The Golden State Warriors have never shied away from voicing extreme confidence bordering on bluster, and rookie Brandin Podziemski fits that culture seamlessly.

The Dubs selected the 6-foot-5 guard out of Santa Clara with the 19th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Despite his youth and relative lack of experience on any major stage to speak of, the 20-year-old Warrior made a couple of bold claims about the type of player he expects to become on the professional level.

“I think I bring a lot to the Warriors. I think in the NBA, I could be a triple-double guy,” Brandin Podziemski told Heavy NBA insider Sean Deveney on Thursday, June 22. “I [can] dribble, pass and shoot at a high level. Competitor, toughness. Things I bring to the table like shooting. I’ll be playing alongside the two best shooters in the world.”

Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski Hungry for Shots, Defensive Improvement During Rookie Year

GettyBrandin Podziemski poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected 19th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Podziemski’s confidence may border on the brash, though it’s a far cry from unearned. As a 19-year-old sophomore in the NCAA’s West Coast Conference, he averaged 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 48.3% shooting, which included a 43.8% clip from behind the arc, per Sports Reference.

If Podziemski can find his way into the rotation next season, there are likely to be some shots waiting for the rookie after the departure of Jordan Poole, who Golden State sent to the Washington Wizards on the day of the draft in exchange for Chris Paul III. Poole hoisted 15.6 attempts per game across 82 regular season appearances in 2022-23, averaging a career-high 20.4 points per contest.

Along with touting his offensive prowess Thursday night, Podziemski didn’t shy away from the criticisms he’s faced regarding his game on the opposite end of the floor.

“People question my defense. I get to play against Draymond Green, All-Defensive player; Gary Payton [II], All Defensive player,” Podziemski said. “The room for improvement is right there, and it’s right in front of me. So I’m really excited to be a part of this organization. I think I’m a perfect fit for them, and they’re a perfect fit for me. I want to win a championship this year.”

Podziemski averaged 1.8 steals and 0.5 blocks per contest across 36 games played during his sophomore campaign at Santa Clara.

Warriors 2nd-Rounder Trayce Jackson-Davis Displays Similar Confidence, Heart to Podziemski

GettyForward Trayce Jackson-Davis, formerly of the Indiana Hoosiers, dunks against the Wyoming Cowboys during an NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament game in March 2022.

Golden State also acquired Trayce Jackson-Davis out of Indiana on Thursday night as part of the Poole/Paul trade. The Wizards drafted the historic Hoosiers forward with the No. 57 overall pick before shipping him to the Bay Area as a stipulation of that deal.

Jackson-Davis is the only player in Indiana history to accumulate more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds during his collegiate career. That is saying quite a lot considering the history of basketball success at Indiana and the long line of quality NBA players the program has produced. Jackson-Davis averaged 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and four assists for the Hoosiers during his senior season.

That he was passed over multiple times by several franchises and ultimately selected with the second-to-last pick in the draft were a pair of facts that did not sit well with Jackson-Davis, firmly placing a chip on his shoulder as he begins his professional career.

“Ya’ll will regret it,” Jackson-Davis tweeted late Thursday night. “I promise you.”

While his draft circumstances were different than Podziemski’s, the supreme confidence and eagerness to work Jackson-Davis conveyed via his social media message offer striking similarities to his new Golden State counterpart. They also render him a seemingly perfect fit for the Warriors’ culture, which has committed clearly to winning now and winning big.

Former Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole let his true feelings about Draymond Green be known more or less the minute after he exited the organization via a trade earlier this week.

Athletes’ actions in the digital space have become predictors of future behavior as well as the clearest indicators of their true feelings about their teams and teammates. It was in this context that Poole communicated to Green, and the rest of the world, that he is not cool with the Dubs star a full regular season after Green struck Poole in the face during a practice session in October.

The NBA on ESPN Twitter account on June 22 posted a screen shot of Poole’s Instagram account in the immediate wake of Golden State’s decision to ship the shooting guard to the Washington Wizards as part of a trade that brought Chris Paul to the Bay Area. The tweet indicated that Poole had severed personal ties with Green at, more or less, the exact same time as the organization severed ties with Poole.

“Jordan Poole appears to have unfollowed Draymond Green on IG right after his trade to the Wizards 👀,” the caption said.

Tension Between Jordan Poole, Draymond Green Persisted All Season

GettyGolden State Warriors stars Draymond Green (left) and Jordan Poole (right) look on during an NBA game against the Phoenix Suns.

Golden State’s choice to deal Poole to the Eastern Conference represents a decision by the organization to prioritize the futures of Green and Klay Thompson over Poole’s in a move that was, first and foremost, a salary dump. However, the trade was also a culture cleanser in the wake of tensions that followed the physical altercation between Green and Poole, which lingered the entire season.

Top down, the organization contended all season that the team had moved past Green’s assault of Poole, though head coach Steve Kerr abandoned that narrative almost immediately after the Los Angeles Lakers ended the Warriors’ bid for a repeat title via a defeat in the Western Conference Semifinals in May.

“[Green] knows that he had a great season this year from a basketball perspective, but he knows that he also compromised things by what happened back in October,” Kerr said during a May 16 media session, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “So part of him coming back next year has to be about rebuilding some of that trust and respect that he’s earned here for a long period of time. One thing I love about Draymond is he’s always brutally honest, and he can take that sort of critique because he knows it’s the truth.”

Warriors Valued Draymond Green More Than Jordan Poole

Getty(L-R) Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors during an NBA game.

Kerr and the rest of the Warriors clearly value a lot more about Green than just his brutal honesty and ability to engage in tough conversations, as they chose his defense and experience and intensity over Poole’s offensive prowess moving forward, even despite the fact that Green is leaning into the end of his prime while the start of Poole’s remains ahead of him.

The cold, hard truth that has now been laid bare in the harsh light of the team’s offseason decisions is that Golden State has prioritized the chemistry Green has with Steph Curry and other members of the locker room over anything Poole can offer. And that’s true even despite the fact that it was Green and his actions that compromised the season, as well as embarrassed and rattled Poole into a statistical regression during his fourth NBA campaign.

That said, the benefits of the trade also extend to Poole. He is likely to be the Wizards’ top offensive option amid a rebuild that will span the entirety of his four-year, $128 million contract. Poole also will no longer need to play the part of the good solider, which he did every time he was asked about the fallout from Green’s fist.

“I don’t have no answer for you other than that we was just on the court and teammates, and we was out there trying to win games,” Poole told Logan Murdock of The Ringer in a story that was published on May 15, just days after Golden State’s playoff run ended. “It’s just business, honestly. And that’s really all it was, it is, it has been. It’s just been business. It’s been basketball.”

Business was how Poole approached a situation that was clearly personal, something his actions on Instagram last week spoke to more loudly than any of the contrary verbal narratives Poole, Green, Kerr and the rest of the Warriors put out for months.

The Golden State Warriors already had one of the best point guards in NBA history in Steph Curry. After trading for Chris Paul, they’ll head into next season with two.

Often over the course of his career, Paul’s arrival at a new destination has been accurately described via the cliché, “There’s a new sheriff in town.” But The City does, and always will, belong to Curry — one of the few guns in the NBA’s West who has been regularly quicker and more deadly than Paul over his illustrious 18-year career.

Paul participated in some brief media rounds on Thursday, June 22, which was both the day of his trade and the day of the draft. Paul said he had already spoken to Curry and was asked by Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer how that conversation went — a query was met first with a chuckle from the point guard.

“It was good,” Paul said, pausing for a brief moment. “Yeah.”

While Paul and Curry will undoubtedly play some minutes in tandem next season — including, presumably, down the stretch in tight games — Paul will, for the first time in his professional tenure, function as a backup point guard, running the offense during those minutes when Curry is off the floor.

Treading lightly, Fowler attempted to get Paul’s thoughts on the transition to the next phase of his career by asking the 11-time All-NBA selection about the role he expects to play upon joining Golden State. However, Paul — a savvy veteran both on and off the court — didn’t take the bait.

“To help us win games,” Paul responded with a smile.

Steph Curry, Chris Paul Have Heated Rivalry Stretching Back a Decade

GettySteph Curry (left) of the Golden State Warriors and Chris Paul (right), formerly of the Houston Rockets, stand on the floor during an action break in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals in May 2019.

That Curry and Paul are now teammates as they enter their mid- and late-30s, respectively, adds a fascinating twist to what has been a long and storied rivalry — and one that Curry has utterly dominated.

Paul got the better of Curry and the Dubs in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs, as the Los Angeles Clippers held off the upstart Warriors to win that series 4-3. The two didn’t square off again in the postseason until Paul landed with the Houston Rockets in the 2017-18 campaign.

The teams played each other in the Western Conference Finals that season, which Golden State captured in seven games on its way to an NBA title. Curry and Paul squared off again the following year in the Western Conference Semifinals, which the Warriors won more handily in six games on the way to their third ring of the Curry era.

Regular season battles between the Dubs dynasty and Paul’s various collection of talented Western Conference squads never disappointed and were often heated. While the postseason matchups went 2-1 in Curry’s favor, the real dominance in the rivalry came from the Warriors winning four championships across six NBA Finals appearances, while Paul has played in just one NBA Finals — a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 while he was running point for the Phoenix Suns.

Despite some early playoff struggles of his own, even during winning campaigns, Curry has come to claim a clutch postseason reputation. Paul, on the other hand, has oft been criticized for his inability to close out series his teams were favored to win and capture championships with talented rosters, frequently coming up small personally in the biggest postseason moments.

Chris Paul Likely Has 1 Shot to Win NBA Title With Warriors

GettySteph Curry of the Golden State Warriors (right) drives the ball against Chris Paul (left), formerly of the Phoenix Suns, during an NBA game in March 2023.

Despite the intensity of their rivalry and the undisputed fact that Curry — a two-time regular season MVP and one-time NBA Finals MVP — will go down in history as the superior player, Paul espoused an optimistic outlook on the next chapter of his career with the Warriors.

“Excited,” Paul said Thursday about his feelings on joining Golden State. “I got that question I don’t know how many times already, so I’m really excited.”

The 2023-24 campaign may be Paul’s best, and last, shot at the elusive ring he’s seeking to cap off his professional tenure. The Warriors flipped Paul for Jordan Poole, which was clearly a move to get off the young shooting guard’s onerous salary.

Poole is set to earn $128 million over the next four years, while Paul will make $30.8 million this upcoming season, after which the 38-year-old point guard has one year of non-guaranteed money left on his contract totaling $30 million.

While the move offers Golden State no cap relief in the upcoming campaign, it knocks an average of $32 million per season off the team’s balance sheet for the following three season, assuming they pass on Paul’s 2024-25 salary, which is all but a certainty.

The joint maneuver will allow the Warriors to re-sign Draymond Green to a long-term deal this summer after he opted out of the final year of his contract, and to extend Klay Thompson a year from now at what is likely to be a discount, though still a hefty annual number.

