Tag: Draymond Green

PHOTOS: Golden State player salaries for 2019-20, future seasons

While the Warriors are busy racking up losses in the 2019-20 season, the team is still shelling out one of the highest-priced rosters in the NBA.

Regardless of the Golden State Warriors’ struggles to open the 2019-20 NBA season, they still have to pay the bills— and they are pricey. The Warriors are at the bottom of the NBA standings, but at the top of the NBA when it comes to salary.

The Warriors injured “Splash Brothers” backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson is on the books for over $72 million this season, while that doesn’t include their newest All-Star acquisition, D’Angelo Russell.

Russell was brought to the Warriors in a sign-and-trade contract from the Brooklyn Nets, where he inked a four-year max contract worth $117 million once landing in Golden State.

The Warriors offseason spending didn’t stop there as they locked up their former Defensive Player of the Year, Draymond Green, to a four-year $100 million max extension.

Locking up four All-Star caliber players for the significant future sounds excellent on the surface. Yet, now Bob Myers, Steve Kerr and Joe Lacob are challenged to find the right supporting cast to surround their core with, but for the right price.

Luckily for Golden State, they have a two-time NBA executive of the year calling the shots in Myers. The former UCLA Bruin turned Warriors general manager was integral in recruiting Kevin Durant to come to the Bay Area, and will now be tasked with extending the Warriors championship run with a limited payroll.

The benefit of Golden State’s down year in 2019-20 is that they’re in line for a premier draft pick for the first time in years. How Myers decides to use that pick will be crucial in the Warriors’ future success— whether they trade the pick or select a top-prospect, it will have a dramatic effect on the Warriors roster financially.

The 2020 NBA offseason, starting with the draft, will factor as one of the most important legs of the Warriors return to the top of the Western Conference. With Golden State currently hard-capped, with millions of dollars on the books for the future, the Warriors will have to get creative with how they spend their money going forward.

To get a feel for how the Warriors stand for the future financially, Warriors Wire dove into Golden State’s current player salaries.

(Salary information courtesy of HoopsHype.)

 

Draymond Green accused the Blazers of ‘cheating the game,’ but he should be mad at the refs

Draymond Green was (correctly) called out for taking too long to sub into Warriors-Blazers, and then tried to make it about the Blazers.

Draymond Green attempted to sub into the Warriors-Blazers game on Wednesday, with 5:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. He went to the scorer’s table, and then took his time.

He was still in his warmups. He had heating pads on his knees. After 13 seconds, Trail Blazers assistant coach Jim Moran yelled to referees: “Hey, how much time does he get? How much time does he get?”

The refs understood the question, and put the kibosh on the substitution. Green would have to wait until the next opportunity to check into the game. That was nearly a minute later — Green eventually subbed in for Omari Spellman with 4:35 left in the game.

Green was apoplectic, and continued to be apoplectic after the game, which the Warriors lost, 122-112. Green accused the Blazers of “cheating the game” by asking refs for a delay of game call.

The Blazers didn’t cheat, though. They just asked the rules to be enforced. The NBA is desperately trying to improve its in-game product, and a common complaint from NBA fans is that fourth quarters can get so bogged down in timeouts, substitutions, and free throws, it makes it tough to watch.

So they put a limit on things. Yahoo pulled the rule:

RULE NO 3: Players, Substitutes and Coaches Section 5, article C: A substitute must be ready to enter the game when beckoned. No delays for removal of warm-up clothing will be permitted.

Pretty cut and dry. Green was in warm-ups and wearing heating pads on his knees. He wasn’t ready to enter the game.

So now, the Blazers didn’t cheat anything. They asked the rule to be enforced, and it was.

Where Green has a point, however, is that opposing coaches and players seem to be awfully particular about when they’re calling out these rule violations. The Blazers waited until the fourth quarter of a close game — the score was 107-102 at the time — to demand the rule be called.

It reminds me of Chris Paul calling out Jordan Bell for having his jersey untucked in a game between the Thunder and the Timberwolves, which he did with … 1.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of a three-point game.

