back in a moment, I would. But it’s in the past.”

Brooks will be back in the Grizzlies lineup for Game 4 against the Warriors, while Ja Morant remains doubtful to play while he deals with some knee soreness that he experienced in Game 3.

Ja Morant reacted to Jordan Poole grabbing his knee.

(via @JaMorant) pic.twitter.com/9XhvkPfYxG

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 8, 2022

The Grizzlies look to tie the series up 2-2 on Monday.

The post Dillon Brooks on Steve Kerr’s ‘Code’ Comments: ‘I Don’t Even Know What That Means in the Playoffs’ appeared first on SLAM.

Grizzlies‘ Ja Morant (right knee) is likely to miss Game 4 vs. Warriors, coach Taylor Jenkins says.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 8, 2022

However, Morant is now listed as doubtful on the injury report for Game 4. He was seen walking into the Grizzlies shootaround on Monday morning, but according to Mark Medina, he was in street clothes and didn’t participate in “any on-court work.” Medina also reported that the Grizzlies are still “working through” Morant’s injury while declining to share any details on Morant’s MRI results.

Morant is currently on the injury report as doubtful for game four. https://t.co/RQPCv0MbSN

— Kerith Burke (@KerithBurke) May 9, 2022

The Grizzlies were 20-5 when Morant wasn’t in the lineup this season. Something that Coach Steve Kerr gave Memphis plenty of credit for.

“They’re a hell of a team — They’re really deep.”

Steve Kerr on if Ja Morant doesn't play for the Grizzlies tonight: "Memphis went 20-5 without him. They're a hell of a team. … They're really deep."

— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) May 9, 2022

The controversy behind Morant’s injury has picked up quite a bit with Morant, in a since-deleted tweet, calling out Jordan Poole and the Warriors for “going against the code,” something Kerr rallied around after Gary Payton II suffered a fractured elbow during Game 2. The injury might’ve occurred after Jordan Poole accidentally grabbed at Morant’s knee while attempting to force a turnover.

Some fans had fought back against the narrative, claiming that the injury more than likely occurred earlier when Morant collided with Klay Thompson as he attempted to close out on Splash Brothers’ long-distance attempt. Some even pointed out that Morant tripped Stephen Curry as the two-time MVP drove past him. When Thompson heard about Morant’s claim, he laughed, outright dismissing the notion Poole could do that.

“I don’t even think he’s strong enough to affect somebody’s knee,” Thompson said. “We’re not out there trying to hurt people or trying to club people in the back of the head on a fast break.”

Klay Thompson started laughing when he heard Ja Morant tweeted that Jordan Poole broke the code.

"I don't even think he's strong enough to affect somebody's knee. We're not out there trying to hurt people, or trying to club people in the back of the head on a fast break." pic.twitter.com/Srz8FZurJ1

— Sam Hustis (@SamHustis) May 8, 2022

The Grizzlies and Warriors will lock horns on Monday, with the Warriors looking to take a 3-1 series lead with a Game 4 win.

The post Ja Morant (Knee) Listed as Doubtful for Game 4 appeared first on SLAM.

The 47-point effort Morant put on the veteran Warriors feels as inevitable as Thanos collecting the infinity stones. Each bucket felt heavier and heavier as it fell through the nylon. The Murray State product made 15-31 field goal attempts, knocked down 5-12 triples, and hit 12-13 free throws. Can’t forget the eight rebounds, eight assists, and three steals he collected, either.

The newly crowned Most Improved Player award winner started the night off hot, scoring 21 points and five dimes in the first half, punctuating his Hulk-like evening with a hammer in transition. Morant’s athletic exploits are well-chronicled at this point, and when you’re that athletic and explosive, the main question fellow hoopers and media will ask is, where is the jumper?

The Warriors’ decision to make Morant beat them as a shooter didn’t pay off on Tuesday didn’t pay off as Morant trusted his jump shot when the Warriors sagged off him in the lane; the 2022 All-Star matched the sure-fire Splash Brothers in made three-pointers. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined to bury 5-23 shots from beyond the arc against the Grizzlies’ lengthy and physical perimeter defense for the night.

Stepback 12

(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/9agrz2sMNd

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 4, 2022

Speaking of Curry, Morant outdueled the former MVP once again in Game 2. Morant scored the final 15 points of the night, hitting a three, and walked Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins down the lane for two tough finishes on a pair of isolation possessions in the final two and a half minutes. Morant also sank a floater to give the Warriors a 104-101 lead and then the final free-throws of the night to seal the Grizzlies’ series-tying win.

“Definitely big time,” Morant said per ESPN. “I felt like this was a must-win game for us. For me, I was frustrated with myself missing that layup in Game 1.

As if 47 points wasn’t INCREDIBLE enough, @JaMorant scored the final 15 points to lead the @memgrizz to the Game 2 win and even the series at 1-1! #GrindCity pic.twitter.com/4sUG8KZSaL

— NBA (@NBA) May 4, 2022

The Grizzlies-Warriors series heads back to San Francisco for Game 3 on Thursday. After Game 1, Curry let Morant know this second-round matchup would be a battle but fun. As the Grizzlies celebrated their hard-fought win, Morant returned the favor as the two superstars walked past each other.

“I was able to return that message tonight — I am having a lot of fun.”

JA DROPS 4⃣7⃣

GRIZZLIES EVEN UP THE SERIES #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/IJXeDcpQaP

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 4, 2022

The post Ja Morant on His 47-Point Outing: ‘This Was a Must-Win For Us’ appeared first on SLAM.

Green has even gone to social media to make a case that other players, who don’t necessarily have the same reputation for the physical play he does, should be kicked after Player A accidentally kicked Player B in the groin or Player C committed a hard foul on Player D.

When the Inside the NBA crew questioned him about his aggressiveness, he reminded the legendary basketball media crew that the Warriors still won thanks to the collective defensive effort of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, who both got clutch defensive stops against Ja Morant late in the fourth quarter to secure their tight win and the hot scoring of Jordan Poole who scored a team-high 31 points.

“We won the game,” Green said.

That doesn’t negate the fact that the Warriors and Green need each other. The former DPOY missed two months due to a back injury, and without the Michigan State product in the lineup, the Warriors went from 34-12 when Green played to 19-17 without him.

In the 17 minutes Green played in Game 1, he posted six points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Without Green on the floor, Poole, Kevon Looney, Jonathon Kuminga, Otto Porter Jr., and Andrew Wiggins picked up the slack on the rebounding side, helping the Warriors win the rebound battle 50-47. The Grizzlies led the League in rebounding, corraling 49.2 boards per game; in the playoffs, they bring down 46.4.

“That’s what it takes when you lose a guy,” Green said.

In the meantime, the Warriors and Green will have to contend with Green’s physical play and a looming suspension if Green picks up another Flagrant 2 foul. League rules state if a player picks up four flagrant foul points, one point for a Flagrant 1 and two for a Flagrant 2.

The last time those rules reared their ugly heads in the playoffs for the Warriors was Game 5 of the infamous 2016 NBA Finals, which Green missed due to picking up a Flagrant 2 and his fourth point in the previous game. The Cleveland Cavaliers used his absence to spark a 3-1 comeback, the first time a team climbed back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals.

Defiant as ever, Green won’t allow those memories to deter him from playing hard. He also expressed some frustration with the flagrant foul system.

“My reputation is a badge of honor,” he said. “Not everybody can earn that reputation. So, life goes on. I’m never going to change the way I play basketball. It’s gotten me this far: Three championships, four All-Stars, Defensive Player of the Year. Not gonna change that.”

“There’s a lot of things in this league that are probably old and outdated and (don’t) make sense, and people are too lazy to go change things; there’s a laundry list of things that are old, and they worked in the ‘60s, but they probably don’t work today, but people are too lazy to go change them.”

Game 2 of the Warriors-Grizzles story takes place in Memphis on Tuesday.

The post Draymond Green Insists He Won’t Change Playstyle: ‘My Reputation is a Badge of Honor’ appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: There is momentum toward the Golden State Warriors having their most lethal lineup as the starting five tonight vs. Denver in Game 5 – Stephen Curry back in, with Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. Final decision to be made today.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 27, 2022

The starting five Coach Steve Kerr is expected to put out on the floor would be Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green. A final decision will be made ahead of tipoff for Game 5 in Denver.

The lineup of Curry, Poole, Thompson, Wiggins, and Green is considered their most potent through the 32 minutes and four games they’ve played together. Their offensive rating is 147.8, and defensively they post a 113.4 rating.

Since Curry returned ahead of Game 1 from a foot sprain, he suffered midway through March. In the four games since, he’s come off the bench, averaging 27.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in 28.0 minutes per game.

The post REPORT: Stephen Curry Returning to the Starting Lineup For Game 5 appeared first on SLAM.

The one issue that remains is the Golden State backcourt. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole are still hot, and each was on fire in Game 3.

Steph
Klay
JP
BUCKETS. pic.twitter.com/cKcxHKYLe2

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 22, 2022

Curry and Poole each finished with 27 points apiece, and Thompson dropped 26 points on his own to cancel out a monster 37-point, 18 rebound game by Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 118-113. The Warriors now lead 3-0 in their first-round series with a chance to sweep over the weekend.

The three guards have led a small ball lineup that has been the difference in this series. Each player has had their chance to shine individually and collectively throughout this series. In Game 1, Jordan Poole got rolling with a historic start. Then it was Curry who exploded in Game 2 to eclipse the playoff career 3,000 point mark while scoring a game-high 34 points in only 23 minutes.

In Game 3, all three made history. Thompson passed Ray Allen for third all-time in playoff three-pointers made. Chef Curry passed James Worthy for 26th on the playoff scoring list. As for Jordan Poole, he became the first guard since the merger to score 25 Pts on 60 percent shooting in three straight playoff games. Jerry West, Lou Hudson, and Brian Winters were the only guards to have done it in history, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole are the 3rd trio in Warriors history to each record 25 points and 50% shooting in a playoff game and the first since 1989.

1989: Chris Mullin, Mitch Richmond & Terry Teagle

1958: Neil Johnston, Paul Arizin & Tom Gola pic.twitter.com/wJbmus6noh

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 22, 2022

All three became the first trio in franchise history to record 25 points on 50 percent shooting and the first to do since Chris Mullin, Mitch Redmond, and Terry Teagle did so in 1989.

“He looks like a seasoned vet,” Thompson said about Poole via Yahoo Sports. “The shots he’s been making and taking, he’s kind of been our catalyst on offense. JP, I’ve seen him put in so much work behind the scenes that he deserves this.

“I’m incredibly proud of him.”

Not only is Thompson enjoying his teammate’s play but the opportunity to be back on the floor with his teammates in general.

“So much,” he said when asked how much he missed playoff games on the road. “It’s what you dream of, it’s what you prepare for and I don’t take granted nights like these. That was a ton of fun and just a gutsy win by our squad.

“Everything I worked for the past two years has come to fruition. I’m just incredibly grateful to be here and having fun.”

Golden State will try to close out the series on Sunday.

