Warriors Notes: Durant, Clark, Pachulia
The path that the Warriors took to emerge from the middle and transform into perennial contenders can be traced back to their ability to develop players, Nick Kosmider of the Denver Post writes.
The Warriors are on the verge of a dynasty, Kosmider says, and attributes it to the fact that the club has stuck with players they drafted and watched them morph into superstars. Well, that and a little bit of luck.
Kosmider mentions Stephen Curry specifically, a player once cast aside as injury prone and the shrewd drafting decisions to add Klay Thompson at No. 11 in 2011 and then Draymond Green at No. 35 in 2012.
- After failing to catch on with the Jazz four years ago, Ian Clark has carved out a role for himself with the Warriors, Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News writes. The reserve is averaging 7.2 points per game as a member of the Dubs’ second unit this season, not bad for somebody who got cut by a team that won 25 games in his rookie season.
- Recently retired forward Paul Pierce questioned the competitive nature of Kevin Durant, comparing the forward’s decision to join the Warriors to a kid’s decision to join a gang of bullies after getting beaten up. Chase Hughes of CSN Mid-Atlantic has the details (and video).
- There’s no denying the rivalry between the Warriors and Cavaliers, even when the conversation shifts to players who only joined the two organizations this season. “Obviously when you play against somebody and it’s the third time in a row and split the seasons and championships, they don’t like each other,” Warriors center Zaza Pachulia told Josh Dubow of the Associated Press.
- Speaking of Zaza Pachulia, the Warriors big man is the last eligible player that was selected in the 2004 expansion draft, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes.
Game 2 Return A Possibility For Steve Kerr
Although Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wasn’t healthy enough to return to the team’s bench for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, there’s still a chance he’ll be back before the end of the series. According to an ESPN report from Ramona Shelburne, Chris Haynes, and Marc Spears, there’s “some optimism” that Kerr could coach Golden State in Game 2 on Sunday.
Team sources tell ESPN that Kerr had a “bad day” on Wednesday, eliminating the possibility of him coaching the Warriors in Game 1. While acting head coach Mike Brown wanted Kerr to make a game-time decision on coaching Game 1, Kerr felt it was important to string together several good days of health before returning to the team’s bench.
Kerr implied earlier this week that he might make a definitive decision on his status if he was unable to coach Game 1, but the Warriors’ brass wants to remain patient, and is open to having the club’s head coach return later in the series if possible. GM Bob Myers told ESPN that Golden State is “not closing the door” on Kerr’s return in the Finals.
While Kerr’s back troubles have sidelined him for a good chunk of this year’s playoffs, he told Tim Kawakami of The San Jose Mercury News this week that he definitely intends to continue his coaching career, and is optimistic he’ll be ready to go in the fall if he’s not able to come back in the Finals.
Poll: Which Team Will Win NBA Finals?
After a week without basketball, the Cavaliers and Warriors will square off tonight in Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals. While the lengthy layoff between the end of the Conference Finals and the start of this series provided plenty of opportunity to hype up these Finals, that hype is warranted.
This will be the third straight season that the Warriors and Cavaliers have met in the Finals. The two teams are a combined 24-1 in the postseason so far, and the series features seven 2017 All-Stars and three former MVPs. In spite of the Warriors’ dominance this season and in the playoffs so far, the Cavs appear capable of giving them all they can handle.
So which teams takes home the 2017 championship? Place your vote below!
Which team will win the 2017 NBA Finals?
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Golden State Warriors 61% (1,267)
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Cleveland Cavaliers 39% (819)
Total votes: 2,086
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Suns, Wolves, Hawks Expected To Have Interest In Andre Iguodala
While Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant will receive most of the attention among the Warriors free-agents-to-be, Andre Iguodala is also on track to reach the open market this summer, and figures to draw interest around the NBA. League sources tell Ramona Shelburne and Chris Haynes of ESPN that the Suns, Timberwolves, and Hawks are expected to be among the teams with an eye on Iguodala this offseason.
Iguodala has seen his scoring numbers dip since joining the Warriors in 2013, but has been a crucial piece of the team’s rotation as a solid defender and passed with the ability to make the occasional three-point shot. In 2016/17, the veteran swingman came off the bench in 76 games, averaging 7.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.4 APG, and a .528/.362/.706 shooting line. He’s a finalist for the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
Iguodala’s skill-set and veteran leadership would be valuable to a number of teams, and it will be tricky for the Warriors to keep him around is Durant opts out and wants to sign a full maximum salary contract. However, Durant is said to be open to the idea of accepting less than the max, which would allow Golden State to hang onto Iguodala’s Bird rights and go over the cap to re-sign him.
Given the success Iguodala and the Warriors have enjoyed together in recent years, I’d expect Golden State to be the strong frontrunner to sign him to a new deal in July. If the Dubs hesitate at all though, there should be no shortage of rival suitors ready to swoop in with strong offers.
