Warriors Notes: Collison, Roster Spots, Wiggins, Offseason Moves
Darren Collison is scrimmaging with some Warriors players as he auditions for a spot on the team, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The free agent guard visited the team facility Wednesday and today for workouts, which have included Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole.
If Golden State does give the 34-year-old guard an opportunity, it will likely come as a non-guaranteed training camp deal, Slater adds. Collison retired after averaging 11.2 points and 6.0 assists for the Pacers in 2018/19, and he’s been an effective three-point shooter and a reliable ballhandler throughout his career.
The Warriors are planning to head into camp with their 15th roster spot and second two-way slot both up for grabs, according to Slater. Gary Payton II and Mychal Mulder will also be trying to make the team on non-guaranteed deals. Mulder is still eligible for a two-way contract, but Payton isn’t. The team could decide to start the season with just 14 players to reduce its luxury tax bill.
There’s more on the Warriors:
- In the wake of a report that players in San Francisco won’t be allowed to attend home practices or games unless they’re vaccinated, Golden State’s main concern is Andrew Wiggins, Slater adds. Wiggins told reporters last season that he hadn’t received the vaccine and didn’t plan to unless he was forced.
- The Warriors received an A-minus from ESPN’s Kevin Pelton for their offseason moves. Golden State was able to upgrade its bench without using its mid-level exception, adding Nemanja Bjelica, Andre Iguodala and Otto Porter Jr. on veteran’s minimum deals. Pelton also likes the addition of draft picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, saying both should provide good value for where they were selected.
- Golden State needs more scoring from Draymond Green and a stronger commitment to team defense from Wiggins, per Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area. She identifies Poole and James Wiseman as two other players who need to improve to help the Warriors become a title contender again.
NBA Proposes New Guidelines For Vaccinated & Unvaccinated Players
The NBA’s proposed health and safety protocols for the upcoming season will have much different requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated players, according to Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
The new rules, which are still being negotiated with the players union, are outlined in a memo the league sent to its teams. They would require players who have not gotten the vaccine to have their lockers as far away as possible from vaccinated teammates. They will also be placed in separate sections during meals, flights and bus rides.
Vaccinated players would no longer be required to have daily tests for the virus and will only be subject to testing if they exhibit symptoms or are exposed to someone who has tested positive. Their unvaccinated counterparts must be tested on any days with games or practices and may have to be tested twice on some days.
Those who haven’t been vaccinated will still be subject to a mandatory seven-day quarantine if they have close contact with a person who tests positive. Vaccinated players likely won’t have to deal with a quarantine as long as they don’t return a positive test.
Unvaccinated players won’t be permitted to sit with their unvaccinated teammates and must be at least six feet away during meals and team meetings. During team flights, the unvaccinated may have to sit in a section of the plane with staff members, and on bus trips, they will have to be separated from other players and may be required to take a separate bus.
Some of the restrictions may be relaxed for unvaccinated players who have recovered from the virus within the past six months, Windhorst and Bontemps add. The NBA also hopes to have all players tested for COVID-19 antibodies during their preseason physicals.
Marcus Garrett Signs Two-Way Deal With Heat
11:12am: Garrett’s signing is official, the team announced in a press release.
8:01am: The Heat will sign Kansas guard Marcus Garrett to a two-way contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal was confirmed by his agent, Mike George of One Legacy Sports Management.
Garrett had been expected to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with Miami shortly after the draft, but the deal was delayed while he changed agents. Now that his new agency is in place, the team opted to have Garrett fill one of its two-way slots.
The 22-year-old played for the Heat during Summer League, averaging 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in five games in Las Vegas and Sacramento. He also showed off his defensive skills with 2.8 steals per night.
Once the signing is complete, Miami will have 16 players under contract heading into camp, with rumored deals still looming for Javonte Smart, Micah Potter and RJ Nembhard. The Heat are planning an open competition for the other two-way opening.
LaMarcus Aldridge Cleared To Resume NBA Career
LaMarcus Aldridge has received medical clearance to start playing basketball again, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Nets are considered the favorites to sign him, Charania adds.
Aldridge’s career came to an abrupt end in April when doctors diagnosed him with an irregular heartbeat. The discovery prompted him to announce his retirement after playing just five games with Brooklyn, but he has passed all the medical tests necessary to resume his career, according to Charania.
Aldridge, who also dealt with heart issues in 2017, started talking about a comeback last month. The seven-time All-Star now appears ready to return for a 16th NBA season.
He was productive last year in 21 games for the Spurs, averaging 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds as the team’s starting center. However, San Antonio opted to go with younger players and took Aldridge out of the rotation before ultimately reaching a buyout agreement. He signed with Brooklyn in late March, but experienced the health scare two weeks later and was eventually waived.
The Nets are facing a potential roster crunch after reportedly reaching an agreement with free agent forward Paul Millsap earlier today. However, Brooklyn could open up room with a rumored buyout of veteran center DeAndre Jordan. The Nets can only offer Aldridge a veteran’s minimum contract.
