What does the future hold for Jonathan Kuminga in Golden State?

 

                                             (Credit: Cary Edmondson/Imagn Images) 

Earlier this week, the Golden State Warriors and small forward Jonathan Kuminga agreed to a two-year $48.5M deal following a contract dispute that lasted around three months. Kuminga was coming off the final year of his rookie contract (2024-25) that included a team option for 2025-26. He was hoping to get a new contract with the team that would give him more control, but in the end, he ended up settling for a two-year deal that included a team option for the second year (meaning the team still controls his rights) while also requiring him to waive his no-trade clause, meaning the Warriors can trade him starting January 15th, 2026. 

Given the current details on his contract, it sure looks like Kuminga is being retained by the Warriors for the purposes of being trade bait. That of course doesn't mean that's actually the case. The fact that there is the team option on the second year of the contract could also indicate the Warriors are open to the possibility of him being a part of their long-term future, but that they want to see how this season goes. Still, that said, the fact that the Warriors required him to waive his no-trade clause indicates that at a minimum, they'd like to leave open the possibility of trading him. 

A major reason for why the Warriors might be open to trading Kuminga is the fact that he missed a decent chunk of last season due to an ankle sprain while also seeing a slight dip in his production. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on 52.9% shooting from the field, 32.1% shooting from 3-point range, and 74.6% shooting from the field in 74 games played (26.3 minutes per game). In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on 45.4% shooting from the field, 30.5% shooting from 3-point range, and 66.8% shooting from the foul line in 47 games played (24.3 minutes per game). 

It would make sense for the Warriors to see if Kuminga has an improved 2025-26 season before making a determination on what to do with him. Come January 15th, they should have a good feel for what direction he's trending and be able to make a pretty well-informed decision: 

If he has an improved season and is averaging 18+ points per game with better shooting numbers, it probably would make sense for them to hang onto him and see if they can orient things towards a long-term future. If he doesn't have an improved season, then it would probably make sense for them to look for a trade partner. Given he is only 23 years old, a lot of teams would still be intrigued by his upside as a former lottery pick and the Warriors could almost certainly get something of value for him. Kuminga might not like it, but for the Warriors, this is really the best situation for them to be in. 

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Could Jimmy Butler give the Golden State Warriors one Last Dance?

 

                                             (Credit: Getty Images) 

The Golden State Warriors have won four NBA championships since drafting Stephen Curry back in 2009. They've gone from being a laughing stock to a dynasty. One of the few NBA franchises to make such a transformation. With Curry now at 37 years old, Klay Thompson traded to the Dallas Mavericks, and Draymond Green only a couple years behind Curry at 35, Father Time is catching up. He always does. 

To give them a push for one more title run, the Warriors made a trade to land Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat, giving up Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and a protected first round pick. The Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, and Detroit Pistons also were involved to help facilitate the deal. 

In 20 games with the Warriors, Butler is averaging 17.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.3 assists per game. The Warriors are 16-4 in those games, turning them into one of the top teams in the Western Conference. They are currently 41-31 overall and 7th in the Western Conference, but if they keep this up with Butler, they got a legit chance to rise to as high as 4th with 10 games to go. 

If the Warriors do end up getting a top five seed in the Western Conference, it would be foolish to count them out. This is a team that has championship DNA and while he has never won an NBA championship before, Butler did lead the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances, so he knows what it takes to get there. Especially as an under-seeded team (5th seed in 2020 & 8th seed in 2023). 

At this point, it does feel like the stars could be aligning for one final championship run. Much like the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls team that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was a player on. The Warriors have had many different eras during their dynastic run: One NBA championship before the Kevin Durant era, two with Durant, and one more post-Durant. If they could win a fifth title and have it be Jimmy Butler's first with him being the catalyst, that would be pretty special. 

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Would San Jose make a good NBA expansion city?

                                             (Credit: Ben Parker/CardinalSportsReport.com) 

In December, I covered the San Jose Tipoff college basketball event held at SAP Center, home of the NHL's San Jose Sharks. Specifically, I was covering the Stanford/Oregon men's game for CardinalSportsReport.com. Oregon won the game rather comfortably, but as I was there, it naturally got me to thinking about the possibility of the NBA having an expansion franchise in San Jose. 

                                             (Credit: Robert Edwards/USA TODAY Sports) 

For a bit of context, the NBA has 30 teams at the moment. With the NFL having 32 teams, there are naturally questions about when the NBA will follow suit and expand to 32 as well. There are rumblings that expansion could be happening in the near future with Seattle and Las Vegas being the front runners to be the next two teams in line to get a team. 

However, there is a possibility the NBA goes a different direction and only adds a team in one of those two cities. I think Seattle is more of a lock than Las Vegas as the Supersonics were really popular in Seattle. There's a built in fanbase there and with the NHL having a team in the Seattle Kraken, there is now an arena that is up to the NBA's standards (Climate Pledge Arena). Key Arena became too old and obsolete for the NBA, resulting in the Sonics moving to Oklahoma City. There is a lot of momentum to get Seattle a team again and I think if the NBA had to choose between Seattle and Vegas, they'd choose Seattle. 

Las Vegas has never had a team before, so there isn't a built in fanbase there and the NBA doesn't feel the same need to owe anything to Vegas. Especially since they play the NBA Cup championship there as well as NBA Summer League. The NBA already has a bit of a Las Vegas presence through those two events anyways. 

If the NBA were to add a team in Seattle and some place other than Las Vegas, several different cities would enter the equation such as Vancouver (original home of the Memphis Grizzlies), Montreal, Austin, Kansas City, Buffalo, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Louisville, San Diego, Mexico City, and San Jose. 

While I think all of those cities can put forth a strong case for why they deserve an NBA franchise, for the purposes of this blog post, I want to specifically focus on San Jose since I just covered a basketball game at SAP Center, the logical home arena of a San Jose NBA franchise. The experience of seeing basketball at that arena is fresh on my mind. 