Kevin Durant Open To Re-Signing For Less Than Max
With an NBA Finals rematch against the Cavaliers set to get underway tonight, the Warriors have more pressing matters on their minds than the coming offseason, but with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and several other rotation players eligible for free agency, Golden State may have some difficult decisions to make. However, according to Ramona Shelburne and Chris Haynes of ESPN.com, Durant is open to the idea of making those decisions a little easier for the Warriors by accepting less than the maximum salary.
Durant, who signed a two-year contract with the Warriors last July, has a player option in year two, meaning he can opt out this summer and sign a new deal. The former MVP is also finishing up his 10th NBA season, which makes him eligible for a substantially higher max salary. As we outlined on Wednesday, the starting max salary for a player with 10+ years of NBA experience is currently projected to be $35.35MM. That’s significantly higher than Durant’s $27.73MM player option.
In order to create the cap room necessary for a new maximum salary contract for Durant though, the Warriors would almost certainly have to renounce their Bird rights to other key free agents like Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala. Golden State would still be able to give Durant and Curry new long-term maximum salary contracts in that scenario, but would then only have the modest room exception and the minimum salary exception left to add or re-sign players.
On the other hand, if Durant is willing to take less than the max, he could either exercise his player option or turn it down and re-sign a deal based on his Non-Bird rights. Those rights allow for a raise of up to 20%. Since Durant earned about $26.54MM in 2016/17, a 20% raise would take him up to approximately $31.84MM for ’17/18. In that scenario, the Warriors would stay above the cap, allowing them to continue carrying their cap holds for Livingston and Iguodala, retaining those players’ Bird rights and making it much easier to re-sign them.
League sources stressed to Shelburne and Haynes that Durant hasn’t made any final decisions about his contract situation quite yet, but if he’s open to sacrificing about $3.5MM next season, he could give the Warriors much more flexibility to bring back their other free agents. Durant could also sign another short-term deal and potentially opt out to get the bigger max in 2018.
Warriors Notes: Kerr, Brown, Irving, Luxury Tax
Steve Kerr hasn’t decided if he will try to coach the Warriors during the NBA Finals, according to Tim Kawakami of The San Jose Mercury News. Kerr’s physical condition has improved since he took a leave of absence from the team midway through the first round of the playoffs. He was able to run practice Monday and Tuesday and handled the coach’s media session Monday. However, he is still well short of being 100% and is being cautious about returning to the team in such an important situation.
There’s more Warriors news on the eve of the NBA Finals:
- Kerr states in the same interview that he definitely plans to coach again next season. He remains optimistic about his long-term physical condition and has no plans to step aside. “You know, it’s a little trickier, since this has been going on,” Kerr explained. “I sort of assumed all last year that by the summer I’d get this thing knocked out. It’s been kind of a mystery and that’s what so frustrating. But I have every intention to coach for a long time. It’s scary stuff and still hoping for a better resolution to it.”
- Interim coach Mike Brown doesn’t view this series as a shot at revenge, even though the Cavaliers fired him twice, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Brown served as head coach in Cleveland for five seasons before being let go in 2010. He was rehired in 2013, but was fired again after just one season, reportedly with $12MM in guaranteed money left on his contract. Despite his history, Brown said he has no ill feelings toward owner Dan Gilbert or the city of Cleveland. “My son goes to school back there, I still have a house back there, I have fond memories back there,” Brown said at today’s “media day” at Oracle Arena. “And went back there a second time with a good buddy of mine, [former Cavs GM] Chris Grant, and saw them put this plan into motion that is going on now.”
- Kyrie Irving regrets the rocky relationship he had with Brown when they were together for his rookie season, relays Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Irving called it a “learning experience,” as things got so bad that Brown recommended that the front office try to trade Irving. “I understand that things happen in this league sometimes, whether controlled or uncontrolled,” Irving said. “I was a 21-year-old kid, just trying to lead a franchise, and he was a new head coach that I had to get introduced to a new offense, new players, as well as new system.”
- Once Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are re-signed this summer, the Warriors will be headed for uncharted territory in their salary and luxury tax bills, tweets Bobby Marks of The Vertical. Golden State could wind up paying more in tax penalties than salary for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, and the total could be more than $600MM over the two years.
Clippers Interested In Luring Jerry West From Warriors
3:37pm: West is “very intrigued” by the idea of working with the Clippers, a source tells Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
12:00pm: While West’s level of interest in joining the Clippers remains unclear, he has already held talks with Rivers and team owner Steve Ballmer, Stein reports (via Twitter).
7:56am: When the Lakers overhauled their front office earlier this year, they reportedly didn’t show any real interest in bringing Jerry West back into the fold. However, that’s not the case for the other team in Los Angeles. According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the Clippers are interested in luring West away from the Warriors.
League sources tell Stein that the Clippers would want to hire West as a consultant, which is essentially the role he currently holds in Golden State. Doc Rivers is the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, with Lawrence Frank also holding a key role in the team’s front office, so if West were to join the group, it would be as a complementary voice, rather than to supplant L.A.’s current execs.