Latest On Ben Simmons
The Warriors have been mentioned as a possible destination for the Sixers to send Ben Simmons, but the teams haven’t engaged in serious trade talks, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Sources tell Slater that their discussions on Simmons have been limited to a single phone call before the draft in which Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey asked for Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Golden State’s two picks in this year’s lottery, and a pair of future first-rounders. The Warriors’ front office declined the offer and no further negotiations took place.
Golden State could still get involved if Morey lowers his asking price, but Slater doesn’t expect Simmons to wind up in San Francisco. He points out concerns about how effective a lineup with Simmons and Draymond Green would be when neither is an effective shooter and notes that the Warriors aren’t desperate to make a move. They have 14 players on guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts, and it’s assumed throughout the organization that those 14 will make up the opening-night roster. The team isn’t making any trade calls and doesn’t plan to seek any deals before the season begins, sources tell Slater.
In addition, owner Joe Lacob is a strong supporter of both Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga and would be reluctant to part with either player, Slater adds. Morey would likely ask for at least one of them in return for Simmons, which would be a tough sell for Lacob. Slater sees the Warriors’ best offer as Wiggins and future picks, and he believes the Sixers will have better options.
There’s more news related to Simmons:
- The Timberwolves and Raptors have been linked to Simmons most frequently over the summer, Derek Bodner states in an Athletic roundtable on a potential deal. He believes the Cavaliers could be a “wild card” as well and notes that the Sixers’ options improve if a multi-team deal can be worked out. Sam Amick points out that the Wolves – with president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas – and the Kings – with general manager Monte McNair – both have executives who worked closely with Morey during his time in Houston.
- Confirming a Wednesday night report from Amick, Jason Jones of The Athletic writes in a mailbag column that the Kings aren’t willing to part with De’Aaron Fox or Tyrese Haliburton to acquire Simmons. He’s skeptical that the Sixers would be interested in an offer of Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley, who are both below-average defensive players.
- John Gonzalez of The Ringer looks at the role that Simmons’ uneasy relationship with Philadelphia fans has played in his desire to leave the team.
Paul Millsap To Sign With Nets
The Nets are landing one of the top free agents left on the market, agreeing to a deal with Paul Millsap, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The deal was confirmed by Millsap’s agent, DeAngelo Simmons.
Numerous teams had expressed interest in the 36-year-old power forward, who spent the past four seasons in Denver. According to Charania, Millsap considered other contending teams, such as the Warriors, Bulls and Clippers, before deciding on Brooklyn (Twitter link).
The Nets were only able to offer a veteran’s minimum salary, but Millsap is looking for a chance to win a title, and Brooklyn is among the favorites for the upcoming season.
Millsap remained a productive player for the Nuggets last year in his 15th NBA season, averaging 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per night. He started 36 of the 56 games he played, although his usage declined in the postseason.
The addition of Millsap would bring the Nets to 20 players heading into camp if they sign second-round draft picks Marcus Zegarowski and RaiQuan Gray. The team still has one of its two-way slots open.
Having another big man on the roster should lead to further speculation of a potential buyout for DeAndre Jordan. There has been talk that Brooklyn wants to get out from under Jordan’s contract, which will pay him $19.7MM over the next two seasons.
Wolves Notes: Edwards, Beverley, Simmons, Harding
Anthony Edwards has grown two inches in the past year and it may affect the way the Timberwolves use him, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Edwards, who finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting, was 6’4″ when Minnesota selected him with the top pick in the 2020 draft. He’s now 6’6″ and may be even more versatile than he was last season.
Edwards averaged 4.7 rebounds per game as a rookie, but Hine notes that figure increased to 5.4 over the final 20 games as the Wolves asked him to put more emphasis on attacking the backboards. Coach Chris Finch is now considering using Edwards as a power forward in smaller lineups.
“He’s an extremely unique player and has all this raw ability, but he’s very literal when you coach him. Like I say to him, ‘I need you to go out and do X,’ he’ll do it,” Finch said. “We discovered in the last part of the season (when I’d tell him), ‘I need you to get seven rebounds tonight.’ We gave him goals almost every game or every period of time, so you give him stuff to focus on and he went out and did that.”
There’s more from Minnesota:
- Finch is looking forward to reuniting with Patrick Beverley, whom he coached several years ago as an assistant with the Rockets, Hine adds. Finch expects Beverley, who was acquired in a trade with the Grizzlies, to serve as a leader on defense. “He’s going to bring a lot of toughness, tenacious defense,” Finch said. “It gives our defense a bit of a personality. Defenses are always best when they start on the ball with the type of approach and aggressiveness he brings. I think one of the most encouraging things about bringing Patrick here is not how excited we are he’s coming, but he’s really excited. He knows he’s exactly the type of piece we need.”
