Tag: Steph Curry

Warriors Stephen Curry speaks on the passing of NBA legend Kobe Bryant

For the first time since his death, Stephen Curry spoke on the passing of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant.

It’s been a handful of days since a fatal helicopter crash claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others, yet the news is still rippling throughout the NBA world.

In days since Bryant’s tragic death, players and teams have been doing what they can to honor his legacy. Several players from the Warriors have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the passing of Bryant. Draymond Green, D’Angelo Russell and Stephen Curry have all posted emotional messages reacting to Bryant’s sudden death.

In the Warriors’ first game since the loss of Bryant, both the 76ers and Golden State paid tribute by starting the game with an eight and 24-second violation. Against the Warriors, 76ers center, Joel Embiid wore Bryant’s No. 24 instead of his No. 21.

Following the Warriors game in Bryant’s hometown of Philadelphia, swingman, Alec Burks changed his No. 8 jersey to No. 20 with respect to Bryant.

During the Warriors matchup with the Boston Celtics, Curry had a courtside interview with TNT reporter, Allie LaForce, and was asked about Bryant. Before getting to basketball, Curry spoke about Bryant, the father.

There’s not a lot that you can say about how much Kobe meant on and off the floor — Then you see the pouring of videos and just the way he embraced his kids every chance he could, the way he shared his career and love with each every single one of them — I mean, honestly, this whole situation sucks — You pray for the family through this whole process that they feel comfort and support the best that they can — It hurts, as a father, knowing the hole that he’s not able to fill anymore, and, obviously, for Gigi, too — I know the whole NBA family and the whole world, really, has their back.

Curry told LaForce he “idolized” Bryant on the court when he was growing up.

That’s one of the toughest parts of the week, as I was coming up in the game he was a guy that we idolized — imitating his moves out on the court and anytime he was on TV, you wanted to watch and lock into what he was doing — he was always about greatness and you appreciate that so much.

Curry and the Warriors will have the chance to honor Bryant at Chase Center when they return to San Francisco on February 8 to host the Los Angeles Lakers.

Warriors could face up to $77.5 million luxury tax with new salary cap projections

With new NBA salary cap projections released, the Golden State Warriors could face a heightened luxury tax.

The NBA salary cap projections could have stifling consequences on the Golden State Warriors.

The league released projections for salary cap and luxury tax for the 2020-21 season to teams Thursday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks.

With a lower salary cap and luxury tax than expected, the Warriors could be on the hook for a tax payment as high as $77.5 million, about $12 million more than what was expected.

The salary cap is expected to be $115 million, according to Wojnarowski. That would be an increase from the 2019-20 season, but not as much as the previously-predicted $116 million.

The luxury tax is projected to be $139 million, Wojnarowski reported.

As the roster currently stands, the Warriors’ 2020-21 payroll will be $147.87 million, according to Basketball Reference.

Four players on the Warriors roster are set to receive more than $20 million: Draymond Green’s extension will start at $22 million, D’Angelo Russell will be paid more than $28 million, Klay Thompson $35 million and Stephen Curry $40 million.

The Warriors will also likely add a high first-round draft pick to the sheet. A top-five pick would result in a cap hit ranging from $6.8 million to $10.73 million.

Golden State has a $5.9 million exception to use on a free agent, according to Wojnarowski and Marks.

If the Warriors use the entire taxpayer mid-level exception, their luxury tax bill could range from $77.5M if they get the No. 1 pick to as low as $61M if they get the No. 5 pick.

The easiest way to get under the luxury tax would be to trade Russell. A highly-coveted free agent this past offseason, he will have three years left for about $30 million per year after this season.

Moving his contract would put Golden State right near the luxury line, depending on other roster changes, and allow them to move manageable contracts to clear the rest of the way if needed.

But the Warriors have not been shy about exceeding the luxury tax in recent years. If the front office feels the team can still compete for a title when Curry and Thompson return from injury, it may pay the price again.

USA TODAY Sports Media Group salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan contributed research to this report.

After history in 2016, Warriors tune in for Kobe Bryant’s final game

Steve Kerr said after the Warriors won their historic 73rd regular-season game, in the locker room, the team tuned in to watch Kobe Bryant’s final NBA game.

