Spurs Notes: Arena, Sochan, Waters, Olynyk, Castle
The Spurs took a significant step on Tuesday toward building a new downtown arena in San Antonio, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, who reports that voters in Bexar County, Texas approved a measure that will allow officials to put up to $311MM in venue taxes toward a new building.
While the proposal had been opposed by several local lawmakers and advocacy groups, just over 52% of voters supported it, per county officials.
The Spurs have expressed a willingness to commit at least $500MM toward construction of the new arena, with a proposed $489MM coming from the city, per Reynolds. The $1.3 billion arena plan is still in the early stages, with no proposed timeline for construction of the building yet. The Spurs’ lease at their current arena, Frost Bank Centers, runs until 2032.
Here’s more out of San Antonio:
- While the Spurs are dealing with a number of injury absences, including point guards De’Aaron Fox (right hamstring strain) and Dylan Harper (left calf strain), a handful of players appear on the verge of returning to action. Jeremy Sochan (left wrist sprain), Lindy Waters III (bilateral eye procedure), and Kelly Olynyk (left heel surgery) are all listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. the Lakers and have a “chance” to make their season debuts, a team spokesman tells Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).
- As Orsborn writes, the Spurs have exhibited plenty of caution when it comes to bringing back players from injuries, which those players appreciate. “The best part is we know they have our back,” Julian Champagnie said of the team’s coaches and medical staff. “They want us to play basketball for a long time and be healthy for the team ultimately. So, rushing a guy to come back to play, it is not going to do us no good. We’d rather go out there with what we have and trust what we have on the bench than force a guy to come back and potentially hurt himself some more.”
- Olynyk’s season debut will also be his Spurs debut, so it could take him some time to get acclimated to a new situation after being traded from New Orleans to Washington to San Antonio during the offseason. However, head coach Mitch Johnson is confident that the veteran big man will fit nicely with the Spurs once he’s ready to return, Orsborn writes (subscription required). “He’s seen the whole league – I think he’s been with six or seven teams,” Johnson said. “Some (of those teams) have won a ton, some have lost a ton. He’s very skilled. He’s played a few different positions in terms of what his role’s been on certain teams he played with. And I think he’ll be someone we can fit with quite a few lineups and will really be able to help us as the season goes on.”
- After being named Rookie of the Year in the spring, Stephon Castle‘s next individual goal is to make an All-Defensive team. According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Johnson challenged Castle during the offseason to impact winning on both ends of the floor, and the second-year guard has been tasked with handling the most challenging perimeter defensive assignments this fall. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for his versatility,” Johnson said. “… He is going to guard a ton of different profiles in terms of premier players on teams. He has an opportunity to affect the game as much as anybody.”
Dylan Harper Suffers Left Calf Strain, Out Multiple Weeks
4:35 pm: Harper underwent an MRI on Monday which revealed a left calf strain, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (via Twitter). The 19-year-old guard is expected to miss multiple weeks, sources tell Charania.
A Spurs spokesperson confirmed the injury, adding that Harper does not have ligament damage, per Orsborn (Twitter link). The team says Harper will be out at least one week.
8:00 am: Dylan Harper suffered a left calf injury Sunday night in the Spurs‘ loss at Phoenix, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The injury occurred when Harper tried to contest a dunk by Nick Richards midway through the second quarter. He grabbed at his leg after the play while grimacing in pain and was declared out of the game at halftime.
Coach Mitch Johnson wasn’t able to provide an update on Harper’s condition after the game, but the rookie guard was using crutches and wearing a walking boot as he left the arena.
“I believe it’s something with his calf, but I don’t have anything as of yet,” Johnson told reporters.
Harper, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, is off to a promising start through his first six games. Even with Sunday’s abbreviated appearance, he’s averaging 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per night with .500/.357/.833 shooting numbers. He has played an important role in helping San Antonio get off to a 5-1 start and has been seeing 23.3 minutes per game off the bench. He had 12 points in 11 minutes against the Suns before exiting.
Sunday’s injury could be the second significant one for Harper in the past two months. He suffered a partially torn ligament in his left thumb during the offseason and underwent surgery in early September.
“Yeah, I hope the best for him, for sure,” Victor Wembanyama. “We’ve seen great things from him. It’s actually been hard to believe how good he’s played. But it happens. We have to be able to deal with injuries. But at the same time, we’re going to get some guys back.”
