Latest On Anthony Davis
Although the Mavericks will continue fielding calls on Anthony Davis, team sources insist to Christian Clark and Sam Amick of The Athletic that the front office feels no urgency to move the star big man. As Clark and Amick explain, the Mavs have signaled that they’d like to see Davis play alongside Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg and can envision a scenario in which he stays in Dallas long-term.
A report earlier this week indicated that Davis’ preference would be to remain in Dallas and sign a contract extension with the Mavericks. However, AD’s representatives at Klutch Sports, led by CEO Rich Paul, aren’t convinced the Mavs are interested in extending their client and wouldn’t mind getting him to a team more likely to pursue a new contract agreement, league sources tell The Athletic.
While Davis and his camp haven’t requested a trade, Clark and Amick suggest that Paul has encouraged the Mavericks to be “more aggressive” in gauging the 32-year-old’s market rather than waiting for teams to call.
Here’s more from The Athletic’s latest report on where things stand with Davis:
- As previously reported, the Hawks and Raptors are among the teams with Davis on their radar, but it’s unclear how motivated either team will be to get a deal done with Dallas. Atlanta wouldn’t want to take on Davis’ contract without moving Trae Young, who doesn’t appeal to the Mavericks, Clark and Amick write, while a deal with Toronto would require the Mavs to take on significant multiyear money.
- As Amick wrote last week, the door isn’t completely closed on the idea of a trade sending Davis to Golden State. However, with the Warriors still “staunchly” opposed to giving up Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green in such a deal, there’s no feasible path to a salary-matching fit.
- The Bucks are among the teams to convey interest in Davis, league sources tell Clark and Amick. Milwaukee is probably a long shot though, since the club is short on appealing assets and also lacks sizable contracts for matching purposes.
- Many league insiders believe the Mavericks will have to wait until the offseason to find a deal they like for Davis, but there’s also a sense that the lack of dominant teams in the Eastern Conference could make one of those potential contenders more inclined to take a shot on Davis during the season, per Clark and Amick. “Every team in the East believes they’re an Anthony Davis away from making the (NBA) Finals,” a high-level source explained to The Athletic.
Warriors Notes: Kerr, Draymond, Kuminga, Curry, Melton
Appearing this week on The Tom Tolbert Show (YouTube link), Warriors head coach Steve Kerr provided some insight into the circumstances that led to the heated sidelines confrontation between him and veteran forward Draymond Green last Monday. In Kerr’s view, the entire back-and-forth was the result of a “misunderstanding,” as Angelina Martin of NBC Bay Area relays.
“Draymond was talking to the refs, and I had called a timeout because I thought we lost our focus,” Kerr explained. “And I wasn’t mad at him, but he was talking to the ref for a long time, and then I see five of our players over there trying to bring him back and he had been ejected the night before. So I started yelling his name, ‘Draymond! Draymond!’ Basically just telling him to, asking him to get to the huddle.
“He thought I was yelling at him because of a turnover he had just made, and so he says something snarky, I say something back snarky, and next thing you know, we’re yelling at each other. We’re at each other’s throats, and then it all comes to bear.
“But I should have been calmer at that time. Like, I know Draymond so well and there’s always a buildup to these things, and he’s such an emotional player and passionate player and he had been frustrated for a couple of days, and I recognized that, but I needed to recognize it and do something about it in the huddle. I needed to be the the the calming force, and so we went back and forth and I regretted not being the calming one in that conversation.”
Green went to the locker room following the altercation and didn’t play for the rest of that game. But he and Kerr both downplayed the incident after the game, with the Warriors’ longtime head coach later taking full responsibility and telling reporters a couple days after the fact that the situation had been resolved. Green has played his normal role since then.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- With several regulars sidelined, forward Jonathan Kuminga was supposed to play on Friday for the first time in two-plus weeks. However, Kuminga was a late addition to the injury report due to low back soreness and was ultimately held out of action despite being active. According to Kerr, Kuminga’s injury surfaced before the game and it’s unclear whether or not it will linger (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of The Athletic). After this missed opportunity, it seems increasingly plausible that the fifth-year forward won’t see the court again before he becomes trade-eligible on January 15.
- Kerr said after Friday’s loss that Green will return on Saturday vs. Utah after sitting out on Friday, and he’s hopeful Stephen Curry (ankle) will be back as well (Twitter link via Friedell). Jimmy Butler‘s availability will depend on how quickly his illness clears up, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be out long either.