The Warriors have made their choice, which is to keep in-house the Big 3 that made them a dynasty through the end of those players’ respective careers. Poole was the casualty of that call, and one year of Paul will be the byproduct.

Paul could remain with the Dubs longer than one season if both sides like the fit, though he will be forced to do so at a massively reduced salary, most likely the veteran minimum.

NEW YORK – In the history of Indiana Hoosiers basketball, there has been one player who has scored 2,000 points in his career and grabbed 1,000 rebounds. This is one of the most historic, decorated hoops programs in the NCAA, yet there has been only one player to achieve those numbers.

That guy is Trayce Jackson-Davis, who wrapped his four years in Bloomington with 2,258 points and 1,143 rebounds, averaging 17.9 point and 9.1 rebounds for the Hoosiers. Despite that resume, Jackson-Davis fell all the way to No. 57 in Thursday’s NBA draft, where the Wizards drafted him and shipped him to Golden State as part of the Chris Paul trade.

Jackson-Davis, the son of former 16-year NBA veteran (and onetime Warrior) Dale Davis, was not happy about where he landed. He sent out a seven-word tweet that summed up his displeasure with the 29 teams that passed on him:

“Y’all will regret it … I promise you.”

Jackson-Davis Is a Polished Big Man

Jackson-Davis was a pretty good bonus prize on Thursday for the Warriors, who clearly are valuing ready-to-play collegians as they fill out the roster. The team drafted Brandin Podziemski, a big guard who averaged 19.9 points, shot 43.8% from the 3-point line and grabbed 8.8 rebounds at Santa Clara last year. Podziemski was an older sophomore, at 20 years old.

Jackson-Davis is 23 years old. The team also signed Javan Johnson from DePaul, a rare six-year college player who transferred twice, first from Troy to Iowa State, then to the Blue Demons. He averaged 14.2 points last season, making 41.2% of his 3s—and he is already 24 years old.

It could be a longshot that TJD and Johnson get significant playing time for Golden State, but they will at least be given a chance, and with their lengthy collegiate experience, they are more NBA-ready than their younger counterparts.

Jackson-Davis’ Drop Was a Surprise

Certainly, among NBA-types, the fact that Jackson-Davis nearly dropped out of the draft altogether was a surprise. He had worked out for about a dozen teams, many of whom were looking for polished players who could contribute in the short term, like Golden State.

“There were some questions about his whole disposition at Indiana, his attitude and things like that,” one NBA scout told Heavy Sports. “And I think in his four years, there was some question about whether he could learn to step out and shoot a little bit from distance, which you have to be able to do in the NBA today. But he never took that step.

“That’s probably why he slipped a bit. But look, once you get past the Top 20, Top 25, anyone can slip. You can slip out of the draft, it happens. But it is on him now to do something with that. He is still going to get a fair chance.”

While Jackson-Davis is likely to start the season in the G League, he could, indeed, get a crack at minutes for the Warriors next year. Golden State has a frontcourt mix of Kevon Looney and, assuming he re-signs, Draymond Green. Jonathan Kuminga will play some power forward and Andrew Wiggins often sees time at the 4 in small-ball lineups.

But the Warriors will need depth in the frontcourt. Along the line, Jackson-Davis could provide some.

Jordan Poole is a member of the Golden State Warriors no more. According to multiple reports, the Warriors are trading him to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Chris Paul.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania was first to report on the finalized move.

“Washington and Golden State are close on a trade sending Chris Paul to the Warriors for Jordan Poole, sources tell The Athletic, Stadium,” Charania wrote in a tweet.

Poole’s future with the team was cloudy all year, after he struggled to find consistency throughout the 2022-23 season. His inconsistent play culminated in a playoff collapse, leaving Warriors fans with a horrible taste in their mouths and a desire for his inclusion in a trade.

The fans officially will get their wish, and Golden State will avoid paying out Poole’s four year, $120 million contract extension.

Make no mistake, Poole had played well enough in years past to the lucrative extension, but his 10.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game in the playoffs have given the organization good reason to second guess themselves. His struggles efficiency-wise were the most glaring issue, as he made just 34.1% of his attempts from the floor and 25.4% from deep.

Bill Simmons Predicted Warriors-Wizards Trade

Just four days prior to the official deal, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons whipped out the crystal ball and absolutely nailed this one. He pitched the idea to Ryen Russillo on Sunday’s episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” just hours after Paul was traded to Washington in exchange for Bradley Beal, who joined the Phoenix Suns.

“If you’re Golden State, do you feel good about the Jordan Poole contract?” Simmons posed on the June 18 edition of his show. “You have Draymond [Green] you’ve gotta pay … I’ve got Klay Thompson for $40 million. There’s some ‘Kuminga is actually gonna be good this year’ buzz. [Steph] Curry’s contract goes up every year. Like, if I could turn Jordan Poole into a year of Chris Paul and figure out what that looks like … I think that would be really interesting, to watch a true point guard play with Steph.”

Jordan Poole Felt He’d Remain with the Warriors into Next Season

Poole certainly didn’t feel as if he should be traded this summer. He voiced those feelings during an interview, shortly after the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs.

“I don’t know why I wouldn’t be [back],” Poole told The Ringer’s Logan Murdock. “It wasn’t a bad year. I mean, career highs in two categories. I was able to make history with Klay and Steph. My first game-winner. It was a lot of good things that happened this season. It wasn’t a bad season. Yes, I’m in the fabric. Yes, I belong here in this organization, bridging the gap. And I’m a young guy who was drafted here. We won a championship last year, and we have another chance to do it again. And I don’t know why anybody else would feel otherwise. I don’t think anybody is thinking like that.”

Ultimately, this move could prove to be a beneficial one for Poole. He’ll have plenty of range to play loosely in Washington, likely acting as the team’s No. 1 option. He won’t have any sort of short leash or have to worry about stepping on the toes of veteran stars.

NEW YORK — UCLA star Jaime Jaquez had a modest celebration planned for Thursday. He would invite a few friends and family to his parents’ house, and they’d watch the NBA draft to see where in the second round Jaquez would land to start his pro career. “Just celebrating—a graduation/draft party,” said Jaquez, who did graduate with a degree in history.

Instead, he got a call on Tuesday that threw him a curveball. He was needed in New York. Turns out there was enough interest in him as a first-round pick—no, not a second-rounder—to warrant a spot in the NBA’s draft-floor Green Room.

Forget the house party. Jaquez hopped on a redeye flight to get to Wednesday’s media availability and will spend the evening sitting stageside as he waits for Adam Silver to call his name—potentially to the Warriors.

Why the sudden shift? Jaquez credits his workouts.

“I think I did well in the workouts, I went out there and showed what I can do, and hopefully teams saw what I was capable of,” he said on Wednesday. “There were question marks going into those workouts, I went into those workouts trying to answer those questions. I think that is why I got this invite here.”

Lakers, Heat, Warriors Among Potential Jaquez Spots

But which team was so duly impressed by Jaquez? It has been known around the league that the Warriors, who have pick No. 19, were impressed with the maturity and polish in Jaquez’s game. There is a chance that Jaquez is gone before that, though, with the Lakers a potential landing spot at No. 17 (and the Heat at No. 18).

Jaquez did not work out for the Lakers, he said, though that does not preclude L.A. from drafting him. He met with the Lakers during the NBA combine in Chicago in May.

Jaquez is 22 years old and averaged 17.2 points and 8.2 rebounds for the Bruins as a senior. He shot just 31.7% from the 3-point line, which is why it was a focus for him in his workouts.

He did work out for the Clippers who have the No. 30 pick—though that pick is expected to be traded to the Wizards as part of the Kristaps Porzingis-Malcolm Brogdon trade.

Still, staying at home would be a welcome surprise for Jaquez.

“It would mean a lot, my position, who I am, where I grew up, where I went to school, it would be storybook to me to be able to go play for an L.A. team, I think it would be pretty incredible,” he said. “It would be a beautiful way to end up my complete chapter as a collegiate player, now go play for a professional team in L.A. Incredible.”

Jaquez Worked Out for the Warriors in May

Then again, playing for a team two years removed from a championship would have its benefits, too. Jaquez worked out for the Warriors three weeks ago, and his combination of scoring, defense, rebounding and smarts makes him an ideal prospect to be a sooner-rather-than-later contributor for the Dubs.

Golden State has take some big swings on young players in recent years, most notably Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman and Moses Moody, and none has quite yet panned out as the team had hoped.

Jaquez, who turned 22 in February, is older than all three of those players. He understands that his maturity may be playing in his favor in this draft.

“I think it is a double-edged sword,” Jaquez noted. “I think obviously you have got great prospects here who are very young, and they are going to need a lot of work in transition. If a team needs a guy who can go in, has experience, has a knowledge of the game, played under a coach for four years (Mick Cronin) who emphasized defense and what it means to win, it is just what you are looking for.”

Over the past few months, there’s been a lot of speculation regarding Jordan Poole‘s future with the Golden State Warriors. The 23-year-old had a dreadful postseason, ahead of the first season of his four year, $120 million contract extension.

Well, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey proposed a trade with the Orlando Magic that would rid Golden State of the young guard, in order to get some financial relief.

Golden State Warriors Receive: G Gary Harris, Denver Nuggets’ 2025 First-Round Pick

Orland Magic Receive: G Jordan Poole

Poole’s looming payday has brought many to consider the possibility that the Warriors trade him in an effort to avoid the “second apron” of the new CBA, which severely restricts high-spending teams. A move like Bailey’s mock would be an example of a desperation effort to offload a risky contract.

Of course, Poole had done enough in years past to earn his new extension, but his 10.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game in the playoffs have given the organization good reason to second guess themselves. Poole’s struggles efficiency-wise were the most glaring issue, as he made just 34.1% of his attempts from the floor and 25.4% from deep.

As for the addition of Harris, who signed a $26 million extension that runs through the end of the 2023-24 season, it may be a sneaky upgrade. Not in the way that he’s doing the type of things that Poole has proven that he can with the ball, but in a less is more sort of way. The 28-year-old likely could fit seamlessly into Golden State’s fluid perimeter-centric offense. He shot 43.1% from distance last year, and his career number of 37.0% is still very respectable.

Mike Dunleavy Discusses Jordan Poole’s Future with Warriors

Ditching Poole in a financially-inspired move doesn’t seem to be the plan for new Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., who addressed the media on Monday. During the press conference, Dunleavy Jr. made an effort to back both Poole and Jonathan Kuminga, in regards to their futures with the team.

“We love having those guys here. Jordan, especially with his contract extension, we plan to have him here for 4 more years at least,” Dunleavy told reporters via The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “… [Kuminga] has shown really good progression and growth. Unfortunately for him, the playing time hasn’t been there. So that’s on all of us to figure out how to get him in the game more. It’s on Jonathan’s shoulders to improve and make the adjustments to his game…Both those guys are really, really good young players we’re pleased with. They have great value around the league. Obviously a lot of rumors come up at this time of year, but we’re happy with those guys.”

