Category: Golden State Warriors Blog

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Steve Kerr pleasantly surprised by NBA coaching list honor

Here’s the Bay Area News Group, via the San Jose Mercury News, on Warriors head coach Steve Kerr being pleasantly surprised by an NBA coaching list honor:

When the NBA’s list of the top 15 coaches of all time was released Tuesday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said it was “shocking” to see his name on it.

Kerr, who has won three championships and taken his team to the Finals five times in eight seasons with Golden State, was one of four active coaches to earn the honor, which was decided by a voting panel of all 30 current head coaches and 13 more former head men.

“I didn’t anticipate that,” Kerr said Wednesday before tipoff against the Utah Jazz. “It was very humbling and an incredible honor to see my name on that list. But I also know it’s a direct result of having incredible talent on our roster. If you look at that list, pretty much every coach would agree the reason they’re on there is because they were blessed with great talent and then were able to have success.”

With eight seasons under his belt, Kerr is the most junior of all of the coaches on the list, but his .696 winning percentage is second only to Phil Jackson and his three NBA championships are more than all but four others: Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), Pat Riley (5), Gregg Popovich (5).

Kerr’s success has continued this season, as the Warriors are only behind the Phoenix Suns in overall league standings.

Stephen Curry is still getting better, says Draymond Green

Stephen Curry yesterday passed Ray Allen to become the NBA’s all-time leader in regular season three-pointers made. Here’s the San Jose Mercury News with more:

The people who mattered most to Steph Curry in his lifelong journey to becoming the NBA’s all-time 3-point king were at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night to share the moment with the Golden State Warriors’ transcendent star.

As coach Steve Kerr said, “The fact that they’re here with him tonight tells you everything about Steph.”

One of those people is Brandon Payne, the personal trainer whom Curry has worked with since his rookie season. Payne, who lives in North Carolina, dropped everything to traverse the country over the past week to make sure he was there in person.

Not only does Curry credit his longevity for allowing him to reach the 3-point record, at age 33, by all accounts, he is only refining his physique.

“I don’t think he’s ever been stronger, physically,” Kerr said.

“I think he’s still getting better, which is scary,” added Draymond Green.

Warriors bench off to good start this season

On opening night Tuesday, the Warriors bench did big things in the team’s win over the Lakers. This may be a sign of things to come. Via the San Jose Mercury News:

There’s something special happening at the end of the Warriors roster, or at least Steve Kerr believes so. Just look at the box score from Tuesday night.

Two key numbers: 12 and 55. As in 12 Warriors saw the court, and the ones who didn’t start contributed 55 points. That kind of bench play allowed the Warriors to skirt by the Lakers on a cold shooting night from Steph Curry. It also conjured in Kerr’s mind memories of, we all can agree, pretty good times.

“It just feels like five or six years ago,” Kerr said following the opening night win, “when we just had guys up and down the roster who could play. … We’ve got vets coming off the bench who just know how to play (and) know how to win.”

It starts with Andre Iguodala, the sixth man extraordinaire back anchoring the second unit after two years in Memphis and Miami.

But he’s surrounded by a new supporting cast, one that the Warriors believe is a significant upgrade from a year ago in their fit within the team’s style and philosophy.

The Warriors are still awaiting a return from injury of two very key players: veteran star shooting guard Klay Thompson and young center James Wiseman.

Jordan Poole shines for Warriors in first preseason game of year

It’s always fun to see who stands out in preseason games. Because, quite often, for minutes reasons, it often isn’t who you’d expect. On the Warriors, here’s the Bay Area News Group/San Jose Mercury News:

It’s one preseason game. An exhibition. It’s important not to overreact.

But after watching the Warriors play Monday night in Portland, it’s hard to not be excited about the team’s possibilities this season.

This team looks significantly better than last year’s operation. Lightyears ahead, perhaps…

Now, Jordan Poole looking like the third Splash Brother — he had 30 points in the preseason opener Monday — was obviously a critical aspect of the Warriors’ success in Portland. Poole thrived in the latter part of last season and was rightly slotted in as the Dubs’ two-guard next to Steph Curry again Monday. That’s his job until Klay Thompson returns (and perhaps for a while after that, even). Poole had a few defensive mistakes Monday, but he has also improved enough on that side of the ball since his mid-season G-League stint that he should also be part of the Dubs’ closing lineup — even with Thompson in the fold.

