The Warriors assigned a trio of players to the G League on Wednesday, with guard De’Anthony Melton and forwards Jonathan Kuminga and Gui Santos all joining the Santa Cruz Warriors in order to scrimmage, tweets Anthony Slater of ESPN. Santos was getting some conditioning work in, while Melton and Kuminga are in the final stages of injury recoveries.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Warriors are optimistic that Melton will be able to make his season debut following an ACL tear during the first week of December. The veteran guard is due to be reevaluated this weekend.
As for Kuminga, who has been sidelined due to bilateral knee tendonitis, the hope is that he won’t have any setbacks during his scrimmages with Santa Cruz. If that’s the case, there’s an expectation that the fifth-year forward could be back on the court at some point during Golden State’s current home stand, which wraps up on December 2, Siegel reports.
We have more from around the Pacific:
- The Kings have won two of three games since Keegan Murray made his season debut, and the fourth-year forward was especially effective in Monday’s overtime victory over Minnesota, with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Teammate DeMar DeRozan spoke after that win about what Murray’s return means to the team, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays (via Twitter). “It’s everything,” DeRozan said. “Keegan is the key to this team. It’s his team. He’s one of those guys who’s going to be very, very special in this league and he’s showing it.”
- While there have been some questions about Doug Christie‘s job security in Sacramento, Kings general manager Scott Perry told Sam Amick of The Athletic this week that he has “complete confidence” in Christie to “lead this team into better times.” Sacramento’s head coach appreciated the public show of support, according to Anderson. “His backing, the alignment from him, is huge,” Christie said. “He hasn’t said anything to me differently, so I’m glad that he said that (publicly). More than anything, it’s about us playing a style and a brand of basketball that Sacramento Kings fans can be proud of. On the path to that, there are a lot of steps to that, but first things first. I appreciate that from Scott. Obviously, when the boss speaks highly of you, it’s a good thing.”
- Playing against the Rockets on Monday for the first time since Houston traded him to Phoenix over the summer, Suns forward Dillon Brooks talked trash to his former teammates and accused them of flopping, writes Doug Haller of The Athletic. However, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka took it in stride, telling reporters that Brooks’ impact during his two years in Houston was “invaluable” and he doesn’t mind the forward’s tendency to push boundaries. “To bring in a veteran, like him and Fred (Van Vleet), to change the culture and environment, the competitiveness on a nightly basis,” Udoka said. “You’ve seen that happen here. I don’t mind at all. We both toe the line I guess at times, but he’s a guy that I love and have a ton of respect for.”
Melton coming back will be huge for the warriors. They been turning the ball over way too much. Another ball handler and a good defender will help make the second team more solid.
As long as it results in less Podz, it will be huge.
In the small window that we saw him last year, he just fits so perfectly next to Steph in their system. Really excited to watch him play!
Podz defense been very bad this year. He doesn’t get in front of players letting them drive into the paint.
That’s called no D lol. Players who can’t stay in front of their player. Means they can’t play NBA defense. Thats why the NBA gods invented rim protectors…
Against Utah he made 2 big mistakes not closing out the 3 point line and gave the Utah player a warm up 3. Kerr pulled him out of the game.
You know who was worse than Podz. Kerr was ready to be out the L. Cause he couldn’t stay in front of anybody. Then he went to Bulls. And MJ showed him. You make those open looks you will get. And we got your back on D. And lo and behold …… lol.
an NBA career was born ……. Bulls always had rim protection.
Podz lacks size and Kerr plays him with 2-3 other undersized guards, creating mismatches on defense, which are easily countered. Kerr is the reason why Podz stinks too.
Kerr needs to be slapped until he realizes Podz, Richard, Moody and GP2 should only ever play at the 2. Do that, and GSW’s defense sparks back up. Kerr will always try to shoehorn as many of those guys on court at the same time, and gets cooked almost every time.
Podz plays too far off his man that he guards and leaves them open. Let’s see if he changes his style of play. Yes kerr does have him guard guys that are way bigger than him. Why teh warriors need another player over 6’8″ to guard the bigger players instead of being shot over.
Starting lineups announced…Kerr still pulling his 3 undersized guards crap with Steph, Moody and Richard. Richard is a 2, not a 3. Why does Kerr keep doing this? Watch GSW get cooked defensively in 1Q, just like in the last game vs Utah. We can call this now. If gambling is legal where you are, bet the house on Houston cooking GSW in 1Q.
Michael Sanders, what are you talking about? Podski is a fantastic basketball player.
He’s the perfect backup point guard. He runs the offense, can shoot a little bit, plays great defense, hustles, takes charges, and does everything a coach desires.
Pods for Jevon Carter who says no?
Me
I mean from what it sounds like from most Warriors fans is that Pods is the worst player in the league right? So you don’t think Carter wouldn’t be better than him? Come on now. Stop selling BS. Either keep him or trade him for some value.
He was a top new talent last year …….
Entitlement blinds you to talent.
GP2 is much, much worse than Podz, who is only 22.
jevon carter is not value. Podz defense is slipping this year but he still can rebound.
Carter is a ball handler and can hit a 3. Isnt that what I read from majority of warriors posts that you need a ball handler off the bench and can hit the 3?
Melton is almost ready and coming back next week. He is the ball handler they are missing on the second team.
Horrible trade.
Can you please start doing trade ideas that the Warriors wouldn’t laugh out the door on? First you want Vuc for Kuminga and a first, or just a first, now this? Cmon dude.
GP2 for Carter makes more sense.
FWIW I never wanted JK on the bulls. Horrible fit for us. I was just seeing the value of JK. I agree GP2 for Carter would work.
Raz, you’re kidding right?
Carter is a draft bust and Podski is a great player.
Don’t fall for the crap the supposed warrior fans are spewing here in denigrating Brandin‘s game.
Just watch the Warriors for yourself and you’ll see.
“Podski is a great player.” you have to be joking.
I need you to run down why you think Podz is better than Moody. You are literally the only person online saying this. You are 10000000x wrong.
Gary, Carter was a RD2 or UDFA. I think he overachieved if anything lol. I’m just trolling at you guys today. Both our teams have issues lol
Warriors are a team that needs everyone to be a top team. Team missing guys affect them more than most. Melton will help cause he’s a ball-handler and can help run the offense. Podz is not playing consistently yet. His ast are down. And he needs to help run the offense. Warriors run a guard offense. And Steph is the main scorer. Not the playmaker. I think that’s what Warriors are missing this year. Jimmy and Dra shouldn’t be leading the team in ast. Another playmaker and a rim protector. That’s what I see missing.
The schedule gets better after the Thunder game. You have about a good 22-24 gm run. Have to get healthy man.
Zubac, Lopez and Dunn for Kuminga, Hield and 3 FRP is a fine trade for both sides.
The problem is there are a few warriors fans that do not understabnd the players got old and can’t play over 35 minutes a game anymore. last night Green was exhausted keeping up with a younger team.
Under Kerr, they never even played 35 mins a game in their primes, because they were saving them for…now?
I cannot state it enough: Steve Kerr is the worst coach in NBA history, because he won titles in the most infuriating to watch manner “play all smalls then wait for Curry to go off” like thats been his only move his whole career, until they forced him to play the Hamptons 5. GSW cannot win with this many undersized SGs on the roster. Seth Curry is going to be zero help too. Melton might not be a plus either. They need size.
Playing Green at center when he is undersized is another Kerr’s problem. The team is looking very old. Refs looking out for Vegas point spread too is another problem. Once again Kuminga has his chance to be the all star player he feels he will be with Curry out for the next couple of weeks.