Jordan Poole Does Not Think Warriors Should Trade Him

Of course, there really isn’t any player — who isn’t looking to force their way out of town — who thinks that they should be traded. It just doesn’t happen.

Poole’s mindset about his status with Golden State is no different. He said so during an interview last month, following the Dubs’ playoff elimination.

“I don’t know why I wouldn’t be [back],” Poole told The Ringer’s Logan Murdock. “It wasn’t a bad year. I mean, career highs in two categories. I was able to make history with Klay and Steph. My first game-winner. It was a lot of good things that happened this season. It wasn’t a bad season. Yes, I’m in the fabric. Yes, I belong here in this organization, bridging the gap. And I’m a young guy who was drafted here. We won a championship last year, and we have another chance to do it again. And I don’t know why anybody else would feel otherwise. I don’t think anybody is thinking like that.”

The first major domino of the Golden State Warriors‘ offseason fell last week when Mike Dunleavy Jr. officially stepped into the GM shoes previously filled by Bob Myers. Now, just a handful of days later, a second domino has fallen, leading to questions about the future of the club’s legendary core.

As reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, four-time All-Star Draymond Green is set to decline his $27.5 million option for the 2023-24 season and will become an unrestricted free agent.

However, Warriors fans who were hoping to see Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson keep it rolling for at least another season needn’t fret over the loss of their defensive anchor just yet. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Green and the Dubs still have designs on continuing their partnership.

“Listen, these are two sides who very much want to get a deal done,” Wojnarowski said on SportsCenter on Monday. “Draymond and Rich Paul, they’re not really posturing here, threatening that they’re gonna go somewhere else.”

Draymond Green & Warriors Could Ink New, Multiyear Pact

There have been rumblings of Green’s run in Golden State potentially coming to an end dating back to his altercation with Jordan Poole last fall. And the most recent sightings of him hanging out with pal LeBron James has visions of the baller wearing purple and gold dancing in some people’s heads.

From Wojnarowski’s vantage point, though, the sense is that Green and the Warriors hold mutual interest in extending their relationship long-term.

“I think there’s certainly a desire on both sides to stay together,” Wojnarowski said. “They want each other. I think Draymond Green, the idea of continuing with Steph Curry and with Klay Thompson and certainly Steve Kerr, I think it means the world to him. It’s just a matter of negotiation. You know, is it a four-year deal? Is it a three-year deal?

“I don’t sense at all any real sense on either side that this could get sideways. It could happen — he becomes a free agent, Scott — but I think the sides are destined to reunite.”

Green appeared in 73 games for the Warriors last season — his highest tally since 2016-17 — and averaged 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Meanwhile, he posted a career-best effective field-goal percentage of 57.0 and a net rating of 7.0 (the best mark teamwide among major minute-getters).

Draft Guru Weighs In on What Warriors Want

The Warriors are heading into Thursday’s NBA Draft with the 19th overall selection and, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, a clear MO — to get a player who can actually contribute to winning sooner rather than later.

And when one considers how things have played out with James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody so far, that concept definitely rings true:

“All indications are that the Warriors are done with projects. They don’t want developmental players anymore,” Givony said.

“They’re looking for guys who know how to play, who can pass, shoot, cut, defend off the ball … we’re talking about guys like Jordan Hawkins, Brandin Podziemski, Jaime Jaquez, Kris Murray. Older, more experienced players who can step in from day one and play the Warriors style of play.”

Ahead of what could be a pivotal offseason for the Golden State Warriors, new general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. addressed the media for the first time Monday. Dunleavy was officially named Bob Myers’ successor last week, after Myers stepped down from the position.

During his introductory press conference, Dunleavy addressed the futures of both Jordan Poole and Jonathan Kuminga, who have both been involved in trade rumors.

“We love having those guys here. Jordan, especially with his contract extension, we plan to have him here for 4 more years at least,” Dunleavy told reporters via The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “… [Kuminga] has shown really good progression and growth. Unfortunately for him, the playing time hasn’t been there. So that’s on all of us to figure out how to get him in the game more. It’s on Jonathan’s shoulders to improve and make the adjustments to his game…Both those guys are really, really good young players we’re pleased with. They have great value around the league. Obviously a lot of rumors come up at this time of year, but we’re happy with those guys.”

Jonathan Kuminga Frustrated About Playing Time with Warriors

Like the Dubs’ GM mentioned, Kuminga’s lack of playing time has been an issue in recent months. To kick off the offseason there was a report that he’d force his way off the team if he wasn’t promised a bigger role.

“The Warriors and Kuminga’s representatives are expected to discuss his future this offseason, league sources say,” Slater and Shams Charania wrote for The Athletic on May 12. “Golden State will need to decide whether Kuminga will receive a full-time role moving forward and, if not, league sources say the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft will want to be somewhere he can play more.”

Bill Simmons Pitches That Warriors Swap Jordan Poole for Chris Paul

As for Poole, his disappointing playoff numbers were one of the biggest talking points throughout the spring. He averaged just 10.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. His efficiency was the most glaring issue, as he made just 34.1% of his attempts from the floor and 25.4% from deep.

His struggles lead many fans to call for the front office to trade him, especially with his four year, $120 million contract extension kicking in next year.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons discussed how the financial aspect of keeping Poole could be a turn off for the Warriors, on a recent episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast.” He even tossed around the idea of Golden State trading Poole to the Washington Wizards for Chris Paul.

“If you’re Golden State, do you feel good about the Jordan Poole contract?” Simmons posed on the June 18 edition of his show. “You have Draymond [Green] you’ve gotta pay … I’ve got Klay Thompson for $40 million. There’s some ‘Kuminga is actually gonna be good this year’ buzz. [Steph] Curry’s contract goes up every year. Like, if I could turn Jordan Poole into a year of Chris Paul and figure out what that looks like … I think that would be really interesting, to watch a true point guard play with Steph.”

Less than 24 hours after Chris Paul was traded to the Washington Wizards, news has leaked that the Golden State Warriors were looking to land him from the Phoenix Suns.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, they may still have hope of landing the 12-time All-Star from Washington, along with the Los Angeles Clippers.

“The Wizards are gonna try to see if they can flip [Paul] to a 3rd team,” Charania reported on FanDuel TV, “I think a couple of teams to keep an eye on [are] the Clippers, the Warriors – Those are 2 teams that did discuss potential deals with the Suns prior to this trade going down…And now the Wizards are going to see ‘Can we go get a second-round pick from somwhere? Can we get an asset? Can we get a young player that we like?’ So I would expect that process to continue over the process of this week.”

Golden State’s reported interest in the 38-year-old guard doesn’t make much sense. The Warriors have plenty of guards, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole who are all quality players — at the very least.

All three of those guys knocked down over 200 3-pointers apiece last season, helping to give the Dubs one of the highest-powered offenses in the NBA. Adding Paul into the fold would take away a lot of the team’s fluidity. CP3 — as great as he is — typically plays best when he’s got the ball in his hands. Running him around off of screens wouldn’t give Golden State the best version of the future Hall of Famer.

Granted, Paul did log his second-highest 3-point percentage since 2018, last season at 37.5%. That’s slightly above his career average of 36.9% from deep.

Bill Simmons Pitches Trade to Send Chris Paul to Warriors for Jordan Poole

Bill Simmons tried to make sense of the aforementioned dilemma on the latest episode of his podcast. He angled that Golden State’s interest in Paul stems from a lack of faith in Poole, who had a rough showing in the playoffs. Simmons proposed a trade that would send the young guard to Washington in exchange for CP3.

“If you’re Golden State, do you feel good about the Jordan Poole contract?” Simmons posed on the June 18 edition of “The Bill Simmons Podcast.” “You have Draymond [Green] you’ve gotta pay … I’ve got Klay Thompson for $40 million. There’s some ‘[Jonathan] Kuminga is actually gonna be good this year’ buzz. [Steph] Curry’s contract goes up every year. Like, if I could turn Jordan Poole into a year of Chris Paul and figure out what that looks like … I think that would be really interesting, to watch a true point guard play with Steph.”

Jordan Poole Doesn’t See Why Warriors Would Want to Trade Him

Poole’s poor playoff run was one of the biggest talking points throughout the spring. He averaged just 10.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. His efficiency was the most glaring issue, as he made just 34.1% of his attempts from the floor and 25.4% from deep.

Despite the rough display, Poole doesn’t see why the Warriors would look to trade him this summer.

“I don’t know why I wouldn’t be [back],” Poole told The Ringer’s Logan Murdock. “It wasn’t a bad year. I mean, career highs in two categories. I was able to make history with Klay and Steph. My first game-winner. It was a lot of good things that happened this season. It wasn’t a bad season. Yes, I’m in the fabric. Yes, I belong here in this organization, bridging the gap. And I’m a young guy who was drafted here. We won a championship last year, and we have another chance to do it again. And I don’t know why anybody else would feel otherwise. I don’t think anybody is thinking like that.”

The Golden State Warriors appear likely to reshuffle the deck this summer, but it’s crucial the team is proactive, not reactive, in regards to the coming changes.

Some decisions reside outside the franchise’s control, such as Draymond Green’s choice on Monday, June 19, to opt out of the final year of his contract and enter unrestricted free agency. Others, however, are entirely the Dubs’ to make — such as the terms of the multiyear deal they are all but certain to offer Green, and who that decision places in the hot seat between Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole should Green accept.

Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo of The Ringer discussed on Sunday, June 18, what they believe is a necessity on the part of the Warriors organization to cut bait with one of the three aforementioned players. Out of that discussion emerged a trade pitch from Simmons that would send Poole to the Washington Wizards in return for Chris Paul III, whom the Wizards acquired from the Phoenix Suns on Sunday as part of a trade centered around Bradley Beal.

“If you’re Golden State, do you feel good about the Jordan Poole contract?” Simmons posed. “You have Draymond you’ve gotta pay … I’ve got Klay Thompson for $40 million. There’s some ‘[Jonathan] Kuminga is actually gonna be good this year’ buzz. [Steph] Curry’s contract goes up every year. Like, if I could turn Jordan Poole into a year of Chris Paul and figure out what that looks like … I think that would be really interesting, to watch a true point guard play with Steph.”

Legitimate Questions of Fit Surround Warriors’ Potential Trade for Chris Paul

GettyFormer Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul remains a potential trade option for the Golden State Warriors after the Suns dealt him to the Washington Wizards for Bradley Beal on June 18, 2023. 

The salaries of Poole and Paul matchup up closely, with Poole about to enter the first season of his second NBA contract — a four-year, $128 million extension he signed after functioning as a key cog in the Warriors’ 2021-22 title run and before a disappointing campaign last season.

Paul, meanwhile, is set to earn $30.8 million next year if the Wizards don’t waive him by June 28, in which case Washington would pay the point guard the more than $15 million fully-guaranteed portion of his deal to go away, allowing Paul to then seek employment with a different franchise.