On April 13, 2016, the Golden State Warriors made NBA history, winning their record-setting 73rd regular-season game. After taking down the Memphis Grizzlies 125-104, Golden State went into the locker room not to celebrate, but to watch the final game of an NBA legend.

On the same night, Kobe Bryant suited up for the last game of his NBA farewell tour against the Utah Jazz. Bryant made it memorable, scoring 60 points on 22-of-50 shooting from the field, leading Los Angeles to a 101-91 in the final game of his storied NBA career.

In the wake of a fatal helicopter crash that tragically claimed Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others’ lives, Steve Kerr was asked by Anthony Slater of The Athletic if he remembers Bryant’s epic final performance.

I do remember it — we made history and stayed out on the floor — it was a celebration out on the court and we stayed out on the floor for quite a while and then we all went in the locker room and the game was on — everybody’s whispering, ‘Kobe’s got 40’ and we watched the last few minutes as he racked up the points — players were all watching on their side of the locker room, and coaches were all in our locker room watching — it was an incredible night.

Kerr and the Warriors were able to celebrate Bryant’s life against the Philadelphia 76ers with an eight and 24-second violation at the start of their game.

The Warriors will have a chance to honor Bryant in San Francisco when they return to Chase Center on February 8 against his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Report: Warriors and 76ers communicating on ways to honor Kobe Bryant

The Philadelphia 76ers and the Golden State Warriors have been in communication on ways to honor Kobe Bryant in his hometown following his tragic death.

Since the sudden death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant in a fatal helicopter accident that included his daughter Gianna and seven others, there has been a tidal wave of emotion pouring over the NBA. Games scheduled have featured honors like chants of “Kobe” and 24-second violations as tributes to the late NBA star.

For the Golden State Warriors, the team has yet to play a game since the passing of Bryant. However, when the team does take the court for the first time since the tragedy, it will take place in Bryant’s hometown.

On Tuesday, the Warriors will start a five-game road trip in Philadelphia against the 76ers, the first home game in Bryant’s hometown since his death.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, both teams have already been in contact regarding ways to honor Bryant during the game.

Off the court, members from both the 76ers and Warriors have paid their respect to Bryant via social media. Draymond Green, D’Angelo Russell and Stephen Curry have all posted messages regarding the loss of Bryant.

View this post on Instagram

I’ve waited and waited with hope that this bad dream would end and I never had to make this post. Hoping that someone would report that it wasn’t You in that helicopter like they initially thought. I went to sleep on the couch yesterday while they talked about you on TV. I thought I’d wake up and the story would be gone. Only to wake up to more details of you being GONE. Kobe, I thank you for being the person that you were, the big brother that you were. Not only to myself but to many others. You left a legacy that’ll NEVER be forgotten. We lost one of the good guys. I’ll continue to pray for the Bryant family as well as all the other families affected by this horrific tragedy! RIP BEAN #GoneTooSoon

A post shared by Draymond Green (@money23green) on

For the 76ers, Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons have each checked in with their tributes to the Philadelphia native. Tuesday, both teams will get their chance to honor Bryant on the court.

Bryant, a product of Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia and a noted Philadelphia Eagles fan, will rightfully have a significant presence during the Warriors tilt against 76ers, on Tuesday.

After Golden State ends their five-game road swing, they’ll host Bryant’s former team, the Los Angeles Lakers in the Warriors’ first game back in the Bay Area.

Stephen Curry reacts to loss of Kobe Bryant with social media tribute

Golden State Warriors MVP, Stephen Curry went to social media to pay tribute to Stephen Curry.

Kobe Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna, were involved in a fatal helicopter crash that claimed their lives and seven others. In the wake of Bryant’s death, a tidal wave of emotion has hit the NBA world.

Teams in-game action have honored Bryant by taking a 24-second violation at the start of Sunday’s games, while players across the league have taken to social media with heavy hearts to react to the loss of the basketball icon.

In the Bay Area, San Francisco’s Chase Center, the home of the Golden State Warriors had their outdoor video monitor lit with a tribute to Bryant.

The tragic news of Bryant’s sudden death is still rippling through the NBA landscape, with the latest to honor the fallen legend being a member of the Golden State Warriors.