The post Golden State Warriors Take Command Of Series With Backcourt Brilliance appeared first on SLAM.

After a couple of seasons riddled with injuries and player development, the Warriors started their first playoff run in three years with a newer, more exciting version and have added another shooter to the mix.

The Denver Nuggets have had no answers to defending the Warriors when Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and the newest addition, Jordan Poole, have shared the floor. Golden State has gone for momentum-stealing runs in the first two games that have changed momentum or put the game out of reach.

Jordan Poole drops a behind-the-back dime to Klay in transition

The @warriors are on a roll in Q2!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel on TNT pic.twitter.com/zsLzLaJyTf

— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2022

This combination played only five minutes together in Game 1, but they outscored Denver by 14 points to shift the momentum sparking their 123-107 win. In Game 2, they played another five minutes, which led them to move the momentum to their side going into the second half.

After falling behind 43-31 in the second quarter, the Warriors erased that deficit by halftime with runs of 16-0 and 23-4 late to take a 57-51 lead at the break. The trend is not lost on Thompson, who forecasted this type of performance after Game 1.

“It’s a scary sight when we really get going,” Thompson said. “This is really only our first time really playing together.”

The story of this series so far has been Jordan Poole. Poole had yet another strong performance after a historic performance in Game 1, scoring 29 points while putting on another dazzling display that had the Chase Center crowd rocking!

Jordan Poole was dropping dimes and buckets in Game 2 to lift the @warriors to the 2-0 series lead! #DubNation

Poole: 29 PTS (10-16 FGM), 5 REB, 8 AST, 2 STL, 5 3PM

Warriors vs. Nuggets Game 3: Thurs. 10pm/et on TNT#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/STMdXEiLIm

— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2022

While the running joke around the team is will Curry ever get back in the starting lineup, SC30 was very impressed with Poole’s play to start the playoffs.

“He doesn’t lack confidence,” Curry said per ESPN. “That play embodied it. Because you just have the creativity and confidence in yourself to make that play. You don’t second-guess yourself. You kind of live with the results, and we’ve done it for years, and he’s stepping into that now. It’s fun to see.”

Game 3 of this, the Warriors-Nuggets series shifts to Denver on Thursday.

The post Warriors Unlock Next Level With New Small Ball Lineup Featuring Jordan Poole appeared first on SLAM.

Chase Center is ROCKIN’ after Poole’s bucket pic.twitter.com/w0JwRUn57m

— ESPN (@espn) April 17, 2022

Before the series started, the young guard said he was ready to contribute in any way he could.

“As long as I’m out there being able to make an impact, help our team win, and lead us as far as we can go, I’m excited for it,” Poole said via Bleacher Report. “Whatever opportunity presents itself, I’m going to be ready to step up.”

His Game 1 performance showed that he is a man of his word.

Poole started in Curry’s place and put on an historical performance, scoring 30 points on an efficient 9-13 shooting from the floor, leading the Warriors to an easy 123–107 Game 1 victory. Poole scored the third more points in a playoff debut behind Wilt Chamberlain (35) and Mitch Richmond (30). His five triples were the most for a playoff debut too.

The former first-round pick also became the 35th player in League history to score 30 or more in their first playoff game. Whatever the role, Poole has proved that he can contribute in any role for the Warriors going forward. In the 12 games Curry missed due to his sprained foot, Poole averaged 25.8 points.

Poole is really like that. pic.twitter.com/XFVxxg6yuH

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 17, 2022

After the game, Poole was thankful for the support of his teammates via ESPN.

“There’s no better feeling than having the guys behind you who have already been through the fight,” Poole said.

Poole and the Warriors and the Nuggets will go at it for Round 2 on Monday.

The post Golden State Warriors Host Jordan Poole Party In Game 1 Win Over Denver appeared first on SLAM.

Since Curry exited the lineup on March 16, Poole has averaged 27.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game while shooting 39.8 percent from deep. The former Michigan Wolverine has been on an absolute tear, as the last time he failed to reach the 20-point mark was during a March 1 loss to the Timberwolves.

Missing only six games this season, Poole has been a staple for the Warriors all year long and has scored the second-most total points for the Dubs with 1,346. His 203 made three-pointers thus far have surpassed his sophomore mark of 97 by a considerable margin.

Poole and the Warriors face the Lakers on Thursday, the Spurs on Saturday, and the Pelicans on Sunday before heading into the postseason.

The post Jordan Poole Blossoming Since Stephen Curry Exited the Lineup appeared first on SLAM.

“Next Monday, the 14th, against the Wizards. That is the date I am targeting,” Green said, “I am excited as hell. It’s been two and a half months, almost — I have never missed that much time during the season — this is something different for me. I am extremely excited to get back out there with my guys to try right this ship.”

Sources say @Money23Green is targeting March 14 to make his return against the Wizards.

Sources are Draymond. pic.twitter.com/Ry2k2cN38S

— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) March 8, 2022

Since Green last played a full game on January 5, the Warriors have gone 13-13. By the time he returns next Monday, the former Defensive Player of the Year will have missed 29 games this season.

While the Dubs dropped to third place in the West, the Warriors coaching staff said that Green is “the control center of everything we do.” Something Coach Steve Kerr agreed to while talking about the increased role Jordan Pool took on during Green’s absence.

“The change is not him playing off the bench; it’s that Draymond isn’t out there,” Kerr said. “Think about the first half of the season.– He was not really our backup point guard. He played with guys who handled the ball. He really focused on scoring and shooting. But with the injuries we’ve had, Jordan has had to take on playmaking duties, and there’s a much bigger responsibility.”

As recent as Sunday, League insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Green could return in the next 7-10 days. Kerr himself said he was “optimistic” that the Michigan State product could soon be back on the court.

“He’s done really well with his rehab,” Kerr said ahead of Golden State’s loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. “I got a report today that he got another rehab session in on the court. And he’s had about a week, a week and a half now of being on the court, getting a lot of shots ups, scrimmaging. So he’s feeling a lot better and is coming along.

The post Draymond Green Targets March 14 As Return Date appeared first on SLAM.

When fully healthy, the Warriors have had one of the best lineups in basketball, primarily due to Draymond Green’s role as the ultimate glue guy.

However, since Green suffered a back injury in January, his absence has definitely been missed as Golden State has dropped seven of their last 10 contests.

A Warriors staff member went as far as to tell ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, “He’s the control center of everything we do.”

Coach Steve Kerr agreed with that sentiment. When speaking about the up-and-coming guard Jordan Poole being asked to do more, he alluded to Green’s Swiss army knife effect on the team:

“The change is not him playing off the bench; it’s that Draymond isn’t out there,” Kerr said per Andrews’ story. “Think about the first half of the season. … He was not really our backup point guard. He played with guys who handled the ball. He really focused on scoring and shooting. But with the injuries we’ve had, Jordan has had to take on playmaking duties, and there’s a much bigger responsibility.”

The Warriors’ defensive numbers back up the significance of the Green’s absence.

With Green on the court, the Warriors only give up 100.3 points per game which would rank first in the NBA by 2.4 points. Without Green, they’ve given up 109 points per game, which would be tied for 14th. In addition, Green ranks first on the team in assists (7.4), rebounds (7.6), steals (1.4), and blocks (1.2) per game.

On Saturday night, the Warriors head to the bright lights of Los Angeles to face the downward trending Los Angeles Lakers (27-35).

The post Warriors Call Draymond Green the Missing ‘Control Center’ appeared first on SLAM.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s Connor Letourneau reported that the Warriors will try to sign Poole to an extension this summer before becoming a restricted free agent in 2023.

“The Warriors also will try to sign Poole to a multiyear extension this summer, which would allow them to avoid having to deal with him in restricted free agency in 2023,” Letourneau wrote. “Keith Smith, a salary-cap expert for Spotrac, estimates that deal to be in the four-year, $80 million range.”

The timing of this extension would be tremendous for Golden State, as All-Star starter Andrew Wiggins will become an unrestricted free agent following the 2022-23 season. Getting Poole inked on a contract extension gives Dub Nation one less financial thing to worry about.

The 22-year-old is averaging 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 28.8 minutes of run per game. He also leads the NBA in free throw accuracy at 92.2 percent, which is 0.3 percent higher than Stephen Curry. He’s proven to be a capable scorer and able to anchor the second unit.

The former Michigan Wolverine is looking at a possible large payday if he continues this stellar play.

The post REPORT: Warriors Expected to Offer Jordan Poole A Four-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors signed Otto Porter Jr. this past offseason, hoping that Porter could provide consistent shooting coming off the bench. Porter is shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from long range for his career. Which the Dubs hope will be a lethal combination with Jordan Poole when Klay Thompson makes his return to the lineup. While Porter has always been known as one of the league’s most accurate shooters, he’s also known as a player that can’t stay on the floor. 

The nine-year player’s struggles with injuries with each of his last three previous teams scared off many NBA teams and were considered a gamble to Golden State. That gamble has paid off handsomely, according to Warriors Coach Steve Kerr. 

Kerr was a guest on 95.7 The Game’s “Damon & Ratto” podcast this week and expressed how impressed he was with Porter Jr.’s season thus far. 

“I think the biggest surprise, honestly, is that he’s been healthy,” Kerr said. “It had been a rough couple of years for Otto. He has not been healthy. As soon as he signed his contract in the summer, he was in our training room that week and every day since. He put in the work, and it’s paid off for him.

“We knew he was a good player. It was mainly, we were just trying to figure if he was going to be available and healthy. It’s just been great to see. He’s really been a fun player to coach and play with.”

Otto Porter scored 7.6 points and grabs 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three-point range in 26 games off the bench for Golden State. 

The post Steve Kerr Praises Otto Porter Jr.’s Input To Golden State Warriors Success appeared first on SLAM.

“The shot feels pretty good,” Green said via The Athletic. “I think when you go so long without shooting, it’s a mental hurdle you have to get over. I’ll say that’s where I am. But I can shoot the s**t out the ball. I know that.”

With Stephen Curry embarking on an MVP-caliber start to the season with 28.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, alongside the career-high production of Jordan Poole (14.0 points, 4.0 dimes, 2.7 boards per game), Green says his mindset is to be “aggressive” and take the shots when they’re there.

“Assertive,” he added about his mindset. “When a lane is there, take the lane. When a layup is there, take the layup. When a shot is there, take the shot. Not overthinking too much. Be who I can be.”

During the Kevin Durant years, Green was rarely called upon to take and make shots from deep. And the few that he did, affected his percentages drastically, which he says further hindered his confidence:

“Yeah, you don’t use it, and all of a sudden I’m taking one 3 every three games, and if I miss it, my percentages go to shit,” Green said. “Before you know it, in 10 games, I’m 0-for-7, my percentage has gone to hell, and then that can f**k with your confidence.”

Green is currently averaging 9.3 points, 8.7 boards, 7 assists along with 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. If his shot has returned to the level that the six games thus far have suggested, the Golden State Warriors just got a whole lot scarier.