- The Warriors essentially tanked Friday’s game against the defending champion Thunder, a 37-point loss, writes Monte Poole of NBC Bay Area. The team’s goal wasn’t to improve its draft position but to get a few veterans some much-needed rest ahead of more winnable games. “The schedule is what it is,” Kerr said. “When you have an older team, you have to navigate it as best you can. We’re trying to do that.”
- Veteran guard De’Anthony Melton, who re-signed with the Warriors this summer on a minimum-salary contract, told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Poole and Bonta Hill on the Dubs Talk podcast that he had no hard feelings about the team trading him away last season after he tore his ACL. “Given what my contract was, the mid-level, that’s a serviceable player,” Melton said. “You want someone like that who’s going to provide something good for your team. With me going down, and the dip the team took, I understood and I kind of saw it coming. And I think talking with (general manager) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) and talking with Steve, they kind of helped me with that situation, too. So I had a feeling it was coming and I understood it. When it was on the horizon, I told them it’s OK. I said, ‘Honestly, I would trade me, too.'”
Injury Notes: Warriors, Young, LaVine, Pistons
After previously announcing that Draymond Green would miss Friday’s matchup with the defending champion Thunder, the Warriors have also ruled out Stephen Curry (left ankle sprain) and Jimmy Butler (illness), per Anthony Slater and Shams Charania of ESPN.
It’s the first half of a back-to-back set, and the Warriors are hopeful that all three players will be back on Saturday vs. Utah, according to Slater and Charania. It’s also worth noting that Friday’s game will be nationally televised, which means Curry and Butler couldn’t be rested without legitimate ailments, since they qualify as “stars” under the NBA’s player participation policy. Green, who doesn’t meet the star criteria, is listed on the injury report as out due to “rest.”
With three starters sidelined, forward Jonathan Kuminga is expected to play on Friday for the first time in over two weeks, head coach Steve Kerr said today during a radio appearance on 95.7 The Game (Twitter link).
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Hawks guard Trae Young (right quad contusion) has been ruled out for a third consecutive game and won’t be available on Friday in New York, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks. Young was initially listed as questionable, which suggests he’s considered day-to-day and should probably return soon, barring a setback.
- Kings guard Zach LaVine will miss a ninth straight game on Friday vs. Phoenix due to a left ankle sprain. Asked on Thursday if he had any updates on LaVine’s status, head coach Doug Christie had little to offer, telling reporters there’s “nothing new” (Twitter video link via James Ham of The Kings Beat).
- The Pistons were without Tobias Harris (left hip sprain) and Caris LeVert (left knee inflammation) for Thursday’s loss to Miami (Twitter links via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic). Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said that LeVert’s injury, which has kept him on the shelf for the past two games, is one they’ve been managing all season and that it “flared up on him” this week. As for Harris, Bickerstaff suggested he would have more info on the forward’s prognosis within the next few days.
Holmgren, Stewart Named Defensive Players Of The Month
A Thunder player has been named the Western Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month for a second consecutive time. After guard Cason Wallace won the award for October/November, big man Chet Holmgren has earned the honor for December, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
The Thunder, who entered December with a 20-1 record, have looked more mortal in recent weeks, winning nine of 13 games over the course of the month. However, they still posted the conference’s top defensive rating (106.2) in December, with Holmgren acting as the team’s anchor and rim protector.
Holmgren’s 2.0 blocks per game in December ranked second in the conference, while his 8.5 contested shots per game placed him seventh among Western players. Oklahoma City’s defense this past month was nearly six points per 100 possessions better when Holmgren was on the court (101.7) than when he wasn’t (107.6).
Clippers guard Kris Dunn and a trio of former Defensive Players of the Year – Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Draymond Green (Warriors), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies) – were also nominated in the Western Conference, per the league (Twitter link).
An unlikely winner claimed the Eastern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month award for December, with Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart taking it home despite coming off the bench in 12 of his 13 games and averaging just 23.0 minutes per night during the past month.
Despite his limited role, Stewart ranked second in the East in blocks (2.2) and contested shots (9.4) per game, helping lead Detroit to a 9-4 record and the league’s third-best defensive rating (109.8) in December. The Pistons’ defensive rating with Stewart on the floor was 104.5, compared to 112.2 when he sat.