While Simmons was bullish on a potential one-for-one deal that moves Poole off the Warriors’ books long-term, replaces him with Paul for one season and then gives Golden State some much-needed financial flexibility in 2024-25 and beyond, Russillo took issue with Paul’s fit in the Bay Area.

“I don’t think Chris Paul fits with what the [Warriors] … wanna do on offense,” Russillo responded. “It’s about movement, and I don’t think high ball screen pick and roll while Steph watches with Klay … I just don’t think [Paul’s] approach is exactly what the Warriors [want]. It’s not even close.”

Warriors Remain Among Top Contenders to Land Chris Paul

GettyChris Paul (right), formerly of the Phoenix Suns, defends Steph Curry (left) of the Golden State Warriors during an NBA game.

If Paul lands with the Warriors, he will certainly play alongside Curry for a portion of his minutes. However, it is more likely that Paul’s primary role will be to run the Dubs’ offense during the time that Curry sits on the bench.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported ahead of Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 9 that the Warriors are among the top-four candidates to land Paul this offseason.

“If Chris Paul is out there as a free agent this summer, look at the two teams in L.A., the Clippers and Lakers, the Knicks in New York, the Golden State Warriors — those would all be potential destinations for Chris Paul, who would then sign a deal at a much lower number,” Wojnarowski said.

None of that has changed just because Paul is now a member of the Wizards.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported earlier that same day on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast that Paul will favor playing with one of the California franchises to be closer to his family, assuming he doesn’t re-sign with the Suns after being waived or traded, the latter of which occurred on Sunday.

Paul is also looking to join a contender and capture the championship ring that has eluded him throughout his 18-year NBA career. The Warriors can offer him that.

And, as far as Golden State is concerned, trading with Washington for Paul could be ultimately prove a more beneficial scenario if the Dubs want to move off of Poole’s contract. If the Warriors decide instead that they’d prefer to deal Thompson, or if they throw financial caution entirely to the wind and try to retain Green, Thompson and Poole along with Curry, then the better outcome is the Wizards waiving Paul.

In that scenario, the 11-time All-NBA point guar may decide to join Golden State for as little as the veteran’s minimum with the intent of nabbing a title before riding into the sunset of his illustrious career.

Draymond Green has officially opted out of the final year of his contract with the Golden State Warriors, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

“Golden State Warriors four-time NBA champion Draymond Green is declining his $27.5 million player option for 2023-24 season and will enter unrestricted free agency, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told Stadium, The Athletic,” Charania reported in a tweet on Monday.

By declining his player option, Green left $27.5 million on the table and will now be able to sign a new contract wherever he pleases.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnorowski spoke with the 33-year-old’s agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who shared the following statement.

“We will continue to talk to Golden State and explore all options,” Paul told Wojnorowski.

Green’s decision does not necessarily indicate that his 11-year tenure as a Warrior is ending. He could very well sign a new contract to stick around, perhaps for less money.

Warriors Expected Draymond Green to Opt Out

Green’s decision reportedly did not come as a shock to the Warriors, who were expecting an opt out, according to ESPN’s Marc Spears. Spears did add that the team is hoping to find a way to keep the former Defensive Player of the Year on the roster for years to come.

“The Warriors expect Draymond Green to opt out of the final year of his … contract, I’m being told. But [owner] Joe Lacob, Dunleavy, the Warriors are going to do everything in their power, if he does as expected, to bring him back,” Spears said on the Friday, June 16 edition of NBA Today, per Bleacher Report. “Golden State is also getting calls on [Jonathan] Kuminga … [and] Jordan Poole. They have the 19th pick in next week’s draft, so Mike Dunleavy Jr. isn’t getting no training wheels going into this job.”

Draymond Green Has Voiced Desire to Stay With Warriors

While the opt-out news will undoubtedly prompt speculation about new homes for Green, that doesn’t seem to be what the four-time NBA champion is hoping for.

Green has been vocal about his desire to remain “a Warrior for the rest of [his] life.”

“We’ll see what happens as far as my contract goes. Obviously, I have an opt-out. Everybody knows about that,” Green told reporters following the Warriors’ elimination from the playoffs at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals last month. “But as I’ve told you guys for years, I want to be a Warrior for the rest of my life. I wanna ride out with the same dudes I rode in with,” Green continued. “I think we’ve put the work in to make that happen, and here we are with our worst season as a whole since 2014 and yet, we had a chance to make another run. It’s never as bad as it seems, it’s never as good as it seems.”

Of course, there is a possibility that negotiations with the Warriors go sour and Green seeks a contract elsewhere. But, all signs point to a new contract with Golden State, and hopefully a reality where Green gets to retire as a Warrior.

New Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. will face his first monumental personnel decision just days after accepting the job, and it will regard Draymond Green.

One of the franchise’s greatest and most polarizing players, Green has the option to opt out of the final year of his current contract and hit free agency this summer. According to ESPN’s Marc Spears Jr., Dubs team sources believe it is all but a certainty that Green will forego the final season of his four-year, $99.67 million contract (worth nearly $27.6 million in 2023-24) and test the market.

“The Warriors expect Draymond Green to opt out of the final year of his … contract, I’m being told. But [owner] Joe Lacob, Dunleavy, the Warriors are going to do everything in their power, if he does as expected, to bring him back,” Spears said on the Friday, June 16 edition of NBA Today, per Bleacher Report. “Golden State is also getting calls on [Jonathan] Kuminga … [and] Jordan Poole. They have the 19th pick in next week’s draft, so Mike Dunleavy Jr. isn’t getting no training wheels going into this job.”

Los Angeles Lakers Among Potential Free Agent Destinations for Draymond Green

GettyDraymond Green (right) of the Golden State Warriors reacts after being called for a foul against Anthony Davis (left) of the Los Angeles during Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals in May 2023.

Green’s offensive game is not what it once was, but the Warriors forward continues to dominate the other side of the court as one of the best defenders in the NBA.

Green has earned either first-team or second-team All-NBA defensive honors in eight of the last nine seasons, having been named to each squad four times. He also won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year Award for the 2016-17 season and has finished second twice (2014-15, 2015-16) and third once (2020-21).

One notable change over Green’s last handful of years in the league, aside from a dip in his points per game average, has been a growing relationship with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James — both as a friend and as a business partner. As a result, the Lakers are expected to be one of the teams likely to inquire with Green about his interest in changing franchises this offseason.

James mentioned last year on an episode of his HBO series “The Shop” that if he wasn’t playing with the Lakers, he’d like to play with the Warriors. James shouted out Green by name during his comments.

“It would be Golden State,” James said. “I would love to get into a pissing match with Draymond. I love when someone cussing me out.”

While it will be difficult for Golden State to absorb James’ estimated base salary of approximately $47 million next season, especially considering the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that goes into effect this summer, the growing affinity between the two players has led to widespread speculation that Green might be willing to jump ship in the Bay Area and ride south for Los Angeles.

“Hard to say what you could get for Draymond at this point because he can be a free agent, and everyone assumes he’s going to the Lakers next summer,” an NBA executive told Heavy Sports insider Sean Deveney in February.

Draymond Green Holding to Narrative That He Wants to Remain With Warriors

Getty(R-L) Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.

Despite the reports and rumors, Green continues to state publicly that his desire is to remain in Golden State with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson for the remainder of his career.

“We’ll see what happens as far as my contract goes. Obviously, I have an opt-out. Everybody knows about that,” Green told reporters following the Warriors’ elimination from the playoffs at the hands of the Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals in May.

“But as I’ve told you guys for years, I want to be a Warrior for the rest of my life. I wanna ride out with the same dudes I rode in with,” Green continued. “I think we’ve put the work in to make that happen, and here we are with our worst season as a whole since 2014 and yet, we had a chance to make another run. It’s never as bad as it seems, it’s never as good as it seems.”

Green’s fourth-year option carries a deadline of Thursday, June 29.

The Golden State Warriors are going through what is arguably their biggest change since Kevin Durant left for Brooklyn. Bob Myers — the GM and president for the entirety of the team’s dynastic run — is riding off into the sunset and Mike Dunleavy Jr. will assume control of Golden State’s basketball operations.

Dunleavy won’t be afforded the luxury of a soft landing in his new charge. The 2023 NBA Draft is taking place in a matter of days and, according to ESPN’s Marc Spears, the first-time GM is receiving trade inquiries on a pair of key players as well.

“Golden State is also getting calls on [Jonathan] Kuminga, they’re getting calls on Jordan Poole,” Spears reported on NBA Today. “They have the 19th pick in next week’s draft. So Mike Dunleavy Jr. isn’t getting no training wheels going into this job.”

While league execs are always having conversations about potential deals, this intel leads one to believe that it could be an eventful summer for Dunleavy.

The Warriors Have a Jordan Poole Conundrum

Poole and Kuminga are somewhat in the same boat of having seen their roles and minutes shrink during the postseason. For the former, though, the drop-off was dramatic as he went from logging 30-plus minutes nightly during the regular season to 21.8 minutes per outing in the playoffs.

In turn, his output dropped from 20.4 points and 4.5 assists per game and an effective field-goal percentage of 51.4 before the postseason to 10.3 PPG, 3.5 APG and an eFG% of 40.0 during it.

He didn’t handle the change particularly well, either.

With all of that being the case, some have wondered whether the Dubs ought to explore Poole’s trade market. To that end, the four-year, $128 million extension he was given before the 2022-23 season could act as a significant hurdle in the event that the team decided it was time to move on.

If Dunleavy is already receiving trade calls, though, it would seem that some kind of deal is at least within the realm of possibility.

On the other hand, Poole played a key role in the Warriors’ 2022 title run. Also: he’s a gifted creator offensively and, as he’s still just 23 years old, there may be additional steps forward that he can take. Giving up on him now could come back to bite the Dubs in a big, bad way.

Jonathan Kuminga May Be the Team’s Most Tradeable Asset

Although Kuminga’s spot in the Dubs hierarchy had fluctuated even before the playoff run, his rookie-scale deal, elite athleticism and two-way upside as a 20-year-old combine to put him in a different category from Poole where tradeability is concerned.

The idea that teams would be calling Golden State about him is hardly surprising.

What is surprising, though — even as he has failed to lock down a consistent spot in head coach Steve Kerr’s rotation — is that the Warriors are apparently weighing the merits of a Kuminga trade internally.

“Sources tell ESPN the Warriors are also exploring the option of acquiring a high draft pick in exchange for a young prospect such as Jonathan Kuminga,” reported draft guru Jonathan Givony.

After the All-Star Break — when Andrew Wiggins was away from the Warriors and the team was also dealing with a number of injuries — Kuminga averaged 13.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 57.2% from the floor and 44.0% from three-point range.

If Dunleavy wants a better pick or an opportunity to land another high-level veteran, it’s probably safe to assume that Kuminga’s name would come up in those negotiations.

With the architect of the Golden State Warriors‘ dynasty — longtime GM and team president Bob Myers — set to walk away upon the expiration of his contract on June 30, fans, pundits and players alike had been left to wonder who would be tasked with leading the club moving forward.

