791 Comments

So last years crop of free agents did disappoint somewhat but as BlueMan Hoop reminds us,

"It’s important to note that the Warriors only had 12 contracted players last offseason until they signed JaMychal Green on August 1. Their 14th player signed to the roster, Andre Iguodala, didn’t come until September 23."

https://bluemanhoop.com/2023/07/03/golden-state-warriors-quinones-opener/

Expand full comment

That’s comforting, to a point. I thought DDV and JMG were really good sugnings, but last year’s experience didn’t give me confidence that we can walk away with a true big.

Expand full comment

Just saw this on Thinking Basketball:

Mike D'Antoni explains the origins of "small ball"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3CPJ7tjC2g

Expand full comment
author

Checking in from Lake Como and I'm happy to see some strong early showings from the new guys. I'd caution against reading too much into any summer league stuff, but hey, have fun and overreact! I'd rather be delusional and eventually proven wrong than gloom and doom with the same (basically no) info.

On the free agent front, beggars can't be choosers, so I'm not gonna get too hung up and Saric or whoever.

Italy? Still amazing. These are our final few days so we are just chilling around the lake for a bit and being good tourists

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023Liked by punk basketball

For a second there I thought you were talking about our new posters!

Expand full comment

Really liked what I seen from podz, that floater of his is money but I questioned it at the NBA level due to his quickness, but he seemed much quicker today then I expected and was easily able to beat closeouts to get to wide open midrange shots where he either did a floater or made on target reads, now let's see the off the dribble three point aggression and we have a player

Expand full comment

He does jump into the air a lot to survey. Today he found his passes but usually you’ll have to clean that up. Still, good motor

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023·edited Jul 4, 2023

> The Heat have told free-agent players like Malik Beasley, who agreed to a one-year contract with Milwaukee on Monday, that Miami is in a holding pattern before moving forward with its veteran-minimum signings, sources said. Other players like Josh Christopher, recently traded from Houston to Memphis, and Dario Šarić, who had a strong suitor in Golden State, could also be involved with Miami depending on these Lillard proceedings, sources said.

Did we see this already? This offseason is looking really lackluster if the Warriors strike out on Saric too.

https://sports.yahoo.com/the-ins-and-outs-of-why-trade-negotiations-for-damian-lillard-james-harden-are-moving-so-slowly-003139952.html

Expand full comment

I can’t see how Saric thinks he would have a bigger role with Miami, where he has to compete with Bam, Love, and recently signed Thomas Bryant for minutes at the 5. Here he can even potentially start some nights depending on matchup, and at worst, would be the 3rd big only behind Looney and Green. Miami can’t pay more, as they’re already approaching the 2nd apron. Not as if trading for a $46 mil contract will open up money. What changes? Does he actually want to play for the smoking crater that was the blazers for more money??… I know I must be missing something...

Dame hurting us more now than he ever did in the playoffs. Sigh.

Expand full comment

They can offer a second year

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023·edited Jul 4, 2023

Thanks DFiB, didn’t know we can’t (or won’t)? But still don’t see how that’s a big deal. In his case, am hoping he’s expecting make more than the vet min next year… unless he’s really worried about an injury.

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023·edited Jul 4, 2023

I believe this article was posted this afternoon. I think the Warriors reached out to Saric before the free agency started on June 30th, but Saric is contacting multiple teams to see who needs him and who can pay him more money. If he can't find any better offers than what the Warriors can give him, he will sign with the Warriors.

Expand full comment

Just what you want: a guy who will sign if there's nothing better out there.

Expand full comment

Can you blame him?

Expand full comment

Blame him? Not at all. Everyone should be looking for the best situation or deal they can get. That said, I wish he was already sure that was with Golden State.

Expand full comment

They told Beasley they are in a holding pattern, so he signed elsewhere… Saric should do the same

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023Liked by punk basketball

I really dislike the quote saying "had" a strong suitor and not "has".

Expand full comment

Might’ve told him this offer may or may not be there if you come back from shopping other teams

Expand full comment

Oof. Brutal. Isn't he sort of redundant with Love?

Expand full comment

Nothing wrong with having multiple big men who can shoot. Miami used to have both Olynyk and Leonard on the team, or Leonard and Bjelica.

Warriors seem to think you can only have one though?

Expand full comment

It's a black hole for this team. They are entrenched in the Win Now and big men don't have a real role in it(unless you are Looney who has stayed the course on low contracts). Even Bogut was bumped off the squad. Unless you play for nothing, you're not welcome. This is widely known in the NBA. Can you blame them(the big guys) for not begging to be signed? If Saric has another opportunity for a real contract, he'd be a fool not to take it. Maybe one of the Summer League bigs will provide something for us.