The Warriors are currently in second place in the Western Conference, with a 5-1 record. They play the Hornets on Wednesday.

The post ‘I Can Shoot the Sh** Out of the Ball’: Draymond Green Reveals His Offensive Mindset appeared first on SLAM.

After Poole struggled in Golden State’s 104-101 overtime loss to the Memphis Grizzlies with only nine points and six turnovers, Steph talked about his young teammate after the game via Yahoo Sports.

“Always having a lot of conversations, a lot of feedback back and forth on what it means to be consistent every night,” Curry said after the game. “For him, he wants it really bad. He wants to be great in this League. You can see it. But it takes time, and for him, it’s understanding that you don’t have to press every night, especially when you’re on other teams’ scouting reports and they are going to try to take you away from your patterns and sweet spots.”

The Warriors will play against OKC on Saturday night.

The post Stephen Curry Supports Jordan Poole Through Rough Shooting Performance appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA regular season returns tomorrow, and with that, we decided to hit you with a few bold season predictions to get you hyped for the upcoming season.

While we know that there’s been a lot of takes floating around on Twitter and NBA season previews out there already, we’re entering the chat and dropping a few predictions of our own—from thoughts on who will snag Defensive Player of the Year to which teams will make major waves in the League this year.

The Boston Celtics will have a major comeback season and prevail all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Deyscha “Sway” Smith, Associate Editor

This offseason has been filled with uncertainty all across the L, but one thing’s for sure: the Celtics will make a major comeback this season. Al Horford is back in the Bean, All-Star Jayson Tatum is ready to step up and be the leader that he is, and the vibes inside The Auerbach Center were apparently hella competitive during training camp. If they bring that same energy this season and actually show up and show out, the Celtics will make major waves all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. We’re going to manifest this one.

Jalen Green will take home Rookie of the Year.

Elijah Hamilton, Editorial Intern 

SLAM 231 cover star Jalen Green will take home the ROY award this season. He generated a massive buzz with his strong performances in the NBA G League Ignite along with the Vegas Summer League and preseason. You can tell he is going to be given the green light to just shoot—which will definitely lead to some big scoring nights for the 6′ 6″ guard throughout the season.  

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The Warriors will become serious contenders for the Western Conference crown and face off against the Lakers in the WCF before taking it all the way. 

DaQuan McFarland, SLAM Intern

Despite the last couple of seasons, one which they fell short by a thread in making it to the playoffs, we can’t forget that the Golden State Warriors are back to make a statement to the NBA. Andre Iguodala is back after two seasons with Miami, Draymond Green says he’s ready to shoot when the opportunity is there, and even Klay Thompson is reportedly on his way to getting cleared for a full return to practice. It seems like the Bay is back in business, and of course, with one of greatest shooters of all-time, Stephen Curry, the team will get back to their championship-winning ways. Also, I’m calling it now: Jordan Poole will have a breakout season this year.

Trae Young will win MVP and the Hawks will dominate the Eastern Conference. 

Christian Quezada, Senior Video Producer.

Ice Trae will win his first MVP and the Hawks will win 60 games. Atlanta is loaded with athleticism, defense, and shooting and in the playoffs, Trae Young proved to be one of the most unstoppable basketball players of all time. The Hawks have already shown us that they can compete at an elite level and they weren’t even healthy then. This year, at full strength, good luck to them in the Eastern Conference. 

The New York Knicks will run it back and solidify themselves as a major contender all season long.

Andres Puerta, SLAMFTW

There’s been a few ECF predictions already, but I’m bringing the New York Knicks into the conversation. With new additions of Kemba Walker at point guard and Evan Fournier at shooting guard, the Knicks will improve their offense greatly. A healthy Mitchell Robinson will also help the Knicks defensively and offensively as a true center. There were great flashes of Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin last season, and with those two now entering their second year in the L, they’ll definitely have a better feel of the NBA.

If the Knicks receive the same contribution or more from Derrick Rose coming off the bench as the Knicks’ sixth man, that will be a major contribution as well. There’s nothing better than playing at Madison Square Garden with a winning team. 

Mitchell Robinson will have a breakout season and win DPOY.

Jared Ebanks, Editorial Intern

The Knicks’ resurgence last season came without the play of center Mitchell Robinson, who was limited to just 31 games. Over the offseason, the 7-footer has said that he’s added 20 pounds to his lean frame, now weighing in at 280 lbs. If that’s the case, the added bulk and already 7’4 foot long wingspan will have The Mecca calling for DPOY honors for their center.  

The Los Angeles Lakers will secure a spot in the NBA Finals. 

Saheem Anthony, SLAM Intern

With LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis, plus a few other important pieces, the Lakers will definitely show the world that age is simply just a number. Preseason records are one thing, but once this stacked roster finds their rhythm, they are going to make a historic run. If you know, you know.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s 2021-2022 NBA Preview: Bold Takes For the Upcoming Season appeared first on SLAM.

On Friday, the Warriors would make a solid decision in their quest to keep their championship window open, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater announced that they reached a contract agreement with veteran guard Avery Bradley.

Bradley, 30-years-old, became a popular player throughout the league while with the Boston Celtics. Heralded for his defensive play in combination with respectable offensive contributions, Bradley stuck with the Celtics for seven seasons before being traded to the Detroit Pistons.

However, since then, Bradley’s dealt with myriad injuries and played for half a dozen teams while never quite recapturing the magic of his youth. Fortunately for Bradley, his journey resulted in him winning a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, a season in which he started 44 of 49 contests and shot 36.4 percent from 3-point range.

Now a role player, Bradley’s addition to the Warriors primarily allows Golden State to breathe more freely while they wait for Klay Thompson to return from his latest injury. He, along with Moses Moody, Jordan Poole, and Andrew Wiggins, will be tasked with providing the perimeter shooting and defense that the team has long missed in Thompson’s absence.

In addition, Bradley’s playoff experience and locker room character track well with the type of veteran that contending teams find invaluable during high-pressure moments that come both during the regular season and postseason.

Averaging 6.4 points per game last season, Bradley’s impact on the scoreboard may not reflect his overall contributions to a team. Nonetheless, as a player who has started 538 out of 637 career games, make no mistakes that the Warriors understand his value.

The post REPORT: Avery Bradley Reaches Contract Agreement with Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

After Golden State was outrebounded 57-34 in a bad 126-114 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kerr let loose to reporters about the lack of rebounding discipline by today’s players by not boxing out.

“This is the modern NBA — guys don’t box out,” Kerr says, via NBC Sports. “It’s just the way it is. Every night on League Pass, I see the same thing. Players let guys come in from the weak side, and they think, ‘I’ll just get the rebound.’ It’s a disease that’s rampant in the NBA. The problem is, if you’re a real small team like us, then it’s going to hurt you more than it will hurt other teams…

“I see teams let a guy run past them in transition for a layup. We do it. Every team does it. If you did that 25 years ago, your coach would take you out and he wouldn’t play you again. Now everybody does it, and as a coach, you can’t take everybody out. So there are certain parts of the game that are just different; players aren’t as locked in on those things. I think just because it’s a different time.”

Veteran role players like Shaun Livingston, Andrew Bogut, and Andre Iguodala have been replaced with youngsters like James Wiseman, Jordan Poole, Eric Paschall and Kelly Oubre. The transition to young players may have left a major weakness in rebounding.

The frustrations could be also connected to missed opportunities from the team’s current two-game losing streak. A Warriors’ win over the Dallas Mavericks and Timberwolves would have pulled them one game out of the sixth seed. Now, the Warriors have a 31-32 record and are 4.5 games out of the sixth spot with nine games left in the season.

The post Steve Kerr Voices Frustrations On Rebounding Discipline in Today’s NBA appeared first on SLAM.

Aside from losing 50 games in the 2019-20 and having to work their hardest just to reach the playoffs this season, Golden State’s reputation as a franchise that excels at identifying star talent and developing young players has also been under fire.

The up-and-down play of Kelly Oubre Jr. contrasts heavily with the improvement of former first overall pick Andrew Wiggins. Juan Toscano-Anderson, Jordan Poole, Eric Paschall and Mychal Mulder are all solid young pieces but then there’s rookie center James Wiseman, the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Playing a position that’s notoriously difficult for young players to excel in at the NBA level, Wiseman has shown flashes of the talent that led to him being Golden State’s first lottery selection since 2012.

However, Wiseman has had his fair share of struggles as well, losing his starting role in January as his scoring average and plus-minus drop each month.

That being said, Golden State the assets to make a splash move before the Mar. 25 trade deadline.

Not only do the Warriors have Wiseman, a tantalizing prospect even if the start to his career hasn’t been ideal, but they also hold the Minnesota Timberwolves’ (top-3 protected) first-round pick in the upcoming draft.

While a trade package that includes both Wiseman and Minnesota’s pick could easily get Golden State a high-quality player, it likely won’t be the route that the Warriors take. That’s not for lack of interest, though.

According to The Mercury News’ Wes Goldberg, Golden State won’t move Wiseman unless they get a “perennial All-Star” in return.

This makes sense when considering Wiseman’s upside; a skilled and athletic 7-footer, Wiseman has averaged 11.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this season while shooting .367 percent from 3-point range. While the Golden State Warriors would like to get better now, and take advantage of a resurgent Curry, they also have to consider their long-term future.

There’s a fair amount of logic in only trading Wiseman for a perennial All-Star that Golden State is certain can be a cornerstone, and potentially anchor the team when Chef Curry finally decides to hang them up.

The post Warriors Will Only Move James Wiseman for ‘Perennial All-Star’ appeared first on SLAM.

Three of their key scorers in Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre, and Kent Bazemore have really struggled offensively this season. However, as time goes on and these guys get a chance to play more together and build chemistry, things should turn around.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Stephen Curry	26.5p, 3.8r, 7.0a
Kevon Looney	4.0p, 3.5r, 2.0a
Brad Wanamaker	6.3p, 1.3r, 3.0a	–
Juan Toscano-Anderson	3.5p, 3.8r, 2.0a
Jordan Poole	6.3p, 1.5r, 1.0a
Andrew Wiggins	17.8p, 6.0r, 2.0a
Damion Lee	8.0p, 3.5r, 1.3a
Eric Paschall	9.5p, 1.8r, 1.0a
Marquese Chriss	6.5p, 6.5r, 1.0a
Mychal Mulder	5.0p, 1.3r, 0.0a
Kelly Oubre Jr.	7.8p, 7.0r, 0.8a
Kent Bazemore	1.0p, 1.0r, 1.5a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Golden State Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down the Warriors’ depth chart for the 2020-21 season below. We’ve also previously published a summary of the Warriors’ offseason.

Biggest Questions

• How much of Klay Thompson’s void can be filled? Sure, Kelly Oubre can score at a high level, but likely not at the same level as Thompson. More importantly, how will the Warriors’ defense fare without him?
• What does Steph Curry have left in the tank? There is no question he is still one of the best players in the NBA, but will he be able to carry Golden State to a postseason appearance?

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Golden State Warriors: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart appeared first on SLAM.

