Donte DiVincenzo credits Steph Curry after hot start to Knicks career

The former Golden State Warriors guard had some high praise for Steph Curry.

Donte DiVincenzo left the Golden State Warriors during the summer. He signed a deal to join Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks. Since making the switch to the Eastern Conference, DiVincenzo has established himself as a core part of the Knicks rotation. He is rapidly becoming a fan favorite.

Speaking to the media following the Knicks’ 113-109 win over the Washington Wizards on Thursday, DiVincenzo credited Steph Curry for his improvements this season and how he’s been able to navigate a bigger role on a new team.

“Just watching how Steph goes about (his preparation),” DiVincenzo said. “Steph, Jordan (Poole) and Klay (Thompson) were huge for me in just seeing how they prepared every day. I watched Steph go 1-for-12 and come in the next day and shoot 1,000 shots. And I’ve seen him go 12-for-12 and come in (the next day) and shoot 1,000 shots. So it just taught me the preparation (needed) to be able to have the confidence in-game. Coming over here, I’m not changing anything about my routine….Good game, bad game. Good shooting night, doesn’t matter. I’ll just come in and do the same thing every night.”

DiVincenzo has played in 42 games for the Knicks so far this season. He’s averaging 11.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists, shooting 45.5% from the field and 42.5% from 3-point range.

Golden State could use someone with DiVincenzo’s skill set this season. His point-of-attack defense and tertiary scoring ability have been sorely missed during the team’s slide throughout the season. Still, his former teammates will likely be pleased to see him shine in his new surroundings.

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Jonathan Kuminga reacts to Donte DiVincenzo signing with the Knicks

Jonathan Kuminga chimed in on Instagram with a reaction to his former teammate signing with the

During the first few days of free agency, the Golden State Warriors reportedly lost one of their key contributors from the 2022-23 season. According to multiple reports, Donte DiVincenzo inked a new four-year, $50 million contract in the Big Apple with the New York Knicks.

DiVincenzo spent one season in the Bay Area with the Warriors after turning down his player option with Golden State and opting for unrestricted free agency.

Following the reports of his new contract with the Knicks, one of DiVincenzo’s former teammates reacted on social media. Jonathan Kuminga took to Twitter to share his feelings on DiVincenzo’s move to New York.

Via @NBCSWarriors on Twitter:

DiVincenzo and Kuminga played alongside each other in Golden State’s second unit during the 2022-23 season. DiVincenzo will now join his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart in the Eastern Conference with the New York Knicks.

In his only season with the Warriors, DiVincenzo averaged 9.4 points on 43.5% shooting from the field with 39.7% shooting from beyond the arc to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 26.3 minutes per game. During the 2022-23 campaign with the Warriors, DiVincenzo recorded new career-highs in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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Key Warriors rotation piece not expected to return

A key member of last seasons Golden State Warriors rotation is not expected to return to the team next season.

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On June 27, it was reported that Donte DiVincenzo was not picking up his player option with the Golden State Warriors. It would appear that DiVincenzo is unlikely to return to the Bay Area next season.

Speaking on a recent episode of the HoopsHype Podcast, Michael Scotto and The Athletics’ Anthony Slater discussed DiVincenzo’s immediate future, noting how the 26-year-old could ‘double’ what the Warriors can offer him on his next contract.

“Donte DiVincenzo won’t return to the Golden State Warriors, I’m told,” Scotto said. “He’s earned a pay raise. He may double what he could’ve gotten from Golden State. The Knicks are one of a handful of teams interested. When it comes to DiVincenzo, he’s competing in this market for similar money from mid-level exception teams with Bruce Brown and maybe Max Strus.”

DiVincenzo signed a two-year deal worth $9.2 million with the Warriors last summer. The second year of the contract was a player option. DiVincenzo will now look to parlay his strong season in Golden State into a longer-term deal elsewhere in the NBA.

In 72 regular-season games, DiVincenzo produced a statline of 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 43.5% from the field and 39.7% from deep.

With a reputation as a reliable perimeter defender who can also provide floor spacing and secondary playmaking, DiVincenzo could find himself fielding calls from multiple teams around the league this summer. As Slater noted during the podcast episode, DiVincenzo has created a reputation for being a winning player.

“He’s versatile and can play various roles,” Slater said, “He’s well liked in the locker room. He hit the three well last year off the dribble at times even. He’s kind of a secondary playmaker. He rebounds incredibly well for his position. He wins. He won in college. He was on a Bucks team that won the championship. He was a winning component to the Warriors last year.”