Paul, like the Blazers assistant, was correct about the rule. However, refs have to have some discretion here. Paul hadn’t cared much about jerseys being tucked in or out until a second remained in the fourth quarter. The Blazers coaches weren’t counting off seconds on substitutions until one of the Warriors’ best players tried to check in to a tight game in the fourth.

Green was mad at the Blazers … but he should be mad at the refs.

If the rules are there, the refs need to enforce them from the start of the game. And if the refs aren’t enforcing them all game, they can’t just suddenly start enforcing them when an opponent realizes it would be hugely in his team’s favor for the rule to be called.

The refs might look bad, but I’d argue they have to swallow the whistle there. You can’t change how you’re calling a game when one team decides it. Then you’re not calling the game; they are.

[lawrence-related id=879028,876529,872265]

[jwplayer iHZqI0wL-q2aasYxh]

Draymond Green’s sad lob off the backboard summed up the Warriors’ season

These aren’t your 73-win Warriors.

In a matter of months, the Golden State Warriors have gone from the perennial NBA favorites to a laughingstock. Of course, no team could survive losing Steph Curry and Klay Thompson to injury (and Kevin Durant to free agency).

But the Warriors haven’t just been bad — they’ve been tough-to-watch terrible.

No play summed up that reality quite like Draymond Green’s attempted pass off the backboard during Sunday’s 21-point loss to the Kings.

Let’s break down what happened. First, a good thing! Green made a steal and then led a break with the Kings’ Cory Joseph and Bogdan Bogdanovic trailing on defense. From there, the entire sequence went horribly wrong for Draymond.

He attempted the lob off the backboard as if Glenn Robinson III was in a position to receive that pass and slam home a dunk. As you can see below, Robinson was not in such position. He was boxed out by two Kings players.

Instead, Harrison Barnes grabbed hold of the ball, and Buddy Hield converted a layup the other way.

The Warriors just need this season to end already.

[jwplayer 2vFP6MXc-q2aasYxh]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Despite down record, the Warriors lead NBA in sharing the basketball

Even as the Warriors are racking up losses, Golden State is still sharing the basketball at a very high clip.

The days of Draymond Green running the Warriors fastbreak, with Stephen Curry leaking out and Kevin Durant trailing seem like ages ago, although the 2019 edition of Golden State is trying their best to mimic that type of ball movement.

The Warriors championship run was headlined by “the Splash Brothers” long-range shooting and the dominance of Durant, but Golden State, at its core, was a passing team. The four All-Star lineups whipped the ball around the court at a frenetic pace, overwhelming opposing teams at times.

While the 2019 club isn’t overwhelming anyone with a league-worst 5-22 record, the Warriors are leading the NBA in sharing the rock. The Warriors have registered the most passes made (331.9) and passes received (332.6) per game throughout the first quarter of the NBA season.

The effort is there when it comes to moving the basketball around the floor, but Golden State just isn’t finishing. The Warriors are only averaging 23.7 assists per game, which ranks 18th in the NBA. Before this year, the Warriors have led the NBA in assists per game since the 2014-15 season.

D’Angelo Russell (6.1) and Draymond Green (5.9) are the only Warriors creating dimes; after the All-Star pairing, their assists numbers fall off with Alec Burks, the next man up at 2.9 assists per game.

Even with Golden State dealing with injuries and talent drop off from last season, the team isn’t forcing shots. Kerr’s offense, led by Green and Russell, is still trying to move the ball at a high rate through their passing.

The Warriors still lack the three-point range that Curry and Klay Thompson brought to the offense. However, the fact Kerr can instill some resemblance of his former offense based on ball-movement with a completely different roster is a positive sign for the future.

Injury Report: Draymond Green out and Eric Paschall doubtful vs. Jazz

Draymond Green is getting a veteran day off while Eric Paschall is doubtful when the Warriors travel to Utah.

In a down season with the sights set on the future, the Golden State Warriors are being cautious with how they use a set of forwards. Draymond Green will be held out (rest), and rookie Eric Paschall is doubtful (hip) when the team travels to Utah Friday night.