While West was said to have some interest in getting involved with the Lakers earlier this year, it’s not clear if his level of interest in the Clippers would be as high. According to Stein, teams have made similar runs at West in the past, with little success. Additionally, Warriors owner Joe Lacob has confirmed that his club wants to extend West’s contract, so Golden State won’t let him get away without a fight.
Still, if the 79-year-old West is seeking a greater challenge at this point in his career, joining the Clippers’ front office would certainly qualify. The Warriors – 12-0 in the postseason and the favorites in the Finals – already have a stacked roster and fully expect their stars to re-sign this summer, while the Clippers appear to be at a crossroads, with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and J.J. Redick facing free agency.
Pacific Notes: J. Jackson, Isaac, Tatum, Thompson
The Suns potentially have a difficult decision to make when they find themselves on the clock with the fourth overall pick, writes Doug Haller of AZCentral Sports. Three talented freshman small forwards could be available: Josh Jackson, Jonathan Isaac, and Jayson Tatum. Defense and three-point shooting are likely the Suns’ two most glaring weaknesses, and one of these athletes could certainly help.
Haller writes that Jackson’s real impact could come defensively. The scribe adds that, while Tatum is nowhere near the defender that Jackson is, the Duke freshman may be the most polished scorer in the draft. As for Isaac, he can play both forward positions, with many believing that he will also be able to man the center position when his body fills out. Furthermore, the departing Seminole would contribute defensive versatility, having defended all over the floor for Florida State.
Here are some more pertinent notes from the Pacific division:
- On Tuesday, the Suns were set to host two pre-draft workouts, per the club’s official Twitter page. The announced participants were Zak Irvin, Wesley Iwundu, Luke Kornet, Kennedy Meeks, Semi Ojeleye, Devin Robinson, and Jarrett Allen.
- The Kings will hold two pre-draft workouts on Wednesday, reports Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. The first group is full of big names: Justin Jackson, Jordan Bell, Frank Mason, Kyle Kuzma, London Perrantes, and Devin Robinson. Jones points out that, prior to last year’s draft, the Kings convinced just once first-round pick to visit the team, even though Sacramento held the eighth overall selection. To find out which players are part of the second group that is working out for the Kings on Wednesday, check out Jones’ full story.
- Ivan Rabb does not regret returning for his sophomore season at Cal despite falling from a likely lottery pick in the last draft to an expected low first-round selection this time around, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. On the contrary, Rabb believes that staying in school an additional season will help him at the next level. Rabb was one of six players to work out for the Lakers on Tuesday. The others were Jaron Blossomgame, Sterling Brown, Tyler Dorsey, Cameron Oliver, and Xavier Rathan-Mayes.
- Klay Thompson‘s historic Game 6 against the Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals had a transformative effect on basketball history, chronicles Tim Kawakami of The San Jose Mercury News. Although Thompson’s performance that night did not lead to a second-straight Warriors championship, without it, Kevin Durant very well may not have joined Golden State during the ensuing offseason.
Spurs’ Dewayne Dedmon To Decline Player Option
Spurs center Dewayne Dedmon will head back to the free agent market one year after signing with San Antonio, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical. According to Charania, Dedmon has decided to turn down his 2017/18 player option with the Spurs, and will become an unrestricted free agent in July.
Dedmon, who signed a two-year deal with the Spurs last summer worth the team’s room exception, earned $2.898MM in 2016/17. His option would have been worth about $3.028MM, but after a solid year in San Antonio, the USC product should be in line for a larger payday, perhaps with multiyear security.
Dedmon appeared in a career-high 76 games for the Spurs in his first – and possibly only – season with the franchise. He also established new career bests in PPG (5.1), RPG (6.5), and FG% (.622), emerging as a key piece in the club’s frontcourt rotation.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Dedmon could sign a new deal with the Spurs, but San Antonio will likely have a few other contract situations to address this summer that may take priority. Additionally, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the team opt for a cheaper replacement — in recent years, San Antonio has let bigs like Aron Baynes and Boban Marjanovic sign elsewhere, replacing them with players on more modest deals.
Before he signed with the Spurs last July, Dedmon was linked to the Warriors, and Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News wonders (via Twitter) if Golden State could circle back to the veteran center this summer. If the Dubs stay over the cap to re-sign their own free agents, they’d have the mid-level and bi-annual exceptions available to pursue outside help.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Kerr Doubts He Can Coach Game 1
Warriors coach Steve Kerr says it’s unlikely that he’ll be on the bench for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, as he discussed with Anthony Slater of the San Jose Mercury News and the assembled media on Monday. Mike Brown has filled in for Kerr on the sidelines for much of the postseason, though Brown himself missed practice on Monday because of the flu. Kerr will travel to Cleveland when the series shifts there and says he’s been at practices and coaches meetings, but coaching during a game is still an issue because of back pain, Slater continues. The pain became severe during the opening-round series against the Trail Blazers. “You saw me in the fourth quarter of Game 2. I could not sit still in my chair,” Kerr said. “There was that much pain. I would say I’ve gotten a little bit better. That’s why I’m here talking to you right now. But you can probably tell, I’m not sitting here happy-go-lucky.”