Now, they have their answer.

Per an announcement from the team on Friday, the Warriors have officially tapped VP of basketball operations and former player Mike Dunleavy Jr. as the next top decision-maker in their front office, promoting the 42-year-old to the GM position.

“We think Mike is the perfect fit to lead our basketball operations department,” Warriors owner Joe Lacob said in the release. “He has a wealth of basketball knowledge, stemming from his family upbringing, a 15-year NBA playing career and five seasons serving under Bob Myers in our front office.

“He’s young and energetic, has established numerous relationships around the league and communicates well with players and coaches — all important traits in this business. Mike’s ready for this challenge and responsibility.”

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report on Dunleavy’s promotion.

Warriors Err on the Side of Continuity After Tough Campaign

Entering the 2022-23 season as the defending NBA champions, the Warriors were expected to be a major factor in the title hunt once again. However, they were put behind the eight-ball in training camp by the altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole.

From there, injuries, road woes and the failure of young guns James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to earn featured roles contributed to a downturn that ultimately saw the club eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers.

On multiple occasions this season, Dubs coach Steve Kerr and others credited Myers for his ability to communicate effectively with different people and help the team whether those kinds of storms.

So, keeping a familiar voice in the GM spot may have been the best possible move for Lacob and Co. where mitigating the loss of Myers and those key skills was concerned. Especially when one considers the team’s desire to stay in the competitive mix with Steph Curry and his dynastic cohorts.

And, from a sheer basketball standpoint, Dunleavy’s resume is arguably as strong as anyone’s.

A Basketball Lifer

Dunleavy Jr. has spent five years in the Warriors’ front office so far, having originally joined the team as a pro scout for the 2018-19 campaign. He was promoted to assistant GM less than a year later and, after two years in that role, he became the VP of basketball ops in 2021.

This followed a playing career that saw him appear in 986 regular season games with the Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks before he decided to hang up the high-tops in 2017.

Over that span, he averaged 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game and shot 37.7% from three-point range. Meanwhile, his 1,304 triples currently rank as the 65th most in Association history.

After a three-year run at Duke — during which he became an NCAA champion and a consensus second-team All-American — Dunleavy was selected third overall by the Warriors in the 2002 NBA Draft.

Dunleavy’s father, Mike Dunleavy Sr., played in the league for 11 seasons and spent another 17 seasons as a head coach with the Lakers, Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers. The elder Dunleavy also served as an executive.

Former Golden State Warriors guard Nico Mannion, who’s currently in Italy’s Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) Finals with Virtus Bologna, could be on the move again this summer.

While Mannion is set for a spot with the Milwaukee Bucks’ summer league squad, per BasketNews, another high-level European team is apparently weighing the merits of bringing him on for the 2023-24 campaign. Specifically, Saski Baskonia of La Liga ACB and EuroLeague.

Per a report from Sportando, the Spanish League quarterfinalist is “believed to be the primary candidate” to acquire the ex-Warrior, whose deal with Virtus expires at the end of the season. The outlet further noted that negotiations between the two sides “are expected to heat up after the LBA Finals.”

Although his latest go-round in Italy got off to a promising start, Mannion may be eyeing a fresh start amid his shrinking role with Virtus.

Nico Mannion’s Hoops Journey Since Leaving the Warriors Has Been a Wild One

Following his rookie campaign with the Dubs in 2020-21 — during which he averaged 4.1 points and 2.3 assists in 12.1 minutes per outing and shot 36.7% from deep — Mannion had an opportunity to re-up with the club on a two-way deal.

Instead of staying stateside, though, the Arizona alum decided to take his game overseas in search of a better opportunity to play and develop his skills. At the time, Mannion’s Warriors teammate, Draymond Green, showed support for the move and the intent behind it. Alas, the baller’s Euro journey has been fraught with peril.

Thanks to a brutal intestinal infection (one that caused him to drop a dangerous amount of weight), a bout with COVID-19 and injuries, Mannion was a complete non-factor in his new digs in 2021-22. Sharing the backcourt with established vets Milos Teodosic and Marco Belinelli didn’t exactly make finding minutes easy, either.

Things got much better this season with his physical issues mostly in the rearview mirror. However, the 22-year-old’s role and playing time have fluctuated recently. Mannion was DNP’d in each of his team’s last four playoff games, dating back to a five-minute cameo against Derthona Basket in the LBA semifinal round on May 30.

In 50 games (26 starts) across all competitions this season, Mannion has averaged 8.0 points and 2.8 assists while sinking 37.9% of his attempts from three-point range.

Warriors Hit Top 10 in Way-Too-Early Power Rankings

We’re still mere days removed from the Denver Nuggets’ NBA championship victory, but Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey is already looking ahead to next season. His way-too-soon power rankings for ’23-24 just dropped and, despite the way in which their season ended, the Warriors entered the list at No. 8 overall.

Wrote Bailey:

The NBA’s new “second apron,” a potentially crippling salary line for big-spending teams has the potential to make this offseason very uncomfortable for the Warriors.

They’re set to enter 2023-24 with over $200 million in salary committed. That second apron kicks in at $179.5 million and brings severe penalties with it. Getting below that number could mean essentially salary dumping Jordan Poole.

But if Golden State somehow emerges with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney, it’ll absolutely be a contender once again.

Steph and Ayesha Curry cannot seem to shake the gossip hounds or the harsh judgments that often populate social media.

The Golden State Warriors superstar and his wife, entrepreneur and television personality Ayesha, have been enjoying the offseason by doing everything from golfing to hanging at Smash City Rage Rooms. None of their recent activities have gone viral, but a video that is years old featuring Ayesha somehow managed to stir up a huge reaction on Twitter seemingly out of nowhere.

Ayesha, a chef and restaurant owner who has been a judge on multiple Food Network programs, initially appeared on an episode of the talk show “Girl Chat,” which originally aired on back in 2017, according to one of its hosts, Loni Love. In a segment on that episode, a shirtless waiter came out from backstage to deliver drinks to the panel and in response to the muscular servant, Ayesha jokingly pretended to take off her wedding ring.

Twitter had lots of unsolicited opinions.

Twitter Goes Off About Video That’s Nearly 2 Years Old

In the above clip, at around the 1:25 mark, cohost Tamera Mowry-Housley called for the aforementioned waiter to bring out some drinks, and when he did, Ayesha, laughing the entire time, pretended to take off her ring.

To say reactions were strong is an understatement.

“Fake taking your ring off on National TV is so crazy, Pray for Steph Curry,” one wrote in response.

“Ayesha Curry is attracted to any man that isn’t Steph Curry,” another wrote.

Another Twitter user evoked a comparison between Ayesha and the often criticized wife of Patrick Mahomes, Brittany, who has made headlines for her outspokenness.

“People may find Mahomes wife annoying but there’s no questions about her loyalty and devotion to he and their family. Can we absolutely say the same about Ayesha?” they wrote.

“Not even Steph Curry is safe,” another added.

Others accused Ayesha of embarrassing her spouse.

It wasn’t all negative, though.

“Can y’all please… for the love of all that is good and holy… leave Ayesha Curry alone?,” academic Marc Lamont Hill tweeted.

Cohost Love also chimed in, noting Ayesha “adores her husband” and “was joking showing her personality.”

Others weren’t about to use the clip to “bully” Ayesha.

Steph & Ayesha Have Been Dealing With Trolls for Years

This isn’t the first time Ayesha has battled public perceptions or internet trolls. In January 2022, Instagram gossip page Deuxmoi, which has now been re-named the Jasmine Brand, strongly suggested the Currys may have an open marriage.

“Have it on good authority that this well-known NBA couple aren’t as faithful in love as their social media and image make them out to be!” the post read. “They both have side hookups and flings but keep it very private to keep up the perfect family image they show to the world. I was shocked to learn, they’ve been together for so long.”

Ayesha responded to the accusations on a different Instagram post when a fan was judgmental of her.

“Don’t believe everything you read. Do you know how ridiculous that is?” Ayesha replied, via Style Caster. “Don’t disrespect my marriage like that. Please and thank you.”

Steph and Ayesha have been married since July 2011 and have three kids: Riley, 10; Ryan, 7; and Canon, 4. Ayesha has yet to comment on the resurfaced video, but that’s probably because she and Steph are having too much fun this summer.

Few prospects have captured the imagination of Golden State Warriors fans — at least since the team began winning NBA championships year after year — like Jonathan Kuminga.

The 20-year-old is a rare breed for a team that has largely avoided being in the lottery for a decade-plus; a top-seven pick with off-the-charts athleticism, a hunger to make a name for himself and, at least in theory, a sky-high ceiling on both sides of the ball.

According to a recent report from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, though, the Dubs are considering trading him for a premium pick in the upcoming draft. And given the fact that Kuminga has yet to really grab and hold onto a regular spot in Steve Kerr‘s rotation after two years — not the mention the team’s next-level luxury tax issues — one could definitely rationalize kicking the can down the road with another prospect.

For his part, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale has gone so far as to suggest that Kuminga is one of the “10 best trade chips” in the Association this offseason. However, he sees the team eyeing a different kind of return in a potential deal.

B/R: Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga Still Boasts ‘Core-Player Mystique’

As was the case with former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman, giving up on Kuminga at this point — his shortcomings and/or perceived missteps notwithstanding — would be a gut punch. One could argue that it would be even worse this time around with Kuminga actually having been an on-court contributor at various junctures.

That said, winning continues to be the priority in the Bay. And, as Favale sees it, Kuminga is someone who could be used to reel in another big fish as part of the effort to extend Golden State’s current window of contention:

Can the 20-year-old be the front-and-center asset in a trade that lands the Warriors another big-time rotation weapon, super-duper-luxury-tax implications be damned?

I lean toward yes.

Kuminga’s inconsistent usage has short-circuited some of his appeal. But he doesn’t turn 21 until October, has two more years left on his rookie scale and is worth more extensive run than he’s received.

In 67 appearances for the Warriors last season, including 16 starts, Kuminga averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 boards in 20.8 minutes per contest. He also connected on 52.5% of his shot attempts overall and 37.0% of his tries from three-point range.

Added Favale: “Much of his armory, at both ends, remains unpolished. But this is a prospect with core-player mystique.”

Kuminga Is Open to Change If His Situation Doesn’t Improve

The Warriors aren’t the only ones doing some soul-searching about this particular relationship. Kuminga also has concerns about his place with Golden State amid his reduced postseason role and the current logjam of non-shooting big men on the roster.

The Athletic’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania reported last month that the Congolese national could eye a move away from the Warriors if the team doesn’t make getting him more minutes a high priority:

The Warriors and Kuminga’s representatives are expected to discuss his future this offseason, league sources say. Golden State will need to decide whether Kuminga will receive a full-time role moving forward, and, if not, league sources say the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft will want to be somewhere he can play more.

Before James Wiseman vexed Golden State Warriors fans with devastating injuries and untapped potential, another player took Dub Nation on the same kind of roller-coaster ride.