Green’s missed eight games this season with a finger and sore heel injury, but his day off in Utah is being classified as a veteran rest day. With the Warriors season getting out of hand after only 26 games, it’s not a surprise Golden State is easing back their former Defensive Player of the Year’s workload. The Warriors are coming off an overtime loss where the Michigan State Spartan product registered a triple-double in 39 minutes of play.

Earlier in the season, Golden State coach Steve Kerr mentioned Green would continue to get veteran rest days throughout the year.

As Green is missing the game against Utah for load management, Golden State’s breakout rookie, Paschall, is dealing with a nagging sore hip. Paschall didn’t play in the fourth quarter or overtime of the Warriors 124-122 loss to the New York Knicks.

After having a monster rookie season, Paschall’s only tallied five-points in each of his last two games as he’s dealt with his sore hip. Paschall’s carried a heavy scoring load for Golden State through 26-games, a day-off could be beneficial for the second-round pick’s development in the long-run.

Without Green and Paschall on the floor, Kevon Looney could see an increase in minutes, while Serbian rookie Alen Smailagic could make his NBA debut after being recalled from the Warriors G League affiliate earlier this week.

D’Angelo Russell doesn’t worry about Warriors potentially trading him

Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell isn’t worrying about possibly being moved as trade season looms.

Golden State Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell is playing his fifth NBA season, and by now he’s hip to how teams handle their business.

That’s why with trade season looming, Russell isn’t fretting over the Warriors possibly moving him. Dec. 15 is when players who signed deals as free agents over the offseason are eligible to be traded. A restricted free agent over the offseason, Russell joined the Warriors via the sign-and-trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets.

In a story written by The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Russell talked about how he isn’t worrying about the possibility of being traded.

“I just don’t care (about the buzz),” Russell said. “Simple as that. I just don’t care. “When you say max contract to come in and learn from these guys as much as you can as quick as you can — because you don’t know when you’ll be gone, shipped out — that’s what I’m doing. I can’t control that. I can’t control if Bob Myers is like, yo, let’s go get such and such for this and make this pick. That’s his job. I can’t control it or say anything about it, especially if I’m a part of it. So I don’t waste energy worrying about it.”

With Russell’s max contract, he is signed for four years and $117 million. The Warriors could potentially trade him to not have a salary cap logjam. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are both on max deals for five years, and Draymond Green is on one for four years.

A first-time All-Star last season, Russell has proven to be a solid guard in a league filled with talent at the position. Last season, he averaged 21.1 points per game, a career-high at the time. He also shot 36.9% from the 3-point line and tallied 7.0 assists — both numbers remain career-highs.

This season his scoring has gone up slightly, as he’s scoring 22.0 points per game in 13 games. He has missed some time because of ankle and thumb injuries.

For Russell, it’s just going to be about continuing to show his skills. Whether the Warriors are interested in keeping him or not, his skill set could be useful in multiple places. He’s one of the best pick-and-roll guards in the league. According to NBA.com stats, Russell is scoring 8.8 points a game on plays where he’s the ball handler in the pick-and-roll.

As bad losses build, Draymond Green says Warriors ‘let go of the rope’

For the first time in a long time, the Golden State Warriors are playing like the team their record reflects.

No matter the injury, no matter the opponent, the 2019-20 Golden State Warriors have played a gritty brand of basketball. They’ve continually battled wire-to-wire against teams with more experience and more talent across the board.

Before taking off on their recent five-game road trip, Golden State was playing some of its best basketball of the season, making it even more impressive was the fact they only had eight-healthy players at times.

On the road trip, the Warriors were slated to play a handful of similarly struggling NBA teams, but instead of rising, Golden State stalled. The Warriors ended the road trip with a 1-4 record, salvaging their only win in the final game of the trip in Chicago.

The Warriors were able to steal a win at the end of the trip, while also getting back injured players like D’Angelo Russell, Kevon Looney, Draymond Green and Jacob Evans before facing the six-win, Memphis Grizzlies at home.

The Warriors had their healthiest lineup since the opening week of the NBA season against Memphis, while the Grizzlies have lost nine of their last 10 before heading to San Francisco. There was a sense that the Warriors could be on their way to consecutive wins for the first time all season.