Knicks teammates OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, and Celtics guard Derrick White were the other nominees in the East. Notably, the Nets didn’t have a nominee despite posting the NBA’s best defensive rating (105.4) in December.
Injury Notes: Davis, Duren, Rockets, Warriors, Jazz
Mavericks big man Anthony Davis returned to action on Thursday vs. Philadelphia following a two-game absence due to a groin strain. Head coach Jason Kidd said the 10-time All-Star would immediately resume his normal workload, relays Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.
“We always want him to play, so we’re happy to have him back,” Kidd said. “We’ll see — 30 to 34 minutes. We want to get him some touches. Offensively and defensively, we need him to be AD.”
Davis has been one of the biggest names in trade rumors for several weeks.
Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- Pistons center Jalen Duren suffered a right ankle sprain late in the second quarter of Thursday’s loss to Miami. While he was on the court to open the second half, he was moving gingerly and quickly asked for a sub before being formally ruled out for the remainder of the contest (Twitter link via the team). Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff indicated that Duren would likely undergo additional testing, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.
- The Rockets got Alperen Sengun back from a left soleus (calf) strain on Thursday, but were missing backup centers Steven Adams (right ankle sprain) and Clint Capela (illness) in the victory at Brooklyn, notes Will Guillory of The Athletic (via Twitter). Sengun missed two games with the injury, though head coach Ime Udoka said it wasn’t serious.
- The Warriors are resting Draymond Green for Friday’s matchup vs. Oklahoma City, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link). It’s the front end of a back-to-back for Golden State, which faces Utah on Saturday. Guards Stephen Curry (left ankle sprain) and De’Anthony Melton (left knee injury management) are questionable for Friday’s game against the Thunder, while centers Al Horford (right sciatic nerve irritation) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (right pattellar tendonitis) are probable to suit up against the defending champions.
- The Jazz only have nine players active for Thursday’s contest at the Clippers. Among the noteworthy players out are Lauri Markkanen (left knee contusion), Keyonte George (illness), Jusuf Nurkic (left big toe sprain) and Ace Bailey (left hip flexor strain), per the league’s official injury report.
Amick’s Latest: AD, Kuminga, Warriors, Hawks, Trae, Bucks, MPJ, Clippers
Although team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that the Warriors haven’t fully closed the door on the possibility of pursuing a trade for Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, Amick also hears from club sources that Golden State is “staunchly” opposed to the idea of trading Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green.
The Mavericks do have some interest in Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, a league source tells Amick. But given that Golden State is operating right up against the second tax apron and Davis is earning $54MM+ this season, it would be nearly impossible to trade for the Warriors to acquire AD without an outgoing salary bigger than Kuminga’s $22.5MM.
Amick adds that it was the Mavericks, not the Warriors, who instigated discussions about the possibility of the two teams making a Davis trade, so it’s not as if Golden State was actively looking for a way to make it work.
Focusing on a handful of teams who look like they need to make a trade, Amick shares several more items of interest in his latest story for The Athletic. Here are more highlights:
- Following up on rumors linking Davis to the Hawks, Amick says sources in Atlanta have “pushed back hard” on the idea that the team would be willing to send 2024’s first overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher, to the Mavericks in a deal for the veteran big man. Dallas is known to be seeking young prospects and expiring contracts in return for Davis, but Hawks officials remain bullish on Risacher’s long-term potential based on his second-half performance in 2024/25, Amick explains.
- The Hawks appear more open than ever to talking to teams about a potential Trae Young trade, but the veteran guard’s market seems to be limited, according to Amick, who suggests that Atlanta might need to wait until the summer to resolve Young’s situation. “Trae is an extremely difficult player to win at the highest level with,” one rival scout said, explaining why a market for the four-time All-Star hasn’t materialized.
- League sources who spoke to Amick added Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. to the growing list of potential trade targets on the Bucks‘ radar. Jerami Grant, Zach LaVine, and Malik Monk are among the other players who have been cited as possible options for Milwaukee.
- Despite a very slow start to the season, the Clippers have no plans to sell off veterans and would actually prefer to add an impact player to complement James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, league sources tell Amick. L.A. has been surging as of late, with five consecutive wins, and there have been no signs that Harden is seeking a change of scenery, Amick notes, adding that the Clippers still hope to maintain cap flexibility for the summer of 2027 and will be hesitant to take on any contracts that run beyond that.