As a quick side note, most of my memories at SAP Center have been going to watch the now defunct ATP Tour tennis tournament that used to be played there. I've only been to one Sharks game in my life and the San Jose Tipoff was the first time I had seen basketball played there in person since Cal men's basketball played against Syracuse in the 2013 NCAA tournament (Syracuse defeated Cal 66-60). Most of my memories at SAP Center have been to watch tennis, so it was fun for me to experience basketball there once more. 

Note: On my tennis blog ATPGuy.com, I share more thoughts on why the SAP Open should return to San Jose. Click here to check that out. 

Overall, SAP Center is a perfectly fine venue for basketball. You can tell that it's more designed for hockey with the way the arena is shaped. In order to fit more people in, they added an extension of seats behind the basket. Those seats looked okay, but if they were to have an NBA team playing there, they'd likely want to figure out a way to make those seats better than what they had the fans at the San Jose Tipoff seating on. They weren't bad seats, but they would need to make that experience look a bit more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. As for the seats that were courtside, those looked good.  

There'd likely need to be some adjustments made and discussions had to make the basketball viewing experience a bit better, but aside from that, it would work out well for an NBA arena. It's a really nice arena and has a capacity of 18,543 for basketball without any obstructions. The Delta Center, home of the Utah Jazz has a capacity of 18,306 for basketball while the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors has a capacity of 18,064 for basketball. The SAP Center capacity-wise is easily NBA level. No issues there at all. 

As for the city of San Jose itself, it's the third most popular city in California after Los Angeles and San Diego and the 13th most populous city in the United States with a population of just under one million people. It's the largest city in the Bay Area and San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland Combined Statistical Area. When you consider that, it's puzzling the Golden State Warriors didn't move down there when they decided to move from Oakland. The Warriors instead moved to San Francisco, which is where the Chase Center is located. 

When you look at the population of the city and the fact that it has an NBA level arena, the main hurdle to San Jose getting its own NBA team is the Golden State Warriors, who represent the entire Bay Area. At least they say they do (I'll get more into that momentarily). With the Warriors in nearby San Francisco and the Kings in Sacramento, which is about 90 minutes or so outside of Oakland, the NBA is highly unlikely to want to put a team in San Jose when there are other markets that don't have a team at all. They have two teams in Northern California and two teams in Southern California. One in the Bay Area, one in Sacramento, and two in Los Angeles. They can easily feel like they have California covered. 

That all said, I still think San Jose can make a strong case to have an NBA franchise despite the presence of the Warriors in San Francisco: 

The first point I would make is the Warriors I don't feel really represent San Jose. They say they're the Bay Area's team, but it's very clear that their marketing is geared towards San Francisco and Oakland. They have returned to San Francisco after a very long stay in Oakland and in truth really identify as more of an Oakland/San Francisco team. If you notice, they don't have any San Jose themed jerseys or logos. It's all "The City" for San Francisco and "The Town" for Oakland. Or just "Golden State", which represents the entire state of California. There is nothing for San Jose. The only true San Jose teams are the Sharks and the Earthquakes (MLS). 

Furthermore, while San Jose is close to San Francisco, it's also far away enough to be considered a different market. The two cities are 48.4 miles apart. That's further apart than the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers are from each other (13.5 miles) and the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets are from each other (5.7 miles). 

Not only that, the San Jose metro area also includes cities like Los Gatos, Campbell, and Morgan Hill that are even further away from San Francisco. Los Gatos is 51.5 miles away from San Francisco, Campbell is 51.3 miles away, and Morgan Hill is 69.2 miles away. These are places with money and households that likely would be interested in attending NBA games if an arena was closer to where they lived. A fanbase could easily be cultivated out of the San Jose metro area. 

To wrap this all up, while an NBA team in San Jose is unlikely to happen, I don't think it should be ruled out. A Battle of the Bay for the NBA would be pretty fun and by expanding into San Jose, the NBA would get access to a market that has money and influence. A market that I argue they aren't fully tapping into. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: What are the odds we see a Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals rematch?

 

                                             (Credit: Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Sports) 

The NBA regular season tips off tonight with both NBA Finals teams playing, though not against each other. The Boston Celtics squared off against the Philadelphia 76ers while the Golden State Warriors faced the Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA obviously wanting to feature both of their NBA Finals teams on opening night. In this blog post, I want to address the possibility that we see a rematch of last year's NBA Finals with the Warriors and Celtics facing each other for a second straight year. 

What helps to boost the odds of both teams facing off is the fact that they have their core rosters back. The Warriors with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. The Celtics with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Al Horford. When you bring back a core group that got to the NBA Finals the season before, your odds of getting back are as good as they can get. 

The second thing that helps boost the odds is that the Warriors in particular have been through this rodeo many times before. They've represented the Western Conference in six of the last eight NBA Finals and won four of those six trips. They know what it takes to get back to the NBA Finals. For the Celtics, this is a new journey for them. Whether or not they have what it takes to get back for a second straight year remains to be seen, but if you look at the way things are trending, there's good reason to think they can get back again. 

Aside from injuries, which is always the biggest hurdle to teams getting back to the NBA Finals, probably the biggest hurdle/reason for doubt is the chaos that has surrounded the departure of Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. He was having an improper relationship with a member of the Celtics organization. Whether or not Joe Mazzulla can fill in and guide the Celtics back to the NBA Finals is a big question mark for the Celtics right now. If he can, odds are good Udoka's time in Boston is over. 

On the Warriors side, probably their biggest hurdle is just father time. Curry, Thompson, and Green are all getting older. It's tough to keep playing in June year in and year out and it's possible this last championship was more of a final second wind for the group. But, if there's any group that could navigate this, it's the Warriors. Head coach Steve Kerr does a good job of resting his guys and keeping the eye on the prize. They also have some talented young players who can fill in and take the load off until playoff time. 