Although the Spurs have been one of the NBA’s best teams during the first two weeks of the season, their injury list is getting lengthy. De’Aaron Fox hasn’t played yet due to a hamstring issue, and Jeremy Sochan is still recovering from a calf injury he suffered during the summer. Luke Kornet (ankle), Kelly Olynyk (heel) and Lindy Waters III (eye) were all unavailable on Sunday, but they traveled with the team for the start of a two-game road trip.
Johnson said Harper’s injury won’t affect the timeline for those five players, but he indicated that some of them may be available for Wednesday’s game against the Lakers, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
“I think we’re optimistic. There’s two more days,” he said. “Again, it’s that funny part of the schedule, so you have almost 72 hours and everybody is trending the right way. But one person’s status won’t affect anybody else’s. But guys have been getting closer and closer, so we’ll just have to see how it breaks in the next couple days.”
Spurs Notes: Biyombo, Kornet, Harper, Waters
Veteran big man Bismack Biyombo, who earned a spot on the Spurs‘ roster for the upcoming season, is valued by the organization for more than just his on-court contributions, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. McDonald points to a preseason game this week in which Biyombo enjoyed playing the role of teacher as he was on the court with four young players who are headed for the G League.
“It’s a great group of young guys just to be around and help them out,” Biymobo said. “I think when you enjoy doing what you do, then you can’t call it work. And I enjoy working with good people.”
Biyombo was out of the NBA in February when he received a call from the Spurs, who were seeking help at center after trading Zach Collins to Chicago. Biyombo signed a 10-day deal with the expectation of being a backup, but he was promoted to the starting lineup when San Antonio lost Victor Wembanyama for the season with deep vein thrombosis.
He re-signed this summer on an Exhibit 9 contract that only guaranteed him a spot at training camp. The Spurs saw his influence as a leader late last season and decided to keep him on the roster.
“He is very selfless,” Julian Champagnie said. “He goes on the floor with those young guys and teaches them. He’s directing traffic. Stuff like that’s really valuable.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- “French Vanilla” is the catchy nickname Spurs fans have given to the combination of Wembanyama and free agent addition Luke Kornet, McDonald adds in a separate story. The former Celtics center was brought in primarily to be a backup for Wembanyama, but they’ve been effective in their minutes together. “Having two rim protectors can give you a lot of versatility to make things hard for the teams,” Kornet said. “Then should be a fun time trying to figure it out offensively how to best fit that together.”
- San Antonio has several options at point guard, but Dylan Harper is best positioned to be Wembanyama’s long-term partner, observes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. The No. 2 pick in this year’s draft was sidelined for a while following thumb surgery, but he’s already showing signs of stardom since returning. “There’s a reason that there are expectations and thoughts of him before he got to this gym, and I think it’s our job to continue to cultivate that and support that and challenge him,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “He’s obviously shown a knack for sound decision-making and making plays with the basketball in his hands.”
- Lindy Waters III will undergo a minor laser eye procedure to correct an issue that was found in his preseason physical, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). Waters won’t be available for opening night, but he’s not expected to miss much – if any – time beyond that.
Spurs Sign Lindy Waters On One-Year Deal
July 24: Waters is officially a Spur, according to NBA.com’s transaction log. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports (via Twitter) that the minimum-salary deal includes a $500K partial guarantee.
July 23: Free agent swingman Lindy Waters III has agreed to a one-year contract with the Spurs, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
San Antonio officially had 13 players on its 15-man roster entering Wednesday, as our roster counts show, so the team won’t have to make room for Waters.
Waters spent his first three NBA seasons with Oklahoma City. He finished last season with the Pistons after playing with the Warriors until the trade deadline. Waters was acquired by Detroit in the multi-team blockbuster deal that sent Jimmy Butler to Golden State.
Waters played 38 games for the Warriors, including nine starts, and averaged 5.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 17.2 minutes per night. The Warriors acquired him in a draft-night trade with the Thunder.
Waters’ playing time dropped in Detroit, as its main motivation in the trade was to acquire backup guard Dennis Schroder. Waters made 14 appearances off the bench for the Pistons, averaging 3.4 PPG in 8.8 MPG.
Waters has 156 games of NBA experience and has taken a vast majority of his shot attempts from beyond the three-point arc. He’s had a 36.6 percent success rate from long range in his career.
With Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, lottery pick Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie among the Spurs’ options at the wing, there’s no clear path for Waters to gain rotation minutes but he’ll add depth at the shooting guard and small forward positions.
Heat Officially Trade Jimmy Butler To Warriors In Five-Team Deal
The five-team blockbuster sending Jimmy Butler from the Heat to the Warriors is now official, according to press releases from multiple clubs involved in the trade. The terms of the deal, which also includes the Jazz, Pistons, and Raptors, are as follows:
Warriors acquire Butler.- Heat acquire Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell, and the Warriors’ 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected).
- Pistons acquire Dennis Schröder, Lindy Waters, and either the Warriors’ or Timberwolves’ 2031 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable; from Warriors).
- Jazz acquire KJ Martin, Josh Richardson, a 2028 second-round pick (from Pistons; exact details TBD), either the Heat’s or Pacers’ 2031 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable; from Heat), and cash (from Heat).
- Raptors acquire P.J. Tucker, the Lakers’ 2026 second-round pick (from Heat), and cash (from Heat).
Utah waived Jalen Hood-Schifino in order to acquire two players while sending one out, as we detailed earlier. They’re also expected to cut Richardson.
The deal wraps up a saga that first began on December 10 when word broke that the Heat were open to listening to offers for Butler. By Christmas Day, Butler was said to prefer a trade out of Miami, and a little over a week later he formally asked the team to move him.
The situation only escalated from there, with the Heat repeatedly suspending Butler for conduct detrimental to the team and withholding services. He was serving an indefinite team-imposed suspension when news broke on Wednesday that the Warriors had struck a deal to acquire him.
Butler, who will be teaming up in Golden State with longtime Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, has reportedly already agreed to a two-year, maximum-salary extension with the team, as we outlined in our original story on the trade. We also published full stories on two side deals involving the Heat and Raptors and Pistons and Jazz that were folded into this larger trade structure.
The latest word, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link), is that Saturday is the target date for Butler’s Warriors debut. Golden State will play in Chicago that night.
Jimmy Butler Headed To Warriors, Agrees To Extension
The Warriors will acquire Jimmy Butler from the Heat in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schröder, Kyle Anderson and a protected first-round pick, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
The Pistons are also involved in the trade and will receive Lindy Waters III from Golden State and Josh Richardson from Miami, Charania tweets.
Schröder, meanwhile, is heading to Utah, which was first reported by Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). P.J. Tucker, whom the Jazz acquired over the weekend, will be sent to Miami, sources tell Charania (Twitter link). Tucker played for the Heat during the 2021/22 season.
It was originally slated to be a five-team deal with Anderson going to the Raptors, but that part fell through, sources tell Charania (Twitter links). He adds that Miami is currently holding onto Anderson, who has an $8.78MM salary and one more guaranteed year left on his contract after this season.
Miami will have a full 15-man roster if Anderson isn’t moved elsewhere before the trade deadline, notes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).
Charania reports that Butler has agreed to a two-year, maximum-salary extension with the Warriors that will run through the 2026/27 season. As part of that deal, which projects to be worth $111MM, he will decline his $52.4MM player option for next season.
An inability to work out an extension is the major reason that Butler was unhappy in Miami. He had been suspended three times over the past month and was away from the team as the front office tried to find an acceptable offer before Thursday’s deadline.
Butler, a six-time All-Star who had averaged 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game on .540/.361/.801 shooting in 25 games for Miami this season, had requested a trade in hopes of going to a team that was willing to make a long-term commitment.
Phoenix was widely reported to be his preferred destination, but the Suns were unable to work out a trade involving Bradley Beal, who holds a no-trade clause, and were apparently unwilling to make a deal with Miami that included Kevin Durant. As a result, Butler will instead join a Warriors team that was one of four clubs initially said to be on his wish list back in December and will get the extension he was seeking all along.
Under his new deal, Butler will earn a projected $54.13MM next season and $56.83MM in 2026/27, according to salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). Gozlan notes that adding Butler ensures that the Warriors will continue to have a large payroll, and they’ll be deep in luxury tax territory if they re-sign restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
Butler has a $407,123 trade bonus that would increase his current salary to $49.2MM, Gozlan adds. However, Butler may need to waive that trade bonus to help Golden State fill out its roster and remain under the first apron, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
Without accounting for the bonus, the team projects to be $1.8MM below the apron with 11 players under contract. The Warriors will have to fill at least three of their four open roster spots within two weeks. Marks states that it’s possible, but the timing of each signing will be important.
