Wow. That was a nice haul. Thought Giddey could be the surprise pick, and he was, just at 6 instead of 7. So, roster decisions.
PG. 1. Curry 2. Poole 3. keep GP II as on ball defensive specialist
Nico Mannion one more year on a Two-Way
SG. 1. Klay 2. Moody 3. D Lee Jessup one more year in NBL
SF. 1. Wiggs 2. Baze (resign 3-yr 10m using some of TPMLE. He can give you starter minutes at 2/3 if needed, he's a vet, was great in 2nd unit next to Poole at end of year.)
3. Kuminga
PF 1. Dray 2. Paschall 3. JTA
C 1. Wiseman, 2. Looney 3. M Chriss (same deal as Baze using up partial TPMLE)
Veteran Free Agents? Can we do better than GP II, D Lee, Baze or Chriss in the FA Market? Sure. But as role players, I like all of these guys and there aren't questions about fitting into the system because they have all been in it. The question is, can GSW get an "Impact Vet" with TPMLE or Vet Min, someone who can be a top 8 rotation player in the Offs? If they can, great. If they can't, it looks like the bottom third of the roster can get filled out on the cheap with good guys we already know.
I like your list and your loyalty to the existing guys. But I expect a bit more change. Baze almost certainly will get a longer/better deal than W’s will offer. Paschal already fell off the rotation and these new guys will just push him down more. GPII and Chriss are good bets. Pretty likely we’ll see a couple of new faces at 3/4. If we can get a stronger vet for the MLE or min at the 5 then Chriss won’t have a spot either.
I think we can get Chriss at the minimum. Bazemore on another minimum would be cool, but overlaps with Lee quite a bit probably shouldn’t get the MLE if guys like Batum or Mills are options. Like Abaddon says below , JTA is likely a much bigger part of their plans than Paschall.
Nice list. I have JTA ahead of Paschall at the 4 and Kuminga likely in the G league much of the year. I agree with your VFA thoughts. Based on Bob's comments, I am expecting the FO really wants to add such a hypothetical "Impact Vet". I would expect them to focus on the 2-3 due to lack of depth, especially looking at the window before Klay comes back we are very thin at the 2.
Yeah, I agree, JTA is above Paschall, but I see Paschall having more success as a 4/5, where I like JTA as a 3/4. I always thought if we did land Moody, then that would spell the end of our reunion with Baze. You got Poole, D Lee and Moody who can fill out the 2 while Klay rehabbing. As Klay starts working his way in, the 2 will start getting real crowded. If Baze is on the move, then safe to say D Lee will remain.
Bobby Marks: It would have been easy for the Golden State Warriors to trade either one of their lottery picks for much-needed bench help. Instead, they took a player in Jonathan Kuminga who could turn out to be the best player in a loaded draft. Moses Moody has top 10 potential, and Golden State picked him up at 14. Because Kuminga is more of a development project, expect the established Moody to see more playing time in 2021-22. One thing to remember is that the Warriors have limited financial flexibility due to the contracts of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. Kuminga and Moody are on four-year contracts that total $42 million in combined salary.
I'm not saying they are wrong, but it's funny to see all these outlets talk about Moody like he's a four year college player and not a young 19. Must be the hairline.
Or it could be the fact that hes of the best sharp shooters in the draft. I mean, 42% on catch n shoot 3's is nothing to sneeze at.
He will have immediate impact on offense and defense...but dont get me wrong, im not expecting him to be a wing w the starters in any of our SBDS lineups
Today I learned never to read Kendrick Perkins' analysis while my mouth contains any fluid. Comparing Kuminga to Jordan Bell has now means I need a new keyboard and a cloth for my screen. It was damn nice coffee too <waves fist>!
I mean, I think he's right that Kuminga's position in the NBA is probably 4 unless he really develops on a Jaylen Brown/Kawhi Leonard type path as a shooter.
For the record (and to be fair), a source from Golden State weighed in to deny this. 2 other league sources independent of one another said it was accurate, including Durate being told on the bus ride to the draft that he'd be the pick at 14.
I don’t know what GSW wanting Duarte at 14 has to do with wanting him so bad that they are still trying to trade Moody for him after the press conferences? The story sounds completely suspicious.
So the claim is that the Warriors told Duarte before the draft, as he was getting onto his bus, that he will be taken at 14? Is that typical for that pick range? Feels kind of hard to promise that kind of thing... top 3-5 picks, depending on year, seems reasonable that you could make that sort of promise... but 14??
So, if I had to piece everything together. Sounds like GSW expected Duarte at 14... possibly had Moody penciled in at 7 (Myers said they considered him at 7)... when Kuminga fell, they had to decide between Moody or Kuminga... they chose the latter and were pleasantly surprised Moody was still available at 14.