Ultimately, if I had to bet on it, I would say we likely won't see both teams back in the NBA Finals in 2023 only because it's just so hard to get back. The Warriors are getting older and it's unclear if they can handle the grind once more while with the Celtics, it's unclear if Mazzulla can get the job done. That said, it wouldn't shock me if we saw a rematch, either. The Warriors do have a lot of experience and the Celtics having now gotten a taste of the NBA Finals are going to be more seasoned and experienced. It'll certainly be fun to see how both teams do and which team does better at getting back for a second straight year. 

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2022 NBA Finals Preview: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics

 

                                             Credit: Getty Images/TSN

Tonight, the 2022 NBA Finals tip-off in San Francisco with the Golden State Warriors hosting the Boston Celtics. The Warriors come in having taken out the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the Western Conference Finals while the Celtics snuck past the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the series in seven games. 

The Warriors come into this series as the seasoned NBA Finals veterans having won three NBA championships in 2015, 2017, and 2018 while also reaching the NBA Finals in 2016 and 2019. As for the Celtics, while their franchise historically is tied with the Los Angeles Lakers with most NBA titles (17), this current Celtics group is new to this big of a stage. 

Stephen Curry (25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, & 6.3 assists) is the leader of this Warriors team, playing some of the best basketball of his entire career. While Kevin Durant is no longer on the team, the Warriors have picked up right where they left off before he even joined them in the first place. They're looking like the Warriors team that won in 2015 with Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Jordan Poole, and Andrew Wiggins forming a solid core around Curry. 

As for the Celtics, Jayson Tatum (26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, & 4.4 assists) leads the charge along with Jaylen Brown (23.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, & 3.5 assists). The two of them form a really dynamic wing duo that is very difficult to stop. They too have a solid cast around them in Dennis Schröder, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford. 

As for what's going to determine this series, I think a lot of this comes down to whether or not the Warriors play a clean, efficient series or not and whether or not the Celtics will be able to force them into playing sloppy basketball. The Warriors are the more experienced team. If they play their best basketball, they're going to win this series. However, they sometimes have lulls or moments where they are sloppy and not playing their best. If the Celtics can take advantage of those moments and play a clean, efficient series on their end, this series could get interesting. 

For the Warriors, Curry is going to need to come up big and have an NBA Finals MVP-level performance. They cannot expect to win this series if he isn't playing at his best. He really is the engine that makes this Warriors team go. As for the Celtics, they need Brown and Tatum to be on their game. If those two guys are balling out, the Celtics have a chance. 

Prediction: I got the Warriors winning this series in six games. They have championship experience and know what it takes to win an NBA championship. I think the Celtics will do enough to take a couple games of the series, but when it's all said and done, the Warriors will be the ones lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Stephen Curry will also take home his first NBA Finals MVP award. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Should the Golden State Warriors be favored to win the West?

 

                                             (Credit: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press) 

At the moment, the Golden State Warriors are up 3-1 on the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs. It's the only Western Conference series that's clearly going in favor of one team. The top-seeded Suns are being pushed to the brink by the eight-seeded Pelicans tied 2-2 in their series; the two-seeded Grizzlies are up 3-2 on the seven-seeded Timberwolves after winning 111-109 tonight; and the five-seeded Jazz will look to force a game seven on Thursday against the Mavericks. 

The Warriors are on cruise control right now and assuming they advance, they'll face either a Grizzlies team that got pushed to the brink of elimination or an up and coming Timberwolves team that doesn't seem ready to reach the conference finals. And then who knows who'd be waiting for them in the conference finals if they get there. Even if it's the Suns and Devin Booker is back, the Warriors have more championship experience. And that's really the whole point here. The Warriors are the only team in the entire Western Conference playoffs who have proven championship DNA. Everyone else for one reason or another can be called into question. 

This isn't to say the Warriors are perfect or that they don't have their flaws. They do. There's a reason they didn't get the top seed in the West. But when looking around the rest of the conference, it's hard to not look at the Warriors and think they should be favored to come out on top. Stephen Curry is back, Klay Thompson is back, Draymond Green is healthy, and Jordan Poole is a rising star. They have their core championship unit intact and appear to be heating up at the right time. 

As of this moment, I believe the path to an NBA title out West goes through Golden State. Their overall body of work speaks for itself and nobody else in the conference appears ready to grab the bull by the horns and take control. It'll be interesting to see if Golden State goes on to win the West rather unopposed or if some worthy challenger out of all these other struggling teams will emerge. 

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Saturday Slam: Klay Thompson's return is huge for the Golden State Warriors and fun for the NBA

 

                                             (Credit: Jeff Chiu/AP Images) 

The long awaited return of Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson is finally here. After being out for over 900 days due to a torn ACL and a torn Achilles, Thompson will make his return on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers at home. Thompson missed the entire 2019-20 season due to his ACL and then missed the entire 2020-21 season due to his Achilles. To say the least, it's been a while since we've seen him play in an NBA game. 

For the Warriors, the return of Thompson is huge. He's one of the greatest shooters the NBA has ever seen, cut out of the Ray Allen/Reggie Miller cloth as a lethal shooter in catch and shoot situations. He moves really well without the ball and if you give him any space, he'll hit a three in your face. In the 2018-19 season, Thompson averaged 21.5 points per game on 46.7% shooting from the field, 40.2% shooting from 3-point range, and 81.6% shooting from the foul line. He was an All-Star for the fifth consecutive season and he was just starting to enter the prime of his career before going down with two bad injuries. If he's able to get back to that form or close to it, he'll be a very nice boost to a Warriors team that is 29-9 and looking to get back to the NBA Finals. 

As for the NBA at large, it's just fun to have Klay back. He's a really fun player to watch and has one of the better personalities in the league. He has a bit of a dry sense of humor and is laid back while also being very lethal on the court. As good as Stephen Curry is, I think we've all missed seeing Curry play with Thompson by his side. The Splash Brothers as they have been called, are now back as a duo and the league will be better for it. 