With Stephen Curry injured for the majority of the 2019-20 season, Klay Thompson missing the entire 2019-20 season and Kevin Durant leaving in free agency the offseason before, the Golden State Warriors watched as the losses piled up in ways that they hadn’t in years. By the end of the season, the Warriors had the worst record in the NBA even after trading for former first overall pick Andrew Wiggins.

Now, Golden State has the second overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and the Splash Brothers are set to return to the court in 2020-21. The 2020 NBA Championship felt like a free-for-all without the Warriors in contention but the Dubs are in prime position to strike fear into the hearts of teams all around the league once again.

Related: Full Golden State Warriors Salary Cap Preview

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Warriors Draft Needs

Although the Warriors have one of the league’s most talented cores with Curry, Thompson, Wiggins and Draymond Green, they’ve shown that they’re not afraid to accumulate as much talent on the roster as possible. So, while many are concerned about how the player selected with the second overall will fit, taking the best player available may be the best available option.

That said, it’s fair to wonder what the best fit for Golden State’s quarter should be: a center, a forward or a guard.

If parallels were to be made between this current iteration of the Warriors and the Golden State’s rosters from the past five seasons, Wiggins would be their current version of Harrison Barnes or Kevin Durant. Therefore, what the Dubs are really missing is their glue piece — their Andre Iguodala.

With their late second round picks, not much will be expected in terms of production but they need depth at center. If Golden State can find a diamond in the rough, much like they did when they selected Green with the 35th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, all the better.

2020 NBA Draft Prospect Watchlist

What The Mocks Are Saying

Projected Roster

Team-by-Team NBA Draft Guides

More: SLAM’s 2020 NBA Draft Preview

The post Golden State Warriors: 2020 NBA Draft Preview appeared first on SLAM.

In addition to a summary for each of the 30 teams (accessible in the link grid below), we’ve also tiered the top NBA free agents league-wide and published a general comparison of all teams’ cap space. Follow @SLAMnewswire on Twitter for constant offseason updates as we head into free agency.

Projected Roster Players

Projected Free Agents

Dead Money

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $5,718,000
• Andre Iguodala Trade Exception – $17,185,185

Key Offseason Decisions

• Do the Warriors keep their non-guaranteed players or waive them to lessen their tax bill? Golden State is the only NBA without a single pending free agent. That leaves their decisions to their non-guaranteed players.

Projected Team Salary

$157,615,008

Without a single pending free agent, the Warriors have to decide if they are going to keep their non-guaranteed players. All have proven to have value. Ky Bowman, Mychal Mulder and Juan Toscano-Anderson all played well at points this season. Marquese Chriss and Damion Lee both have significant guaranteed money. Expect all to be back and for Golden State to commit to a healthy tax bill following the season. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

-$48,475,008 (22^nd out of 30). $10,435,604 over the Luxury Tax.

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

The post Golden State Warriors: Salary Cap Space 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve listed the entire roster with comparisons to last year’s launch rating below. We’ve also identified some general NBA 2K21 ratings trends for the league as a whole.

Warriors NBA 2K21 Ratings

View the NBA 2K21 player ratings for other teams below.

The post Golden State Warriors: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

Curry, who had his playing time managed throughout the loss to the Toronto Raptors, scored 23 points in 27 minutes. He shot 6-of-16 from the floor, while also dishing out seven assists and grabbing six rebounds. Overall, Curry looked like himself out there.

Following the game, Kerr said that Curry’s return is “sort of the beginning to next season.” Kerr went on to speak about getting some clarity towards what next year’s team is going to look like. He mentioned the next step is getting Klay Thompson back next year, but that the “last 20 games are really going to be a springboard into next year.”

To start the 2020-21 season, the Warriors expect to have Curry and Thompson joining Draymond Green and newly-acquired Andrew Wiggins in the starting lineup. Golden State will be in the market for a center, but will also have holdover Kevon Looney under contract. That’s a nice foundation to build from.

In addition, because of all the injuries this season, youngsters like Eric Paschall, Jordan Poole and Ky Bowman have seen a lot of minutes. Those three have flashed a lot of potential as future rotation players. The Warriors also locked up Marquese Chriss and Damion Lee to partially guaranteed contracts for next season. Golden State made lemonade out of lemons this season, and that may end up tasting real sweet next season.

The post Steve Kerr: Curry’s Return is a Springboard Into Next Year appeared first on SLAM.

In this post, just one of a series of 30, we’ll break down the reports that have started to trickle out about Dubs players that may or may not be on the move. While there’s no guarantee when it comes to a league as wild as the modern NBA, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on each squad’s roster as the deadline draws near.

Players Unlikely To Be Traded

• Stephen Curry
• Klay Thompson

Few players are less likely to be dealt than the Warriors’ backcourt of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Provided their respective rehabs go as planned, each player will be starting for Golden State to begin the 2020-21 campaign.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• D’Angelo Russell

Bob Myers and the Warriors have a unified, stern message: the team isn’t looking to trade D’Angelo Russell prior to the trade deadline. The Russell, Curry and Thompson trio has yet to play a game together and Curry and Russell have seen just four games together, including the contest where Steph left early with the hand injury. The franchise wants to see how its current core operates together before making a major decision or at least that’s the message that Golden State is putting out.

It could certainly be a smokescreen intended to pump up Russell’s trade value and allow Myers to negotiate from a position of strength. Teams will certainly contact the Golden State as the deadline nears with the hope of obtaining the former No. 2 overall pick with the Timberwolves assured to be one of those clubs. But again, Russell isn’t available, per the team, though no franchise has ever publicly and privately committed to a player only to trade him away right? That never happens right? Expect the Russell trade chatter to heat up as we approach Feb. 6.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Willie Cauley-Stein
• Alec Burks
• Glenn Robinson III

Parts of the Warriors’ veteran fill-in squad are expected to be available in trade talks. Alec Burks, who is sporting a career-high 16.3 player efficiency rating, likely has the most value of the vets on short-term deals. The 28-year-old Missouri-native has been a source of instant offense when needed for Golden State this season, as he’s averaging a career-high 16.2 points per game. Burks should be able to bring that scoring punch to a contender’s bench.

Trades Are Possible

• Draymond Green
• Kevon Looney
• Jordan Poole
• Jacob Evans
• Omari Spellman
• Alen Smailagic
• Eric Paschall
• Damion Lee

Fresh off of a massive extension, Draymond Green isn’t eligible to be traded until Feb. 3. It would be surprising if Green isn’t a Warrior come Feb. 7. Kevon Looney has had a nightmare of a season with his abdomen injury keeping him off the court for all but 10 games. He’s currently sidelined with no timetable for him to return. First-round pick Jordan Poole has appeared in 38 games so far this season, which is many more than anyone expected when the team drafted him in June. A change of scenery has helped Omari Spellman improve during his sophomore campaign. Nearly all of his advanced stats are up from his time in Atlanta. Alen Smailagic has spent considerable time in the G League for the Warriors. He could get more NBA action after the deadline. Eric Paschall may be a rookie, but the 2019 No. 41 overall pick is showcasing the ability to be a contributor in the league. He should be a nice rotation piece for Golden State once they are back at full health (and a cheap one, considering he is making $4.1M through the 2021-22 season). Damion Lee just signed a new deal and is not eligible to be traded before the deadline.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Golden State Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

While this year’s rookie class was rocked by the news that No. 1 pick Zion Williamson would miss the first few weeks of the regular season with a knee injury, the Pels’ bruiser isn’t the only first-year player worth flipping on League Pass for.

We’ve seen two days of NBA action thus far and the majority of teams have already tipped off for their first game of the season. Here’s a quick run down of the 2019 NBA Draft picks that logged minutes in their team’s opener.

Ja Morant (MEM) • 2019.1.2

R.J. Barrett (NYK) • 2019.1.3

Darius Garland (CLE) • 2019.1.5

De’Andre Hunter (ATL) • 2019.1.4

Jarrett Culver (MIN) • 2019.1.6

Coby White (CHI) • 2019.1.7

Rui Hachimura (WAS) • 2019.1.9

Cam Reddish (ATL) • 2019.1.10

P.J. Washington (CHA) • 2019.1.12

Tyler Herro (MIA) • 2019.1.13

Nickeil Alexander-Walker (NOR) • 2019.1.17

Matisse Thybulle (PHI) • 2019.1.20

Brandon Clarke (MEM) • 2019.1.21

Grant Williams (BOS) • 2019.1.22

Darius Bazley (OKL) • 2019.1.23

Jordan Poole (GSW) • 2019.1.28

KZ Okpala (MIA) • 2019.2.32

Carsen Edwards (BOS) • 2019.2.33

Bruno Fernando (ATL) • 2019.2.34

Eric Paschall (GSW) • 2019.2.41

Admiral Schofield (WAS) • 2019.2.42

The post Count ‘Em Up: 2019 NBA Rookie Debuts appeared first on SLAM.

The two-time MVP suddenly finds himself playing the role of elder statesman within the Warriors’ locker room.

Curry says Golden State will have to “scrap for everything” in 2019-20.

Per The San Fran Chronicle and The Athletic:

“I’m sure their days are a little different than mine,” Curry said of his 20-something teammates. “But outside of that, I don’t feel it. I still feel fresh. I’m still young at heart on the court.”

After listening to Curry explain the subtleties of an offensive principle early in training camp, rookie guard Jordan Poole smiled and said, “All right, old man.”

“I like to pick on him a little bit,” Poole said with a chuckle. “He takes it well. That’s why Steph is great. Even after all he’s accomplished, he doesn’t take himself too seriously.”

Steph Curry knew this season might be different back in June, when Kevin Durant tried that routine crossover in Game 5 of the NBA Finals and wound up with an Achilles tendon tear that changed everything for the once-mighty Golden State Warriors.

“At the end of the day, we’re gonna have to scrap for everything,” Curry admitted during the chat. “And I like that kind of vibe where there’s nothing pretty about what we’re going to do.”

Related Stephen Curry: ‘A Championship is Still the Goal’

The post Stephen Curry: ‘I’m Still Young at Heart on the Court’ appeared first on SLAM.

Thompson says the traumatic injury is “just the humbling part of sports.”

Klay adds that he believes the Golden State Warriors will remain a potent force, and still have a five-year window as title contenders.

Per The Athletic:

“I felt like the best version I’ve ever felt of myself in that NBA Finals,” Thompson said Thursday. “I kid you not.”

This was different than his past feats. Thompson imposed his will in a way even he noticed was a level up.

“I think about that every day,” Thompson said. He sat straight up and shook his head. “That’s just the humbling part of sports — when you feel like you’re at your best, something traumatic can happen. But I honestly felt like I was at the peak of my NBA career up to that point. I was at my best. The way I was shooting the ball, the way I was playing defense. I felt like I was one of the best players out there. In past series, or Finals, you know, I’ve been able to defer. But in that series, I felt like I was just, like, as close to unstoppable as I’ve ever been.”