Oh and now IND is trying to make their assets look nicer while they figure out what to to with Turner/Sabonis situation and are conveniently using this (true) rumor about GSW planning to pick Duarte at 14.
Let's see what the local media does tomorrow with this Indy Star report if Lacob/Myers are behind the podium. IMO not too hard to read that the Warriors probably wanted a ready made plug and play player in Duarte or Mitchell to balance that Kuminga pick out. Once Mitchell was off the board, Indiana knew GS had only Duarte left. My guess is that they like Duarte enough to play him OR to extract assets from GS but either way If Duarte, Mitchell, and Moody are there I don't think they even bat an eyelash Moody's way.
Kind of weird since Myers said in his press conf that Dray texted him Moody around the 9th pick and Myers thought he wouldn't be available at 14. So is it that they didn't want Moody, or that they talked themselves in Duarte so much because they didn't even think Moody was an option.
And if no trade for Duarte materializes (as I expect) let's predictably watch the segment of the fanbase bent on criticizing the FO at every turn find some other team-unfriendly rumor to latch on to.
But let's be fair too. If a national media member like Mark Spears corroborates the story you'll probably criticize that too as not being as locally connected. In other words you bash a segment of the Warriors fanbase for bashing ownership and yet most of your arguments this evening have been in response to said fans. I'll make you a deal. Let's give this a week. If nothing comes about it (no second story no actual trade) I'll come on here and give the ownership led FO kudos for drafting Moody. But if something comes of it then I don't want to hear another angle of justification from you. Fair enough? 🙂
Deal, with the condition that more reporting from the same Indiana beat writers on this will not serve as a second story; it's merely the continuation of their original story.
I don't mind criticism of the front office or of ownership. They deserve to be critically evaluated just like anyone else does. What I find strange is when certain fans look for any reason to discredit the decisions of the team they are fans of and are always willing to believe in the worst as far as their own team's management goes, either ignoring their recent history of success or claiming they have no buy-in from their best players, when there is no evidence of that being true. After a while, you start to see a pattern that is pretty confusing (to me).
I do have hope of him atleast becoming an average shooter because of the confidence of how he shoots it. It's one thing to be a bad shooter and one thing to be a bad shooter with no confidence of ever becoming one, kuminga can put the work in and fix it up quickly and if he does his potential is unlimited
Jerry West selected Keon Johnson and Brandon Boston Jr, two high-risk, high-reward type of players. Johnson in particular has major questions in regards to his shot. Isn't selecting that kind of player in Kuminga what everyone is giving Myers grief about? The idolatry of West is hilarious sometimes.
I didn't say that because I don't like the picks. I don't have enough information to have an opinion. Just having West as part of the brain trust would put me more at ease though. Can't hurt to have another good mind helping with decisions
I agree with you Bobbita but just simply from an optics perspective. I just don't believe someone of Jerry Wests ilk would sit there with the media and banter about a player speaking four languages. He would lay out strengths and weaknesses and make us fans feel better about the pick. Nothing about Myers presser gave me any sense of confidence.
"Can't hurt" is a long way from "need Jerry West back" though. I wouldn't mind having him around either of course but I don't believe in West-as-prophet narrative that some definitely subscribe to around the Dub fandom, giving Jerry credit for anything positive the Warriors did while he was here, from the draft to free agency and beyond, and minimizing the role of Myers and co in those decisions. If you're not repping that particular viewpoint, we aren't in dispute.
Man that's how I feel tbh. About to go to bed and now I'm nervous that were going to get Smailigic fleeced for another first rounder somewhere down the line and the 'lower upside' player. Feels like when all these feel good vibes went out in Philly when they drafted Mikal Bridges then they traded him away an hour later
Golden State, league sources tell @IndyStarSports , is trying to get the #Pacers to part with Duarte. Offering Moody + other assets. They're not budging right now. Duarte was the pick they wanted, too, apparently. Top of their board
I mean who of our local reporters is well connected to the FO/Ownership though? You have MT2 who is well connected to the players. Tim Kawakami maybe but leaking stories is not his spiel. I'm not saying to read more into it but there is some rationale with Indiana staying put and drafting Duarte ahead of GSW when most pundits had Duarte potentially falling another few spots and teams wanting to move up. Indiana knew GS was keen on him
Marcus Thompson, Austin Slater, Monte Poole, Connor Letorneau, Wes Goldberg, just to name a few. There are several plugged in Warriors beat writers at various media outlets here in the Bay that often report on actual scoops or leaks of information in a timely manner. Don't see any of them corroborating this claim, mentioning it, or retweeting it.