Instead, the Warriors took a step back. The Grizzlies punched the Warriors in the face, controlling Chase Center from the minute the game started. The Warriors played sloppy, turning the ball over 16 times with little urgency.

Although he might be almost immune to losing, after dropping 20 games in 25 attempts, Draymond Green said the loss to Memphis was a disappointing one.

“It’s hard for us to have a disappointing loss at this point, but this was definitely one of them,” Green told reporters in San Francisco after losing to the Grizzlies. “We played pretty horrible the entire game and yet was in the game pretty much the entire game. It was definitely disappointing.”

Over the last five games, the Warriors played teams with a .344 winning percentage, and only won one game in that span. For the first time in a while, the Warriors are looking like the team their 5-20 record reflects.

“Charlotte and Atlanta, we kind of let go of the rope, then to bounce back in Chicago—pull out a win there at the end of the road trip you expect to come home and try and build on that,” said Green. “We didn’t do that tonight.”

Steve Kerr echoed Green’s thoughts, calling the loss to Memphis, “discouraging” and “disappointing.”

The Warriors will have another chance at riding the ship, as the New York Knicks travel to town, freshly off the firing of their head coach, David Fizdale.

The Warriors and Knicks have combined for only nine wins and 39 losses to start the 2019 season. Still, on Wednesday night in Chase Center, one team will be forced to add another notch to their win column.

Ja Morant’s Grizzlies wreck Warriors chance at a win-streak, 110-102

The Golden State Warriors got a taste of why Ja Morant is considered a favorite to win Rookie of the Year.

After beating the Chicago Bulls in the final chapter of a five-game road trip, the Golden State Warriors had a chance to start their first winning streak in 2019 with the Memphis Grizzlies coming to town. The Grizzlies lost nine of their last 10 before heading to San Francisco, while the Warriors were getting healthy for the first time in 2019— everything seemed to be lining up in Golden State’s favor.

The Grizzlies had a different plan— to shoot the three-pointer, and the Warriors couldn’t stop them. The Grizzlies cashed 15 threes on a whopping 40 attempts from beyond the arc. Seven different Memphis players knocked down three-pointer’s, including both of the Grizzlies bigs, Jaren Jackson and Jonas Valanciunas.

The Warriors could never match the Grizzlies shooting effort, only shooting 38 percent from the field, but where Golden State got hurt was turning the basketball over. The Warriors couldn’t get out of their own way, ending the night with 17 turnovers.

Golden State tried to scrap back into the game, cutting the Grizzlies lead to single digits in the final minutes. However, a stellar fourth quarter by Ja Morant sealed the Memphis 110-102 win.

Battle for Rookie of the Year

The days of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph traveling to the Bay Area for a playoff matchup against Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are gone. Instead, the Grizzlies-Warriors matchup headlined a pair of rookies. Both Morant and Eric Paschall are Rookie of the Year contenders and went toe-to-toe Monday night.

Although there was hype, it was a one-person show with the Memphis rookie landing the knockout punch. Morant dropped 25 points with seven assists, while Paschall had a disappointing performance, only tallying five points and two rebounds.

Morant’s best moment of the night came on a flashy dribbling clinic that left Alec Burks looking in a different direction. Paschall will get another crack at Morant when the Warriors head to Memphis on January 12.

Jacob Evans Returns

After missing the past 21-games, second-year guard, Jacob Evans returned to the floor for Golden State, giving the Warriors their most substantial bench since the opening week of the season. Evans only totaled 11-minutes, adding two points, one rebound, and one assist. Evans will slowly be worked back into Steve Kerr’s rotation as he continues to get his feet under him in his sophomore NBA season.

Draymond Green Season High

Draymond Green tied his 2019 season-high in scoring with 16 points against the Memphis Grizzlies, a positive sign for the Warriors All-Star. Green was aggressive on the offensive side, which has turned into a rare occasion for the former Defensive Player of the Year. If the Warriors want to hang in games, while Curry and Thompson are out, they need Green to be active offensively.