Latest On Anthony Davis, Trae Young
Atlanta is viewed as a “real-deal suitor” for Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post. Chris Haynes reported on Saturday morning that the Hawks remain “very intrigued” by the possibility of acquiring Davis, whom the team has been linked to for multiple weeks.
However, there are several complicating factors that could prevent a potential trade from coming together.
While Haynes reported that Trae Young would not be included in an outgoing package for Davis, Stein suggests the four-time All-Star point guard might have to be sent elsewhere to make a deal work for financial reasons. The Hawks are not known for being big spenders, Stein observes, and having Young ($48.97MM player option) and Davis ($58.46MM) under contract at the same time in 2026/27 would make the roster prohibitively expensive.
Like many other reporters, Stein hears Davis is expected to seek a lucrative long-term extension once he becomes eligible to sign one in August, whether he stays with Dallas or is moved to another team.
According to Stein, there’s a “growing belief” around the NBA that the Hawks are open to moving Young, but whether they’d actually be able to find a suitable deal for him remains to be seen. As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported a couple weeks ago, rival executives think Young may end up having to exercise that player option, which doesn’t exactly point to a robust free agent or trade market.
Stein isn’t the only reporter to hear Atlanta could be looking to trade Young. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said something similar on Monday’s Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to Doric Sam of Bleacher Report).
“The Hawks certainly are indicating that they’re looking for the exit ramp with Trae Young,” MacMahon said. “They did not make any attempt to get him signed to an extension. When that’s the case with your face of the franchise, that’s a pretty clear message that the end could be near.”
MacMahon pointed to Ja Morant (Grizzlies) and LaMelo Ball (Hornets) as two other maximum-salaried point guards who are in similar situations as the Hawks and Young.
“If there is an attempt to trade these guys, it’s not going to be easy,” MacMahon said. “There’s not going to be some wide array of teams raising their hand and trying to get in on the bidding, and I’m not sure if you’re even gonna be able to make a trade that’s going to bring value in return.”
The Mavericks also already have Kyrie Irving in the backcourt, and while he’s still recovering from a torn ACL, it would make zero sense to pair him with a small, ball-dominant, defense-deficient guard like Young.
As for who the Hawks could send out for Davis, Stein says the team appears to be willing to part with 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher under the right circumstances, and points to the expiring contracts of Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard as salary-matching pieces. But it’s unclear if Atlanta would be willing to offer draft compensation — or if Dallas would be interested in that proposal.
According to Stein, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson and the 2026 first-round pick Atlanta controls (the more favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ selections) are viewed as off-limits in any trade talks.
It’s also unclear how willing the Mavericks are to make an in-season deal involving Davis, as Stein hears governor Patrick Dumont is among a group of key executives who would like to see Irving, Davis and Cooper Flagg play together before making another major trade. Waiting until the offseason could be the prudent choice, depending on the types of offers the Mavs receive, Stein writes.
Haynes reported that the Warriors are considering making a run at Davis. According to Stein, while Golden State has a “longstanding fondness” for the 10-time All-Star, the team has reservations about his contract and lengthy injury history and doesn’t appear to be actively pursuing him.
As Stein notes, Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green would have to be included in a possible Davis deal for matching purposes, which is one reason why a trade looks unlikely at this time.
Stein continues to hear the Warriors are looking for the “best possible” deal centered around Jonathan Kuminga‘s $22.5MM contract once the fifth-year forward becomes trade-eligible on January 15.
The Hawks have gone 0-6 since Young returned to action earlier this month (he appeared in five of those games). He will miss Monday’s contest at Oklahoma City due to a right quad contusion, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks. Johnson is also out with an illness.
Warriors Notes: Dunleavy, Butler, Green, Horford
The Warriors turned their season around last February by acquiring Jimmy Butler from Miami, but general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. doesn’t expect to make another deal of that magnitude, relays Vince Lontz of NBC Sports Bay Area. During an appearance on “Warriors Pregame Live” before Monday’s game, Dunleavy admitted it would be difficult to pull off another blockbuster trade.
“We’ll look to do stuff that makes our team better,” he said. “But I wouldn’t bank on that type of move. To get a guy like Jimmy Butler, to have the improvement that we did … that’d be pretty unrealistic.”
Golden State was in position to pounce on Butler after the Heat weren’t able to work out a deal to send him to Phoenix, which was reported to be his preferred destination. Butler had an immediate impact on the Warriors, sparking them to a 23-8 finish and a first-round playoff victory.