Does this sound believable to you? Because to me this is a pretty obvious move by a team to leverage their relationship with a local writer to improve the stock of a player they may be thinking of trading. If anything, this makes me think that they are not as hot on Duarte and want to boost his trade value ahead of some type of move.
I'm sorry but other than Thompson (with players) and maybe Slater I don't believe the local pundits have any inroads with ownership so no I don't read too much one way or the other. I remember last year most of the pundits (other than Slater) were assured that the Warriors would NOT be selecting Wiseman. And then quickly backtracked using the workout as the turning point in why they missed in their assessment. As far as Indiana no I don't believe they would be trying to boost their own trade value. If anything they probably have a FO savvy and connected enough to know the Warriors would be going hard after Duarte after losing out on Mitchell.
You don't have to believe it, they have a history of good reporting as far as this front office's decisions. Predicting who the team would take in the draft is just one aspect of reporting on the team. You calling these reporters pundits is you doing a disservice to the quality of their work and you haven't supported it with anything substantial.
If you want to believe what some other team's beat writers (who you know even less about as far as trustworthiness compared to our local crew) at face value that's your prerogative. Just don't try to pass it off as fact because it certainly isn't that.
If there’s a trade, I’ll believe it. But it sounds suspiciously like IND telling reporters how everyone is throwing themselves at IND to get the wonderful Duarte that they picked.
Funny because right before this posted when Bob was relaying the Draymond wanting Kuminga then Moody story When he got to Moody and he said he didn't think Moody would be there I immediately thought "They wanted Mitchell or someone else to fall" so now this story makes sense
One thing I'm jealous about is how wrong all these mock drafters got the picks for some of these other teams versus how right they got it for the Warriors. Why can't the Warriors keep their plans closer to the vest (remember the Smailagic pick)? I'm not saying the Raptors should have taken Barnes over Suggs but would the Warriors have ever been able to pull that secrecy off? Or does Lacob just like the sound of his voice too much?
Oh well, I guess all the leaks give us stuff to talk about at least.
I know I didn't capture everyone's mock draft and there are certainly many more out there than this but I think I captured a decent cross-sampling. Sure, several guys had Kuminga going to us but several also called Bouknight, a few called Wagner, and a few called Mitchell. Almost no one called Moody for us at 7 or 14, with most guys feeling we would take Duarte or Mitchell with the latter. Granted, both of those guys were off the board by 14 taking the choice out of the Warriors hands but I still don't understand the take that "all these mock drafters" saw exactly what the Warriors plans were.
Of the handful of mocks I was keeping on eye on, felt like it was mostly Mitchell and eventually Bouknight that were pegged at 7. With a little sprinkling of Kuminga and Wagner.
You do make a couple of valid points. I think the ESPN guys on Lowe Post and Connor locally made the point that the Warriors weren't as high on Moody as we were originally led to believe. They both did say that the Warriors would select Moody at 14 if there but not at 7 but I guess it's looking like they truly were really high on players like Mitchell and Duarte for that pick. More immediate contributors to balance out that Kuminga pick.
My point is that there were a chorus of different voices as far as the Warriors draft selections and there was no overwhelming consensus out there in the media as to whom they would take. Some of them had either Kuminga or Moody coming to us, but that really isn't all that surprising because there aren't that many players in the lottery and if enough people throw out enough guesses, some of them will be correct.
Sure, we were not as unknowable as Memphis. I think that happens when you make a pick like Williams who is largely considered a reach by most draft analysts I've seen evaluate the picks. Still don't believe that this means the Warriors didn't keep their plans "close to the vest" as you indicated earlier. There wasn't any consensus on who they would go with before the draft.
@IndyStarSports is trying to get the #Pacers to part with Duarte. Offering Moody + other assets. They're not budging right now. Duarte was the pick they wanted, too, apparently. Top of their board
Kuminga is going to have to work with a shooting coach this year to shore up his release. His shot looks ok but there's still a little hitch that'll prevent him from rising up and consistently being on target. Overall I like his potential to be a playmaker and he should improve defensively as his career progresses. He better learn some counter moves though because NBA guys are not going to get bullied that easily going into the paint.
They are paying a ton of money on developmental coaches. If there was ever a time to take a flyer on a huge upside huge potential bust player it would be now.
When your cohorts at Sactown Royalty started Kings Herald did you all try to sell them on Substack? Their website is very user/comment unfriendly and it's plagued by some of the same ad issues that GSOM is plagued with. I generally follow the Kings as my secondary team but it's hit or miss (mostly miss) pulling up the comments section of my phone. Substack seems a bit rudimentary but it's so easy to comment from my cheapie Android.