Expand full comment

Yup, Imagine growing up a Big with lucrative NBA hoop dreams... and then some scrawny kid from Davidson with bad ankles decides "Damn. Can't dunk. Might as well shoot from way out here where they can't block me"

Expand full comment

Was just going to say this… also doesn’t POR hate the Heat’s Herro package for obvious reasons which makes it really hard for the Heat to put together a trade?

Expand full comment

Just promise Saric a bigger role already. He’ll get more significant minutes with us than as Bam’s backup

Expand full comment

He wants more money!!

Expand full comment

If they don't sign him this offseason starts looking pretty ugly.

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023·edited Jul 4, 2023

They've painted themselves into a corner. I can't imagine they couldn't have gotten Muscala or Gallo added to the CP3 trade if they wanted. Either would have worked money wise. They aggressively pursued Saric, but obviously didn't have a backup plan. Now, plan B guys like Alex Len or Cody Zeller are gone.

There's a huge hole at the 5 for the Dubs and it's officially Saric or bust from FA. They have no midsize contracts they can trade. And somehow they even lost their preferred 3rd string PG. And they lost the best wing and guard vet mins to a direct competitor. Very disappointing.

Expand full comment

Trade Curry for Wemby or Banchero. Done. Finished.

Expand full comment

We don't know who MDJ aggressively pursued or whether he has/had a plan B, C, and D. All we have is rumors the media reports. We've never heard MDJ say anything about Saric or anyone else he might or might not be trying to land. And we won't until there's a deal. Sometimes the media gets it right, sometimes they are spreading smoke laid down by an agent, often enough it's just plain BS to get clicks. But fans just can't help reacting as if it were fact.

Expand full comment

I think we'll end up liking Joseph more than Ty

Expand full comment

more than Lester of The Podz?

Expand full comment

that i don’t know!

Expand full comment

Hey, at least we didn't lose Draymond to the Kings after trading the youth movement for a 38-y/o who's never healthy for the playoffs

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023·edited Jul 4, 2023

I guess I just meant the free agency part of it. Trading Monta Poole on a bad contract and a couple injury prone benchwarmers for one of the greatest PGs of all time and financial flexibility still seems like a good move to me.

Expand full comment

At least they didn’t trade Marcus Thompson

Expand full comment

Draymond is the most important signing for us in the free agency part of it! We might have lost him so that was huge. Between that deal and a decent 3rd string PG in Cory Joseph, we're doing fine so far. Yes we need that big. Saric is not off the table at this point and who know, there may be a good candidate we weren't expecting. It ain't over 'till it's over.

Expand full comment

Keegan Murray was the difference in this game. No way he belonged in this group, but them's the breaks. I must say the Warriors are a soft team. They've got no power players except when Looney is on fire. They always focus on the shooters. A guy like Quetta could make an enormous difference for us but I think Kerr is disinterested in the concept. It's all finesse with him, but with an older team, it be harder and harder achieve the glory as in past years. However, there were some bright spots in this game. The Podz is proving himself as a primary ball handler and passer with nice rebounding instincts ala DDV. Redheads are sexy. Then, there is Lester, the star of this game. He played within his game and was a steady presence and scorer. He seems ready for our bench. With these two players in hand, the Dubs knee jerked themselves into signing Corey Joseph. He takes a spot that we need for size.

Gui still needs time. His ceiling is very high but I don't think he will see much playing time with the team. Back to SC, probably. Kendric Davis is a spark plug but all wrong for our team. Jayce Johnson impressed me and I look forward to seeing more of his game. He looked. solid in 18 minutes. More pnr's with him and Podz, please. Reggie Perry is intriguing, too. -17 but played very decently. Need to see more of him. Mike, Sword, and Collins, all looked very decent off the bench. Surprisingly, the Warriors shot 47.8%fg, 42.4%. 3pt, 82.4% FT. Very respectable for their first outing.

Expand full comment

We have 3 roster spots left to use on bigs, and theoretically one is going to Saric… Joseph isn’t taking the spot of a big.

Expand full comment

TBH, we have no clue who the Warriors will sign outside of Saric. Size is important but more importantly, we need some power on the team.

Expand full comment

Two left. They're keeping the 15th spot open.

Expand full comment

There goes 7-0…

Expand full comment

Whelp, once again, so much for 105-0.