On being underdogs again, teamed, as always, with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green:

Thompson: “It’s going to be fun, and I love the dudes we got. We’ve got a young team. I’m excited for D’Angelo (Russell), for him to come to a winner. I’m excited for Willie Cauley-Stein, who is super talented and I know he’s hungry. I’m excited for Loon (Kevon Looney). He’s coming into his own. I’m seeing him in Japan running camps and stuff and that man might’ve spoken 30 words in the last four years. To see him leading drills and teaching and coming into his own, I can see the confidence he has. I’m just excited, man. Obviously, we know Steph and Dray and me. Jordan (Poole) is talented. I watched him in summer league. He’s got skills. It will be fun.”

On people writing them off:

Thompson: “That’s fine. That’s sports. I don’t just think we’re going to be nice this year. I think we’ve got a five-year window. We’re still so young, man. People get lost thinking, “Oh, they’re 30 now.” I feel younger than ever.”

Related Joe Lacob: Klay Thompson is the ‘Greatest Two-Guard on the Planet’

The post Klay Thompson Felt ‘Close to Unstoppable’ Prior to Torn ACL appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a list of the contract types the Golden State Warriors have heading into training camp. This resource will be updated as players are signed and waived. Check back often to see if your team’s roster configuration has changed.

Golden State Warriors

For a complete list of all the NBA teams and links to each team’s roster breakdown, check out our 2019 NBA Training Camp Index. Follow the curators of this database, Chris Crouse and Austin Kent, on Twitter.

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

The post Golden State Warriors Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down the overall ratings for each player and sorted them by team so that you can see how your squad stacks up against the rest of the league.

Golden State Warriors NBA 2K20 Ratings

This table is updated as of Nov. 22, 2019

Can’t get enough 2K? SLAM’s dedicated gaming channel, @SLAMftw, is blowing up. Hit us with your best uploads and watch our streams!

More NBA 2K20 Ratings

The post NBA 2K20 Ratings: Golden State Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

Starting in the 1995 season, the NBA implemented the rookie salary scale that limits the amount first-round picks can make during their initial contract in the league.

Gone are the days where a rookie Chris Webber could sign a 15-year, $74 million deal with opt-outs or Patrick Ewing could receive a $5 million interest-free loan outside of his multi-million dollar rookie contract.

Today, teams typically sign their prospects to 120% of the rookie scale, though they have the ability to go as a low as 80% of it, which happened with the Cavaliers and Kevin Porter Jr. this year. Players rarely get below the maximum 120% allowed.

Some players have yet to sign their deals in 2019 because of various circumstances (waiting on official draft night trades to be completed for the most part). Below is the amount that each first-round rookie will take home during the 2019-20 season and which players have officially signed:

*Took 80% of the rookie-scale

The post 2019 Rookie Scale Salaries For First-Round Picks appeared first on SLAM.

On this fine evening, the night of the 2019 NBA Draft we’ve already seen a plethora of draft trades and you know as well as I do that Woj is just getting warmed up.

Below is a list of the draft results as we get them. We’ll be updating this list as journalists break the news, so don’t be alarmed if we end up getting a bit ahead of the live broadcast.

Peep the list, refresh the list, love the list, we’ll make sure to include any relevant reading or viewing material with the picks as we get them.

RELEVANT: Hit up SLAM Newswire’s running repository of NBA Draft content.

First Round

No. 1: New Orleans Pelicans – Zion Williamson
Must Watch: Zion Williamson is going to shock the world

No. 2: Memphis Grizzlies – Ja Morant
Must Watch: Ja Morant got it out the mud

No. 3: New York Knicks – R.J. Barrett
Must Read: R.J. Barrett is the most decorated prospect since LeBron James

No. 4: Atlanta Hawks – De’Andre Hunter
–The Hawks acquired this from the Pels in a pick swap prior to the draft (story).
–Previously the Pelicans acquired this from the Lakers in the Anthony Davis trade (story).
–Must Read: De’Andre Hunter has more to prove

No. 5: Cleveland Cavaliers – Darius Garland
–Must Watch: From injury to lottery pick

No. 6: Minnesota Timberwolves – Jarrett Culver
–The Wolves acquired this from the Suns in the Dario Saric trade prior to the draft (story).
–Must Watch: From slept on recruit to lottery pick

No. 7: Chicago Bulls – Coby White

No. 8: New Orleans Pelicans – Jaxson Hayes
–The Pels acquired this pick from the Hawks in a pick swap prior to the draft (story).

No. 9: Washington Wizards – Rui Hachimura
–Must Read: Gonzaga star about to make history

No. 10: Atlanta Hawks – Cam Reddish
–Must Read: Don’t sleep on killa Cam Reddish

No. 11: Phoenix Suns – Cam Johnson
-The Suns acquired this from the Wolves in the Dario Saric trade prior to the draft (story).

No. 12: Charlotte Hornets – P.J. Washington

No. 13: Miami Heat – Tyler Herro

No. 14: Boston Celtics – Romeo Langford

No. 15: Detroit Pistons – Sekou Doumbouya
–Must Read: Europe’s next elite NBA prospect

No. 16: Orlando Magic – Chuma Okeke

No. 17: New Orleans Pelicans – Nickeil Alexander-Walker
-The Pels acquired this from the Hawks in a pick swap prior to the draft (story).
–Previously the Hawks acquired this pick from the Nets in the Allen Crabbe trade (story).

No. 18: Indiana Pacers – Goga Bitadze

No. 19: San Antonio Spurs – Luka Samanic

No. 20: Philadelphia 76ers – Matisse Thybulle
-This Sixers acquired this from the Celtics in a pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 21: Memphis Grizzlies – Brandon Clarke
-The Grizzlies acquired this from the Thunder in a pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 22: Boston Celtics – Grant Williams

No. 23: Oklahoma City Thunder – Darius Bazley
-The Thunder acquired this from the Grizzlies in a pick swap during the draft (story).
–Must Read: From high school to the G League, Bazley is riding his own wave

No. 24: Phoenix Suns – Ty Jerome
-The Suns acquired this from the Celtics in a pick swap during the draft (story).
–Previously the Celtics acquired this from the Sixers in another pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 25: Portland Trail Blazers – Nassir Little
–Must Read: Continuing Carolina’s championship legacy

No. 26: Cleveland Cavaliers – Dylan Windler

No. 27: Los Angeles Clippers – Mfiondu Kabengele
–The Clippers acquired this from the Nets in a pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 28: Golden State Warriors – Jordan Poole

No. 29: San Antonio Spurs – Keldon Johnson

No. 30: Cleveland Cavaliers – Kevin Porter Jr.
–The Cavaliers acquired this from the Pistons in a pick swap during the draft (story).

Second Round

No. 31: Brooklyn Nets – Nicolas Claxton

No. 32: Miami Heat – KZ Okpala
-The Heat acquired this from the Pacers in a pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 33: Philadelphia 76ers – Carsen Edwards
-The Sixers acquired this from the Celtics in a pick swap during the draft (story)

No. 34: Atlanta Hawks – Bruno Fernando
-The Hawks acquired this from the Sixers in a pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 35: New Orleans Pelicans – Marcos Louzada Silva
–The Pels acquired this from the Hawks in a pick swap prior to the draft (story).

No. 36: Charlotte Hornets – Cody Martin

No. 37: Detroit PIstons – Deividas Sirvydis
–The Pistons acquired this from the Mavs in a pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 38: Chicago Bulls – Daniel Gafford

No. 39: Golden State Warriors – Alen Smailagic
-The Warriors acquired this from the Pelicans during the draft (story) .

No. 40: Sacramento Kings – Justin James

No. 41: Golden State Warriors – Eric Paschall

No. 42: Philadelphia 76ers – Admiral Schofield

No. 43: Minnesota Timberwolves – Jaylen Nowell

No. 44: Denver Nuggets – Bol Bol
-The Nuggets acquired this from the Heat during the draft (story).

No. 45: Dallas Mavericks – Isaiah Roby
–The Mavs acquired this from the Pistons in a pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 46: Los Angeles Lakers – Talen Horton-Tucker
-The Lakers acquired this from the Magic in a pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 47: New York Knicks – Ignas Brazdeikis
-The Knicks acquired this from the Kings in a pick swap during the draft (story).

No. 48: Los Angeles Clippers – Terence Mann

No. 49: San Antonio Spurs – Quinndary Weatherspoon

No. 50: Utah Jazz – Jarrell Brantley
-The Jazz acquired this from the Pacers during the draft (story).

No. 51: Boston Celtics – Tremont Waters

No. 52: Charlotte Hornets – Jalen McDaniels

No. 53: Utah Jazz – Justin Wright-Foreman

No. 54: Philadelphia 76ers – Marial Shayok

No. 55: Sacramento Kings – Kyle Guy
-The Kings acquired this from the Knicks during the draft (story).

No. 56: Brooklyn Nets – Jaylen Hands
–The Nets acquired this from the Clippers during the draft (story)

No. 57: Detroit Pistons – Jordan Bone
-The Pistons acquired this from Philly during the draft (story).
–Previously Philly acquired the pick from Atlanta during the draft (story).

No. 58: Utah Jazz – Miye Onei
-The Jazz acquired this from Golden State during the draft (story).

No. 59: Toronto Raptors – Dewan Hernandez

No. 60: Sacramento Kings – Vanja Marinkovic

The post 2019 NBA Draft Results: Your Pick-By-Pick Guide appeared first on SLAM.

Late last month, the league revealed a list of 89 NCAA players who withdrew their name from the early entrant pool after getting a feel for their draft stock throughout the month of May. By withdrawing prior to that initial NCAA deadline on May 29, those players retained NCAA eligibility.

As outlined in the press release with the confirmed entrants, an additional 47 international players withdrew before Monday’s NBA deadline. In neither batch of withdrawals were there any notable surprises.

All told, of the 233 players that initially declared as early entry candidates in April, 145 of them have opted out of the process.

Related: Romeo Langford, Nassir Little and Tyler Herro are the latest to receive NBA Draft green room invites

The List
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
RJ Barrett
Tyus Battle
Darius Bazley
Bol Bol
Marques Bolden
Jordan Bone
Ky Bowman
Ignas Brazdeikis
Oshae Brissett
Armoni Brooks
Charlie Brown Jr.
Moses Brown
Brandon Clarke
Nicolas Claxton
Amir Coffey
Tyler Cook
Jarrett Culver
Aubrey Dawkins
Luguentz Dort
Jason Draggs
Carsen Edwards
Bruno Fernando
Daniel Gafford
Darius Garland
Kyle Guy
Rui Hachimura
Jaylen Hands
Jared Harper
Jaxson Hayes
Dewan Hernandez
Tyler Herro
Amir Hinton
Jaylen Hoard
Daulton Hommes
Talen Horton-Tucker
De’Andre Hunter
Ty Jerome
Keldon Johnson
Mfiondu Kabengele
Louis King
V.J. King
Sagaba Konate
Martin Krampelj
Romeo Langford
Cameron Lard
Dedric Lawson
Jalen Lecque
Jacob Ledoux
Nassir Little
Trevor Manuel
Charles Matthews
Jalen McDaniels
Ja Morant
Zach Norvell Jr.
Jaylen Nowell
Chuma Okeke
KZ Okpala
Miye Oni
Lamar Peters
Shamorie Ponds
Jordan Poole
Jontay Porter
Kevin Porter Jr.
Brandon Randolph
Cam Reddish
Isaiah Reese
Naz Reid
Austin Robinson
Isaiah Roby
Ayinde Russell
Samir Sehic
Simisola Shittu
Justin Simon
D’Marcus Simonds
Jalen Sykes
Rayjon Tucker
Nick Ward
PJ Washington Jr.
Tremont Waters
Coby White
Lindell Wigginton
Kris Wilkes
Grant Williams
Zion Williamson
Kenny Wooten

Goga Bitadze
Yago Dos Santos
Sekou Doumbouya
Matas Jogela
Marcos Louzada Silva
William McDowell-White
Adam Mokoka
Joshua Obiesie
David Okeke
Luka Samanic
Deividas Sirvydis
Yovel Zoosman

The post After Withdrawals, 98 Early Entry Draft Candidates Remain appeared first on SLAM.