In terms of what we can realistically expect from Thompson, it's probably fair to expect him to be a bit rusty at first. He needs to get back into game conditioning and it could take him a little bit of time to find his rhythm. But in time, I do expect him to get back to being one of the best shooters in the league and who knows, maybe he'll surprise me and get off to a great start on Sunday. Regardless, I'm glad he's back and I hope he's able to stay healthy going forward. 

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Saturday Slam: Stephen Curry has solidified himself as the greatest Warrior

 

                                             (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports) 

Not that there was much doubt about who the greatest player in Golden State Warriors history was before this week, Stephen Curry passed Wilt Chamberlain on Monday night to become the all-time leading scorer in franchise history with 53 points in a 116-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Becoming the all-time leading scorer in franchise history is fitting for Curry as he has led the organization to three NBA championships and been the backbone of the organization for over a decade. The only thing that stood in his way in terms of solidifying himself as the greatest Warrior of all-time was the scoring record and now he has it. 

What makes Curry so amazing is his consistency and his ability to bring it night in, night out. He's not only the greatest player in Warriors history, he's arguably the greatest shooter in NBA history period. The only other players in NBA history who I think give him any sort of run are Reggie Miller and Ray Allen and I'd still pick Curry over both of those guys for best shooter ever. 

The reason why is Curry is such a lethal shooter off the dribble. Both Miller and Allen were at their best in catch and shoot scenarios, whereas Curry is lethal both in catch and shoot and off the dribble situations. If anything, he's even more dangerous off the dribble, which just makes his shooting all the more impressive. 

As one who likes to see basketball played at its highest level, it's truly a gift to have Stephen Curry still out there doing his thing, torching opponents from deep. He literally is the human flame thrower. Some of those shots he throws up are from another planet it seems. Hopefully he'll continue to dazzle us for a very long time. 

Touching quickly on where things sit for the Warriors, they are 28-28 at the moment and rookie big man James Wiseman is done for the year due to surgery on his knee. They are 9th in the Western Conference standings which means they are right in that sweep spot to make the play in tournament for the playoffs (top six teams in each conference make the playoffs, seeds 7-10 go to a play in tournament). So, they still have a shot to make the playoffs, but the odds of them doing any damage are low. Especially with Wiseman now out as well as Klay Thompson still sidelined. 

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Mock Draft Monday: James Wiseman was the right pick for the Golden State Warriors

 

                                             (Credit: Santiago Mejia-SF Chronicle) 

Like every NBA draft, there is debate about whether or not the right players went to the right teams and vice versa. There is even more scrutiny about the guys who go towards the top of the draft and this year's draft is no exception. Last week, the Golden State Warriors selected former Memphis Tigers big man James Wiseman #2 overall with LaMelo Ball still on the board. Given the season-ending Achilles injury to Klay Thompson, many wondered whether or not the Warriors should take Ball instead since he's a guard who can shoot the ball and create plays for others. I.e. Perhaps Ball could be an insurance policy for Thompson. 

While this line of thinking isn't all bad, the Warriors were still smart to take Wiseman. He's a versatile, 7'1", 247 pound big man who can run the floor, block shots, score around the rim, rebound, and maybe even score from the midrange. There's a ton to like about him and given his unique package, the Warriors would have been foolish to pass on him. I understand that a guard may be a more pressing need, but the Warriors need to think big picture here, which is why Wiseman was the right pick. 

The one thing the Warriors have lacked over the past few seasons is an impact big man that can do it all on both ends of the floor. Assuming Thompson is able to make a full recovery as expected, the Warriors will have an added dimension that they haven't had before. In addition to their perimeter shooting, stellar guard play, and killer small ball lineups, they'll have a big man who can give them another look that they haven't had before. Some could argue it's a look they don't need, but still, having a big man who can do the things Wiseman does should be welcomed on this team. Plus, their other draft pick is a pretty talented guard in Nico Mannion, who I followed closely during his high school and college career. So, it's not like they didn't address their guard needs at all in this draft. 

In addition to being a good fit for this current Warriors team, Wiseman also has the potential to be a player who they can build their franchise around in the future. Impactful big men like Wiseman don't grow on trees and if you can scoop one up in the draft, you really have no reason to not do so. Hell, one could argue the Timberwolves weren't smart to pass on him even with the presence of Karl-Anthony Towns. 

The bottom line is when you look at what this Warriors team needs right now and what they need for the future, James Wiseman was clearly the right guy for them to pick. He gives them a post presence they've been lacking and a potential superstar to build around. Warriors fans should be very excited about how their team did in this draft. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: It's nice to have Stephen Curry back

                                         (Credit: Stan Szeto/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters) 

On Thursday, March 5th, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry returned to the lineup against the Toronto Raptors, finishing with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. The Raptors won the game 121-113, reminding us that they are indeed contenders to the win the NBA championship despite no longer having Kawhi Leonard. But the big story of the night was the return of Curry, who had missed 58 games due to a broken left hand. Curry has since missed the last couple of games with the flu, but is expected to be back on Thursday against the Nets.

What I wanted to quickly do in this blog post is express my gratitude that Curry is back. Whether you are a fan of the Warriors or not, chances are you've been entertained by Curry's wizardry on a basketball court. His incredible dribbling moves, his wide array of shot making, and ability to leave your jaw on the floor in sheer awe. Curry is a gift to the game of basketball and I for one am glad to have him back. Even if we won't see him in the playoffs this year.

Hopefully Curry will be able to play out the rest of this season and give us a taste of what's to come next year when Klay Thompson returns to the fold. This Warriors team isn't done contending for championships yet and provided they get their key pieces back, they should be a force next year and beyond. So to some extent, the rest of the NBA should enjoy this year while they have it because next year, the Warriors are going to be back to their usual tricks.

One final thought is that we never know how long these great basketball players are with us. While most of them are with us for a very long time, sometimes we sadly lose them before we are ready to say goodbye. In that vein, I just want to say that I'm glad we got Steph back, I'm glad he's healthy, and I hope he has many more years ahead of him where he can entertain us and remind us why he's one of the most unique talents to ever step on a basketball court.