Expand full comment
author
Jul 4, 2023·edited Jul 4, 2023Author

Whew, I don’t think I’ll ever go to another Summer League game as fun as that one. I had no expectations, but it was a special convergence:

- quite a big crowd for July 4 eve

- SAC crowd excited due to great season

- SAC *hates* GSW extra for beating them in the playoffs a couple of months ago

- just enough GSW fans to make it spicy

- Keegan Murray playing

- close game throughout

The crowd was playoff-intensity in the first quarter. They cooled off to mere regular season levels for the rest of the game, and always got up for the call-and-response “Keegan” “MURRAY”.

Podz and LQ playing well, Gui came through in second half.

Podz played pretty well with lots of nice passes, excellent energy on the boards, got into the paint more than you’d think. I think his play would be multiplied by having players around him who can play around his creativity and vision.

Podz body language was grouchy all game. There was one sequence in the 4th where he drove but the roller did not roll so he could receive the pass, so Podz had to just go. The next play Podz seemed to be frustrated and tried to fire a pass to the opposite corner through traffic for a pick-2.

I’ve already mentioned how solid LQ was. I was impressed.

Gui has a god of chaos thing going.

Expand full comment

Gui & the gods of chaos - I like it.

Expand full comment

Good band name.

Expand full comment

make that the orishas of chaos.

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Expand full comment

ChaosBall. He'll fit right in.

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023·edited Jul 4, 2023

Wiseman's lack of actual experience before going to the NBA really hurt him. I think he'll develop into a solid competent big in a few years

Expand full comment

It hurt us more.

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023·edited Jul 4, 2023

I dont think so anymore. I thought he needed a few years with one team in one system to develop. Detroit not gonna give him that and he’ll probably end up bouncing around for a bit ala Damion Jones

Expand full comment

Lester Quinones, the best part of the Wiseman draft?

Expand full comment

Speaking of Wiseman, he's playing in SL which means the schedule makers missed a golden opportunity to have the Pistons play the Warriors

Expand full comment

Poor Wiseman. Both players sandwiched between him got a Max extension and hes in Summer League

Expand full comment

On one level, yes… on the other hand, he has made $40M so far, which should make him the opposite of “poor”

Expand full comment

It’s just ridiculous that he already made that much money when he didn’t play more than he played.

Expand full comment

sucks to suck

Expand full comment

The 10 foul limit is right up his alley though.

Expand full comment

So he won't make it to the 4th quarter

Expand full comment

7 rebounds for Yuri Collins.

Expand full comment

Too bad we didn't get to see TDJ.

Expand full comment

Lester's really improved, would love to see him on the big squad. Gui's a work in progress still, big gaps in his game. Podz was what I hoped for, and not what I feared most - yeah, bit slow, can't stay in front of guys (except Keegan Murray), but he has really good court vision, positioning, and hustle. Gotta re-learn when to launch the floater with the faster competition, but he can ball.

Expand full comment

Feel like LQ is closer to a poor man’s Klay than a poor man’s Steph. Which is fine.

Expand full comment

In a certain sense, you could say that every single player in the NBA is a poor man's Steph Curry.

Expand full comment

LQ is an average man JP that puts more effort into defense lol

Expand full comment

I don't see the jp comparison at all. Poole is fast AF, Lester seems much bigger muscular n slower

Expand full comment

Well, he's a far cry from Steph, but he's got more shake to his game than Klay ever had, seems to do better through contact and off the dribble. Defensively, yeah, I see LQ and Klay as pretty good comps.

Expand full comment

More this, I think.

Or DDV with a significantly better shot.

Expand full comment

He's a willing passer, very good motor, overall better than I expected. The shot will come, he's known as a shooter.

Expand full comment

Who do you guys think will be the bust from this year's lottery?

Expand full comment

Brandon Miller. He'll be decent, but I don't think close to number 2 decent. On his own team from the same draft there's a very real possibility that Nick Smith could pass him in the pecking order in a couple of years if he stays healthy. The 43 percent overall college fg percentage is a caution. And Miller is used to physically being able to catch up on defense to cover footwork deficiencies, which won't happen a lot in the NBA. From number 2, you really want more than a 3 and off and on D wing.

And Charlotte is not exactly an optimal development environment at the moment. At a player level, learning the pro game from Kelly Oubre and Scary Terry would not really be my first choice.

Expand full comment

I see Oubre is not signed. So there's that in Miller's corner for the moment, but I have faith in Charlotte to get him back.

Expand full comment
Jul 4, 2023·edited Jul 4, 2023

Podz stat line coming more into line with how well he played in the last couple minutes.

12 points on 9 fga, 6 rebounds, 6 assists in 30 minutes.

Expand full comment

Castleton got yammed on by JJJ? Well deserved. That's what you get for choosing LA.

Expand full comment