“Jordan does that all the time in practice, he makes buzzer shots all the time,” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “The guy is an overdose of swag … he lives for those shots and that’s what he loves.”

Needless to say, the shot Poole’s been preparing all his life to take dropped as Michigan downed Houston 64-63 and advanced to its 15th Sweet 16 in school history.

MICHIGAN NAILS THE 3⃣ AT THE BUZZER AND THE WOLVERINES ARE DANCING THEIR WAY INTO THE SWEET 16 (via @MarchMadness) pic.twitter.com/Vh6hhdITZP

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 18, 2018

“Jordan does that all the time in practice, he makes buzzer shots all the time … The guy is an overdose of swag … he lives for those shots and that’s what he loves.”

Michigan coach John Beilein on tonight’s hero, Jordan Poole (via @marchmadness) pic.twitter.com/PrZTFM1vJr

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 18, 2018

Poole finished the night with eight points on 3-for-5 shooting in 11 minutes. Four other Wolverines scored in double-figures: Duncan Robinson (11), Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (12), Charles Matthews (11) and Moritz Wagner (12).

Rob Gray, Houston’s hero in the round of 64, scored 23 and grabbed 10 rebounds.

The post Jordan Poole’s Buzzer-Beater Advances Michigan Past Houston to the Sweet 16 appeared first on SLAM.

NY2LA Sports’ Swish ‘N Dish in suburban Milwaukee (WI) has established itself as a premier national event throughout the course of it’s 11-year history, and perennial powerhouse program All Ohio Red left it’s mark in Wisconsin this past weekend.

Behind Ohio State-bound big man Kaleb Wesson, point guard Nelly Cummings and small forward Delonte Brown, All Ohio Red’s 17-and-under squad took home the Platinum Division crown, while the 15U squad from All Ohio Red also captured the Platinum Division crown in their age group. All Ohio Red’s 16U squad finished as the runners-up in the 16’s Platinum Division.

Wesson’s 6-10, wide-bodied, frame was too much for the opposition to handle and he displayed his nice touch and footwork on the block offensively throughout the tournament. Cummings, a 6-1 point guard from Midland, Pennsylvania, showed off a smooth floor game which should attract some high DI attention when the first official NCAA live evaluation period starts April 15th.

Brown proved to be one of the entire tournament’s most dynamic talents. At 6-6, the wing from Bowsher High in Toledo applied the cuffs defensively on the perimeter and was a terror attacking the rim in transition. He also dropped in jumpers from midrange, as well as beyond the three-point arch. He claimed only two offers from Dayton and Toledo, but said he’s hoping to get some attention from the high major programs as the spring and summer circuit progresses.

Wesson, Cummings and Brown were the top three scorers in their team’s championship win over Milwaukee’s Playground Elite – which featured Michigan-bound guard Jordan Poole.

One of the squads that All Ohio Red’s 17’s knocked off on their way to the crown, King James, featured arguably the most electric player at the Swish ‘N Dish.

Cleveland native Markell Johnson has insane bounce for a point guard, and at 6-2 he’s also got the potential to be an elite defender thanks to his quickness, speed and overall athleticism. Johnson showed off the ability to score the rock from anywhere in between big-time dunks and step-back three-pointers. He said that during the spring and summer he wants to continue to polish his offensive skills to make him an even more dangerous prospect.

“This AAU season, I want to work on my jump shot and on being a leader on the court,” Johnson said. “I also am trying to play off the ball so I can be a combo guard.”

“My two favorite players are Russell Westbrook and Terry Rozier,” Johnson added. “Everything Rozier does is downhill. He’s an Ohio guy, so growing up hearing his name a lot made me want to play exactly like him.”

Johnson currently holds scholarship offers from Ohio State, Louisville, Florida, DePaul, Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and Arizona State among many others. If his performances at the Swish ‘N Dish are any indication, he’s going to have plenty more offers to choose from by the time the summer wraps up.

However, he said balancing everything else that comes with recruiting aside from a scholarship offer has been a challenge.

“It was fun at the beginning, now every college coach wants to get to know me and wants me to come visit – so now it’s getting kind of crazy,” Johnson said. “I’m just going to focus on basketball now, then after the summer I’ll make a decision.”

Coaches will be waiting intently on that decision, but in the meantime hoop junkies should familiarize themselves with Johnson’s game as they will most likely be hearing a ton from him in the near future.

One of the Swish ‘N Dish’s other standout performers played for All Ohio Red’s 16U squad, but hails from Clarkston, Michigan.

Six-foot floor general Foster Loyer has a chance to be one of the best point guards in the entire Class of 2018. Despite the oppositions’ best attempts at the Swish ‘N Dish, Loyer could not be sped up or forced into turnovers. Loyer has got a seemingly endless bag of tricks with the ball in his hands, a quick and picturesque shooting stroke and a masterful understanding of the position relative to his age.

His dad, John Loyer, has served as an NBA assistant coach since 2003 – most recently with the Detroit Pistons – and Foster has taken full advantage of having the opportunity to see the best in the world up close and personal.

“I’ve grown up around the game of basketball, and just always been around it,” said Loyer, who was a ball boy for the Pistons when he was younger. “I picked up on what good point guards do – like seeing the court, being able to create their own shot and getting their teammates involved. Really I just try to put the team in the best position to win. So I’ve tried to build my game around that.”

Teaming up with Class of 2018 Ohio State pledge Dane Goodwin (6-5, SG, Upper Arlington) on All Ohio Red, Loyer and the rest of the squad are primed to be one of the toughest outs at the 16U level wherever they play during the spring and summer.

Michigan State, DePaul, Oakland and Toledo have already offered him, and he’s taken unofficial visits to Ohio State, Butler, Indiana and Michigan. His recruitment and offer list should continue to grow at a rapid pace as more coaches see his game. It’s not just how offensively gifted Loyer is that sets him apart, it’s his willingness to defend and communicate on the floor as well, which stood out at the Swish ‘N Dish as he led the squad to a second place finish.

Loyer’s balance of flash and creativity with fundamentals and sound decision making is rare, particularly at the level in which he plays relative to how young he is, but it may not be such a shocker when you find out two of his favorite players.

“When my dad was a coach for the 76ers, I grew up watching Allen Iverson and Andre Miller,” Loyer said. “I always watched Andre Miller because he never did anything special. He just knew how to use his body and play the game, which I loved to watch.”

Wherever he ends up playing college hoops in a few years, coaches and fans of that program are going to love watching the product of Loyer’s studies of Iverson and Miller.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE SWISH ‘N DISH

– The Iowa Barnstormers captured the 16U Platinum Division title behind a three-headed monster of Joe Wieskamp (6-4, Muscatine), Joey Hauser (6-7, Stevens Point (WI)) and AJ Green (5-11, Cedar Falls). Wieskamp is already committed to Iowa and proved to be one of the most versatile players at the Swish ‘N Dish. Hauser is a high Division I recruiting target with great skill for his size, and was a mismatch for opposing defenses during championship Sunday. Green showed off a slick handle and a cash shooting stroke, and recently picked up his first offer from Northern Iowa where his dad Kyle is an assistant. Green definitely played at a level which will demand plenty of attention from DI programs.

– The Class of 2018 was loaded at the Swish ‘N Dish, and 6-7 Lawrence North product Kevin Easley Jr. made a case for himself as one of the best in attendance playing with the George Hill Rising Stars. He already has some big time offers and possesses an advanced mid-range game and overall offensive feel for a forward.

– The Louisville Magic 17’s bowed out of the tournament early, but Tony Jackson (6-4, SG, North Hardin), Jaylen Sebree (6-7, SF, Christian County) and JR Mathis (6-1, PG, Kentucky Country Day) each showed flashes of why they’re coveted by DI programs at their respective positions.

(Photo Credit: NY2LA Sports) 

The post 2016 NY2LA Sports Swish ‘N Dish Notebook appeared first on SLAM.

As any Morgan Stanley employee would tell you, the key to a successful retirement is in the planning. Back in 2004, at the height of his basketball-playing prowess and on the way to the first of his consecutive Most Valuable Player awards, the forward-thinking point guard began a foundation to provide grants for child-focused non-for-profits, medical services in areas of poverty, community re-engagement for victims of sexual abuse/violence and environmental education via sustainable practices.

This egress from basketball guided him back to his family’s favorite sport: soccer. Steve’s father John played professionally in England and South Africa and his younger brother Martin played for the Canadian National team and Vancouver Whitecaps (of which Nash is now part owner). A Tottenham Hotspur fanatic [Boooooo. #coyg.—Ed.], Nash fused his philanthropic mission with his NBA connections and a nagging need to run around the pitch. By dreaming up the “Showdown in Chinatown,” a charity soccer game featuring basketball and soccer stars, the Steve Nash Foundation has galvanized this charming Lower East Side nook of the city that doesn’t typically have world-class athletes running around on its fields.

The antecedent to the original game in 2008 began with a discussion between Nash and his summer rec-league soccer partner, Italian NBA journalist Simone Sandri, who thought it would be special if they pooled their vast and collective resources to do something unique and positive for the community. “We saw it as a cool show for the neighborhood, which could additionally raise money and bring awareness to our non-profit work,” says Nash. Thierry Henry, Jason Kidd and Baron Davis were among the many to show up at Sara D. Roosevelt Park that magical June evening. The ensuing games brought more cleats, chin pads and enthusiasm with the likes of Dirk Nowitzki, Grant Hill, Kyrie Irving, Jozy Altidore, Chris Bosh, Tony Parker, Nate Robinson and Joakim Noah.

This year’s diverse array of talent included Italian soccer legends Alessandro Del Piero and Giuseppe Rossi, the NBA’s Matthew Dellavedova and Luol Deng, basketball legend and new St. John’s coach Chris Mullin and hometown soccer pro Chris Wingert, who is now with NYCFC.

As in the previous Showdowns, 2015 offered an exuberant, fast-paced, 8-on-8 competitive match, or as Nash puts it, “Soccer’s version of 3-on-3 half-court streetball.”

