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Fischer’s Latest: Clippers, George, Warriors, Mavs, KCP, Klay, Nuggets, More

June 30th, 2024 at 12:53pm CST by Luke Adams

As they navigate the challenges of the second tax apron for 2024/25 and beyond, the Clippers have been adamant to this point that they don’t want to complete a contract longer than three years for any players, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Barring a change of heart, that means Los Angeles will be unwilling to go higher than three years for its own star free agents, Paul George and James Harden.

While Harden seems likely to end up on a new three-year agreement with the Clippers, per Fischer, that three-year limit has been a point of contention in negotiations with George. Both the Sixers and Magic – who are set to meet with George late on Sunday night – are willing to offer the star forward a four-year, maximum-salary contract, Fischer confirms.

Outside of the Clippers, Sixers, and Magic, there’s another team “lingering on the periphery” of the George situation, according to Fischer, who says the Jazz‘s “dreamiest plot” for the offseason would be to use their trade assets to acquire an impact player on the trade market (they pursued Mikal Bridges before Brooklyn agreed to send him to New York) and to use their cap room to land George. However, as Fischer acknowledges, it’s extremely unlikely that George will decide to sign in Utah.

Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up, with the official start of free agency just hours away:

  • The trade options the Warriors have considered – using Chris Paul and/or Andrew Wiggins as outgoing pieces – range from giving up draft picks in a deal for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram to acquiring a pick along with Bulls guard Zach LaVine, sources tell Fischer. If they don’t find a trade they like and lose Klay Thompson via free agency, the Warriors will have the full mid-level exception available. They’re considering possible targets using that MLE, says Fischer.
  • The Mavericks likely would have attempted to make a trade with the Nuggets to acquire Kentavious Caldwell-Pope if he had picked up his $15.4MM player option, Fischer reports. Now that Caldwell-Pope has opted for free agency, Thompson appears to be the free agent wing most likely to end up in Dallas, according to Fischer, who says Thompson also continues to be one of the Sixers‘ secondary targets if they miss out on George.
  • As for Caldwell-Pope, the Nuggets are preparing to lose him, with the Sixers and Magic both holding “strong” interest in the veteran swingman, per Fischer. A deal with one of those cap-room teams in the range of $50MM over two years could be a possibility for KCP, Fischer adds.
  • Having traded away Reggie Jackson, the Nuggets are in the market for a backup point guard. Sources tell Fischer that Russell Westbrook would have been a target using the taxpayer mid-level exception if he had opted out of his contract with the Clippers. Fischer also mentioned Hornets guard Vasilije Micic as a Denver target, noting that Zeke Nnaji – who is on the trade block – could be sent out in a deal for Micic.
  • The Nuggets have also long had interest in big man Dario Saric, who could be a target in free agency, Fischer says.
  • While it won’t be one of their top short-term priorities as free agency begins, the Clippers are expected to eventually work out an extension with center Ivica Zubac, sources tell Yahoo Sports.
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Warriors Believed They Were Close To Trading For Paul George

June 30th, 2024 at 10:47am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors believed several times on Saturday that they were close to a deal to acquire Paul George from the Clippers, sources tell Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.

Kawakami hears that the teams were involved in “very serious negotiations” right up until the Saturday afternoon deadline for George to decide on his $48.8MM player option for next season. George ultimately declined the option, putting him out of the reach of Golden State, which doesn’t have any cap space to pursue him in free agency.

The Warriors had committed to giving George a four-year maximum-salary contract (ie. a three-year extension on top of his option year) if the deal had gone through, Kawakami adds. That was the main holdup with L.A., which has been unwilling to go beyond three total years in its talks with the 34-year-old forward.

There were several versions of a trade that the Clippers seemed willing to accept, Kawakami states, and Stephen Curry and Draymond Green both endorsed the idea of adding George.

George also provided “strong indications” that he wanted to be traded to the Warriors, according to Kawakami’s sources, but L.A. never gave final approval to the deal and George opted for free agency.

According to Kawakami, Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and a first-round pick were among the Warriors’ potential outgoing trade chips that came up in discussions. If the two sides had agreed to a deal, it would have included some – but not all – of those pieces.