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Saturday Slam: Will Andrew Wiggins thrive in Golden State?

                                          (Credit: John Hefti-Associated Press) 


The biggest trade made at the deadline was the Minnesota Timberwolves trading Andrew Wiggins to the Golden State Warriors, getting D'Angelo Russell back in return.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski, the #Warriors are trading D'Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans, and Omari Spellman to the #Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins, a 2021 protected first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick. Wolves’ 2021 pick is protected to No. 3 & becomes unprotected in 2022. #NBA

— NBA Lord (@nba_lord) February 7, 2020

When the Warriors got Russell, many assumed he was going to be used as a trade chip due to the fact that they already had two other ball dominant guards in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Those assumptions turned out to be correct as the Warriors did in fact move him to get a better fit in Wiggins: Another wing that can play alongside Curry and Thompson.

In his 6th year in the NBA, Wiggins is averaging 22.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He's putting up solid numbers, but the Timberwolves felt a more ball dominant guard like Russell would be a better fit alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, who has emerged as their franchise player. The Warriors conversely felt Wiggins would be a better complimentary piece around the players that they already have.

Considering their recent championship success, Golden State is a perfect fit for Wiggins, who had been stuck in a losing environment in Minnesota. He gets to be around a winning culture and be more of a complimentary piece as opposed to dealing with the pressures of being the go-to player. Once Curry and Thompson come back, he'll give the Warriors a solid third/fourth option alongside Draymond Green, bring athleticism out on the wing, and solid defense. It'll be interesting to see how this goes once the Warriors are back to full strength.

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Mock Draft Monday: Going to the Golden State Warriors offers the best of both worlds

If you head over to NBADraft.net, a site that I contribute to during the months leading up to the NBA draft, you'll notice that the Golden State Warriors are currently projected to get the top pick in 2020. Of course, one cannot predict the lottery and how that will shake out, but regardless, at the rate they're going, the 5-23 Warriors are going to end up with a really nice draft pick.

Typically, most teams picking in the top five of the NBA draft are rebuilding and a few years away at least from being serious contenders. The Warriors are an exception as they were in the NBA finals last season. They are only in tank mode due to Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry both getting injured. Come the 2020-21 season, both guys should be back to full strength and ready to gun for another championship alongside the help of a top rookie.

If you are one who is gifted enough to see themselves at the top of these mock draft boards, you have to be praying to go to the Warriors. You'll get paid top rookie money and not have to be a part of a long rebuilding process. Instead, you'll instantly get to be a part of a team that is eager to get back to the NBA finals.

As for what kind of rookie the Warriors should be targeting, they could use more help in the front court, making Memphis big man James Wiseman and Duke big man Vernon Carey logical targets. Given the presence of Thompson and Curry, it wouldn't make sense for the Warriors to go with a point guard or a wing unless they really fall in love with one. Georgia shooting guard Anthony Edwards might turn out to be such a wing.

As we head into 2020, it will be interesting to see how the Warriors do and if they fully embrace tanking. I wrote a blog post earlier about how they should do that and given where they are in the standings right now, it looks like they're taking my advice to heart. It kind of sucks for Warriors fans to watch their team struggle to this degree, but with Thompson and Curry set to return next year alongside a lottery pick, the future remains bright.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: The Golden State Warriors should tank this season

After losing on Monday night to the Utah Jazz on their home floor by a final score of 122-108, the Golden State Warriors have fallen to 2-9 on the season. Stephen Curry is out 3+ months with a fractured hand, Klay Thompson is out for likely the season as he recovers from a torn ACL, and as a whole, this Warriors team looks nothing like they have in past seasons. Their starting lineup against the Jazz was D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Poole, Draymond Green, Glenn Robinson III, and Willie Cauley-Stein. Talk about a different looking lineup!

What makes this extra painful for the Warriors is the fact that they just moved into the Chase Center, their new arena in San Francisco. When you move into a new arena, you're beginning a new era and no team wants to begin a new era like this. Ideally, they would be playing competitive basketball and once again putting themselves in the mix to get a high seed in the Western Conference.

But alas, that is not the case. The Warriors are struggling and instead are on pace for the worst record in the Western Conference and possibly the NBA! It's crazy how much they've fallen from last year! The only silver lining in all of this is that with Thompson likely out for the year anyways, the Warriors were not going to win the NBA championship this year. This was going to be a rebuilding season, so if you're going to rebuild for a year, why not take it to the max and go full tank mode?

The Warriors' core trio of Curry, Thompson, and Green is getting older and they won't be around forever. Getting a really talented rookie to add to the mix just might be what this team needs more than anything else, hence the need to tank. If they can somehow land a top three or even top five pick in next year's draft, the Warriors may bounce right back and once again be a contender within a year or two.

As much as the Warriors' front office doesn't want to swallow this pill, the best thing they can do is just ignore this year and be willing to lose as many games as possible. The higher the draft pick they get for next year, the better.

                                           (Credit: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press)

One major decision the Warriors have to make is what to do with D'Angelo Russell, who has shown some promise as is evident by his 52 point explosion against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He could be a nice piece for them to hang onto or he might be better used as a trade chip to help them rebuild. It's not obvious what the Warriors should do with him, so they better use these next couple of months to closely evaluate him. If there's one thing Warriors fans should watch for this season, it's what their team does with Russell. 

Given that they're already tanking the season without even trying to, the Warriors might as well embrace the current and flow with it. Fighting it and trying to salvage this season in the long run is the wrong thing to do. Their sights need to be set on next season and beyond. If they can have this perspective, things should work out alright for them. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Everyone is sleeping on the Golden State Warriors

Due to the departure of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson's torn ACL, many assume the 2020 Western Conference champion will be someone other than the Golden State Warriors, who have won the last five Western Conference titles. While there are a lot of good teams in the Western Conference that could certainly dethrone them, it has been surprising how many people, including myself, seem to have forgotten just how much of a strangle hold the Warriors have had. 

