Tag: Golden State Warriors

Warriors ‘well-positioned’ to make a trade in the next year

The Golden State Warriors are well-positioned to make a trade within the next year.

The Golden State Warriors missed their top two trade targets this summer. First, a deal for Paul George fell through, leading him to join the Philadelphia 76ers. Then, Lauri Markkanen signed a contract extension to stay with the Utah Jazz despite rumors of a potential trade.

According to Marc Stein, who wrote in his SteinLine newsletter, the Warriors believe they are “well-positioned” to make a trade within the next year, assuming the right target becomes available. Golden State has multiple high-level young players and future draft picks at its disposal.

“Team officials believe they remain well-positioned for a trade upgrade at some point in the next year or so after responding to the free agent departure of Curry’s longtime backcourt mate Klay Thompson by acquiring Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton on short-term deals and retaining all of their draft picks,” Stein reported. “The distinct sense at Chase Center is that the Clippers and Jazz, despite no shortage of conversation with both teams, did not really want to do business with the Warriors.”

Unfortunately for the Warriors, they’re unlikely to find a needle-moving trade this deep into the offseason. As such, they will need to begin the new basketball year with the current roster — which does include the recently acquired Buddy Hield, De’Antony Melton and Kyle Anderson.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see who the Warriors target or who becomes available for trade. After all, the franchise has remained committed to maximizing Curry’s final years, and that will likely mean bringing in a clear-cut second scoring option sooner rather than later.

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Erik Spoelstra is the obvious choice to replace Steve Kerr as U.S. men’s basketball coach

Erik Spoelstra is the best coach in the NBA. He deserves to take over for Steve Kerr with Team USA.

After winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics — even with some unwarranted internal controversy regarding Jayson Tatum — Steve Kerr is reportedly done coaching Team USA men’s basketball, according to longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein.

The news does not come as a shock, as the legendary Golden State Warriors head coach has previously told The Athletic he would likely step down as the Americans’ head man after the Paris Games because he always thought the job was like a “baton” to be passed along.

Where it gets interesting is who will likely replace Kerr, especially as the USA program starts looking ahead to Los Angeles in 2028. Stein has said Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue are the top two replacement candidates, a decision that feels like a no-brainer either way.

However, let me make the decision for the Americans rather easy.

It should be Spoelstra. Running away.

With no disrespect to Lue, who I think is comfortably a top-five coach in NBA basketball right now, Spoelstra is clearly the best coach in the men’s game. In fact, it’s not even close. Frankly, I was always a little surprised the master tactician from Miami wasn’t the USA coach for this past Olympics cycle, as I actually think Spoelstra is a lot better than Kerr.

Spoelstra’s qualifications basically speak for themselves.

He’s led the Heat to two NBA titles, with six overall appearances in the NBA Finals since 2011. The Heat have missed the playoffs only three times in his entire tenure, which started in the 2008-2009 season. Anyone you talk to about the game often touts Spoelstra’s innate ability to maximize whatever talent he has on hand. He is, in effect, the purveyor of the infamous “Heat Culture” that has become a meme in NBA circles precisely because you really can never count Miami out as long as Spoelstra is coaching. That’s because he’s a brilliant basketball junkie through and through.

Now imagine the guy known for taking “gritty” and often haphazardly pieced-together teams coaching a squad of all the best American players on the planet. Hoo boy. This isn’t to say the Americans are facing any real threat of losing their gold-medal perch in Los Angeles, but more that Spoelstra’s coaching would probably make them somehow even more of a virtual shoo-in.

Make the right decision, USA basketball. Let Kerr pass that baton to Spoelstra. He’s earned it.

Brandin Podziemski confident he’s improved this summer

Brandin Podziemski believes that he’s a better player than the one we all saw to end the Golden State Warriors season.

Brandin Podziemski was a bright spot in the Golden State Warriors 2023-24 NBA season. The rookie guard quickly emerged as a potential star of the future and found himself battling for a starting spot within Steve Kerr’s rotation. Golden State appears to be high on Podziemski’s overall upside, reportedly keeping him out of trade discussions throughout the summer.

During a recent radio appearance on the Willard & Dibs show for 95.7 The Game, Podziemski discussed the work he’s been putting in during the offseason. Throughout the interview, he carried confidence in his development and proceeded to let everyone know that he had improved his game ahead of the new season.

“From a skill development standpoint I feel like this offseason has been up there with the one from my junior/senior year of high school,” Podziemski said. “For me, I’m feeling really good. Took out the floaters, took out the hook shots. Kinda put in more mid-range stuff, more threes off the dribble, more threes off the catch. So just adding different things and then defensively trying to take that challenge being out there with Steph every night.”