It’s a potentially devastating outcome for Golden State because George would have been an ideal replacement for Klay Thompson, who appears likely to be headed elsewhere. Even though Thompson can’t start talking to rival teams for a few more hours, an NBA source tells Kawakami that he has already said goodbye to several high-ranking members of the front office.

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Trade Rumors: Wiggins, Warriors, Rockets, Ingram, Kings, Jazz

June 28th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

Andrew Wiggins is no longer in the mix for the Canadian national team this summer, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto (Twitter link), who says the Warriors are “playing hardball” with a player they are “looking to move.”

Wiggins was insured and medically cleared by Canada Basketball, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, but it sounds like the Warriors don’t want to risk his health during trade negotiations after he dealt with an ankle issue last season. While Grange says the veteran forward isn’t thrilled about the decision, Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link) refers to it as a mutual one.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Wiggins is one of several Warriors veterans who is considered a potential outgoing piece if Golden State makes a major deal. Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II fall into that category, as does Chris Paul, whose $30MM salary remains non-guaranteed for the time being. The Warriors’ decision on Paul’s non-guaranteed salary is due on Friday, but it’s possible the team will give him a partial guarantee in exchange for pushing back that deadline, says Fischer.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • While some trade rumors earlier this week linked Kevin Durant to Houston, the Rockets are more interested in pursuing younger trade targets whose timeline matches up better with their core, according to Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Amick and Slater name Suns guard Devin Booker, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Pelicans forward Zion Williamson as some players who would fit that bill for Houston, acknowledging that there’s no indication any of those players will be available this summer.
  • Exploring potential trade partners for the Pelicans and forward Brandon Ingram, Fischer mentions the Kings, Sixers, Hawks, and Cavaliers as possibilities. However, he says that Atlanta and New Orleans haven’t had substantive discussions since talking about Dejounte Murray in February, while Cleveland remains reluctant to part with any of its four core players, including potential Pels target Jarrett Allen. It’s also unclear how high Ingram ranks on Philadelphia’s list of possible targets, Fischer adds. Sacramento, meanwhile, has been in the market for help on the wing this offseason, though Fischer doesn’t explicitly say the Kings have talked to New Orleans about Ingram.
  • Although rival teams are expected to continue calling to register interest in Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz‘s goal continues to be extending the veteran forward and acquiring another star to complement him, Fischer writes. Adrian Wojnarowski expressed a similar sentiment during ESPN’s draft broadcast this week. Utah talked to the Hawks about Murray in February and also expressed interest in Mikal Bridges before Brooklyn agreed to send him to New York, says Fischer.
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Gilgeous-Alexander, Murray Headline Canada’s Preliminary Olympic Roster

June 19th, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Canada Basketball has formally announced its preliminary roster for the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris. The 20-man group will have to be trimmed to 12 players for Paris.

Here are the 20 players vying for spots on Team Canada’s Olympic roster, which will be coached by new Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez:

All 12 players who helped Canada clinch an Olympic berth and claim a bronze medal at the 2023 World Cup are included in the preliminary roster, along with several notable newcomers, including Murray, Wiggins, Lyles, and Nembhard.

Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe and Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin, whose seasons ended earlier due to injuries, will also attend training camp with Team Canada, but won’t be in the mix for roster spots this summer, according to today’s announcement.

Even without Sharpe or Mathurin in the mix, the Canadians can put together a formidable NBA-heavy squad that should be in contention for a medal in Paris. Gilgeous-Alexander, Barrett, Brooks, Dort, Powell, Olynyk, and Alexander-Walker were the top seven players on last year’s squad and look like relatively safe bets to represent Canada again. If Murray, Wiggins, Lyles, and Nembhard were to join them, that would leave just one open spot for the remaining nine invitees.

One notable omission from the 20-man preliminary roster is veteran guard Cory Joseph, who spoke to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca earlier this week to express his disappointment about being left off the list. Joseph was unable to compete for a spot on the World Cup team last year due to a back injury, but was among the 14 players who made a commitment in 2022 to be part of Canada’s “summer core” for the current Olympic cycle.