The Heat had an opportunity to duck beneath the tax threshold, according to Gozlan (Twitter link), but that won’t happen if they hold onto Anderson. According to Marks (Twitter link), Miami is currently $7.8MM above the tax line and $3.1MM over the first apron.
Miami will receive the Warriors’ 2025 first-round pick with top-10 protection, sources tell Zach Lowe (Twitter link). The same protection will be in effect for 2026 if the pick doesn’t convey this year. In the unlikely event it lands in the top 10 in each of the next two years, it would be unprotected in 2027.
The Heat had reportedly been opposed to taking back salary that extended beyond the 2025/26 season, but were willing to make an exception for Wiggins, who holds a $30.2MM player option for ’26/27. At his best, the former No. 1 overall pick is an impact two-way player capable of being a secondary scorer on offense and handling challenging defensive assignments on the other end of the court.
Wiggins is averaging 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 30.1 minutes per game across 43 outings this season, with a .444/.379/.777 shooting line.
The Pistons will receive a second-round pick from Golden State for taking on Waters’ and Richardson’s expiring minimum contracts, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press, who doesn’t offer any more specifics on the pick.
Detroit currently has 14 players under contract but also reached a deal to acquire KJ Martin from Philadelphia in addition to Waters and Richardson. Depending on the order in which the Pistons complete their reported deals, they’ll need to waive one or two players from their current roster.
It’s worth noting that the Pistons could theoretically fit Martin into their $8MM room exception and take on Waters and Richardson using the minimum salary exception, which means their $14MM in cap room could still be used for a separate trade before they complete their two reported agreements. We’ll see if that ends up happening before Thursday’s deadline.
As part of the Tucker-Schröder swap of expiring contracts, the Jazz will receive the more favorable 2031 second-round pick from the Heat or Pacers, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
This week’s latest mega-deal seems to ensure that Kevin Durant will remain with the Suns past the deadline. The Warriors and Heat were reportedly the teams making the strongest effort to get Phoenix to part with Durant.
Luke Adams contributed to this story.
Warriors Notes: Kerr, Curry, Kuminga, Payton, Santos
The Warriors won’t be in a hurry to make their next trade, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Speaking to reporters before tonight’s game, head coach Steve Kerr said he wants to take a month or so to evaluate the current roster before any big changes are considered.
“I’ve talked to [general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.] about that and I think that makes perfect sense,” Kerr said. “We’ve been up and down this year, but we like the group, we like the people we have and we really want to see how we play over the next month and then just keep our options open. Obviously, we’re a game above .500 [entering Saturday’s game], so we’re not in a position to say, ‘Hey, we’re good enough. Let’s just stand firm.’ We have to assess all the options. … [But] for me, it’s let’s see what we can do in these next few weeks and hopefully we settle into this rotation, start shooting the ball better.”
Golden State made a significant deal in mid-December by acquiring Dennis Schröder from Brooklyn. Dunleavy indicated at the time that the team will continue to look for ways to upgrade its roster, but Youngmisuk notes that he has said since training camp that it would take a major offer for him to part with Jonathan Kuminga or Brandin Podziemski.
“I think with Dennis in the mix now we have a chance to really be a great defensive team again,” Kerr added. “Like we were early in the year. And if we can put it together, then we may not need to do anything (trade-wise). But we definitely need to take this next month and really see what we have.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Stephen Curry sat out Saturday’s game with Memphis due to tendinitis in his knees, Youngmisuk adds. Golden State also plays on Sunday, and Kerr said there are no plans for his star guard to skip one game of every back-to-back for the remainder of the season. “Not necessarily for the rest of the year but during this stretch where the knee tendinitis has been a factor,” Kerr said. “The training staff feels strongly that for right now it makes the most sense to not play him in back-to-backs. But that could change as we go.”
- Kuminga left tonight’s game with an ankle sprain that Kerr called “significant,” tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. He will undergo an MRI on Sunday to determine the extent of the damage, but Kerr said it won’t be a “day-to-day” injury. Kuminga landed awkwardly on his right foot late in the second quarter and seemed to roll his ankle before crashing to the court.