Richtigfalsch. We voted for the Warriors to pick Moody (Correct), but with the 7th pick (Incorrect). Richtigfalsch is the German word for being simultaneously correct and incorrect. (please don't check my work)
I'm simultaneously baffled about the Kuminga pick and thrilled about the Moody pick. The results are great if we just swap the order but the process is so bizarre, how could they possibly pick Kuminga when Wagner was right there? Would they have taken Moody if Mitchell or Duarte were there? They aren't planning on giving Kuminga actual NBA minutes, are they? But how can they not if they picked him at 7? What are they thinking, are they looking for a trade still?
Whatever, Moody at 7 and Kuminga at 14, I'll take it. Thank you Sacramento and Indiana, you guys are heroes.
They (and Toronto with SBJ) have enough success stories in the bank to trust them imo. Memphis have had really solid drafts in succession (JJJ, Ja, Clarker, Bane/Tillman) so I'm very curious to see how Ziaire does (I'm very low on him).
Have you seen his touch though? He misses so so badly. It's not slightly long or slightly short, he misses by a countrymile (loads of airballs in there too).
This is exactly what makes me think it's going to be long process for his shot. Form and consistency is one thing... but the way he misses is just ugh... not just long or short, they're off to the side at the same time.
I've been asking myself if he'll have a better chance of having a decent outside shot or gaining 2-3 inches and 20lbs so he can just being a rim-running freak like Giannis.
True but let's get him some solid coaching and culture and see how he goes, hes shown flashes to not hate the pick entirely, I'd rather of had bouknight but theres no better environment for kuminga to reach his potential
Honestly I did prefer Kuminga to Bouknight and Mitchell.
I just can't defend the pick when Wagner was right there. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they expected Moody to fall, although they probably just got lucky lol.
Lol. I was despondent between 7 and 14, not gonna lie. Wasn't even happy when the Pacers took Duarte because I just assumed the Warriors were going to draft a 21+ year old or something instead of Moody.
I'll try to get behind Kuminga, nothing against the kid personally, but man I really think they should trade him still.
Wow. That was a nice haul. Thought Giddey could be the surprise pick, and he was, just at 6 instead of 7. So, roster decisions.
PG. 1. Curry 2. Poole 3. keep GP II as on ball defensive specialist
Nico Mannion one more year on a Two-Way
SG. 1. Klay 2. Moody 3. D Lee Jessup one more year in NBL
SF. 1. Wiggs 2. Baze (resign 3-yr 10m using some of TPMLE. He can give you starter minutes at 2/3 if needed, he's a vet, was great in 2nd unit next to Poole at end of year.)
3. Kuminga
PF 1. Dray 2. Paschall 3. JTA
C 1. Wiseman, 2. Looney 3. M Chriss (same deal as Baze using up partial TPMLE)
Veteran Free Agents? Can we do better than GP II, D Lee, Baze or Chriss in the FA Market? Sure. But as role players, I like all of these guys and there aren't questions about fitting into the system because they have all been in it. The question is, can GSW get an "Impact Vet" with TPMLE or Vet Min, someone who can be a top 8 rotation player in the Offs? If they can, great. If they can't, it looks like the bottom third of the roster can get filled out on the cheap with good guys we already know.
I like your list and your loyalty to the existing guys. But I expect a bit more change. Baze almost certainly will get a longer/better deal than W’s will offer. Paschal already fell off the rotation and these new guys will just push him down more. GPII and Chriss are good bets. Pretty likely we’ll see a couple of new faces at 3/4. If we can get a stronger vet for the MLE or min at the 5 then Chriss won’t have a spot either.
I think we can get Chriss at the minimum. Bazemore on another minimum would be cool, but overlaps with Lee quite a bit probably shouldn’t get the MLE if guys like Batum or Mills are options. Like Abaddon says below , JTA is likely a much bigger part of their plans than Paschall.
Nice list. I have JTA ahead of Paschall at the 4 and Kuminga likely in the G league much of the year. I agree with your VFA thoughts. Based on Bob's comments, I am expecting the FO really wants to add such a hypothetical "Impact Vet". I would expect them to focus on the 2-3 due to lack of depth, especially looking at the window before Klay comes back we are very thin at the 2.
Yeah, I agree, JTA is above Paschall, but I see Paschall having more success as a 4/5, where I like JTA as a 3/4. I always thought if we did land Moody, then that would spell the end of our reunion with Baze. You got Poole, D Lee and Moody who can fill out the 2 while Klay rehabbing. As Klay starts working his way in, the 2 will start getting real crowded. If Baze is on the move, then safe to say D Lee will remain.