“I took the honor of playing for your country very seriously and did it many times over the years,” Joseph told Grange. “This is not me complaining, I’m not a complainer. But there were times when I put FIBA basketball and playing for my country over my NBA situation at the time, whether I was in a contract year and I had no contract at the time and I went to go play for my country, whether I had little bumps and tweaks, I was there. Whether guys came or not, I always thought we still had a chance. For me it’s a little disheartening to be like, ‘Wow, I wasn’t even given an opportunity to compete for whatever position?’

“… I had planned to go to camp, and when you’re talking about the (last three or four spots) on the roster, there’s a pool of talented guys you could put on the roster, (but) I don’t see, in that situation, where I wouldn’t at least be invited to camp to be one of those guys (to compete for a spot), so that’s where my disappointment is with the organization. … I don’t want to take away from the fact that Canada Basketball is in a great place. This is not that. I love all those guys. I want them to do well. Quote that. I just think I should have been invited to camp at the very least, 100 per cent.”

Team Canada will hold its training camp in Toronto from June 28 to July 7 before heading to Las Vegas for an exhibition game vs. Team USA on July 10. The Canadians will also play exhibition matches with France on July 19 and the winner of the Puerto Rico Olympic qualifying tournament on July 21.

Canada will be in Group A at the Olympics, along with Australia. The group will be filled out by the winners of the qualifying tournaments in Spain and Greece.

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And-Ones: Wiggins, Canada, Magnay, Draft History

May 31st, 2024 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2024 Olympics just a month-and-a-half away, Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins offered no clarity during a conference call on Thursday about whether he’ll be part of the Canadian national team competing in Paris, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca relays.

“They had a great summer last year when they had qualified for the Olympics, all those guys did their thing and really put on [a show] for the country, and I’d be honored to play for our country,” Wiggins said. “We’ll see what happens, you know, you guys just stay tuned and, you know, we’ll see what the road brings.”

Wiggins has represented his country in past international tournaments, including the 2020 Olympic qualifiers. He also competed in the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship, leading the team in scoring and helping Canada claim a bronze medal.

However, he wasn’t part of the Canadian squad that won bronze at the 2023 World Cup last summer and didn’t make the three-year commitment to the program in 2022 that many of his fellow countrymen did, so it would probably require some buy-in from the core to have him “parachute in” for the Olympics, Grange observes.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Australian center Will Magnay, who won a National Basketball League title with the Tasmania JackJumpers earlier this year, is exploring NBA opportunities this offseason, per Olgun Uluc of ESPN (YouTube link). Magnay has a workout lined up with the Hawks and will also audition for four other NBA teams, Uluc reports. Magnay spent most of the 2020/21 season on a two-way contract with New Orleans, but appeared in just one NBA game that season.
  • The recent history of top-20 picks who are 22 years old or older isn’t great, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, who takes a deep dive into the players who have met that criteria since 2008. As Vorkunov points out, a number of players who are 22 or older look like potential top-20 picks in the 2024 draft, which will make it a fascinating case study on how much age still matters to teams picking in that range.
  • Meanwhile, Howard Beck of The Ringer examines the history of No. 1 overall picks, noting that the only two No. 1 picks since 1993 who have led their teams to titles (as the best player on the roster) are Tim Duncan and LeBron James. As Beck acknowledges, a few other No. 1 picks have won titles as co-stars (Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Wiggins) or role players (Glenn Robinson, Andrew Bogut, Dwight Howard). “I think actually the no. 1 pick in the NBA mostly has a perception problem,” Sixers president Daryl Morey told Beck, “because there have been so many iconic players selected no. 1. And the fanfare around them is so large when they’re coming into the league that people remember that.”
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Pacific Notes: Harden, Leonard, George, Booker, Wiggins, Thompson

April 21st, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kawhi Leonard‘s absence didn’t hold back the Clippers in Game 1 against the Mavericks, in part because James Harden ramped up his scoring, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN notes. Harden scored 28 points, including 20 in the first half as his team built a 26-point halftime lead en route to a 12-point victory.

“I can score with the best of ’em,” Harden said. “Still can score with the best of ’em. My role for this team is just generating really good shots and making guys’ jobs easier. And then when my number to score is called, then you score the basketball. Obviously, Kawhi is out, so my play-making and my volume is going to go up a little bit more, and took advantage of it.”