- Beverley appears to be on board with the Wolves’ pursuit of Ben Simmons. Responding to a tweet from NBA writer Ben Stinar suggesting that Simmons, Edwards, D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns would be a contender in the West, Beverley wrote “Facts” (Twitter link). Of course, as Stan Van Gundy noted in a reply to Stinar’s tweet, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Minnesota could land Simmons without giving up any of those three players.
- Before hiring Elston Turner as an assistant on Finch’s staff, Minnesota considered Kings player development coach Lindsey Harding, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Harding began her WNBA career with the Minnesota Lynx.
Central Notes: J. Jackson, George, White, Markkanen
Josh Jackson may be the most expendable player in the Pistons‘ training camp battle for roster spots, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. When Hamidou Diallo re-signed last month, it gave Detroit 16 guaranteed contracts. Sources tell Edwards it took longer than expected to reach a new deal with Diallo, but he was always in the team’s plans.
Jackson is set to make $5MM in the final year of a deal he signed last offseason. The former No. 4 overall pick was productive in his first season with the Pistons, averaging 13.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 62 games, but Edwards notes that he’s just an average defender and an unreliable three-point shooter (30% last season). There may also not be enough minutes for Jackson, Diallo and Frank Jackson, who all play similar roles.
Edwards names Jahlil Okafor, Rodney McGruder and Sekou Doumbouya as other candidates to be traded or waived to reach the regular season roster limit of 15. Okafor will make $2.13MM in the final year of his contract, while McGruder has a $1.67MM expiring deal and isn’t expected to play much. Doumbouya is still on his rookie contract, but Edwards points out that he remains a raw prospect and is left over from the previous front office.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- The Pistons have officially announced the return of George David as assistant general manager. He held the same position from 2012-14 before leaving for the Wasserman Media Group. “I’m excited to return to the Detroit Pistons and help Tom Gores, Arn Tellem and Troy Weaver in the restoring effort of the franchise,” David said. “Detroit has always been home for me and I know how passionate the city and region is about their sports teams. Troy’s vision for building the roster aligns with the core values of Detroit Basketball and I look forward to playing a role in the continued rise of the organization.”
- Even though the Bulls stocked up on guards this summer, there should be playing time available for Coby White once he returns from surgery on his left shoulder, states Jamal Collier of The Chicago Tribune. Collier sees White as a back-up to Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, and he may be on the court with Alex Caruso in three-guard lineups.
- The Cavaliers will pay Lauri Markkanen $15,690,909 for the upcoming season with slight raises throughout his new four-year deal, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Markkanen will make $16,475,454 in 2022/23, $17,259,999 in 2023/24 and $18,044,544 in 2024/25, giving the contract a total value of more than $67MM, although only $6MM of the final season is guaranteed.
Nets, Knicks, Warriors Affected By Local Vaccination Policies
Unvaccinated NBA players in markets where local governmental policies prohibit unvaccinated individuals from entering indoor venues won’t be permitted to enter their home arenas or practice facilities without an approved medical or religious exemption, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).
As Charania explains, this means that players in New York and San Francisco – members of the Nets, Knicks, and Warriors – won’t be able to play in home games unless they’re vaccinated or have an approved exemption. Visiting players would be exempt from the vaccination requirements in New York and San Francisco, Charania adds.
After dealing with the coronavirus pandemic in both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, the NBA is still determining how to handle the virus in ’21/22 now that vaccines are widely available. The league won’t make vaccinations mandatory for players, but is requiring personnel who interact with players – including referees – to be vaccinated. Charania reports (via Twitter) that fans within 15 feet of the court must also be fully vaccinated or register a negative COVID-19 test prior to the game.
While New York and San Francisco are the two major NBA markets with local restrictions in place on unvaccinated individuals, it’s possible more cities could join that list before or during the regular season. It’s also possible New York’s or San Francisco’s policies could be adjusted at some point. In each case, the NBA would have to abide by the market’s local regulations.
NBPA executive director Michele Roberts told Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports in early July that 90% of players had been vaccinated, and it’s possible that number is even higher by now. Still, there are likely a handful of holdouts, so it will be interesting to see whether any players are impacted by these rules once the season begins.
Kings Aren’t Active In Ben Simmons Trade Talks
The Kings haven’t talked to the Sixers about a possible deal for Ben Simmons for several weeks, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
During their initial conversation, Sacramento made it clear that De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton wouldn’t be made available, which has also been reported by other outlets. A source tells Amick that the Kings will stick to that position and consider their roster virtually set heading into training camp.
There are no ongoing trade talks involving the two teams, Amick adds, and Sacramento shouldn’t be considered a realistic possibility for Simmons unless Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey lowers his asking price.
If a deal is eventually reached with the Kings, it’s more likely to involve Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley, according to Amick.
Trade rumors involving Simmons have heated up again after a report on Tuesday that he plans to hold out of training camp if the Sixers don’t ship him elsewhere. The Kings, Timberwolves, Clippers and Warriors have been the most frequently-mentioned possibilities.