Batum wanted to join last yr before the Klay injury...maybe he will this yr? One can wish
From https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31915713/2021-nba-draft-winners-losers-surprises-bold-predictions:
Bobby Marks: It would have been easy for the Golden State Warriors to trade either one of their lottery picks for much-needed bench help. Instead, they took a player in Jonathan Kuminga who could turn out to be the best player in a loaded draft. Moses Moody has top 10 potential, and Golden State picked him up at 14. Because Kuminga is more of a development project, expect the established Moody to see more playing time in 2021-22. One thing to remember is that the Warriors have limited financial flexibility due to the contracts of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. Kuminga and Moody are on four-year contracts that total $42 million in combined salary.
I'm not saying they are wrong, but it's funny to see all these outlets talk about Moody like he's a four year college player and not a young 19. Must be the hairline.
I remember reading an article about the Dubs training staff originally thinking Moody was a Junior/Senior when he came in for workouts.
Bob Myers mentioned this again yesterday. It's in LGW's article about Myers' Post-Draft Zoom call.
Yeah, there's an uncommon level of craft and maturity to his game at his age, I think.
I think people are wrong to assume that makes him a low upside prospect though.
Or it could be the fact that hes of the best sharp shooters in the draft. I mean, 42% on catch n shoot 3's is nothing to sneeze at.
He will have immediate impact on offense and defense...but dont get me wrong, im not expecting him to be a wing w the starters in any of our SBDS lineups
Today I learned never to read Kendrick Perkins' analysis while my mouth contains any fluid. Comparing Kuminga to Jordan Bell has now means I need a new keyboard and a cloth for my screen. It was damn nice coffee too <waves fist>!
I mean, I think he's right that Kuminga's position in the NBA is probably 4 unless he really develops on a Jaylen Brown/Kawhi Leonard type path as a shooter.
Although I guess Bell was a 5 so nevermind lol
The Indy reporter follows up:
For the record (and to be fair), a source from Golden State weighed in to deny this. 2 other league sources independent of one another said it was accurate, including Durate being told on the bus ride to the draft that he'd be the pick at 14.
https://twitter.com/thisisjmichael/status/1421001589549158401?s=21
I don’t know what GSW wanting Duarte at 14 has to do with wanting him so bad that they are still trying to trade Moody for him after the press conferences? The story sounds completely suspicious.
It sounds like the Indy guy used "is trying" when he meant "was trying", and that by the time the Warriors took Moody the trade talks were done.
Or maybe it's just propaganda for the Pacer fans. Either way, Warriors got the guy whether by luck or planning.
Kuminga for Duarte would save a heck of a lot of luxury tax!
So the claim is that the Warriors told Duarte before the draft, as he was getting onto his bus, that he will be taken at 14? Is that typical for that pick range? Feels kind of hard to promise that kind of thing... top 3-5 picks, depending on year, seems reasonable that you could make that sort of promise... but 14??
I can believe GSW telling Duarte that if he’s there at 14, he’s their pick.
So, if I had to piece everything together. Sounds like GSW expected Duarte at 14... possibly had Moody penciled in at 7 (Myers said they considered him at 7)... when Kuminga fell, they had to decide between Moody or Kuminga... they chose the latter and were pleasantly surprised Moody was still available at 14.
Oh and now IND is trying to make their assets look nicer while they figure out what to to with Turner/Sabonis situation and are conveniently using this (true) rumor about GSW planning to pick Duarte at 14.
To be fair he said they considered him at 7 "earlier in the process".
Yep. Who's to say he didn't mean "earlier" as in, "until Kuminga fell to 7"?
Let's see what the local media does tomorrow with this Indy Star report if Lacob/Myers are behind the podium. IMO not too hard to read that the Warriors probably wanted a ready made plug and play player in Duarte or Mitchell to balance that Kuminga pick out. Once Mitchell was off the board, Indiana knew GS had only Duarte left. My guess is that they like Duarte enough to play him OR to extract assets from GS but either way If Duarte, Mitchell, and Moody are there I don't think they even bat an eyelash Moody's way.
Kind of weird since Myers said in his press conf that Dray texted him Moody around the 9th pick and Myers thought he wouldn't be available at 14. So is it that they didn't want Moody, or that they talked themselves in Duarte so much because they didn't even think Moody was an option.
And if no trade for Duarte materializes (as I expect) let's predictably watch the segment of the fanbase bent on criticizing the FO at every turn find some other team-unfriendly rumor to latch on to.
But let's be fair too. If a national media member like Mark Spears corroborates the story you'll probably criticize that too as not being as locally connected. In other words you bash a segment of the Warriors fanbase for bashing ownership and yet most of your arguments this evening have been in response to said fans. I'll make you a deal. Let's give this a week. If nothing comes about it (no second story no actual trade) I'll come on here and give the ownership led FO kudos for drafting Moody. But if something comes of it then I don't want to hear another angle of justification from you. Fair enough? 🙂
Deal, with the condition that more reporting from the same Indiana beat writers on this will not serve as a second story; it's merely the continuation of their original story.