Harden will be hitting the free agent market after the season and performances like the one on Sunday should help him land another lucrative contract.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Clippers believe they can more than hold the fort until Leonard’s knee is healthy enough for him to play, Paul George told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register and other media members. “I mean, we still have more than enough,” George said. “Obviously Kawhi puts us well over the top, but we still got more than enough. So, I think we still got experience. We still, like I said we got enough to win games. Obviously, we want Kawhi back when he’s ready, but I still think we have enough confidence to continue to push forward and win games when we need to. We’re going to hold it down until Kawhi comes back. Honestly, he is the piece we do need if we plan on winning it all and getting to where we want to get to. But we’re going to hold it down for him until he’s ready to return and we feel comfortable with where we’re at.”
  • It’s time for the Suns to regroup after a 25-point loss to Minnesota in their first-round series. Devin Booker shot just 5-for-16 from the field and believes his team needs to match the Timberwolves’ physicality, he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “We all just need to adjust to the playoffs, the physicality,” Booker said. “They’re being ultra-physical with me and I had three early fouls and went to the bench. Just trying to find a rhythm from there.”
  • The Warriors are likely to pursue upgrades via the trade market this offseason, with Andrew Wiggins among the players they’ll be willing to deal, according to Marc Stein in his latest Substack post. Stein notes the Warriors made unsuccessful attempts to create a market for Wiggins during the season. Stein also believes Golden State will find common ground with free agent Klay Thompson, though the veteran guard will have other suitors despite his 0-for-10 clunker in the Warriors’ play-in tournament loss.
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Pacific Notes: Monk, Murray, Warriors, Suns, O’Neale

April 18th, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Asked earlier this week about Malik Monk‘s recovery from an MCL sprain, Shams Charania of The Athletic said during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link) that the Kings guard still isn’t anywhere close to returning to action.

“Malik Monk is going to be out well into April and May. He’s not going to return anywhere in this play-in tournament (or) the first round,” Charania said. “The Kings are preparing to move forward here – if they do they make it into the playoffs – for at least the first round without Malik Monk.”

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Monk didn’t rule out the possibility of making it back during the first round if the Kings advance, but admitted that he doesn’t yet have a clear idea of what his timeline will look like, since he hasn’t gotten back on the court or done any running yet (Twitter video link). Sacramento is expected to reevaluate him around April 27.

Following a win over Golden State on Tuesday, the Kings will be in New Orleans on Friday facing a banged-up Pelicans team that will be missing star forward Zion Williamson, so there’s a path to the No. 8 seed for Sacramento. Still, it sounds as if the Kings would probably need to knock off the No. 1 Thunder in the first round to have a chance to see Monk back in action this spring.

Monk will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, with the Kings holding his Early Bird rights.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

  • Kings star De’Aaron Fox put in significant time last offseason training with second-year forward Keegan Murray, so Fox was thrilled to see the former No. 4 overall pick have a huge game on Tuesday, writes Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Murray scored a game-high 32 points in Sacramento’s play-in victory over Golden State. “Just seeing his development, and how different he’s been,” Fox said. “… Obviously we want to see it on a consistent basis. But just seeing that come to fruition and seeing the work he put in all summer, especially on a big stage like this, it’s definitely great to see.”
  • Within a look at what’s next for the Warriors, Logan Murdock of The Ringer says league sources believe Andrew Wiggins will be included in trade discussions this offseason. Stephen Curry told Murdock that continuing to push toward contention is his top priority. “I want to win,” Curry said. “Plain and simple. It’s not my job to make all of those decisions, but it’s my job to hold people accountable and say I want to win, and I’ll give my input, but I just want to win.”
  • An unrestricted free agent this offseason, veteran forward Royce O’Neale suggested that he has enjoyed his time in Phoenix and would be open to re-signing with the Suns. “Yeah, for sure. It’s a great place, team, organization,” O’Neale said (Twitter video link via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports). “It’s been great since I’ve been here, since day one.”
  • Already projected to be over the second tax apron next season, the Suns may be motivated to re-sign O’Neale since they’ll have limited resources to add outside talent. But a new deal for the forward would exponentially increase the projected luxury tax bill for team owner Mat Ishbia. “(Ishbia)’s gonna cost himself a s—ton of money under the new collective bargaining agreement,” one opposing executive told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “He just is. If he wants to pay it, that’s fine. The point is that he’s mortgaged everything on this current group here, and once this runs its course … that is, when (Kevin Durant) starts to slow down — and he hasn’t yet; he’s still very good — they’re going to be in a tough situation.”
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Warriors Notes: Thompson, Kuminga, Wiggins, Payton, Looney

April 17th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Klay Thompson wasn’t ready to talk about free agency after Tuesday’s play-in loss at Sacramento, but it’s a topic that will dominate the Warriors‘ offseason, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Asked about his plans at a post-game press conference, Thompson reminded reporters that it’s only April 17 and a lot can happen by the start of July.