It will be interesting to see how the Warriors look to replace DiVincenzo this summer, especially after already trading away Jordan Poole for Chris Paul. Still, DiVincenzo has earned the opportunity to test the free-agent waters and will likely receive a significant pay rise because of it.

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Bulls among 7 teams showing significant interest in Donte DiVincenzo

The Chicago Bulls, along with six other teams, are expected to show interest in Donte DiVincenzo in free agency.

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The Chicago Bulls will need to stay active in free agency this summer if they hope to improve their playoff chances heading into next year. The core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, who the Bulls just re-signed, is solid, but it’s not good enough to compete for a championship.

If Chicago hopes to get close to that level, it needs to add depth to the roster. Outside of the point guard spot, its biggest need is 3-point shooting. The Bulls were one of the worst shooting teams in the league this past year.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Bulls are one of seven teams who will have “significant interest” in Golden State Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo in free agency.

“Donte DiVincenzo could land a new contract worth somewhere around the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and is drawing significant interest around the league from several teams, including the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Pelicans, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, and Chicago Bulls, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote.

DiVincenzo played a significant role on the Warriors this past year and was great on both ends of the court. His defensive presence has always been there, but his 3-point shooting really came around this past season.

The 26-year-old averaged 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on 43.5% shooting from the field and 39.7% shooting from behind the arc. He attempted 5.3 3-pointers per contest.

Adding DiVincenzo would give the Bulls a massive boost.

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NBA free agency opening rumors: Jakob Poeltl in mix for Rockets (June 30)

If Brook Lopez returns to Milwaukee, Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl could receive strong #Rockets interest, @MikeAScotto reports. In the final hours before Friday’s free agency, here’s the latest intel.

In late April, new Rockets coach Ime Udoka referenced wanting to add “different types of bigs” in his introductory press conference. While third-year center Alperen Sengun offers strong value and versatility on offense, he’s somewhat limited on defense.

Flush with financial room beneath the NBA’s 2023-24 salary cap, that could explain Houston’s flirtation with veteran Milwaukee center Brook Lopez in recent weeks. However, many of the latest reports suggest Lopez may ultimately return to the Bucks

If that happens, who might be a backup plan for Rockets general manager Rafael Stone once the 2023 free agency negotiating window officially opens on Friday at 5 p.m. Central?

Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl could be an option. Known for his defense, the 27-year-old, 7-foot-1 center averaged 12.5 points (62.9% FG), 9.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 26.5 minutes with the Raptors and San Antonio Spurs last season. Scotto reports Poeltl is expected to receive a deal near $20 million annually, which is in the ballpark of the rumored Lopez bid.

With the start of free agency under 24 hours away, other known Houston targets include Raptors guard Fred VanVleet; Memphis wing Dillon Brooks; and perhaps Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma.

As of late Thursday, here’s where things appear to stand.

Report: Donte DiVincenzo not picking up player option with Warriors, will enter unrestricted free agency

In his first season with the Warriors, the Villanova product recorded 9.4 points on 43.5% shooting from the field and 39.7% from beyond the arc during the 2022-23 season.

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Draymond Green isn’t the only member of the 2022-23 Golden State Warriors squad to hit unrestricted free agency after declining his player option with the team. After one season in the Bay Area, Donte DiVincenzo is reportedly set to his free agency this summer.

According to Kendra Andrews of ESPN, the veteran guard is not picking up his $4.7 million option with the Warriors and will enter unrestricted free agency when it opens on June 30.

Via @kendra__andrews on Twitter:

Due to their tight budget, earlier reports indicated DiVincenzo could be too expensive for the Warriors this offseason.

In his first season with the Warriors, DiVincenzo registred new career-highs in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. The Villanova product averaged 9.4 points on 43.5% shooting from the field with 39.7% shooting from beyond the arc to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 26.3 minutes per game.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

New Rockets targets emerge in NBA’s 2023 free agency

2023 #Rockets free agency targets reportedly include names like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Bruce Brown, Jordan Clarkson, Austin Reaves, Cam Johnson, Dillon Brooks, and Jakob Poeltl.

With an NBA-leading figure of approximately $60 million in space beneath the 2023-24 salary cap, the Rockets have been linked to big-name pursuits in the 2023 free agency. Many media reports have tied them to the likes of James Harden and Fred VanVleet, which could offer a veteran presence to surround Houston’s young core.

The Rockets will also have the room exception at their disposal, which allows for an additional contract starting at near $8 million.

Yet, since the rebuilding Rockets aren’t going to immediately contend for a championship regardless of this offseason’s signings, general manager Rafael Stone will need to balance short-term upgrades with a need for value contracts on the team’s books.