The electricity from kids hanging from fences and on trees to get a glimpse of the action has made it soccer’s equivalent of Rucker Park. Nash muses, “That first year was similar to watching your baby being born. So organic and a true highlight of my life.”

This once-word-of-mouth unofficial kick-off to summer has evolved to a robust fundraiser with extensive media coverage and generous sponsorship, but the nascent spontaneity and kids climbing fences still remains an essential part of the game.

Nash was the only NBA player who had a soccer clause in his contract that allowed him to participate in the other sport he regularly enjoyed during his 19-year NBA career. “The movement of the game kept me sharp and in good basketball shape during the offseason,” he says. Nash is so enamored by the beautiful game on the pitch that he wore the No. 10 with the Lakers, a number generally reserved on soccer teams for the leaders and most skilled performers. Nash further asserts that his game is strikingly similar on the hardwood and the soccer pitch. “It is the same brain, same wiring—just on a different surface.”

The future first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee honed his pass-first style of play by emulating his childhood heroes: Hall of Fame Detroit Piston Isiah Thomas and Tottenham midfielder Glenn Hoddle. “Both were incredible passers with amazing vision who could score,” Nash says. “They did it all. Isiah, in particular, was such a competitor and he was my size so I really studied him.”

Most of us hope for a worry-free retirement, yet Nash has taken it upon himself to worry about others as his full-time occupation. Since hanging up his basketball jersey for good, Nash has spent the past year deeply involved with his eponymous foundation, specifically using the time to regroup and assess how he wants its future to look.

“We’ve been exploring early childhood education and universal pre-K, as many children arrive at kindergarten already behind,” he says. One of the foundation’s initiatives, Educare, which began in Phoenix, is now in almost half the states. Educare is used as a means to develop best practices for infants, toddlers, children and families that can’t readily access those resources.

Nash is not so much political as he is about doing what is right. His battles for social justice and humanitarian causes have been well documented—whether it has been speaking out against Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070, which racially profiled and criminalized anyone looking like an undocumented immigrant, or being one of the first in the League to vocally support LGBT rights.

Nash attributes his panoramic worldview to his parents, who never sheltered him from the inequalities and injustices that exist. Being in a position where he can eradicate certain problems through systemic changes, Nash firmly believes, and substantiates with the foundation’s research, that child abuse can be eradicated. “There is scientific data to support this beyond a lofty goal,” he says. “Leadership, discipline, teamwork, practice, winning and losing offer so many important life lessons.”

He continues: “Sports is a wonderful teacher, similar to music—young people tap into new languages and forms of expression.”

Basketball is still a substantial part of Nash’s life. In fact, when we sat down for this interview, he had just gotten back from shooting hoops. Nash had spent the previous evening with Jahlil Okafor, the No. 3 pick in this year’s Draft, who wasn’t even born when Nash played his first NBA game. To further the divide, Nash is actually older than the 76ers rookie’s father. “I told Jahlil to always be ready to laugh at himself,” Nash says. “You’ll be fine in this league if you can laugh at yourself.”

This past spring, Nash, along with NBA icon Dikembe Mutombo, visited Cuba as part of the NBA Cares Global Health and Wellness program, and he’s currently mentoring second-year Laker guard Jordan Clarkson, whom Nash refers to as “a great pupil who’s willing to learn and is tough.”

Nash really enjoyed this year’s Playoffs and was thrilled for his former Suns general manager, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr. When asked if that Phoenix up-tempo seven-seconds-or-less style of play has influenced today’s pace of the game, Nash humbly refuses to take any credit: “The rules changed to make the flow a bit more pretty.”

He further observes that the beautification of the game seems to have extended itself beyond the court and into post-game press conferences and the locker room aesthetic. “When I first started, all the players wore big suits and had tailors. These days there are so many interesting ensembles to showcase, and many of the guys have stylists,” he notes.

Although still too young to take from his IRA, Steve Nash is eagerly willing and wonderfully able to dig deep into his heart, mind and wallet to remain global in thinking and world class in giving.

Portraits by Ahmed Klink; action photo via Getty.

The post The Beauty of Sport appeared first on SLAM.

As any Charles Schwab employee would tell you, the key to a successful retirement is in the planning. Back in 2004, at the height of his basketball playing prowess and soon to receive the first of consecutive Most Valuable Player awards, forward-thinking point guard Steve Nash began a foundation to provide grants for child focused non-for-profits, medical services in areas of poverty, community reengagement for victims of sexual abuse/violence and environmental education via sustainable practices.

This egress from basketball guided him back to his family’s favorite sport—soccer. Steve’s father John played professionally in England and South Africa and his younger brother Martin played for the Canadian National team and Vancouver Whitecaps (for which Nash is now part owner). A lifelong Tottenham Hotspur fanatic, Nash fused his philanthropic mission with his NBA connections and a nagging need to run around the pitch. By dreaming up the “Showdown“ in China Town, a charity soccer game featuring basketball and soccer all-stars, the Steve Nash Foundation has subsequently galvanized this charming little Lower East Side nook of the city which doesn’t often have world class athletes running around on its fields.

The antecedent to the original game in 2008 began with a discussion between Nash and his summer rec-league soccer partner, Italian NBA journalist Simone Sandri, who thought it would be special if they pooled their vast and collective resources to do something unique and positive for the community. “We saw it as a cool show for the neighborhood, which could additionally raise money and bring awareness to our non-profit work” says Nash. Thierry Henry, Jason Kidd and Barron Davis were amongst the many to show up at Sara D. Roosevelt Park that magical June evening. This year’s diverse array of talent included Italian soccer legends Alessandro Del Piero and Giuseppe Rossi, the NBA’s Matthew Dellavedova and Luol Deng, basketball legend and new St. John’s coach Chris Mullin and hometown pro soccer player Chris Wingert, who is now with NYCFC.

As in the previous Showdowns, 2015 offered an exuberant, fast-paced, 8-on-8 competitive match, or as the 41-year-old Nash puts it, “Soccer’s version of 3-on-3 half-court streetball.”

The electricity from kids hanging from fences and on trees to get a glimpse of the action has made it soccer’s version of Rucker Park. Nash muses, “That first year was similar to watching your baby being born. So organic and a true highlight of my life.” This once-word-of-mouth unofficial kick-off to summer has evolved to a robust fundraiser with extensive media coverage and generous sponsorship, but the nascent spontaneity and kids climbing fences still remains an essential part of the game.

Nash further asserts that his game is strikingly similar on the hardwood and the soccer pitch. “It is the same brain, same wiring—just on a different surface.”

The future first-ballot Basketball Hall of Fame inductee honed his “pass first” style of play by emulating his childhood heroes: Hall of Fame Detroit Piston Isiah Thomas and Tottenham Hotspurs Midfielder Glenn Hoddle. “Both were incredible passers with amazing vision who could score. They did it all. Isiah, in particular, was such a competitor and he was my size so I really studied him.”

When cajolingly about which sport the notoriously offensive-leaning player is a better defender in, the easy-going and even-humored Nash simply smiles.

Most of us hope for a worry-free retirement, yet Nash has now taken it upon himself to worry about others as his full time occupation.  Since hanging up his basketball jersey for good in October, Nash has spent the past 10 months deeply involved with his eponymous foundation and specifically using the time to regroup and assess how he wants it’s future to look. “We’ve been exploring early childhood education and universal pre-k as many children arrive at kindergarten already behind.” One of the foundation’s initiatives, Educare, which began in Phoenix is now in almost half the states. Educare is used as a means to develop best practices to infants, toddlers, children and families that can’t readily access those resources.

Basketball is still a substantial part of Nash’s life. In fact, when we sat down for this interview he had just gotten back from shooting hoops. This past spring, Nash along with NBA icon Dikembe Mutombo, visited Cuba as part of NBA Cares Global Health and Wellness programs and is currently mentoring second year Laker guard Jordan Clarkson whom Nash refers to as “a great pupil who’s willing to learn and is tough. The sky is the limit for that kid.”

Although still too young to take from his IRA, Steve Nash is eagerly willing and wonderfully able to dig deep into his heart, mind and wallet to remain global in thinking and world class in giving.

The post Steve Nash’s Showdown in Chinatown (PHOTOS) appeared first on SLAM.

“When I saw guys like David Thompson, Larry Bird, and George Gervin, I started smoking weed,” Lucas openly admitted. “Because those were the first guys I saw who were better than me.”

With his playing and coaching career long in the past, his camps have taken off from the jump. The International Middle School Combine that he holds in Houston each spring is the nation’s premier youth event, while the Midwest Invitational has been the springboard for players such as Jabari Parker, the Harrison twins, Thon Maker, Carlton Bragg, and more. This year was no different, as many countless underclassmen came out to show that they could hole their own with those who already had well established reps.

Here are a few of the standouts from the weekend:

Thon Maker, 7-0, PF/C, Orangeville Prep (CAN), 2016

The best player in the country made his return to the Lucas Camp, showing the benefits of his move North of the border. Rocking a vastly improved frame, the remarkably skilled 7-footer showed off the vast array of skills that has everyone touting him as the next big thing. His KG-esque face-up jab series and quick rips to the rack was unstoppable. As unselfish of a #1 player as you’ll ever find, the next big thing from Australia was great passing from the high post and made it a point to anchor his team’s defense. Maker wrapped up the camp by thanking Coach Lucas over the mic for all of the help that he has given him over the years, offering humility you don’t see out of most potential future lottery picks.

Matt Coleman, 6-1, PG, Maury HS (VA), 2017

An absolutely dynamic lead guard, Coleman set it off at the Lucas Camp. He was outstanding changing pace, got to the rack at will (especially going left), and threw pinpoint passes off of the bounce with both hands. Each moment that the camp went on, the Hampton Roads native cemented why he’s the best lead guard in the group and one of the very best nationally in the sophomore class.

Mario Kegler, 6-7, SF, Arlington Country Day (FL), 2016

Though official stats were not kept, there was no doubt that Kegler got more buckets than anyone in the camp. Playing the game at the pace of a savvy vet, the junior was outstanding the the ball in his hands. The Mississippi product shot it well from deep, attacked the baseline well, and finished at the rim in traffic. After playing in the shadow of Malik Newman at Callaway, Kegler will assume the role of primary scorer at national power Arlington Country Day.

Xavier Simpson, 5-11, PG, Lima Senior (OH), 2016

While Coleman was the best point guard in the camp, Simpson wasn’t too far behind. Having grown and beginning to fill out, he showed that he’s no longer the pint sized point guard that dominated the state of Ohio throughout his younger years. Xavier looked like an NBA vet playing with high school kids in the way that he controlled the game. He played at whatever tempo he wanted, got into the lane at will, then created scoring opportunities for himself and others. Simpson used his shifty style of play to consistently keep defenders off-guard and lived up to his rep as Ohio’s best point guard.