Namely, Ekpe Udoh, who was drafted sixth overall by the club in 2010. Similar to Wiseman, Udoh was shipped out of the Bay less than two years after his arrival when he failed to materialize as, well, whatever then-GM Larry Riley had in mind when he picked the Baylor product.

Udoh did alright for himself despite the bumpy start, finding hardwood success in the NBA and abroad during a career that spanned more than a decade. Now, though, the 36-year-old is set to tackle a whole new challenge by hanging up the high-tops and transitioning into the coaching ranks.

As announced by the team on Wednesday, Udoh has accepted a position on Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder’s newly-assembled staff. The Athletic’s Shams Charania was the first to report on the big man’s hiring.

Ekpe Udoh’s Recent Career & His Role in Bringing the Warriors Their First Title

Udoh’s move to the Hawks bench comes less than a month after he could be seen plying his trade on the court, scoring 12 points, grabbing six boards and adding two blocks and two steals for the Kyoto Hannaryz during the team’s B.League finale against the Shiga Lakestars.

And while the season — which appears to be Udoh’s last as a player — ended with his Japanese club finishing well below the .500 mark, his best moments as a pro baller definitely came on the international scene.

While playing for the Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe in 2017, Udoh won a EuroLeague title and was named EuroLeague Final Four MVP after a campaign that saw him average 12.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks nightly while shooting 58.4% from the field.

He played so well, in fact, that he earned a contract with the Utah Jazz after having been out of the league for two seasons. It was a decision that ultimately brought him into contact with his future boss, Coach Snyder.

On the whole, Udoh’s seven scattered years in the Association were marked with ups and downs. From the jump, a wrist injury put him behind the eight ball with the Warriors. And while he was able to bounce back from that physically, he would appear in just 96 games total games for Golden State from 2010 to 2012 before getting dealt.

Dubs fans should probably be thanking him for his part in the trade, though. By sending Udoh to the Milwaukee Bucks at that time, the Warriors were able to acquire Andrew Bogut, who became the team’s starting pivot and played a key role in tipping off the dynastic era.

Udoh played with the Warriors, Bucks, LA Clippers and Jazz, as well as teams in Israel, Turkey, China, Italy and Japan, in his 13 years as a player.

B/R Is Selling the Warriors as an NBA Championship Bet

If one were to bet on the Warriors to win the 2023 NBA title at this point, they’d stand to win a bundle — the team is currently a +1200 pick (per FanDuel) to take top honors, which puts them firmly in the dark horse conversation.

For his part, though, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey is selling the Dubs as a club worth calling your bookie about. As the longtime hoops scribe sees it, the wave may have crested for the Bay Area crew:

Curry, Thompson and Green are all in their 30s now. Depth is critical for keeping a title window open for an older team like this, and that was already a big problem in 2022-23.

When at least two of the aforementioned starters were off the floor, Golden State’s net rating plummeted to minus-2.7. And no team is more in danger of losing depth as a result of the new collective bargaining agreement.

It’s been a rocky few months for the Golden State Warriors and forward Jonathan Kuminga. The 20-year-old reportedly grew frustrated with his lack-of-usage during the playoffs and threatened to request a trade this summer.

Well, he may get just that.

According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, the Warriors are “exploring the option” of trading Kuminga for a “high draft pick.”

“Sources tell ESPN the Warriors are also exploring the option of acquiring a high draft pick in exchange for a young prospect such as Jonathan Kuminga,” Givony wrote.

Givony’s report is vague, but it’s interesting that the Warriors would once again try and add high-end talent through the NBA Draft, after missing with both James Wiseman, who they dealt to the Detroit Pistons in February, and Kuminga, should they decide to move on from him.

As far as the regular season goes, Kuminga was actually pretty solid for the Dubs.

He appeared in 67 regular-season games for Golden State this year, playing about 20.8 minutes each time. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, while shooting 51.9% from the field and 37.0% from beyond the arc.

His issue came in the playoffs where he was relegated to playing just 26 total minutes in the series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jonathan Kuminga Threatened Warriors with Trade Request

Again, Kuminga made his frustrations known last month after the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater, Kuminga’s representatives were expected to meet with the organization to discuss his future with the team.

“The Warriors and Kuminga’s representatives are expected to discuss his future this offseason, league sources say,” Slater and Charania wrote on May 12. “Golden State will need to decide whether Kuminga will receive a full-time role moving forward and, if not, league sources say the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft will want to be somewhere he can play more.”

Steve Kerr Discusses Warriors’ Plans for Jonathan Kuminga

Kuminga’s coach Steve Kerr, the man in charge of his playing time, discussed the 20-year-old’s frustrations during an “The TK Show,” hosted by The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami. Kerr shared that he plans to have a role for Golden State’s No. 00, but he’s going to have to improve first to earn the minutes.

“The minutes are there for him to take at the backup four next year,” he told Kawakami on May 19. “He’s gotta make strides, and he and I talked about it. The No. 1 thing is he’s gotta rebound. If he rebounds and he runs the floor, there’s going to be a lot of opportunity for him… But he’s entering his third year next year, he’s 20 years old, got a great future ahead. He’s just gotta keep on the same path he’s on. But he’s gotta make those strides, like I said, on the glass and running the floor, diving in pick-and-roll. If he does those things, he’s going to play more, and that’s how you continue to grow and build your game.”

Like Kerr said, there truly is time for Kuminga to grow and develop as a player. However, a situation where there’s more room for error may suit him better as he finds his footing in the league.

When potential changes for the Golden State Warriors are discussed amongst fans and media members, Jordan Poole‘s name is often thrown around. The perception is that the 23-year-old and his four year, $120 million contract extension are expendable.

Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley outlined the following deal  in an article published on June 14, which would send Poole to the Charlotte Hornets.

Golden State Warriors receive: Terry Rozier and Cody Martin

Charlotte Hornets receive: Jordan Poole

Buckley pitched the move as one that would strengthen the Dubs’ depth as they work to win another title with Stephen Curry and the gang.

“They’ll only get so many cracks at the crown with Curry still in his prime, so they shouldn’t feel compelled to live with Poole’s production swings any longer,” Buckley wrote. “Sending him to Charlotte, where the good version of Poole could add support scoring and playmaking to an offense that needs more of both around LaMelo Ball, could make Golden State deeper and better balanced.”

The return for Poole would be a beneficial one for the Warriors. They’d bring in a player in Terry Rozier, who makes less money and fills a similar role. Plus the addition of Cody Martin would add to their wing depth.

“Terry Rozier could replace all of Poole’s offensive production—their numbers were strikingly similar this season—while significantly improving this group’s perimeter defense,” Buckley continued. “Cody Martin, meanwhile, could fill a niche three-and-D role as a depth piece on the wing. The Warriors might be losing the best player in this deal—that would be the Hornets’ wager, at least—but they could still come out of it with a more complete roster.”

Warriors Not Actively Shopping Jordan Poole: Report

Though many fans want to see Poole traded away after a rough playoff showing, it doesn’t seem that the front office feels the same way.

According to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, the Warriors are not actively looking to move the young guard.

“Sources indicate that there is no plan for a salary dump trade this summer that’s purely about cutting the bill,” Slater wrote. “That doesn’t mean Poole is safe. That doesn’t mean anyone besides Curry is safe. The Warriors intend to explore various avenues to restructure the roster this summer, both small and large in scope. That could mean Poole is part of a trade if the return package appeals. But Poole is not actively being shopped, there is no edict to cut salary and his side has been given no current indication that his future will be elsewhere.”

Jordan Poole Thinks He Will Be With Warriors Next Season

Poole certainly doesn’t believe that Golden State will trade him in the offseason. He explained so to The Ringer’s Logan Murdock in an interview last month.

“I don’t know why I wouldn’t be [back],” Poole told Murdock. “It wasn’t a bad year. I mean, career highs in two categories. I was able to make history with Klay and Steph. My first game-winner. It was a lot of good things that happened this season. It wasn’t a bad season. Yes, I’m in the fabric. Yes, I belong here in this organization, bridging the gap. And I’m a young guy who was drafted here. We won a championship last year, and we have another chance to do it again. And I don’t know why anybody else would feel otherwise. I don’t think anybody is thinking like that.”

The Golden State Warriors may be just a year removed from their most recent NBA championship win but the club nonetheless finds itself stuck in that tier of teams just below the Association’s legitimate contenders (with no clear path toward bridging the gap).

On the one hand, the dynastic duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson will be back in effect for 2023-24 — with Draymond Green expected by many to follow suit. On the other, the Warriors are faced with significant cap/tax blockades in improving their roster around that core in free agency, and they’re running light on tradeable assets, too.

Ultimately, the team’s best (only?) course of action may be to find a high-level vet who’s willing to sign on at a discounted rate. With that in mind, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski just namechecked Golden State as a potential destination for Chris Paul in the event that the future Hall of Famer finds his way out of Phoenix.

“If Chris Paul is out there as a free agent this summer, look at the two teams in LA — the Clippers and Lakers — the Knicks in New York, the Golden State Warriors,” Woj said on NBA Countdown over the weekend.

However, not everyone is buying that the respective parties are a match for one another.

B/R: Chris Paul Could Get More Money, Minutes Elsewhere Than With the Warriors

Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz lent a discerning eye to the latest rumors from around the league in an attempt to seperate fact from fiction. In doing so, the analyst broke down Wojnarowski’s list of potential landing spots for Paul, appraising each one individually with a buy or sell declaration.

For those members of the Dub Nation citizenry hoping to see the 38-year-old end up in the Bay, Swartz’s assessment didn’t exactly inspire confidence in a potential partnership. He branded the CP3-to-GSW possibility as a hard sell:

The Knicks and Warriors don’t even have starting jobs for Paul, and moving across the country to New York and further from his family doesn’t seem appealing. San Francisco doesn’t get Paul any closer to Los Angeles, as it’s about the same distance away as Phoenix. The Warriors can only offer a veteran minimum deal as well.

There’s also a chance that CP3 isn’t the right fit for the Warriors.

Would Paul Be a Step in the Wrong Direction?

Last season, Paul averaged 13.9 points and 8.9 assists per contest while shooting 37.5% from three-point range and 48.5% on attempts from 10 feet away from the hoop out to just inside the arc.

While those numbers are enticing considering the Dubs’ offense generated a middling 110.9 points per 100 possessions during the playoffs (ninth-best out of 16 qualifiers), there’s a chance Paul wouldn’t actually be there to provide them. The baller was out for the last four games of the Suns’ playoff run in 2022-23 and has missed 40 regular-season games over the last two years.

And issues of durability don’t usually get sorted as a player gets closer to the big 4-0.

One also has to wonder whether the famously abrasive Paul would be the right personality to bring into a Warriors locker room that dealt with the Green-Jordan Poole altercation and griping youngsters in ’22-23.

Championship goals were not met this season for the Golden State Warriors. The team went crashing out of the playoffs in the second round at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving the door open for improvement in the offseason. As the championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green continues to age, Golden State is running out of time to push for one final NBA title.