Stephen Curry adjusted his Twitter account to prominently represent Bryant. Curry changed his profile picture along with his header photo on Twitter to include Bryant. Both images feature Curry alongside Bryant.

Along with updating his Twitter profile, Curry went to Instagram to pay his respect to Bryant and his daughter Gigi.

Other members of the Golden State squad have chimed in on social media to share their feelings on the loss of Bryant. Golden State won’t have the opportunity to give an on-court tribute to the fallen NBA champion till Tuesday, when the Warriors start a five-game road swing.

Golden State will return to the Bay Area in early February with their first home game back from their road trip being against Bryant’s former team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Andre Iguodala says Steph Curry shouldn’t return until next season

Andre Iguodala thinks that Stephen Curry should take the rest of the NBA season off after he recovers from injury.

Since the start of the 2020 New Year, the Warriors haven’t been able to stack wins at the desired rate, yet there is still positive news surrounding Golden State.

The primary source of that positivity is the news surrounding Stephen Curry’s injury that has caused him to miss all but four games in the 2019-20 season. Curry has been spotted shooting at practice and is clear to travel with Golden State as he progresses through his rehab.

The most recent positive sign came when Marcus Thompson III of The Athletic reported Golden State could be circling March 1 as a return date for their injured All-Star guard.

Returning at the start of March against the Washington Wizards would give Curry the chance to finish out the final 22 games of the Warriors 2019-20 season.

However, one of Curry’s former teammates doesn’t think he should return to the court until next season. Andre Iguodala joined ESPN’s First Take and initially joked around about wanting Curry back as his golf partner, but later doubled-down saying his old teammate needs a “real break” so he can “relax.”

Selfish reasons, no — he hurt his left hand, and you can’t golf with your left hand if it’s hurt — so, I think he needs to get a real break in terms of being able to relax — that long run, in terms of mental reasons — Marshawn Lynch mentioned it, you need to get your mentals right — but I think it’s good for him mentally to be able to step away — be able to get a nice breather — he’s going to be able to come back on a wrath next year.

With the Warriors record locked in at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, there’s no reason to rush Curry back as his injury should be handled with caution.

However, Golden State hasn’t been able to experiment with D’Angelo Russell and Curry in the same backcourt for an extended amount of time. Testing Curry and Russell together is a crucial step before heading into an offseason where Golden State will try to morph back into a contending caliber team.

Curry’s hand is expected to be evaluated in February, with many dominos slated to fall once there is an updated timetable attached to his broken hand injury.

Kyrie Irving’s jersey among select few being sold at NBA Paris Game

As part of the NBA Paris Game on Friday, vendors are selling jerseys of players from other teams. Kyrie Irving’s is among them.

As part of the NBA’s continued to work toward strengthening its brand and the game of basketball on a global scale, the league had the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks square off against the Charlotte Hornets in France on Friday.

Naturally, the league provided vendors with plenty of Bucks and Hornets gear for the 2020 NBA Paris Game.

But the NBA did not stop at the two teams squaring off on Friday. Vendors also had jerseys of three other players available for fans, per Malike Andrews of ESPN: Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry and Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving.

The league recently announced the leaders in jersey sales and Irving ranked No. 10 in the NBA, while James was No. 1 and Curry was No. 3. Fellow Nets superstar Kevin Durant also crack the NBA’s top-15, coming in at No. 12.

If nothing else, Irving making the very short list shows how much the league values his brand.

RELATED: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving’s jerseys rank among NBA’s top sellers

Steph Curry cracks Top 10 among West guards in All-Star starter voting

Despite only appearing in four contests this season, Stephen Curry got a lot of All-Star love from NBA fans.

On Thursday night, as has become commonplace, TNT announced the starters for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. The 69th annual contest will take place from Chicago’s United Center on February 16 and, for the second year, will feature teams drafted by the top vote-getters from each conference.

For the second consecutive year, LeBron James led the Western Conference, while Giannis Antetokounmpo led the East. As a result, the contest will feature Team LeBron versus Team Giannis.

Aside from the two captains, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, Kemba Walker and Trae Young were selected to represent the Western Conference, while Anthony Davis, James Harden, Luka Doncic and Kawhi Leonard were chosen from the West.