I don't want to undermine the significance of losing Durant and the injury to Thompson. Durant was huge to the Warriors' championship runs and Thompson, the second Splash Brother, is a killer back court mate for Stephen Curry. The road just got harder for the Warriors, but that doesn't mean it's impossible for them to conquer. Below are three reasons why the Warriors can still get back to the NBA Finals in 2020. 

#1. Stephen Curry: If there is one player who has had to sacrifice their ego to make this Warriors team work, it's Stephen Curry. Before Durant came aboard, the Warriors were Curry's team and he did a masterful job of running them. Now, once again, the Warriors belong to Curry and you can bet that he is excited. Plus, Curry knows how much he and his team are being overlooked. Look for a very motivated and focused Curry this season. That should scare everyone in the NBA. 

#2. Experience: When you have been to five straight NBA Finals, one thing you definitely have is experience. The Warriors have been through a lot as a team and have always found a way to come out of the West anyways. They know how to dig deep and go to the well better than any team in the NBA. The rest of the Western Conference is much more unproven and until someone comes along and proves that they can beat them, the Dubs deserve the respect that five straight NBA Finals appearances gets you. 

#3. Klay Thompson isn't out for the year: While the Warriors will start the season without Klay, he's not done for the season. He should be back after the All-Star break and help the Warriors make a championship run come playoff time. So long as they have the Splash Brothers as well as Draymond Green, the Warriors should be feeling pretty good. On top of that, they have an amazing head coach in Steve Kerr who can be trusted to make the right adjustments. 

The bottom line: The Warriors have made five straight NBA Finals appearances for a reason and still have a ton of talent and experience. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Steve Kerr have been through the fire before and know what it takes to go all the way. I understand the Western Conference has a lot of interesting new flavors, but that shouldn't make us forget who has been winning the West over these last several years. 

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Saturday Slam: DeMarcus Cousins has really fallen from grace

At the end of the 2016-17 season, DeMarcus Cousins concluded a season in which he averaged 27.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in 72 total games played. He spent the bulk of that season with the Sacramento Kings but was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans to conclude the season. Since that year, everything has gone downhill for him in a rather shocking manner.

First, in the middle of the 2017-18 season, Cousins suffered a torn Achilles which limited his season to just 48 games. Prior to the injury, he was playing really good basketball, averaging 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. A torn Achilles is no joke, but an injury that one can come back from with the proper rehab. Still, no team wanted to take a chance on him until the Golden State Warriors scooped him up for close to nothing. He spent most of the 2018-19 season in street clothes, but was able to produce a little bit during the 30 games he played, averaging 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game before going down once again with a torn left quadriceps.

Already looking like he might be damaged goods, the Los Angeles Lakers threw their caution to the wind and decided to sign him this past July, hoping that he could get back to full strength. Instead, he tore his ACL in a preseason workout a little over a month later in mid-August, ruling him out for the entire 2019-20 season.

In the midst of all this injury misfortune, Cousins got married and even that didn't go as planned thanks to a leaked audio tape of him threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend over the phone for not allowing their son to come to his wedding. As a result, an arrest warrant was issued and now he's in the middle of an ugly legal dispute.

At just 29 years of age, Cousins' career seems to be over and what's crazy is that it wasn't that long ago that he was an NBA All-Star. We've seen guys drop off quickly, but rarely do we see guys drop off like this. It's like one day he's the best big man in the NBA and the next day he's having a hard time convincing teams to take a chance on him. Hopefully for him, he is able to find his second wind. If not, he better get ready for life after basketball.

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Saturday Slam: Draymond Green is the modern version of Dennis Rodman

                                         (Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez-The Associated Press) 

Earlier today, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors have agreed on a four-year, $100M contract extension, giving him a five-year $118M contract in full. Green could have been an unrestricted free agent next summer, but instead has decided to re-up with the Warriors while taking a potential pay cut in the process. Had he hit unrestricted free agency next year, he could have been looking at a $235M contract, which is just mind boggling.

Rather than doing a standard "Here's why he's worth or not worth this contract" type of article, I wanted to explain why Green is the modern version of Dennis Rodman. While known more for his antics and colorful hairstyles, Rodman was an absolute beast on the court. He won five NBA championships, was named Defensive Player of the Year twice, made two All-Star appearances, was named to seven NBA All-Defensive First Teams, and led the NBA in rebounding seven years in a row from 1992-1998. He was the epitome of tenacity, hustle, and determination.

                                          (Credit: Bill Smith/Chicago Bulls) 

While he doesn't have his hair dyed in different colors every night with tons of tattoos and body piercings, there's actually a lot that Green has in common with Rodman. Through his first seven seasons in the NBA, Green has three NBA championships, three All-Star appearances, three NBA All-Defensive First Team honors, and one NBA Defensive Player of the Year honor. When you consider the pace he's on, Green could walk out with a Hall of Fame resume very similar or perhaps even better than Rodman's.

In addition to the accolades, Green plays a pretty similar style as "The Worm." They both pride themselves on their energy, passion, and ability to get in the heads of their opponents. They like to annoy opposing teams and are generally only liked by fans of their team. On top of that, both are undersized post players (6'7", 220-230 pounds) who pride themselves on shutting down bigger players due to their hustle, determination, and grit. One final commonality they share is they were early second round draft choices. Rodman went #27 overall in the second round to the Detroit Pistons in the 1986 NBA Draft while Green went #35 overall in the second round to the Golden State Warriors in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Both are players who overachieved and accomplished far more than anyone thought they would. The odds of lasting in the NBA beyond three years as a second round pick are slim while the odds of having a Hall of Fame career as a second round pick are even lower. If you're a second round pick, you're not even guaranteed to make the team. To go from that to Hall of Fame level is nothing short of amazing.