- Gary Payton II, who suffered a left calf strain last week, has been cleared to begin individual on-court workouts, the Warriors announced (via Twitter). He will be reevaluated again next week.
- Tuesday will be an important day for Gui Santos and Lindy Waters, who will find out if their contracts will be guaranteed for the rest of the season. Santos, who was in the same position last year, recently talked to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle about staying ready to play even though he has only appeared in 10 NBA games this season. He has tried to make the most of his trips to the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz. “I just do exactly what they ask me to do — play hard, play the right way, make the right plays every time,” Santos said. “I love when I go down there and get some reps and remember how to play basketball for real. That helped me when I came up here.”
Warriors Unlikely To Pursue Jimmy Butler Before Deadline
Although the Warriors would love to find a second star to pair with Stephen Curry, that player is unlikely to be Jimmy Butler, team and league sources tell Anthony Slater, Marcus Thompson II and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
The Warriors were previously identified as a team high on Butler’s list of preferred destinations, though ESPN recently reported that the 35-year-old is open to joining any team after requesting a trade from the Heat. Miami subsequently suspended Butler for seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Miami prefers to trade Butler “as soon as possible,” and his time with the Heat has almost certainly come to an end.
However, Golden State is not currently viewed as a viable landing spot for the five-time All-Defensive forward, and there have been “no substantive talks or traction” on a possible trade between the Warriors and Heat, a source close to Butler tells The Athletic.
As The Athletic’s authors explain, there are several complicating factors in a potential deal. For starters, Butler’s rift with the Heat centered on his desire to receive a maximum-salary extension, which Miami showed no interest in offering. A Butler extension is also unappealing to the Warriors, according to The Athletic.
Butler’s age, injury history, and another messy impending divorce with his current club are more reasons a trade is unlikely. But his contract makes a deal an “untenable option,” per The Athletic’s trio.
To match Butler’s incoming $48.8MM cap hit, Golden State would have to combine multiple salaries, starting with either Draymond Green ($24.1MM) or Andrew Wiggins ($26.3MM), with the latter considered more likely. However, Wiggins has had a bounce-back season and is popular within the organization. The Warriors prefer to keep him alongside Curry and Green.
Jonathan Kuminga has been floated as a possible candidate to be moved alongside Wiggins for Butler. While the impending restricted free agent isn’t untouchable in trade talks ahead of the February 6 deadline, the Warriors aren’t interested in moving their two best wings for Butler, according to The Athletic.
Here are a few more Warriors rumors from Slater, Thompson and Amick:
- A deal for a maximum-salary player like Butler seems unlikely, but the Warriors have expressed interest in players on mid-sized contracts. They already pulled off a trade for such a player in Dennis Schröder, whose $13MM expiring contract could be aggregated in another deal starting on Feb. 5.
- Cameron Johnson would seem to be a good fit for Golden State, but the Nets have a high asking price for the sharpshooting forward. The Kings and Thunder are believed to be showing more interest in Johnson than the Warriors at the moment, per The Athletic.
- Team and league sources tell The Athletic that Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is viewed as an attractive trade option due to his ability to space the floor and the fact that he likely won’t cost as much to acquire. As the authors note, Golden State has multiple ways to match Vucevic’s $20MM cap hit without exceeding the first tax apron, which is the team’s hard cap. One example provided is Gary Payton II, Kyle Anderson, Lindy Waters and unknown draft capital.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, Kuminga, Lakers, Beal
Warriors coach Steve Kerr seems ready to abandon the 11- and 12-man rotations he was using early in the season, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Although Golden State had success with that approach while Kerr experimented to see how his new players fit together, he wants a consistent group on the court as the schedule becomes more challenging.
“Given the stretch we’re in … we’ve got to settle in these next couple weeks,” he said before Monday’s game. “Stick with the same lineup. Same rotation off the bench if possible and see if we can find some rhythm.”