Although Thompson mostly avoided the subject, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and coach Steve Kerr were vocal about the need to bring him back. Thompson appreciates the support after all they’ve accomplished together.

“It means a lot,” Thompson said. “I mean, we’ve been through the highest of highs and lows. Whether it’s losing a championship, winning a championship, missing the playoffs, we’ve been through everything together, so that does mean a lot. It makes me grateful to have the times I’ve had with them. Like, that was pretty historic stuff.”

A source told Andrews that having a chance to win will be Thompson’s priority as he considers his next contract. His preference is to remain with Golden State, and Andrews expects that he will if the team finds a way to show its appreciation for his years of service.

There’s more on the Warriors:

  • At today’s exit interviews, Jonathan Kuminga seemed surprised when he was asked about a potential rookie scale extension this summer, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Kuminga said he’ll let his agent handle extension talks, but added, “I love it here.” Kuminga also got a question about his mid-season meeting with Kerr in which he expressed dismay about a lack of playing time. “Sometimes people don’t know you if you don’t speak,” Kuminga said. “Sometimes people don’t know what’s going on in your mind if you don’t actually get to see it. I don’t know what’s going on in my coaches’ mind if I don’t get to ask them questions, and questions is communication.”
  • Slater notes that Golden State explored trades involving Andrew Wiggins before the deadline and is likely to try again this summer after the worst offensive season of his career. It could be tough to find a taker with three years and $85MM left on his contract, and Wiggins preferred to avoid trade speculation. “I take care of what I can take care of,” he said. “What’s out of my control, I don’t worry about it. All I can do is work hard, train hard and do what I can do.”
  • Gary Payton II was frustrated to miss the play-in loss with a calf strain, Slater adds. Payton has a $9.1MM player option for next season, and he hinted that he would like to use that as a springboard for a long-term contract. “I would love to come back and run it back,” Payton said. “Better yet, just redo my whole deal and stay here for a little bit longer. We’ll figure it out.”
  • Slater suggests the Warriors might part with Kevon Looney, who only has a $3MM guarantee on his $8MM salary for next season. Looney indicated that he prefers to stay with Golden State, but acknowledged that the decision is out of his hands. “When you don’t make the playoffs, you lose, stuff usually happens,” he said. “So I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I should be prepared for the next step.”
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Warriors Notes: Thompson, CP3, Kuminga, Wiggins, Offseason

April 17th, 2024 at 8:24am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors wing Klay Thompson had his worst game of the season at the most inopportune time on Tuesday, as he went 0-from-10 from the field and was held scoreless in 32 minutes of action during Golden State’s season-ending play-in loss to the Kings.

It’s an inauspicious way for Thompson to wrap up a contract year, but his head coach and longtime teammates made it clear after the game that they still want to see the 34-year-old sign a new deal with the Warriors this summer, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN.

“We need Klay back,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “He’s still got good years left. And I know I speak for everybody in the organization: We want him back. … What Klay has meant to this franchise and as good as he still is, we desperately want him back.”

Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, who have won four championships with Thompson during their time in Golden State, agreed with Kerr’s assessment of the situation.

“(Klay is) going to make the best decision for him, the team’s got a decision to make and they’ll make the best decision for the team. … I don’t think there’s any scenario where Klay leaves and that’s the best decision for this team and organization,” Green said. “(The organization) has shown nothing but respect, loyalty, love and trust. I’ve got no reason to think, ‘Oh man, they’re not going to do right by Klay.'”

“I could never see myself not with those two guys (Thompson and Gren),” Curry said. “I understand this league changes and there are so many things that go into it and we’re not going to play forever, but we’ve experienced so much together and at the end of the day I know they want to win, I know I want to win, and that’s all I’m worried about.”