With Klay Thompson no longer on the Warriors roster, Podziemski could potentially get some additional playing time and have a clear path to cracking the starting lineup. His multi-faceted skill set will ensure that he’s a valuable member of Kerr’s rotation, regardless of the position or role he’s asked to play.

Given Golden State’s commitment to its younger core, its chances of success partially rest on the internal development within the roster. As such, Warriors fans should be encouraged to hear one of its most talented young players has taken a step forward during the offseason.

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Rich Paul reportedly shut down Warriors landing LeBron James

Rich Paul reportedly shut down discussions between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers front office.

Millions of NBA fans have long wished that LeBron James and Steph Curry would play for the same team. Some members of the Golden State Warriors fanbase have dared dream that the two superstars could eventually team up in the Bay Area for one final push for more championship rings.

However, according to Marc Stein, any discussions between the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers over a potential trade never really gained any traction, with Rich Paul playing a significant role in shutting things down. Paul was protecting LeBron from the “backlash” of moving to a fourth team in his career.

“Yet league sources say that the reported talks between the teams at the time never got that far in large part because James’ agent Rich Paul was adamantly opposed to the idea of James swapping Southern California for Northern California,” Stein wrote. “Sources say Paul implored both teams to scrap the concept — despite some owner-to-owner dialogue between the Warriors’ Joe Lacob and the Lakers’ Jeanie Buss and Green’s determination to lobby James to push for relocation to the Bay Area — largely because he wanted to insulate James from potential backlash over switching teams for the fourth time in his career.”

Still, that won’t stop barber shop discussion and fan fiction dreaming up a potential superstar pairing happening in the near future, especially after how well the duo played together during the Paris Olympics.
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Watch: New Warrior Kyle Anderson looks in midseason form in summer workout

One of the newest members of the Warriors was putting in work at a summer offseason run.

While most of the attention surrounding the Golden State Warriors offseason has been about the departures of Klay Thompson and Chris Paul, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Steve Kerr have been busy filling out the rest of the roster around Stephen Curry.

One of the newest members of the Warriors is veteran forward Kyle Anderson. After two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 10-year veteran signed a three-year deal with the Warriors early in the offseason.

With the summer winding down, the veteran wing recently participated in an offseason workout. Anderson was putting in work on the floor for a New Jersey-based run with “More The a Run.” More Than a Run shared a clip of Anderson’s workout on Instagram.

Via @morethanarun on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-nOktBxl4e/?hl=en

In 79 games with the Timberwolves last season, Anderson averaged 6.4 points on 46% shooting from the field to go along with 4.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per contest.

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

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Steph Curry remaining calm over Warriors offseason

The Golden State Warriors star is remaining calm over the franchise’s current offseason moves.

The Golden State Warriors have undergone significant change this summer. Klay Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks, forcing the front office to begin adding new talent to help fill the void left by the future Hall of Famer. De’Antony Melton, Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield have all joined the franchise since Thompson’s departure.

However, the Warriors did miss out on Lauri Markkanen, who, by all accounts, was their top trade target. The Utah Jazz eventually signed the impressive forward to a contract extension, ending the Warriors’ chances of securing a trade and forcing them to pivot or potentially head into the new season with their current roster.

According to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Curry has remained calm this summer, showing no signs of “panic or unrest” with the current situation.

“Dunleavy keeps him in the loop on the options and ultimate personnel decisions,” Slater reported. “Curry hasn’t, team sources said, expressed any signs of panic or unrest. But there’s a choice of action or inaction in the coming months that’ll give a clearer hint about his long-term mindset.”

Golden State’s performance at the beginning of the season will likely dictate whether Curry remains calm regarding the franchise’s current direction or starts to pressure the front office to create some movement in the trade market.
Of course, a lot will depend on how Golden State performs between October and the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
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‘Wild’ trade idea sends Khris Middleton the Warriors

The ‘wild’ trade proposal would send Khris Middleton to the Golden State Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors have been re-tooling their roster this summer. With Klay Thompson leaving for the Dallas Mavericks, the front office has added Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson to help round out the rotation and provide depth at multiple positions. However, the Warriors did miss out on Lauri Markkanen, who was rumored to be their top trade target.