The Athletic’s Anthony Slater revealed that the Dubs are indeed open to exploring ways to improve the roster this summer. He hinted that no one on the team, besides Curry is guaranteed to be back next season.

“Sources indicate that there is no plan for a salary dump trade this summer that’s purely about cutting the bill,” Slater wrote. “That doesn’t mean [Jordan] Poole is safe. That doesn’t mean anyone besides Curry is safe. The Warriors intend to explore various avenues to restructure the roster this summer, both small and large in scope. That could mean Poole is part of a trade if the return package appeals. But Poole is not actively being shopped, there is no edict to cut salary and his side has been given no current indication that his future will be elsewhere.”

Cutting salary is a concept that’s been tossed around a bit this spring, as the NBA Player’s Association and the NBA agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement. The CBA will heavily restrict high-spending teams, like the Warriors, when signing players, taking back salary in trades, and even trading future draft picks.

Jordan Poole Doesn’t See Why the Warriors Would Trade Him

Slater’s reporting about the team’s plans for Poole is aligned with what the 23-year-old told The Ringer’s Logan Murdock last month. He shared that he has no idea why the team would look to move him this summer.

“I don’t know why I wouldn’t be [back],” Poole told Murdock. “It wasn’t a bad year. I mean, career highs in two categories. I was able to make history with Klay and Steph. My first game-winner. It was a lot of good things that happened this season. It wasn’t a bad season. Yes, I’m in the fabric. Yes, I belong here in this organization, bridging the gap. And I’m a young guy who was drafted here. We won a championship last year, and we have another chance to do it again. And I don’t know why anybody else would feel otherwise. I don’t think anybody is thinking like that.”

Poole’s lucrative four-year, $120 million contract extension, which kicks in this upcoming season, is beginning to look like a bit of an overpay. The reason for that is because of the rollercoaster season he just had, which ended in a playoff meltdown this spring. Poole averaged just 10.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. His efficiency was the most prominent issue, as he made just 34.1% of his attempts from the floor and 25.4% from deep.

Stephen Curry Doesn’t Want Warriors to Make Major Changes

Despite Slater’s report that the team will explore options this summer, it’s unlikely that anything major happens. That’s because it sounds like Curry wants the squad to run it back, for at least one more season.

The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami recently shared that he believes that the Dubs will probably retain it’s core this offseason.

“I think the most likely scenario is that the Warriors keep most of this together for at least one more season. That’s what Curry wants. His opinion sort of matters,” he wrote in a June 7 mailbag column.

The NBA offseason is officially underway, and there’s little doubt the Golden State Warriors will be making some alterations to their roster. The question is whether the Dubs will trade away any of their higher-priced contracts or keep their core together while adding a noteworthy role player or two.

The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported on June 12 that Golden State could trade “anyone besides” superstar Steph Curry, but also noted the Warriors have “no plan for a salary dump trade this summer.” Perhaps the likeliest move for the team will be to add some affordable free agents who could turn into difference makers.

In his June 11 column for Bleacher Report, Greg Swartz listed one hole every team can fill in free agency this summer, and when it came to the Warriors, he stressed the importance of adding affordable depth pieces, noting Miami Heat vet Kevin Love, who is a free agent, might be an ideal addition.

Kevin Love Would Be Solid Backup Big for Warriors

The Heat came up short in the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets, but Love was one of several key role players who helped the team make it as far it did. Love joined Miami via the buyout market in the spring, and he wound up starting 17 games and playing in 21 during the regular season.

He averaged 7.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 20 minutes a game for Miami this year (stats via Basketball Reference) and his outlet passes in the playoffs against the New York Knicks ignited the Heat.

Swartz thinks Love, Nuggets center/forward Jeff Green or Indiana Pacers big man George Hill could be potential targets for the Dubs largely due to their affordability.

“Golden State will need to search for additional help who will agree to play for the veteran’s minimum, selling players on the chance to win a championship instead of cashing in elsewhere,” Swartz wrote. “This means vets who are nearing the end of their careers but can still play postseason minutes when called upon. Players like Green, Love and Hill would all fit this bill, if they’re willing to take a pay cut, of course.”

Steve Kerr Recently Praised Heat Players

The Warriors fell in the Western Conference Semifinals, and the team’s players and coaches have been watching the remainder of the postseason unfold. In a June 5 appearance on The Draymond Green show, Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed fondness for what he saw from the Heat on the court.

“None of those guys on Miami are sitting there saying, ‘Well I didn’t play’ or ‘Man, they put in so and so.’ They’re just all about winning,” Kerr told Green, adding:

“When you have that championship mentality, every guy is bought in. Every guy is just trying to win. Nobody cares about any of that stuff. You don’t go into the locker room saying, ‘Oh well I should’ve played more,’ you just want to win. And that’s the beauty of finding that magic when you have a championship team is that everybody’s bought in and it makes the decisions for the coach really simple.”

Whether Love was one of the players who impressed Kerr in the postseason is unclear, but what is clear is the Warriors’ financial stress.

Golden State has a current roster cap of $210 million, which is over the league’s luxury tax threshold by $48 million, so Love, who made just over $3 million last season, would certainly be affordable, and he’d surely find playing alongside Curry and company appealing.

We’ll see how it shakes out this offseason.

Money is king, it makes the world go ’round, and it could cause the Golden State Warriors to trade Jordan Poole this summer. With financial rules tightening, Poole’s average salary of $30 million over the next four seasons, could wind up landing Golden State behind the 8-Ball.

Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey detailed the effects that the new collective bargaining agreement could have on the Dubs’ roster.

“Even if Draymond Green declines his player option, the Golden State Warriors are likely looking at an offseason above the new collective bargaining agreement’s ‘second apron,'” he wrote.

The new CBA heavily restricts teams that exceed the $17.5 million luxury tax apron, limiting their abilities to sign players, take in salary in trades, and even trade future draft picks.

“On top of all that, teams over the second apron will also have to come closer to matching incoming and outgoing salaries in trades,” Bailey explained. “In short, getting under that line is going to be crucial, and the most obvious way for Golden State to do so is by trading Jordan Poole (ideally, to a team with cap space).”

Poole’s lucrative extension, which kicks in this upcoming season, is beginning to look like a bit of an overpay. The 23-year-old had an inconsistent year, which culminated in a playoff meltdown this spring. Poole averaged just 10.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. His efficiency was the most prominent issue, as he made just 34.1% of his attempts from the floor and 25.4% from deep.

Jordan Poole Sees No Reason Why He Wouldn’t Be With Warriors Next Season

Though a trade involving Poole could provide the Warriors some financial relief, the former Michigan standout doesn’t see a reason why he wouldn’t be on the team next year.

He relayed that mindset to The Ringer’s Logan Murdock, during an interview last month.

“I don’t know why I wouldn’t be [back],” Poole told Murdock. “It wasn’t a bad year. I mean, career highs in two categories. I was able to make history with Klay [Thompson] and Steph [Curry]. My first game-winner. It was a lot of good things that happened this season. It wasn’t a bad season. Yes, I’m in the fabric. Yes, I belong here in this organization, bridging the gap. And I’m a young guy who was drafted here. We won a championship last year, and we have another chance to do it again. And I don’t know why anybody else would feel otherwise. I don’t think anybody is thinking like that.”

Stephen Curry Wants Warriors to Keep Core Together

A Poole-related shake-up could do the organization well. However, it seems like the star man, Curry, wants the squad to run it back, for at least one more season.

The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami recently shared that he thinks that the team will likely keep it’s core together this offseason.

“I think the most likely scenario is that the Warriors keep most of this together for at least one more season. That’s what Curry wants. His opinion sort of matters,” he wrote in a June 7 mailbag column.

The Golden State Warriors find themselves in a place they’re venturing to for the first time since their dynastic run began nearly a decade ago. Specifically, they’re on the outside looking in at an NBA Finals matchup involving two other teams (in a year when they were more or less healthy for the title push).

Between the sharp regression and the advancing ages of core players Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, the club is in clear need of some kind of switch-up this offseason.

Having said that, it’s difficult to discern whether the front office ought to be loading up for another title push in 2023-24 or making a radical shift toward whatever the next era of Dubs basketball is/will be.

With that being the case, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes just namechecked Golden State as one of five teams that are in the grips of an “identity crisis” heading into the summer. And, as Hughes sees it, there are significant hurdles in place where the Warriors finding themselves is concerned.

Uncertainty About the Warriors’ Future Filters Down From the Top

While the Steph-Klay-Dray core and head coach Steve Kerr are most credited for bringing four titles to the Bay between 2015 and now, president/GM Bob Myers was instrumental in bringing it all together.

So, as Myers’ tenure with the team will be ending in a matter of weeks, Hughes is of the belief that the path forward will be more perilous than it might have been:

The Warriors plan to keep winning as long as Stephen Curry is still a superstar, but Myers’ exit makes implementing that plan tricky. Draymond Green has a player option, Klay Thompson is eligible for an extension and Jordan Poole probably needs to be traded after a brutally poor postseason showing. Myers’ successor won’t have his institutional knowledge or [a] decade’s worth of emotional equity with the team’s most important figures.

Every negotiation just got thornier. Every tough conversation just got tougher.

It’s worth noting that Mike Dunleavy Jr., the odds-on favorite to take the baton from Myers, already has experience as the team’s assistant GM and a veteran of 15 seasons as a player. As the top decision-maker, though, he’d be an absolute newbie.

Dubs Face Tall Task in Rounding Out Steph Curry’s Supporting Cast

Given Curry’s apparent desire to go for the chip at least one more time — not to mention the fact that Green can make more money next season by opting in — staying in the title hunt makes sense as an objective for the Warriors.

Alas, surrounding the team’s top dogs with a championship-level supporting cast could prove difficult regardless of who’s calling the shots.

Writes Hughes:

Beyond the Green, Thompson and Poole-related issues that could fundamentally reshape the team, there’s also the matter of building a supporting cast while constrained by the second-apron tax penalties. The Warriors likely won’t have their taxpayer’s midlevel exception to use, and they’ll need to replace free-agent goners Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green.

The Warriors have been too good for too long to lose their sense of self entirely, but they’re going to look different next year. And for the first time in a decade, Myers won’t be the guy authoring the changes.

The NBA offseason is about to kick into overdrive, and the Golden State Warriors have already been credibly tied to a 12-time All-Star currently on a rival roster.

The Dubs are quickly becoming one of the older teams in the league, but that is not likely to stop them from adding 38-year-old Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul to the roster should he become available this summer. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday, June 9, that the Warriors will be among four big market franchises in the running to sign Paul should the Suns release him into free agency.

“If Chris Paul is out there as a free agent this summer, look at the two teams in L.A., the Clippers and Lakers, the Knicks in New York, the Golden State Warriors — those would all be potential destinations for Chris Paul, who would then sign a deal at a much lower number than the $30 million he’s guaranteed in Phoenix if he stays there past that June 28 deadline,” Wojnarowski said on ESPN’s broadcast before Game 4 of the NBA Finals, per a Twitter video shared by New York Basketball.