As Andrews writes, extension discussions between Thompson and the Warriors stalled in October and were put on the back-burner during the season. While Andrews suggests there were no reassurances from the team that the two sides would eventually work something out, there’s still reportedly mutual interest in a new deal.

Sources tell ESPN that Thompson would ideally like a contract that aligns with the rest of the Warriors’ core. Curry, Green, and Kerr are all under contract through at least 2026.

Here’s more on the Warriors as their offseason begins:

  • Tim Kawakami of The Athletic also explores Thompson’s upcoming free agency, predicting that the Warriors will make a fair offer, possibly in the range of $20MM per year for two or three seasons. If another team exceeds that offer, it will likely come down to whether Thompson wants a change of scenery or would take a little less to stay in Golden State, Kawkami writes.
  • Veteran point guard Chris Paul, who will turn 39 next month, made it clear on Tuesday that he doesn’t intend to retire, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be back with the Warriors, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Kerr told reporters that he “loves” coaching Paul and that he “really hopes” the Warriors are able to retain him. However, it probably isn’t practical for the team to keep Paul on his non-guaranteed $30MM contract, and the Warriors would lose any form of Bird rights if they waive him. Within his story on Thompson, Kawkami suggests that CP3 “almost certainly” won’t remain in Golden State.
  • In addition to exploring Thompson’s free agency and Paul’s future in his preview of the Warriors’ offseason, Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) discusses the organization’s financial outlook and roster-building restrictions while pointing out that Jonathan Kuminga will be extension-eligible beginning in July. The Warriors spent a total of $382.5MM on this year’s roster in salary and tax penalties, Marks notes (via Twitter).
  • The Warriors have no interest in tanking and still plan to make the most of Curry’s remaining seasons, sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link).
  • Within his look at what’s next for the franchise, Lowe suggests Andrew Wiggins is a possible trade candidate, but cites sources who say that Wiggins’ contract (three years, $85MM) may be viewed as a negative asset by potential trade partners, who would ask Golden State to attach a more valuable asset to take it on. Lowe adds that Golden State’s front office “remains very high” on Kuminga’s potential as the young forward becomes extension-eligible.
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Pacific Notes: Lakers, Allen, Myers, Curry, Leonard

April 6th, 2024 at 11:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

It won’t be easy for the Lakers to reach the top six in the West, but they haven’t been looking like a play-in team, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. L.A. blew out Cleveland this afternoon to move into eighth place, which is the team’s highest spot since late December. With nine wins in their last 10 games, Anthony Davis believes the Lakers are ready for whatever challenges they face in the postseason.

“We’re very confident in our ballclub,” he said after posting 22 points, 13 rebounds, six blocks and three steals. “We laugh about, like, ‘Oh, winning nine out of 10,’ and we haven’t went anywhere [in the standings]. So, it’s how good the West is. But we’re confident, very confident in our ballclub and any time we step on the floor.”

At 45-33, L.A. is a half-game behind New Orleans and a half-game ahead of Sacramento in a tight race for seedings. The Lakers trail Phoenix by a game-and-a-half for the coveted sixth spot, but they’re two games back in the loss column and will need some help to catch the Suns.

“I think the biggest difference is just that we’re just having fun,” Davis added. “We’re holding each other accountable. If somebody messes up we’re yelling, screaming at him. But nobody is taking it personal. Because we all know what we’re here for, to try to win. So we’re having fun, we’re having a great time out there playing basketball, and we’re staying together.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • Suns coach Frank Vogel indicated that he might consider replacing Grayson Allen with Royce O’Neale in the starting lineup depending on the postseason matchup, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “Grayson has been our starter, I expect it to stay that way,” Vogel said, “but you get into or near the playoffs, everything is on the table.” 
  • Appearing on JJ Redick’s podcast, former Warriors general manager Bob Myers said the team was never able to determine who provided the media with video of Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole at practice (video link from ClutchPoints). Myers said the organization conducted an investigation and even brought in a third party in an effort to find the culprit.
  • The Warriors will rest Stephen Curry for Sunday’s game with Utah, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga are both listed as questionable.
  • Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss his fourth straight game Sunday against Cleveland for treatment and recovery on his right knee, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
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