While there are a ton of similarities between these two players, there are some key differences. First, Rodman was a much better rebounder than Green. For his career, Rodman averaged 13.1 rebounds per game while averaging as much as 18.7 rebounds per game in a single season (1991-92). Green in contrast has averaged 6.9 rebounds per game for his career, averaging as much as 9.5 rebounds per game in a single season (2015-16).

Another key difference between the two players is Green is much better at blocking shots and disrupting passing lanes. For his career, Green has averaged 1.4 steals per game and 1.1 blocks per game. He averaged a league best 2.0 steals per game in the 2016-17 season while averaging 1.4 blocks per game in both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. Rodman in contrast averaged 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks per game for his career, never averaging more than .9 steals or blocks per game in any season.

One final key difference is Green is a much better scorer. Green has averaged 9.1 points per game for his career, averaging a career-high 14.0 points per game in the 2015-16 season. Between the 2014-15 and 2017-18 season, Green had double-digit scoring averages (11.7 points per game). To go along with that scoring, Green has developed a reliable 3-point shot, shooting 32.3% from beyond the arc for his career. Rodman in contrast had just one season scoring in double figures per game (11.6 points per game in the 1987-88 season). His career scoring average is a modest 7.3 points per game and he never developed a reliable 3-point shot, shooting 23.1% from beyond the arc on 0.4 attempts per game for his career.

In terms of who would you rather have on your team, you really can't go wrong with either player. Green gives you a more well-rounded attack with his scoring, shot blocking, steals, and solid rebounding while Rodman gives you a ridiculous rebounding attack backed up by adequate scoring, and solid all-around defense. In some ways, both players are products of their own eras. Green plays in an era where players are expected to be more well-rounded while Rodman played in an era that allowed players to carve out more of a niche. Rodman found his niche with rebounding and thrived as a result. Had Green played in Rodman's era, he probably would have been much more of a specialist while had Rodman played in today's era, he would have probably been a more well-rounded player.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: The Golden State Warriors screwed Kevin Durant

                                         (Credit: Getty Images) 


The Golden State Warriors' dramatic 106-105 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night was overshadowed by Kevin Durant going down once again with what is believed to be a torn right Achilles tendon. Normally, a team would be all smiles or at least giving off vibes of relief after keeping their NBA Finals hopes alive, but that was not the case with the Warriors last night. Instead, they were giving off vibes of frustration and sadness as a result of losing their best player for the season and possibly beyond. The post-game press conference held by Warriors GM Bob Meyers perfectly encapsulated that frustration and sadness as he was holding back tears talking about Durant.



Before I begin explaining why the Warriors screwed Durant, let me first say that anyone questioning Durant's toughness or lack of willingness to play in the NBA Finals is a MORON. As one who has gotten to know high level basketball players as part of my job covering Cal hoops for Rivals.com, I can confirm that these guys will play at all costs and never want to miss a game. Basketball is who they are. If you are saying a guy like Durant isn't tough for not coming back earlier, you either have a negative agenda or you don't know high level basketball players. Or both.

With that mini tirade out of the way, let me begin another tirade if you want to call it that. The Warriors screwed Durant. Plain and simple. I'm not saying it's any one individual's fault. I don't agree that it should all fall on Meyers' shoulders, though I applaud him for being willing to accept the blame. That takes courage on his part.

The Warriors as a collective whole screwed Durant. The coaching staff, front office, medical staff, and even teammates all played some role in pressuring Durant to return when it was clear to all of us that his return was being rushed. There were reports earlier that if this wasn't the playoffs, Durant would be out for several weeks, indicating that the Warriors knew this was a really serious injury.

Even more cynically, I think it's pretty clear that Durant's injury was worse than what the Warriors were letting on. They said calf strain, but the vibe was that it was something much more serious like a torn Achilles. Meyers insists that it was a calf injury the first time and that this time around, it's an Achilles. I have a really hard time buying that. While I'm no medical doctor, I'm pretty familiar with the severity of sports injuries and the whole time the vibe I got was an Achilles. As soon as Meyers coughed up that it was an Achilles, I thought to myself: "That's what it was the first time, too."

The Warriors knew they were playing with fire by bringing Durant back and yet they rolled the dice anyways. Sometimes when you play with fire you get burned and that's exactly what happened to the Warriors. Actually, it was Durant who got burned, which makes it all the more tragic. As a result of the Warriors' reckless decision to put Durant in harms way, they may have cost him his NBA career. A torn Achilles is no joke. It's like the kiss of death for NBA players. He may never come back from this, which is why the Warriors should feel like trash right now.

If you think I'm being too harsh, don't take it from me. Take it from Meyers. His body language was that of one who knew his organization screwed up. That's why he was crying. If this was another freak accident, he wouldn't have come to the podium to address the media. The fact that he addressed the media at all indicates the Warriors knew going in it was a risk to play Durant. They did not believe Durant was fully healed or anywhere close to full strength, which puts the blame squarely on them.

The only way to defend the Warriors is to say that Durant really wanted to play and that if he wants to go out there and ball, he should be allowed to do as he pleases. The problem I have with that is you have to see the bigger picture in matters like this. One championship isn't worth sacrificing someone's career. It just isn't. Especially when you've already won three titles in four years.

On top of that, the Warriors know how to win without Durant. At this point of the series, even if Durant could play, you could argue it would be better to not play him over concerns of him messing with their flow or getting off to a rusty start. The fact that he came out on fire doesn't change this. The Warriors have enough firepower to win without Durant and their lack of confidence in themselves to do so continues to baffle me.

The bottom line here is the Warriors decided to sacrifice Kevin Durant's career to get a one point win in an NBA Finals that they are probably going to lose no matter what. Is anyone's health or career worth that? The answer is no and the Warriors know it. End of story.

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Skyhook Sunday: Do the Toronto Raptors need to win Game 5?