I don't mind criticism of the front office or of ownership. They deserve to be critically evaluated just like anyone else does. What I find strange is when certain fans look for any reason to discredit the decisions of the team they are fans of and are always willing to believe in the worst as far as their own team's management goes, either ignoring their recent history of success or claiming they have no buy-in from their best players, when there is no evidence of that being true. After a while, you start to see a pattern that is pretty confusing (to me).
One thing about kuminga shooting
I do have hope of him atleast becoming an average shooter because of the confidence of how he shoots it. It's one thing to be a bad shooter and one thing to be a bad shooter with no confidence of ever becoming one, kuminga can put the work in and fix it up quickly and if he does his potential is unlimited
Man we need Jerry west back
Jerry West selected Keon Johnson and Brandon Boston Jr, two high-risk, high-reward type of players. Johnson in particular has major questions in regards to his shot. Isn't selecting that kind of player in Kuminga what everyone is giving Myers grief about? The idolatry of West is hilarious sometimes.
I didn't say that because I don't like the picks. I don't have enough information to have an opinion. Just having West as part of the brain trust would put me more at ease though. Can't hurt to have another good mind helping with decisions
> I don't have enough information to have an opinion
Hasn't stopped you before
I agree with you Bobbita but just simply from an optics perspective. I just don't believe someone of Jerry Wests ilk would sit there with the media and banter about a player speaking four languages. He would lay out strengths and weaknesses and make us fans feel better about the pick. Nothing about Myers presser gave me any sense of confidence.
"Can't hurt" is a long way from "need Jerry West back" though. I wouldn't mind having him around either of course but I don't believe in West-as-prophet narrative that some definitely subscribe to around the Dub fandom, giving Jerry credit for anything positive the Warriors did while he was here, from the draft to free agency and beyond, and minimizing the role of Myers and co in those decisions. If you're not repping that particular viewpoint, we aren't in dispute.
I rather have Travis Schlenk and Larry Riley back. Exhibit A: Hawks growth (vs Clippers crashing out again albeit due to Kawhi 's injury)
Jalen Johnson & Sharife Cooper makes it sound like they were picking at 15 & 20 not 20 and 48
Yeah, Atlanta looking really good under Schlenk and Riley.
I better not wake up tomorrow and see we traded Moody and a future 1st for Duarte.
Man that's how I feel tbh. About to go to bed and now I'm nervous that were going to get Smailigic fleeced for another first rounder somewhere down the line and the 'lower upside' player. Feels like when all these feel good vibes went out in Philly when they drafted Mikal Bridges then they traded him away an hour later
Can we not pls Bob?
https://twitter.com/ThisIsJMichael/status/1420979259779190784?s=19
Golden State, league sources tell @IndyStarSports , is trying to get the #Pacers to part with Duarte. Offering Moody + other assets. They're not budging right now. Duarte was the pick they wanted, too, apparently. Top of their board
I'll believe it when I hear it from one of our local beat reporters as opposed to someone connected to Indy who (surprise) just drafted Duarte.
I mean who of our local reporters is well connected to the FO/Ownership though? You have MT2 who is well connected to the players. Tim Kawakami maybe but leaking stories is not his spiel. I'm not saying to read more into it but there is some rationale with Indiana staying put and drafting Duarte ahead of GSW when most pundits had Duarte potentially falling another few spots and teams wanting to move up. Indiana knew GS was keen on him
Marcus Thompson, Austin Slater, Monte Poole, Connor Letorneau, Wes Goldberg, just to name a few. There are several plugged in Warriors beat writers at various media outlets here in the Bay that often report on actual scoops or leaks of information in a timely manner. Don't see any of them corroborating this claim, mentioning it, or retweeting it.
Does this sound believable to you? Because to me this is a pretty obvious move by a team to leverage their relationship with a local writer to improve the stock of a player they may be thinking of trading. If anything, this makes me think that they are not as hot on Duarte and want to boost his trade value ahead of some type of move.
I'm sorry but other than Thompson (with players) and maybe Slater I don't believe the local pundits have any inroads with ownership so no I don't read too much one way or the other. I remember last year most of the pundits (other than Slater) were assured that the Warriors would NOT be selecting Wiseman. And then quickly backtracked using the workout as the turning point in why they missed in their assessment. As far as Indiana no I don't believe they would be trying to boost their own trade value. If anything they probably have a FO savvy and connected enough to know the Warriors would be going hard after Duarte after losing out on Mitchell.
You don't have to believe it, they have a history of good reporting as far as this front office's decisions. Predicting who the team would take in the draft is just one aspect of reporting on the team. You calling these reporters pundits is you doing a disservice to the quality of their work and you haven't supported it with anything substantial.