Suns Guard Chris Paul Likely to Hit Free Agency This Summer

GettyGolden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (left) defends Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul (right) during an NBA game.

On June 9, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst spoke about Paul’s situation in Phoenix during the final segment of the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast.

“It appears like Chris Paul’s tenure with the Suns could be coming to an end,” Windhorst said. “The Suns did meet with Chris Paul on Wednesday. They laid out what their situation is, none of it was a surprise to anybody. Chris Paul is very shrewd, he knew this was coming.”

Paul is entering the final season of a four-year, $120 million deal he signed with the Suns ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.

Windhorst went on to say that of the three options for Phoenix — guaranteeing Paul’s full 2023 contract number of more than $30 million, waiving the point guard or waiving Paul and stretching over five years the $15.8 million fully guaranteed in his final contract year — the most likely outcome is that the Suns waive Paul.

“Let’s just be honest, in all likelihood he’s going to get waived because, [as] I just said, it opens up the possibility for [the Suns] to add players, including maybe even keeping [Paul] and adding a player,” Windhorst continued. “And, the other thing, he’s not a $30 million player anymore.”

Chris Paul Would Play Behind Steph Curry, Run Warriors’ Second Unit

GettyChris Paul (right) of the Phoenix Suns guards Steph Curry (left) of the Golden State Warriors during an NBA game.

If Golden State makes a play for Paul, the 11-time All-NBA selection would likely run the team’s second unit off the bench in a role behind Steph Curry. Dubs analyst Sam Esfandiari dubbed Paul the “2nd unit PG the Warriors need” in a June 7 tweet.

Golden State is already staring down the barrel of a payroll/luxury tax bill between $400-$500 million in 2023-24 if they bring back everyone currently on the roster. As such, Paul would have to come relatively cheap for the Dubs to add him.

However, with $15.8 million guaranteed from the Suns next season even if they release him, Paul can sign with a team for the league minimum and still make a handsome salary in his 19th NBA season. Should the point guard actually depart Phoenix, Windhorst reported that Paul will be looking for two qualities in his next franchise — that it is a contender and is located somewhere close to his family, who reside in L.A.

That makes the Los Angeles Lakers, a team run by Paul’s long-time friend LeBron James, a front-running destination in free agency. The Los Angeles Clippers also fall into that category, as do the Warriors. The New York Knicks would be less appealing to Paul considering their geographic location, per Windhorst’s report.

Entering an offseason that came much earlier than expected, the defending-champion Golden State Warriors are in clear need of additional support around their Stephen Curry-Klay Thompson-Draymond Green core. And, surprisingly, the team may need more help on the offensive end than anywhere else.

During the postseason, the Dubs logged an offensive rating of 110.9 and an effective field-goal percentage of 52.5 (marks that ranked ninth and 10th out of 16 playoff teams, respectively). For comparison, Steph and Co. scored 114.5 points per 100 possessions with an eFG% of 56.1 during their 2022 title run.

As it happens a career 11.0-point scorer who has shot 40% or better from three in each of the last seven seasons is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and it just so happens that this sharpshooter already has a strong connection to the Warriors.

That player: Steph’s younger brother, Seth Curry.

On Thursday, the ballin’ brothers’ retired father, 16-year NBA vet Dell Curry, weighed in on the possibility that his sons could join forces while he was out promoting the American Century Golf Championship on Thursday.

Dell Curry Addresses the Idea that Steph & Seth Curry Could Reunite on the Warriors

While he opined that Seth and Steph teaming up in the Bay is likely a “longshot,” the elder Curry — who played in over 1,000 career games with five teams and sunk 1,245 triples along the way — stopped well short of closing the door on the idea.

“There’s always that possibility,” Dell Curry said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “The salary cap and all that is going to come into play. But I think that would be a good market for Seth as a shooter. We know how important threes are, and he’s one of the best in the league to do it.”

In 19.9 minutes per outing off the bench for the Brooklyn Nets this season, Seth Curry averaged 9.2 PPG and shot 40.5% from distance, and it’s not difficult to envision him contributing something similar in a Warriors uniform next year. As Dell Curry alluded to, though, there would be some serious financial hurdles to clear.

Assuming Green opts in for the final year of his deal, Golden State is looking at paying out something in the neighborhood of $200 million in salary in 2023-24. And when you factor in the stiff repeater tax penalties the club will have to pay, that number grows exponentially.

So, even a modest, fair-market deal for Seth Curry could end up costing the Warriors an incredible amount of money. That’s not the only thing standing in the way of a potential partnership, either.

Seth Curry May Not Be Interested in Joining His Superstar Brother

The Curry patriarch further noted that Seth may have some hang-ups about signing with his big brother’s team, saying: “I’m not sure what they think about it, especially Seth. Seth has always been a guy that wants to make his own way, write his own story, create his own narrative.”

This tracks with comments made by Seth Curry to NBC Sports Bay Area last summer:

You never know what the future holds. I wouldn’t be against it, but it’s definitely not my preferred choice to be on the same team as him — definitely right now. I also like competing against him and trying to beat the best.

Being a younger brother gave me another leg up and an edge to get to where I am today. I always had somebody that I was chasing to be as good as, or better than, in literally everything, not only just basketball.

It’s no secret that Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is one of the more difficult players in the league to defend. He’s led the Dubs’ high-powered offense for more than a decade, winning four NBA championships along the way.

During a recent appearance on Theo Pinson’s “Run Your Race” podcast, Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell labeled Curry as one of the two most difficult players in the NBA to try and slow down, alongside Kyrie Irving.

“It’s between Kai (Kyrie Irving) and Steph, bro,” Mitchell told Pinson. “Steph, because that motherf***** don’t stop running around, bro. Like bro, he don’t stop. And the thing about Steph is the minute you f*** up it like ‘All right, bet, I got you’.”

Curry put together yet another dominant season in 2022-23. He had to miss some games due to various injuries, only playing in 56, but made an impact when he suited up for sure. Curry averaged 29.4 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.3% from the field and 42.7% from deep.

JR Smith Tells Hilarious Story of Matthew Dellavedova Trying to Defend Warriors’ Stephen Curry

Mitchell isn’t the only one who’s spoken about the amount of running Golden State’s No. 30 does on the court. JR Smith shared a similar anecdote during an April 2023 appearance on The Old Man & The Three With JJ Redick and Tommy Alter. Smith had told the hosts that his teammate Matthew Dellavedova “almost died” while chasing Curry around back in 2015.

“Delly almost died guarding Steph Curry,” Smith said. “No, he literally almost died. We have footage of this man in the ice tub like literally up to his neck trying to guard this man.”

Smith’s Cavaliers faced off against Curry and the Dubs in four straight NBA Finals from 2015-2018.

De’Aaron Fox Second’s JR Smith’s Stephen Curry Story After Matchup With Warriors

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox learned about defending Curry this spring, when he and the Kings faced off against the Warriors in the playoffs.

After Game 1 of the series, Fox joked about how difficult it is to chase the star guard around, saying his experience was quite similar to Dellavedova’s in 2015.

“Did you all see that clip with JR Smith talking about Delly guarding Steph? That sh— real,” Fox said, laughing, via the Sacramento Kings official YouTube channel. “It’s real. I mean honestly I didn’t guard Steph the entire game, but most of the first quarter, most of the fourth quarter I guarded him. Yeah, that clip is real. Obviously, my team wants me to do things offensively.

“Mike [Brown] talked about it as soon as he got here, he’s not worried about what I can do offensively. He wants to see me be better defensively. And that’s something I want to take the challenge of doing. I think we’ve all seen it in spurts, but I want to do it throughout the course of a game. Playing 40 minutes and scoring 38 points is cool, but just trying to be as disruptive as possible while guarding the best player to ever shoot a basketball, not just off the catch but off the dribble.

“Guy’s probably one of the craftiest players to ever touch the ball. Just being able to be try and be disruptive for me is the biggest step and I think that’s kind of something that… I want to prove to myself that I can go out there and just try to hound some of the best guards in the league.”

With Donte DiVincenzo’s player-option with the Golden State Warriors looming large, speculation has swirled that the 26-year-old might be finding a new home this summer.

His college teammate at Villanova, Josh Hart, recently alluded to his hopes of having DiVincenzo join him on the New York Knicks. Hart joked (but probably not really joked) with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks he’s trying to recruit Villanova guys to New York.

“There’s Nova guys that I’m trying to get to N.Y.,” Hart said laughing.

Rooks then prompted Hart about a tweet he’d liked that labeled DiVincenzo as “the shooting that the Knicks need.”

Hart continued to laugh and just said, “That’s my guy, you know what I mean. I was talking to him just the other day.”

Hart’s Knicks had a solid second-half of their season, making a push for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round of the playoffs, before eventually falling to the Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat in Round 2.

Donte DiVincenzo Predicted to Leave Warriors

DiVincenzo’s departure seems to be a forgone conclusion amongst members of the media. Golden State quite simply doesn’t have the cap space to resign him, and will likely be priced out by other teams around the league.

In a recent article for The Athletic, John Hollinger predicted that DiVincenzo would “seek greener pastures” this summer.

“The lesser version of the Bruce Brown story, DiVincenzo rehabbed his free-agent value as a productive sixth man on a playoff team and now is likely to have offers for the midlevel exception or more awaiting him,” Hollinger wrote. “He assuredly will opt out of his below-market deal and seek greener pastures.”

Hollinger did make a good point, the Warriors took advantage of DiVincenzo’s spotty 2021-22 season, where he appeared in just 42 games combined for the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings. Golden State was then able to ink him to a mid-level exception contract, which nets him just $4.7 million per year.

DiVincenzo certainly has raised his value after piecing together an impressive season for the Warriors, where he appeared in 72 games, and started in 36 of them. He averaged 9.4 points on 52.5% shooting from the field and a career-high 39.7% from beyond the arc. Those numbers could be enough to convince another team to price the Dubs out of re-signing him.

Jazz Pinned As Possible Landing Spot for Warriors’ Donte DiVincenzo

Again, Hollinger isn’t the only one who believes that DiVincenzo is headed out the door. Early last month, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley broke down the futures of all three of the Dubs’ potential impending free agents (DiVincenzo, Draymond Green, and JaMychal Green), sharing predictions about where they’d be playing ball next season.

“Well, he proved plenty during his first—and potentially last—season with the Warriors. In fact, he had such a productive run that declining the $4.7 million player option he holds for 2023-24, per Spotrac, feels like a no-brainer… Plenty of teams could use his win-now talents. Too many of them, actually, for the Warriors to afford to bring him back,” he wrote of DiVincenzo.

He later gave his official prediction of where the versatile guard would end up signing, pointing to the Utah Jazz.

“Prediction: DiVincenzo declines player option and signs with the Utah Jazz.”