Javin Montgomery-DeLaurier, 6-8, PF, St. Anne’s Belfield (VA), 2016

One of the guys who exploded was Javin Montgomery-DeLaurier. Not ranked by any of the major scouting services, this super long post did his part to change that. He was super smooth on the block, hitting defenders with a flurry of moves on the blocks before finishing over the top of them. It’s no coincidence that this high upside forward just picked up an offer from Kansas State and it’s safe to say that many more high major programs will be jumping in the picture shortly.

Jordan Poole, 6-3, PG/SG, Rufus King (WI), 2017

Another guy who came out was Milwaukee combo guard Jordan Poole. Able to play either guard spot with no shortage of swag, Poole was outstanding creating his own shot and getting to the rack at will. He shot the ball well from deep too, making him quite the problem to guard. Poole already has an offer from Wisconsin-Milwaukee with plenty more to come.

Damon Harge, 5-8, PG, Orlando Christian Prep (FL), 2018

Making his debut on the Lucas Camp circuit, Harge teamed with Matt Coleman to as the most dynamic backourt of the camp. Showing off his ability to defend, the freshman did not allow the older prospects to bully him, using his elite speed to put the clamps on opposing lead guards. The YouTube sensation also showed a much advanced ability to run the pick and roll, as seen by the ridiculous dimes that were dropped. Damon’s stellar play as of late has been rewarded by a recent offer from Pacific and he’ll be visiting North Carolina State this upcoming weekend.

Kenneth Nwuba, 6-9, C, Arlington Country Day (FL), 2018

A product of Mississippi, Nwuba was one of the more imposing defensive players in Louisville. He used his crazy wingspan, interior toughness, and timing to hold it down in the paint against his older opponents. Offensively, the big fella is still a work in progress, but has the bounce to get up and throw it down on someone with no steps. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but the makings are there for a legit big man prospect.

The post 2014 John Lucas Midwest Invitational Recap appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA is here. The season might be truncated, but The Post Up ain’t going anywhere. We’re back like we never left. Like the lockout was a bad dream, and suddenly we’ve awoken in a paradise somewhere near Lob City, where LeBron’s dying to get his ring, Dwight Howard trade rumors are swirling, and there might actually be a good team in New York City. Yep, consider this your wake-up call, and me the concierge on the other end of the crappy hotel phone. “Good morning, sir!”

Hi, I’m Abe, and we’re about to be best basketball friends. I’m that guy this year. The guy faced with the pressure of informing and impressing the loyal SLAMonline readership—and filling the Shaq-sized shoes once worn by Holly Mackenzie and, last year, Adam Figman. Big ups to both of them, who have made this space what it is over the years, and now moved on to bigger and better things (although I’m lucky to have Adam still looking over my shoulder as an Editor). Now that we’ve established who I’m not, I probably owe you some background on who I am. Let’s start there, shall we?

When people ask me where I’m from, I usually say “DC,” even though I was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, which sits less than a mile north of the District’s border. What that means to you is that you’ll have to deal with a heavy Wizards bias this season. Because unlike a disgustingly high percentage of DC-area hoops fans who claim they’ve been Heat fans “since before they had LeBron” or Lakers fans “because I like Kobe,” I ride for my hometown team. You may hate hearing about the Wiz, but I know you can respect the loyalty, so bear with me.

I played hoops growing up, and I was a pretty decent little point guard, too. The rest of my middle school P.E. class compared me to Jason Williams and Steve Nash, but I always likened my game to that of former Bullets/Wizards leading man Rod Strickland. In seventh grade, I was the only white kid on the school-sponsored travel basketball team. By “travel,” I mean we occasionally carpooled to another suburb to get blown out. And by “school-sponsored” I mean we didn’t get to keep the jerseys. Eventually, I played a year of JV hoops in high school before it became abundantly clear that I lacked the athleticism to keep up with the best 15 basketball players at my 3,000-student high school (I like to blame the fact that we had three head coaches in my four years in HS, but I’ll leave that debate to the local hoops historians).

But I refused to give up on the game, so I turned to writing. I ended up taking my talents to journalism school at Northwestern University out in suburban Chicago, where I continued to subscribe to SLAM while dabbling in every sports medium from print to radio. I graduated in June, still not having seen the Wildcats ever make an NCAA Tournament (seriously, ever), and returned to the East Coast, where after literally years of bugging Ben Osborne about writing for SLAM, I got my shot.

A few months later, and here I am, Posting Up, along with the rest of my musings and features over at the Being Billy Hoyle blog. Understand, my room at my parents’ house in DC is still covered in SLAMUPs, SLAM covers and pages I ripped out since age 13, so seeing my name in the mag and under the SLAMonline header is still a little surreal…

Enough about me. If you’ve made it this far, I like you already. Prediction time! First up, here’s my projected top-half of each Conference. Keep in mind we’re rocking a 66-game sked this year, and this is a regular season projection. Okay, now go ahead and tear it apart, along with the rest of my pre-season picks:

Top 4 in West:
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. Los Angeles Clippers
4. Los Angeles Lakers

Top 4 in East:
1. Miami Heat
2. Chicago Bulls
3. New York Knicks
4. Orlando Magic

Let’s face it: it’s gonna be a weird year. Not including the Spurs in the West’s top half seems criminal, I know. And you can make a case for the Grizzlies and Nuggets being up there, too. That’s what’s so crazy about this season—one injury at the wrong time, one bad road trip, one key free agent addition (like one of the guys returning from China)—is going to be the difference between a 3-seed and a 6-seed for a lot of these teams. Not to mention the East, where Dwight Howard’s situation makes coming up with projected standings near-impossible. Miami and Chicago are locked in at the top, but what happens to Orlando if Dwight goes, and where does he go? For now, I’m going on the assumption that he’ll be on the Magic this season, and even if he’s unhappy, Stan Van and crew should be able to withstand this year’s wild ride better than Boston or Atlanta. Look out for Indiana, though.

Most Improved Player: John Wall, Washington Wizards
I’m allowed one homer pick, right? My well-chronicled man-crush on young Mr. Wall will almost definitely be a theme in this space this season, so get used to it. For what it’s worth, here are four other names that I strongly considered for this spot, two guards and two bigs: Eric Gordon (will be handed the keys in NO), Stephen Curry (assuming Monta Ellis can chill), DeAndre Jordan (CP3’s influence cannot be overstated) and Serge Ibaka (didn’t this dude just learn to play ball like six months ago?).

MVP: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
No, this pick is not about his “summer,” though his high level of activity during the lockout certainly won’t hurt his stamina, readiness or confidence. It’s more about this wacky season we’re about to endure. I subscribe to the belief that the Duncans, Bryants and Pierces of the League will rest along the way to save some energy for the post-season, so the older crew is out. Of the emerging superstuds, I don’t see Derrick Rose repeating (much as I love his game), and LeBron and Wade will split ballots. Howard’s a wildcard, but I expect Durant to win the scoring title and take the Thunder to the top spot in the West, which ought to be enough to add an MVP to his growing list of accomplishments.

ROY: Derrick Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves
I went with DWill in our “Rookies Most Likely To…” working off the premise that this year’s crop of rookie guards would struggle on bad teams (a la Wall in ‘10-11) and Williams might catch a few alley-oops and cruise to a near-double-double and the ROY in a weak Draft class. And while the pre-season made me wish I went with Kemba Walker or Kyrie Irving for pure playing time advantages, I’ll stick with the Wolves’ athletic big, and hope he can shine despite a crowded depth chart in Minny. Hate it or love it, SportsCenter highlights go a long way toward swaying opinions of first-year players. In the end, fellow rook teammate Ricky Rubio could be the key to him winning the award, or not.

From Playoffs to Lottery, East: Philadelphia
From Lottery to Playoffs, East: Milwaukee
The 7-8 spots in the East will be an absolute mess this season.

From Playoffs to Lottery, West: New Orleans
From Lottery to Playoffs, West: LA Clippers
Say, didn’t these two make a trade recently?

What I Want To See:
Western Conference Finals: Thunder over Clippers
Eastern Conference Finals: Bulls over Heat
NBA Finals: Bulls over Thunder

What I Think We Will See:
Western Conference Finals: Mavericks over Grizzlies
Eastern Conference Finals: Heat over Bulls
NBA Finals: Heat over Mavericks

Am I the only one who could envision a half-dozen Finals scenarios? Given the compressed schedule, vets nursing injuries and everything else that could go haywire this year, I see teams like the Lakers, Spurs and even the thin Grizz, conserving energy, nabbing a playoff spot and not caring much what seed it is. Hence how I snuck Memphis into the Conference Finals. For the record, I am not a Heat fan, nor do I share the feeling that I need to see LeBron get a ring. I’m not silly, though. Miami’s the odds-on favorite for the title and should be. Disagree? Get your picks in now, and we’ll come back to this post along the way this season.

***

I want to take a few words to extend thanks to Ben, Adam, Ryne, Susan and the rest of the SLAM team for passing me the Post Up torch, for the vote of confidence and, of course, for throwing me to the wolves. It probably had nothing to do with my hustle at the SLAM company pick-up games.

Lastly, to the commenters: this is for you guys. The Post Up doesn’t exist without your loyalty. I know I don’t have to ask for this, but please, keep me honest, keep the critiques, suggestions and questions coming. If you want more, speak up. Have an idea for a new twist, category, box score bit? Hit me in the comments section, as always. And to those of you on Twitter, feel free to interact with me during games, since you know I’ll be watching. All of a sudden, those late-night Clips-Kings matchups are mighty intriguing.

That’s all, folks. I’ll see you on Monday morning, after what looks to be one of the best, and wildest, opening days of basketball in recent memory. Until then, I’ll leave you with a pair of pre-season moments that got me giddy.

The post Post Up: ’11-12 Season Preview appeared first on SLAM.

Courtesy of our friends at adidas:

LOS ANGELES, August 1, 2011 – adidas today announced the roster for the fifth annual adidas Nations global experience, the premier international grassroots basketball program.  adidas Nations will take place at the HAX Athletic Club in Los Angeles August 5-7, with the championship and third place games held at California State University – Dominguez Hills Torodome on Monday, August 8 at 4 p.m. PST and broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.

The country’s top-ranked high school players will participate including Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman HS/Las Vegas), Andre Drummond (St. Thomas More School/Middleton, CT), Isaiah Austin (Grace Preparatory Academy/Burleson, TX), DaJuan Coleman (Jamesville Dewitt HS/Syracuse, NY), Kyle Anderson (St. Anthony HS/Jersey City, NJ) and Cameron Ridley (Bush HS/Richmond, TX).

Top-rated players will also represent international teams including Emmanual Mudiay (Grace Prep HS/Africa), Zena Edosmwan (Harvard Westlake HS/Africa), Steven Adams (Scots College/Asia), Wannah Bail (Trent Internationale/Latin American), Ricardo Gathers (Riverside Academy/Latin America ) and Hanner Perea (La Lumiere HS/Latin America).

The world’s elite 18-and-under players from eight international teams including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, US 2012 and US 2013, will train and compete in the prestigious annual program. This year, the Nations roster expanded to include two additional US teams.