If you want to believe what some other team's beat writers (who you know even less about as far as trustworthiness compared to our local crew) at face value that's your prerogative. Just don't try to pass it off as fact because it certainly isn't that.
Just seems like another excuse to dump on the team, if I'm being honest.
If there’s a trade, I’ll believe it. But it sounds suspiciously like IND telling reporters how everyone is throwing themselves at IND to get the wonderful Duarte that they picked.
I should edit to say Duarte falling another couple spots IF Golden State didn't take him or another team wasn't moving up from late in the first round
Why....... ugh
Are these the same league sources that had us drafting just about every possible first rounder a few weeks ago?
Funny because right before this posted when Bob was relaying the Draymond wanting Kuminga then Moody story When he got to Moody and he said he didn't think Moody would be there I immediately thought "They wanted Mitchell or someone else to fall" so now this story makes sense
Yeah, gotta thank the Kings and Pacers for saving the Warriors from themselves.
what in tarnation
That is terrifying.
This draft process made me pretty entrenched in that camp lol, trading Moody plus stuff for 24 year old Chris Duarte would be the cherry on top.
One thing I'm jealous about is how wrong all these mock drafters got the picks for some of these other teams versus how right they got it for the Warriors. Why can't the Warriors keep their plans closer to the vest (remember the Smailagic pick)? I'm not saying the Raptors should have taken Barnes over Suggs but would the Warriors have ever been able to pull that secrecy off? Or does Lacob just like the sound of his voice too much?
Oh well, I guess all the leaks give us stuff to talk about at least.
Sorry but I don't get this take. Here are a few mock drafts I saw for us leading into the draft:
The Athletic (Harper) - 7: Bouknight, 14: Duarte
The Athletic (Hollinger) - 7:Bouknight, 14: Mitchell
The Athletic (Vecenie) - 7: Kuminga, 14: Duarte
Bleacher Report - 7: Kuminga, 14: Mitchell
CBS - 7: Kuminga, 14: Mitchell
Complex - 7: Moody, 14: Duarte
ESPN - 7: Wagner, 14: Duarte
Nbadraftroom - 7: Wagner, 14: Duarte
NBC - 7: Kuminga, 14: Kispert
The Ringer - 7: Wagner, 14: Duarte
TheScore.com - 7: Bouknight, 14: Duarte
Sports Illustrated - 7: Giddey, 14: Mitchell
USA Today - 7: Giddey, 14: Duarte
I know I didn't capture everyone's mock draft and there are certainly many more out there than this but I think I captured a decent cross-sampling. Sure, several guys had Kuminga going to us but several also called Bouknight, a few called Wagner, and a few called Mitchell. Almost no one called Moody for us at 7 or 14, with most guys feeling we would take Duarte or Mitchell with the latter. Granted, both of those guys were off the board by 14 taking the choice out of the Warriors hands but I still don't understand the take that "all these mock drafters" saw exactly what the Warriors plans were.
Of the handful of mocks I was keeping on eye on, felt like it was mostly Mitchell and eventually Bouknight that were pegged at 7. With a little sprinkling of Kuminga and Wagner.
You do make a couple of valid points. I think the ESPN guys on Lowe Post and Connor locally made the point that the Warriors weren't as high on Moody as we were originally led to believe. They both did say that the Warriors would select Moody at 14 if there but not at 7 but I guess it's looking like they truly were really high on players like Mitchell and Duarte for that pick. More immediate contributors to balance out that Kuminga pick.
My point is that there were a chorus of different voices as far as the Warriors draft selections and there was no overwhelming consensus out there in the media as to whom they would take. Some of them had either Kuminga or Moody coming to us, but that really isn't all that surprising because there aren't that many players in the lottery and if enough people throw out enough guesses, some of them will be correct.
Sure, but my point is that a lot of people threw out guesses for the Grizzlies and none of them picked Ziaire Williams.
Sure, we were not as unknowable as Memphis. I think that happens when you make a pick like Williams who is largely considered a reach by most draft analysts I've seen evaluate the picks. Still don't believe that this means the Warriors didn't keep their plans "close to the vest" as you indicated earlier. There wasn't any consensus on who they would go with before the draft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kEaHpMhbes&t=4305s
Sam Vecenie feels the same way.
They could not be wrong about the Warriors. They changed their predictions so many times they had to be right with one or two of 'em.
J. Michael
@ThisIsJMichael
Golden State, league sources tell
@IndyStarSports is trying to get the #Pacers to part with Duarte. Offering Moody + other assets. They're not budging right now. Duarte was the pick they wanted, too, apparently. Top of their board
Kuminga is going to have to work with a shooting coach this year to shore up his release. His shot looks ok but there's still a little hitch that'll prevent him from rising up and consistently being on target. Overall I like his potential to be a playmaker and he should improve defensively as his career progresses. He better learn some counter moves though because NBA guys are not going to get bullied that easily going into the paint.