The latest on Warriors SG Klay Thompson is good

There’s good news on Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson, via the ESPN.com:

Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson is starting to look more like his old basketball self amid his rehabilitation from a torn right Achilles injury.

Participating in his first official team practice since suffering the injury in an offseason workout Nov. 18, 2020, Thompson knocked down shots from all over the court, much to the delight of his teammates and coaches.

“Klay looked great,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after his team’s first practice Tuesday. “Shooting the lights out. His team won the daily shooting competition. And he was smiling, laughing, joking around, it was really fun to see the old Klay back.”

On paper, the Warriors don’t look like a championship contender these days, but they certainly belong back in the playoffs if Stephen Curry and Draymond Green get a healthy and effective Klay back alongside them once again.

In G League, Santa Cruz Warriors name new GM and head coach

Some Golden State G League news came out yesterday. Via the Santa Cruz Sentinel:

The Santa Cruz Warriors, the NBA G League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors, announced Friday that David Fatoki has been named general manager and Seth Cooper will serve as head coach for the 2021-22 season.

Additional basketball operations staff roles, including the assistant coaching staff and training staff, will be announced at a later date.

Warriors trade Eric Paschall to Jazz

The Utah Jazz have acquired forward Eric Paschall (PASS-cull) in a trade with the Golden State Warriors for a future second-round draft pick.

Paschall (6-6, 264, Villanova) played in 40 games (two starts) for the Warriors in 2020-21, averaging 9.5 points on 49.7 percent from the field, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.4 minutes per contest.

He was drafted by Golden State with the 41st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and following his rookie season in 2019-20, he earned 2019-20 All-NBA Rookie First Team honors, also competing in the 2020 All-Star Rising Stars Game. During his first season, he owned averages of 14.0 points on 49.7 percent shooting, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 60 games (26 starts).

The Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., native finished his collegiate career at Villanova (2016-19) where in 2018, he helped the squad to a 2018 NCAA Championship, also earning 2018-19 All-Big East First Team honors as a senior.

Sixers and Warriors reportedly discussed a Ben Simmons trade

There are all sorts of trade discussions happening involving Sixers guard Ben Simmons. Via the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The Sixers asked for Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, the Nos. 7 and 14 picks in tonight’s NBA draft along with two future first-rounders in exchange for Ben Simmons, according to multiple sources. The Warriors quickly turned down the offer.

This comes after a source confirmed The Ringer report that the Sixers asked the San Antonio Spurs for four first-round picks, three first-round pick swaps, and a young player in exchange for Simmons.

According to the Action Network, the Toronto Raptors rejected the Sixers’ asking price of Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and the fourth pick in tonight’s draft for a package that included Simmons.

Will Warriors pursue Ben Simmons?

Sixers guard Ben Simmons is young, talented, but will also probably be the subject of serious trade rumors throughout the offseason. Via the Philly Voice:

The Ben Simmons rumor mill continues to churn, and the latest potential suitor is a name you should expect to hear a ton up until draft night in late July: the Golden State Warriors.

That’s the word from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who has been a source of a lot of Simmons gossip this past week…

Any trade the Warriors are making this offseason is going to be in an effort to put a stronger supporting cast around Stephen Curry in the final year of his contract next season. Curry has never said anything to suggest he wants to leave the franchise where he became a megastar, but playing elite-level basketball only to miss the playoffs entirely surely is not what he has in mind for his twilight years.

Stephen Curry passes Wilt Chamberlain to become all-time Warriors points leader

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry scored his 17,784 career point in the first quarter of tonight’s game against the Denver Nuggets, passing Wilt Chamberlain (17,783) to become the franchise’s all-time points leader.

Curry entered tonight’s game with averages of 29.9 points (second in the NBA), 6.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.33 steals in 33.9 minutes over 45 games (all starts) this season. A three-time NBA Champion and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, Curry has spent his entire 12-year career with the Warriors.

Curry scored his first career point in his NBA debut on October 28, 2009 vs. Houston on a 19-foot jumper and broke the franchise record tonight on a three-foot driving layup with 1:40 remaining in the first quarter.