While Dunleavy doesn’t expect to repeat that success, he hopes to find a way to solve the team’s issue with turnovers. Golden State is one of the league’s worst teams in that category with 16.2 per game, and it has contributed to the disappointing 15-15 record.
“We’ve got to start taking care of the ball,” Dunleavy said. “We’re doing some really good stuff defensively. People talk a lot about our size, between Quinten (Post) and Draymond (Green), when those two are in the game our rim protection is fantastic. When (Stephen Curry)’s off the court, and Jimmy’s on with the group, our offense is pretty good.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Apart from small-ball lineups, Butler and Green have been more effective this season when they’re not on the court at the same time, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). Gordon notes that since their last small-ball start on December 2, Butler and Green have a minus-24.2 net rating in 51 combined minutes. Gordon finds that the most effective lineups have Butler surrounded by shooters and ball-handlers. “I think (coach Steve Kerr) will continue to try to figure out the right combinations,” Curry said, “but the style of — me, Jimmy and Draymond can play together all the time because we know each other so well. Those other two guys, he’s trying to figure out the right combinations there. I know you want me and Jimmy on the floor at all times, and Jimmy with shooting is kind of reflective of when he was at his greatest in Miami. We just have to understand what we’re trying to do with whoever is on the floor and not think the same play calls work for 48 minutes.”
- Constant matchups against bigger players may be wearing on Green, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears suggested in an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link). “I’m hearing to that Draymond’s a little frustrated with having to guard centers and having the guys that are 40, 50 pounds heavier than him on a nightly basis,” Spears said. The Warriors added Al Horford in free agency to give Green more time at power forward, but injuries have limited Horford to just 13 games so far.
- Saturday’s ejection and Monday’s shouting match with Kerr have made headlines, but the biggest problem with Green is his diminished skill set, writes Nick Friedell of The Athletic. To be successful, the Warriors need to recognize Green is no longer the star he used to be and find ways to take advantage of the things he still does well, Friedell states.
- Horford is expected to return for the Christmas Day game against Dallas after missing the past three weeks due to sciatica, Friedell tweets.
Steve Kerr Says Situation With Draymond Green Is Resolved
It appears that Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Draymond Green have resolved the issues that led to Monday night’s heated sidelines confrontation, writes Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area. Kerr told reporters on Wednesday that he and Green have spoken about the incident and have settled their differences. Kerr also accepted full blame, saying he overreacted to a tense situation.
“Frankly … Monday night was not my finest hour. That was a time I needed to be calm in the huddle,” Kerr said. “So I regret my actions in that exchange. I apologized to Dray, he apologized to me, we both apologized to the team. These things, they happen. Especially when you get two incredibly competitive people like Dray and me. Over the 12 years we’ve been together, this has happened occasionally. I’m not proud of it. We had a great chat.
“I care so much about Draymond. And the relationship we have is like family. And like family, you go through ups and downs. My number one goal, honestly, is for him to finish his career as a Warrior, with us, fighting — metaphorically, not literally — and competing together. Until we’re both done. And I believe that’s going to happen. Because I believe in Draymond and I believe in myself, and I believe in everything we’ve built for the last 12 years.”
Kerr and Green engaged in an intense argument during a time out in the third quarter of Monday’s win over Orlando. Green left the bench area and went to the locker room to “cool off.” He eventually returned, but Kerr didn’t put him back in the game.
The incident renewed trade speculation regarding Green, who hasn’t been playing up to his normal standards this season. He’s shooting just 40.9% from the field and 32.7% from three-point range and his scoring average has dropped to 8.1 PPG, nearly a full point lower than last year. The biggest concern is the decline in his play-making, as he’s putting up 5.1 assists and a startling 3.1 turnovers per night.
Kerr reiterated that he doesn’t want to see his long partnership with Green end. He pointed to Green’s role in helping to win four NBA titles during their time together and said they’ve had similar confrontations in the past, but have always been able to work through them.
“One of the things I love about Draymond is his loyalty,” Kerr added. “… He’s loyal to the Warriors. Loyal to me. Loyal to (Stephen Curry). He wants to be here his whole career. I want nothing more than that. I love Draymond, love everything he’s meant to me, to the organization, to the Bay. He’s a complicated guy. He’d be the first to admit that. He’s very complex. But he’s undyingly loyal and passionate and I will go to bat for him as long as I’m coaching him here. Honestly, I’d go to bat for him 20 years from now when we haven’t been together. That’s how strongly I feel about him. And that’s how I want this thing to end with us, whenever that is.”