His flaws are definitely coachable and can be fixed. If Lonzo Ball can turn into a respectable shooter with his form Kuminga has no excuse.
Or Kahwi. Pretty amazing how quick he turned his suspect shot into a reliable weapon.
If JK can ever put a reliable pullup midrange in his bag he's going to be very hard to guard.
They are paying a ton of money on developmental coaches. If there was ever a time to take a flyer on a huge upside huge potential bust player it would be now.
When your cohorts at Sactown Royalty started Kings Herald did you all try to sell them on Substack? Their website is very user/comment unfriendly and it's plagued by some of the same ad issues that GSOM is plagued with. I generally follow the Kings as my secondary team but it's hit or miss (mostly miss) pulling up the comments section of my phone. Substack seems a bit rudimentary but it's so easy to comment from my cheapie Android.
I think we actually did suggest it? But ads are a way for most sites to make money…
Davion all but said he didn’t want to have anything to do with the Kings in his press conference.
Which is interesting because he was lauded for his interviews. If I'm a Kings fan I'm nervous
Wow... so it *wasn't* a theonion article?!
Butler at 40!!! 🤯
Has to be health-related right? If he's healthy, he's gonna be a top 15-20 player in the draft (and I'm being conservative).
I think being late to the pre-draft process because of the health stuff really put him behind.
Gotta be... I had him (maybe a little too high) at 10
Richtigfalsch. We voted for the Warriors to pick Moody (Correct), but with the 7th pick (Incorrect). Richtigfalsch is the German word for being simultaneously correct and incorrect. (please don't check my work)
I'm simultaneously baffled about the Kuminga pick and thrilled about the Moody pick. The results are great if we just swap the order but the process is so bizarre, how could they possibly pick Kuminga when Wagner was right there? Would they have taken Moody if Mitchell or Duarte were there? They aren't planning on giving Kuminga actual NBA minutes, are they? But how can they not if they picked him at 7? What are they thinking, are they looking for a trade still?
Whatever, Moody at 7 and Kuminga at 14, I'll take it. Thank you Sacramento and Indiana, you guys are heroes.
San Antonio is the true hero. OKC the villain for ruining Memphis from trading up for Giddey at 7 and saving us from ourselves.
Memphis really traded up to get Ziaire at 10 man
They (and Toronto with SBJ) have enough success stories in the bank to trust them imo. Memphis have had really solid drafts in succession (JJJ, Ja, Clarker, Bane/Tillman) so I'm very curious to see how Ziaire does (I'm very low on him).
Yeah, I'm not convinced Ziaire won't be really good and his struggles this past season were just part of a weird season.
As soon as I found out he was 6'10 I suggested to Apricot to put him in the #7 pick tournament because his ceiling is sky high.
I just watched some film of Kuminga and I’m depressed again. Quick to the Moody film to make this go down more smoothly
100%, I've been pretty bipolar thinking about this, the Kuminga pick is so bad and the Moody pick is so good.
I see Rudy Gay on a bad night right now
Go watch the full games to see how shitty of an offense they run and you can see why he looks like that
Have you seen his touch though? He misses so so badly. It's not slightly long or slightly short, he misses by a countrymile (loads of airballs in there too).
This is exactly what makes me think it's going to be long process for his shot. Form and consistency is one thing... but the way he misses is just ugh... not just long or short, they're off to the side at the same time.
I've been asking myself if he'll have a better chance of having a decent outside shot or gaining 2-3 inches and 20lbs so he can just being a rim-running freak like Giannis.
It was bad forsure but I believe in the coaching to fix it up
His shooting scares me too. I wanted Wagner and Moody. But maybe Kuminga will be a pleasant surprise.
Even if that were true, he shot like 60% at the free throw line, the offense can't account for that.
True but let's get him some solid coaching and culture and see how he goes, hes shown flashes to not hate the pick entirely, I'd rather of had bouknight but theres no better environment for kuminga to reach his potential
Honestly I did prefer Kuminga to Bouknight and Mitchell.
I just can't defend the pick when Wagner was right there. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they expected Moody to fall, although they probably just got lucky lol.
I can picture you make the open-palm-thrusted-out-and-down motion as you say “right there”…LOL, I was doing it too.
Lol. I was despondent between 7 and 14, not gonna lie. Wasn't even happy when the Pacers took Duarte because I just assumed the Warriors were going to draft a 21+ year old or something instead of Moody.
I'll try to get behind Kuminga, nothing against the kid personally, but man I really think they should trade him still.