                                         (Credit: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) 

On Monday, the Toronto Raptors will get the chance to win their first NBA championship on their home floor. Even more impressive is the fact that this is Game 5. When I predicted the Golden State Warriors would win the series in six games, I thought I was showing the Raptors a fair amount of respect. I believed they were a dangerous, good team. My main reservation was the fact that this was their first time in the NBA Finals and they were going up against a team that has won two straight titles and three of the last four NBA Finals. The fact that the Raptors have owned the Warriors through the first four games of this series is incredible. It's just a matter of them finishing what they started and not letting the Warriors come back.

With that in mind, the question that I want to address tonight is do the Raptors need to win Game 5? Of course they want to finish this sucker ASAP, but what I'm asking is should they still feel confident in their chances to win this series even if they don't close it out on Monday night? Is having an insurance Game 7 at home enough to give them the peace of mind to not overly stress about Game 5?

My answer to this question is rather nuanced and I apologize in advance: The Raptors do not need to win Game 5, but it would be really nice if they did! I think the Raptors have played well enough that they deserve to be favorites for the rest of this series. My belief is you should always pick the home team to win a Game 7, which means if this series does come down to one final game in Toronto, the Raptors should be favored to win. Period. Kawhi Leonard has proven to be a terrific closer and if he's given a chance to close out a series twice on his home floor, you best believe he'll get it done one of those two times.

That all said, the longer this series goes on, the more life the Warriors will have. Especially since Kevin Durant could be back for a Game 7 or possibly sooner than that. The official status of KD is he practiced on Sunday and is a game-time decision for Monday, though it seems unlikely he'll play. If he is able to get back on the floor and give the Warriors any sort of boost, it could be lights out for the Raptors. The possible return of KD in a Game 6 or 7 should he not play in Game 5 should be enough to motivate the Raptors to win this series now.

                                          (Credit: Silverscreenings.org) 

When the six-fingered man had Inigo Montoya on the ropes in The Princess Bride, he should have finished the job when he had Montoya severely wounded. Instead, he toyed with Montoya, allowing him to strike back and avenge the death of his father. The Raptors do not want to be like the six-fingered man. They want to end this while they have the Warriors on the ropes. So while they don't have to win Game 5 on Monday, this series will suddenly get really interesting if we are having a Game 6 in Oakland on Thursday night.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Toronto Raptors are in the driver's seat to win the NBA Finals

                                         (Credit: Frank Gunn-The Associated Press) 

On Wednesday, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors 123-109 to take a 2-1 series lead in the NBA Finals. Kawhi Leonard had a huge game with 30 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, doing a little bit of everything to help the Raptors get the win. As for Stephen Curry, he was sensational on the other side for the Warriors, scoring a playoff career-high 47 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. The problem for him was he didn't get enough help as Klay Thompson (hamstring), Kevin Durant (calf), and Kevon Looney (collar bone) were all out.

I said on Tuesday that the Warriors would be hard pressed to win without Thompson and that certainly proved to be the case in Game 3. Basketball is a team sport and when you lose enough guys, it's tough for any team to win. Even if they have a guy as good as Curry on their team.

At this point in time, the Raptors are in the driver's seat to win this series. They've stolen home court advantage right back, putting all the pressure on the Warriors to win Game 4 on Friday. By extension, there's a ton of pressure on the Warriors to get Thompson back. Without him, I don't see them winning another game in this series.

On that note, Steve Kerr sounded optimistic that Thompson would play on Friday in his post-game comments while sounding much less sure about Durant. If I had to guess, I would say Thompson plays on Friday while Durant will once again be inactive. Odds are starting to look good that Durant won't play at all in this series and that the Warriors have known this the whole time.

Assuming Thompson is a go on Friday, the Warriors still have a chance to win this series, but the odds are not in their favor. The Raptors have the advantage now and need to make sure they shut the door on the Warriors while they can do it.

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Saturday Slam: The Golden State Warriors have to win Game 2 in Toronto

                                          (Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports) 

On Thursday, the Toronto Raptors dominated the Golden State Warriors 118-109 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Pascal Siakam went off for 32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks while Kawhi Leonard finished with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. As well as Stephen Curry played (34 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists), he didn't get the help he needed and now his team finds themselves in a must win situation in Game 2, which tips off Sunday night in Toronto at 8:00 PM EST on ABC.

Going into this series, I said the Raptors had to defend Jurassic Park like their lives depended on it and so far they are doing just that. Granted it's only been one game, but their performance in Game 1 was very impressive. Especially when you consider the fact that they came in as two point favorites. If they are able to take a 2-0 series lead and defend Jurassic Park once again, they'll be in the driver's seat to win this series.

I hate to call games "must win" this early on in a series, but this game really does feel like one the Warriors have to get. If they go down 0-2, I don't see them winning four straight games to win the series, which means that a Game 7 is the best case scenario that they can hope for. In Game 7, you always have to pick the home team. Even if the road team is as good as the Warriors.

If the Warriors want to avoid an 0-2 hole, they first need to take much better care of the ball. In Game 1, they turned the ball over 16 times, allowing the Raptors to get out in transition. If they are as sloppy with the ball in Game 2 as they were in Game 1, they will not come out victorious.

Secondly, Stephen Curry needs to get more help. Draymond Green (10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists) and Klay Thompson (21 points and 5 rebounds) played well, but they were the only players that helped out. Andre Iguodala was quiet, Kevon Looney didn't do much, and DeMarcus Cousins was a big dud. Someone else on this Warriors team needs to step up to give Curry, Green, and Thompson the help they need.

Third, the Warriors have to do a much better job on Siakam, who ate them for lunch in Game 1. The Warriors didn't seem to know how good Siakam was, but now they can consider themselves warned. If he has a big outing in Game 2, I don't see how the Warriors win. Especially since Leonard can be expected to be more productive.

The bottom line here is the Warriors have to win Game 2 on Sunday. They cannot go down 0-2 and expect to win this series even if Kevin Durant does return for Game 3 and beyond. The Raptors are too good.

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