It’s been a challenging season for the Warriors, who Kerr admits are “a fading dynasty.” They’re one of the league’s oldest teams, led by Green, Curry and Jimmy Butler, and their age has shown during the first two months of the season. At 15-15, they face a difficult path to move into the top six in the West and avoid another trip to the play-in tournament.
Kerr is confident that the blow-up with Green won’t be a distraction moving forward and that he’ll be fully focused for the Christmas Day matchup with Dallas.
“I think there’s always going to be dynamics within a team, any team, that exist all season long,” Kerr said. “And it’s the coach’s job and the leaders of the team’s job to help guys through those circumstances. We have issues just like every other team has issues. But we have to work through them. I believe this was a major step in that happening. I feel really good about where our team is on the floor, about where we’re heading. I see the potential to do exactly what we did last year. To really go on a run and give ourselves a chance.”
Warriors Notes: Green, Kerr, Horford, Melton, Richard
The Warriors picked up a second straight victory on Monday, beating Orlando by 23 points to get back to .500 (15-15). As Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes, Golden State got exactly the kind of tag-team performance it wanted to see from Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, who led the team with 26 and 21 points, respectively.
However, the big story of the night was a third-quarter spat between head coach Steve Kerr and Draymond Green. The two men engaged in a heated argument in a team huddle during a timeout (Twitter video link), resulting in Green leaving the court and not playing for the game’s final 20 minutes, as Anthony Slater of ESPN details. Kerr said after the game that he and Green “had it out a little bit” and that it was the forward’s decision to head to the locker room to “cool off.”
“Tempers spilled over, and I thought it was best that I get out of there,” Green confirmed. “I don’t think it was a situation where it was going to get better. It was best to remove myself.”
According to Slater, teammates Butler, Al Horford, and Buddy Hield checked on Green during the third quarter and the former Defensive Player of the Year returned to the bench in the fourth quarter. He remained on the sidelines for the rest of the night, with Kerr explaining to reporters that he didn’t seriously consider reinserting Green into the game.
“No, he wasn’t going back in,” Kerr said. “No. He left. He went back to the locker room. We moved forward, and the guys played great.”
Green’s play has been under a microscope lately due largely to his turnover issues — he committed a combined 13 turnovers in the Warriors’ two most recent losses, and Golden State has been outscored during his time on the court in his past six games (including by five points on Monday).
Still, Kerr said he thought Green played well in the first half vs. Orlando and stressed that the team “needs” the 35-year-old going forward. For his part, Green downplayed the incident and suggested he didn’t think there would be any lingering effects.
“We’ve been at this now for a long time,” Green said. “Sometimes you’re with people for a long time and there’s a level of comfort and s–t happens. We move forward.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Horford, who has played just once in the past month as he dealt with sciatica, could be back in action for the Christmas Day game vs. Dallas, Kerr said on Monday (Twitter link via Slater).
- Guard De’Anthony Melton has played between 15 and 21 minutes in each of his seven appearances since making his season debut following his recovery from an ACL tear. According to Kerr, Melton could play more than that if needed, but the head coach’s preference would be to keep him in that 20-minute range for now (Twitter link via Slater).
- In a profile for The Athletic, Nick Friedell takes a look at rookie Will Richard‘s path to the NBA, detailing how the guard transformed his body in high school and then capped off his college career with a national championship. “He’s a winner,” Butler said of his teammate. “He’s hella smart. But I think the thing that I love the most about Will is his ability to listen. You tell him what to do, to the best of his ability he’s going to do it. … It’s really hard to try to please everybody because you can be told five different things from five different people, and he’s the type of human being that’s going to try to do all five of those things that everybody’s telling him. They could totally contradict each other, but he’s a hellafied listener.”
- Kerr remains confident about the Warriors’ ability to contend in the Western Conference despite the team’s up-and-down start to the season, per Friedell. “Look, our goal coming into the season was to be a top-four seed, and I still think it’s well within our reach,” Kerr said on Sunday. “But it can be daunting if you look and you go, ‘Man, we’re five, six games back.’ But we know how fast things can flip if we can take care of our business and find some momentum because everybody else is gonna go through tough stretches too.”