As such, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz has posited a ‘wild’ trade idea to give the Warriors some additional shooting in the front court, which would inevitably provide some additional floor spacing for Steph Curry in the upcoming season. The trade looks like this:

Warriors get: Khris Middleton

Milwaukee Bucks get: Jerami Grant

Portland Trail Blazers get: Moses Moody and Andrew Wiggins

“The Warriors are essentially swapping Andrew Wiggins for Middleton here, as Moody may not even play much this upcoming season with the additions of Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton combined with Brandin Podziemski entering the starting lineup full-time,” Swartz reasoned. “Middleton’s shooting, passing and overall versatility make him a strong fit in Golden State, and the Warriors should be thrilled to get off Wiggins’ contract.”

On paper, adding Middleton makes a lot of sense for Golden State. He would plug multiple gaps, provide high-level scoring and playmaking along with being an above-average defender. However, Middleton has struggled with health in recent seasons, has shown signs of age-related decline and is coming off a summer where he’s been recovering from surgery.

As such, the Warriors would be wise to swerve this hypothetical trade and look elsewhere. Nevertheless, Swartz is right about one thing: any major trade Golden State makes will likely include Wiggins.

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Steph Curry’s NBA 2K25 3-point shooting stats revealed

Steph Curry’s new NBA 2K ratings reminds everyone of who the best shooter is in the NBA.

Steph Curry is the best perimeter shooter in NBA 2K25. The Golden State Warriors superstar is a 99 overall from the perimeter, making him the only player in the game to have the coveted ranking and ensuring that his exploits on the perimeter are as realistic as possible.

Grayson Allen is second in perimeter scoring with a rating of 93, Kevin Durant is third with 92, Klay Thompson is fourth with 89,, and Mike Conley rounds out the top five with 89. Curry also has 97 ball handling, placing him as the second-best ball-handler behind Kyrie Irving. As such, you can expect Curry to be the most dangerous guard in the game. 

Of course, the ratings on 2K are always fluid. Updates to the game consistently improve or reduce a player’s effectiveness in the game, and Curry could be impacted by those changes based on his performances throughout the season.

Nevertheless, Curry’s ability as a shooter is likely set in stone. After all, he’s the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA.

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Steph Curry lands in the top-15 of the GOAT debate in latest ranking

The Golden State Warriors superstar was ranked in the top-15 greatest players in NBA history.

Steph Curry is the greatest shooter of all time. He’s a four-time NBA champion. He’s also an Olympic Gold Medalist. As such, it’s only fair to discuss him in the same breath as some of the greatest players to ever lace them up.

In HoopsHype’s latest “Top 78 of All Time” rankings, Curry is listed as the 13th-best player in the NBA’s history. He is sandwiched between Kevin Durant, who finished 12th in the voting and Oscar Roberton, who ranks 14th on the list. His presence within the top-15 of all players throughout the league’s history is a testament to his impact throughout his historically dominant career.

“Stephen Curry changed the way the game is played, as now, basically every player on the floor wants to shoot threes, and needs to be able to hit them for your offense to keep up with modern scoring,” HoopsHype’s staff reasoned. “Curry’s a wizard not only as a shooter, but his playmaking deserves more credit than it receives. The future Hall-of-Famer out of Davidson is already the greatest shooter ever – and it’s not particularly close.”

Curry still has a couple of years left at the highest level of basketball. As such, he could potentially add another championship to his resume. If that was to happen, and Curry led the Golden State Warriors to a fifth banner, his position within the ranking would likely improve.

Nevertheless, HoopsHype’s placement of Curry is both fair and logical. He is undoubtedly one of the best 15 players in league history and is probably just outside of the top 10. Still, things might look different by the time all is said and done.

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Warriors release schedule of group play for NBA In-Season Tournament

The Warriors will open the NBA’s season in-season tournament against Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks.

In the first edition of the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament, the Golden State Warriors’ run was over before it started.

Following a loss to Malik Monk and the Sacramento Kings in a thriller in Sacramento at the buzzer, the Warriors were eliminated in the group stage of the tournament.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers went on to win the first in-season tournament, now known as “The Emirates NBA Cup.”

On Tuesday, the NBA announced the schedule of the group stage for the 2024 in-season tournament. The Warriors group stage will begin with the return of Klay Thompson and the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks to the Bay Area. The Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets will round out the rest of Golden State’s group. Three teams in the group all made the playoffs last season.

The schedule full schedule is below:

  • Nov. 12 vs. Dallas Mavericks
  • Nov. 15 vs. Memphis Grizzlies
  • Nov. 22 at New Orleans Pelicans
  • Dec. 3 at Denver Nuggets

Via @warriors on Twitter:

The team with the best record from group play will advance to the knockout rounds that consists of 10 teams. The top team from each group will advance along with a wildcard team from each conference. The knockout rounds are single elimination with the semifinals and finals set in Las Vegas starting on Dec. 14.

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

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