With the 2019-20 season looking like a developmental year for Golden State, Green should push to work on his offensive game before next season when the Splash Brothers return healthy.

Eric Paschall’s NBA 2K rating rising after hot start to rookie season

Eric Paschall is quickly turning into a rookie of the year candidate, with that comes the attention of those who make the video game NBA 2K.

When the Golden State Warriors selected Eric Paschall with the 41st overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, nobody could’ve expected the season he would have in year one. The four-year Villanova product is quickly putting together a Rookie of the Year campaign almost two months into the NBA season.

Paschall is leading the Warriors in total points with 393 and second to All-Star D’Angelo Russell with 17.1 points per game. Paschall has led the Warriors in scoring on multiple occasions in the 2019 season, including a pair of 30-point nights.

Injuries have opened up an opportunity for Paschall, and he’s making the most of it. He’s currently second behind Glenn Robinson III in Warriors minutes played this season, and when he’s on the floor, Paschall has developed into one of Steve Kerr’s primary scoring options. His ability to continuously get to the basket and finish is reminiscent of a seasoned NBA veteran.

Paschall’s skill and numbers are suitable for the Warriors, yes. However, they also rank near the top in comparison to other rookies across the league. The Warriors rookie ranks first in total points and total rebounds (123) in the rookie ladder. Paschall only trails the 2019 second overall pick, Ja Morant (18.6), in rookie points per game this season.

Paschall’s rise from second-round pick to Rookie of the Year contender has caught the attention of the rating specialist’s with the video game, NBA 2K. The 6-foo-6 forward jumped from a 71 at the start of the season to currently an 80— the fifth-highest rating on the Warriors roster.

Paschall’s 80 only trails a four-pack of established NBA All-Stars, Stephen Curry (95), Klay Thompson (89), D’Angelo Russell (87) and Draymond Green (83). Yes, you read that correctly, the Warriors rookie, Paschall, is only three points behind the former Defensive Player of the Year, Green.

The “Paschanimal’s” rating is continuing to rise, a month ago he was grouped with 2K’s “rising stars” and moved to a 77, after starting the year at 71.

Now, as a significant piece to the Warriors offense, Paschall will have more opportunities to build his Rookie of the Year campaign while continuing to level up his 2K rating.

NBA already worrying what Warriors will do with 2020 high lottery pick

According to NBC Sports NBA Insider, Tom Haberstroh, the NBA is worried about the potential of the 2020 Golden State Warriors after owning a high lottery pick.

Just a season ago, the Golden State Warriors were at the top of the NBA’s food chain. The franchise went on a dynasty run that shook the core of the NBA— three Larry O’Brien trophies, five-straight trips to the Finals, multiple MVPs, and the best regular-season the league has ever seen.

Now, in 2019, saying things are drastically different is an understatement. Kevin Durant is with the Brooklyn Nets, the “Splash Brothers” are dealing with extended injuries and the Warriors have the worst record in the NBA at 4-19. However, there is still hope the team can turn things around as quickly as next season.

In 2020, Golden State should have some salary-cap flexibility to bring in new talent, with things like a traded player exception, and the mid-level exception; while Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green and D’Angelo Russell are all still under contract for the future. All positive steps towards getting back on track, but where the team could strike gold is the 2020 NBA draft.

The Warriors’ measly 2019 record is setting up the team to own a top pick in the 2020 draft lottery. The Warriors’ potential after getting healthy and adding firepower in 2020 is worrying some around the NBA, according to NBC Sports NBA insider Tom Haberstroh.

“The people I talk to around the league are really worried that they are going to trade that first-round pick, the 2020 pick—because if they load up with an All-Star-type player with that pick, they are terrified—or if they land a Luka Doncic in the draft, they’re terrified. ” Haberstroh said when joining the Warriors-Hornets television broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area. “So, that 2020 pick, adding to the group they have established here with Paschall stepping in right away, man—I think every team is going to try to do a gap year.”

A healthy and rested Splash Brother tandem, paired with Russell, Green, Paschall and either another All-Star talent or high lottery pick could poise the Warriors for a return back to dominance, a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.