He unveiled the new approach on Saturday, using Dennis Schröder, Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green as his closing lineup and giving them all at least 34 minutes. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Buddy Hield, Lindy Waters III and Brandin Podziemski made up the rest of the rotation. Jackson-Davis got the start at center and was used for some defensive possessions late in the game.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Warriors need to lean heavily on Kuminga and the rest of the young core to be a legitimate contender in the Western Conference, contends Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. That’s especially true of Kuminga, who has the best chance of any of Golden State’s young players to become a star. Kroichick notes that Kuminga has displayed more assertiveness recently, compiling 40 free throws and 29 rebounds over his last three games. “This is a young man’s game, we know that,” Kerr said. “It’s a sport that requires so much endurance, physical conditioning and ability to bounce back from aches and pains, and it just gets harder and harder for the older guys. If you don’t have a young core, you’re in some trouble. I probably feel better about our young group now than I ever have.”
- The Lakers suddenly have much more frontcourt depth as Dorian Finney-Smith arrived in a trade with Brooklyn and Jaxson Hayes was cleared to return from an ankle injury, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Coach J.J. Redick frequently relied on small-ball lineups, as the team has been without a legitimate backup center since Hayes got hurt. “Night to night, it will be different,” Redick told reporters before tonight’s game. “Jaxson is our backup five. But there may be times that we play small. It’s just the reality. (Finney-Smith) has shown he can guard up. Rui (Hachimura) has really improved from where we were three months ago, playing him at the five in our first preseason game to where he is now. … And we know Doe (Finney-Smith) can obviously play at the five as well. So excited to have options for sure.”
- Suns guard Bradley Beal had to leave tonight’s game after suffering a hip contusion in the first quarter, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The team announced that he wouldn’t return, but no other details were provided.
Warriors Notes: Kerr, Green, Podziemski, Waters, Rotation
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr screamed at the officiating crew before leaving the court after the team’s 119-115 loss in Denver on Tuesday night, explaining in his post-game media session that he believed the referees failed to notice Nuggets guard Christian Braun calling for a timeout in the game’s final seconds with his team out of timeouts (Twitter video link).
“Braun called a timeout,” Kerr said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “He dove on the floor, he rolled over. Everybody saw it except for the three guys we hire to do the games, and that makes me angry. That’s a technical foul. They don’t have a timeout left. We shoot a free throw, we get the ball, we got a chance to win the game. (The referees) all told me they didn’t see it. … It’s up to the referees to see (it). That’s why we have three of them. Somebody’s got to see it. So yeah, that made me mad.”
Crew chief Tyler Ford told a pool reporter after the game that Braun “never fully or clearly” signaled for a timeout, a ruling Braun agreed with.
“No,” Braun said when asked if he had called timeout. “It might’ve looked like it maybe. I was fumbling the ball on the ground a little bit. My hands moved, but the refs didn’t call it.”
It was a frustrating finish for the Warriors, who were up by 11 points with just over six minutes left and still held a six-point lead with two-and-a-half minutes to play. While Kerr strongly disagreed with the officials’ decision on the Braun play in the final seconds, he acknowledged that it shouldn’t have gotten to that point.
“That’s not why we lost,” Kerr said. “We lost because we didn’t close. Again. This is like the fifth game in a row where we’ve — maybe not all five (losses) — but most of these games in this stretch, we’re not closing, we’re not executing, we’re not making good decisions, and it’s got to improve.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Draymond Green, who missed Tuesday’s game due to left calf tightness, was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Wednesday, according to Kerr (story via Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle). As Andy Lindquist of NBC Sports Bay Area relays, Green said on his podcast that he’s a little concerned about the calf issue, but is confident in the medical staff and believes they’re getting ahead of it before it gets any worse.
- Kerr expressed frustration with Brandin Podziemski during and after Tuesday’s loss for a pair of reckless turnovers – including one in a 5-on-4 situation in transition – and committing a third-quarter foul on a jump shooter, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic details. “I love Brandin,” Kerr said after addressing a couple specific plays that bothered him. “Hell of a player. Hell of a future ahead of him. But I hope he watches this clip because he needs to hear it. He’s gotta be a smart, tough, great decision-maker. He’s very capable of it. That’s his next step.”
- Even with Green sidelined, Kerr trimmed his rotation a little on Tuesday, with Lindy Waters earning his first DNP-CD since November 12 after having logged double-digit minutes in each of Golden State’s past eight games. As Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area notes, it was a productive night for both Jonathan Kuminga, who scored 19 points as part of the starting lineup, as well as Moses Moody. After playing a season-low three minutes on Saturday, Moody scored 13 points in nearly 21 minutes and had a positive plus/minus rating.