For the first time since 2014, no member of the Golden State Warriors was selected as a starter in the contest, although along with teammate D’Angelo Russell, Stephen Curry did receive some consideration.

Among guards in the conference, Curry finished 10th in voting, while Russell finished ninth. If nothing else, Curry’s ranking within the top 10 is indicative of his popularity among fans, as his placing sixth in the fan vote is what enabled him to land among the top vote-getters.

Both Curry and Russell face long odds of being named reserves for the All-Star Game, as the coaches from each conference will vote to make those determinations. Both Donovan Mitchell and Chris Paul are all but certain to take two of seven reserve spots, and at least three of the remaining spots will go to frontcourt players.

That Curry and Russell were able to beat out DeMar DeRozan (11th), CJ McCollum (16th), Lou Williams (13th) and Jamal Murray (14th) comes as a bit of a surprise considering the Warriors will enter play on January 25 with the worst record in the league. With respect to Curry, he has been out of the lineup since November 4, appearing in just four contests thus far this season.

The reserves for the contest will be announced on TNT on January 31.

Warriors without NBA All-Star Game starter for first time since 2014

The Golden State Warriors don’t have an NBA All-Star voted into the starting lineup of the game for the first time since 2014.

The Warriors have entered the past five consecutive NBA Finals, hanging three championship banners along the way— with that type of success comes popularity. Since 2013, the individuals who built Golden State’s championship run have enjoyed personal accolades. Members of Golden State have won awards like Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player, yet the most common nod has been an invite to the NBA’s All-Star Game.

In the 2019-20 season, with the Warriors record sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference, the All-Star recognition doesn’t come as easy. The NBA revealed the starters for the 2020 NBA All-Star game, and for the first time since 2014, the Golden State Warriors don’t have a player in the starting lineup.

For the Western Conference, Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), James Harden (Houston Rockets), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers) and Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) have been named as starters, leaving the Warriors on the outside looking in.

After a long layoff from All-Star participation, David Lee was named an All-Star reserve in 2013, the first Golden State Warrior to participate in the game since 1997.

Following Lee the next season, Stephen Curry started the next six All-Star games, with other Warriors like Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all getting invited to the game at times since 2014.

Injuries and the departure of Durant have limited Golden State’s ability to earn an All-Star call-up. However, even injured, Curry ranked in the top-10 of Western Conference guard voting throughout the process. D’Angelo Russell also listed in the top-10 of voting, yet it wasn’t good enough to earn a starting spot.

Golden State could still have the chance to send someone to Chicago for the 2020 edition of the All-Star game, as the reserves are announced on Thursday, January 30.

Klay Thompson and Steph Curry undefeated as Warriors sideline analysts

Each time either Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson, have appeared as the Golden State Warrior’s broadcast sideline reporter, the team has registered a victory.

Back in late November, Klay Thompson stepped in front of the microphone, and the Warriors sealed a victory after losing their previous three consecutive games. Thompson brought his quirky attitude to the broadcast, and it followed with the win in favor of Golden State amid their struggling season.

Now, Golden State was on a season-worst 10-game losing streak, to end it, the Warriors turned to the other half of the “Splash Brothers” duo. Stephen Curry joined the Golden State broadcast in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic, and similar to Thompson, the Warriors handled business with their teammate on the call.

Behind an impressive night from rookie Jordan Poole, and a closing effort from D’Angelo Russell, the Warriors snapped their losing streak with a 109-95 win against the Orlando Magic.

Curry stayed on the call during the third quarter against Orlando, and Golden State had their highest-scoring period of the night. Golden State shot 13-of-20 from the field to outscore the Magic, 29-19 in the third quarter with Curry watching. Curry was proud of his team’s effort while he was making his NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast debut.

Before the quarter ended, Poole knocked down a buzzer-beating three-pointer, and Curry signed off with a winning guarantee for his game prediction.

While Golden State has only won 10-games this season, 20% of their victories have come with either Curry or Thompson on the call. While both have missed an extended amount of time, a silver lining to their injuries has been their ability to serve as announcers for games.

Although the Warriors have won each game with the “Splash Brothers” involved in the broadcast, Golden State fans everywhere would rather have either in-game action. However, with both injured, a dose of Curry and Thompson on the broadcast might be the next best thing.