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets will likely try to sign three or four free agents, with a particular emphasis on two-way production (offense and defense). Two could be signed to larger deals, while one or two others may fill in around them.

By position groups of guards, wings, and bigs, here’s a statistical look at Feigen’s list (published Sunday, June 25) of potential Rockets targets in 2023 free agency. Three of these names are restricted, meaning that the player’s current team would have the opportunity to match any deal and block a potential move to Houston.

All statistics are from the NBA’s 2022-23 regular season.

Report: Donte DiVincenzo expected to likely be too expensive for Warriors

Donte DiVincenzo averaged 9.4 points on 43.5% shooting from the field and 39.7% from beyond the arc during the 2022-23 season with the Warriors.

Offseason news is already beginning to heat up for the Golden State Warriors as Mike Dunleavy Jr. takes the keys to the front office in the post-Bob Myers era in San Francisco.

With an expensive salary that revolves around veteran players like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, the Warriors will have to get creative when it comes to filling out their bench. Last offseason, the Warriors inked Donte DiVincenzo to a two-year deal with a player option for the second season.

In his first season with the Warriors, the Villanova product thrived, reaching new career-highs in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. Heading into the second season of his deal, the five-year veteran guard is reportedly expected to decline his player option.

According to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, DiVincenzo will likely be too expensive for the Warriors to re-sign if he hits unrestricted free agency.

Via Hoops Hype:

Within Golden State and among rival NBA executives, there’s a belief Donte DiVincenzo will decline his $4.7 million player option and will likely be too expensive for the Warriors to re-sign once he hits unrestricted free agency.

Read Scotto’s full report via Hoops Hype here.

Via @MikeAScotto on Twitter:

In his first season in the Bay Area, DiVincenzo averaged 9.4 points on 43.5% shooting from the field with 39.7% shooting from beyond the arc to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 26.3 minutes per game.

DiVincenzo played a key role off the bench in Steve Kerr’s second unit alongside guys like Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga and Gary Payton II.

If DiVincenzo walks in free agency, Dunleavy Jr. will have to quickly find a way to fill his void off the bench in the offseason.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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Western Conference GM: Lakers ‘could make a push for Donte DiVincenzo’

One executive thinks guard Donte DiVincenzo could be a target for the Lakers this summer.

The Los Angeles Lakers may not be far from being a legitimate championship-caliber team, but they will need one or two more role players to reach that level.

Additionally, there is a real chance they will lose at least one key contributor from the current team.

Arguably their four most important guards — D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Dennis Schroder and Lonnie Walker IV — will be free agents this summer. In addition, Malik Beasley has a team option on his contract for next season.

Along with needing a true 3-and-D wing with length, Los Angeles may need at least one replacement at guard. A Western Conference general manager said it could go after Golden State Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo (h/t Lakers Daily).

Via Heavy Sports:

“They could make a push for Donte DiVincenzo from the Warriors, depending on what they do with him,” the GM told Heavy Sports NBA insider Sean Deveney. “He might command more than the tax MLE on the market, but he would be the right kind of guy, a shooter and ball-handler off the bench.”

At 6-foot-4, DiVincenzo isn’t a true wing, but he is a good 3-point shooter who can also handle the ball a bit. He shot 39.7% from 3-point range during the regular season for the Warriors.

He also has championship experience. He was a key starter on the Milwaukee Bucks team that won it all two years ago.

DiVincenzo has a player option for next season he can turn down in order to become a free agent.

Watch: Donte DiVincenzo beats the buzzer with crafty drive and finish at the bucket vs. Kings

The Warriors guard beat the first quarter buzzer with a crafty drive and finish at the bucket against the Kings in Game 3 on Thursday.

Without Draymond Green and Gary Payton II, the Golden State Warriors needed someone to step up in Game 3 against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.

Trailing 0-2 in the series, Donte DiVincenzo helped answer the call.

After the Warriors jumped out to an early lead, DiVincenzo helped get the Chase Center crowd on their feet at the end of the first quarter with a must-see buzzer beater.

With the clock ticking down, the former Villanova guard shook Sacramento’s Trey Lyles with crafty handles to get into the lane. DiVincenzo finished the bucket with a high arching finger roll that floated in the air just long enought to get over the finger tips of the Kings 7′ 2″ center, Alex Len. 

Via @NBA on Twitter:

Via @warriors on Twitter:

Following DiVincenzo’s bucket, his teammate Steph Curry had an animated reaction.

Via @JamesBurnes8 on Twitter:

During Golden State’s Game 3 win over Sacramento, DiVincenzo finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting from the floor with eight assists, seven rebounds and four steals in 27 minutes off the bench.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

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