Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Thursday, May 2nd.
The bond between the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has been well documented in recent years. It’s even come to the point that many have speculated the two would play on the same team one day.
These rumors came to light following this year’s trade deadline, when a report from ESPN revealed Green actively pushed Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob to trade for the frustrated Lakers star. Although the trade was ultimately rejected, the commitment to teaming up was noteworthy as rumors begin to swirl once again.
On the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show, Green speculates on James’ future. Although he doesn’t think it’s a foregone conclusion James returns to the Lakers, Green also can’t quite picture him leaving the team either.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, May 2nd:
“I don’t quite see him leaving L.A.”
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) May 1, 2024
—@Money23Green on LeBron’s future with the Lakers pic.twitter.com/oPnPJNDoLW
“Here’s what I will tell you about Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors: If Draymond Green isn’t suspended for those 20 games, not only do they make the play-in, but they’d make the playoffs. I don’t think they’re even in the play-in. When he’s on the court, they win basketball games. They had the third-best record in the NBA when Draymond Green got back from suspension. We also have to remember some of the young talent they have. Look at [Jonathan] Kuminga and how he came up. Look at [Brandin] Podziemski, who’s going to make an All-Rookie team. You know what Steph can do. Klay had a down year. This is Klay Thompson’s definition of a down year: 18 points per game on 43-percent shooting and 38.7 percent from 3-point range. That’s a down year!
“From a skill perspective, they have the pieces. As long as Draymond doesn’t get himself suspended and [the Warriors] get another big body, you can do some things if you’re the Golden State Warriors.”
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant may be passing the NBA’s torch, but to whom exactly? Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver’s Nikola Jokić are already carrying the flame, each winning a pair of MVPs and a championship in the previous five years. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander headline the league’s deep and talented 25-and-under crowd, as both aim to unseat Jokić’s Nuggets atop the Western Conference.
In between are Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, perennially on the fringes of the MVP and All-NBA conversations, and still championship-less five Eastern Conference finals appearances into this run.
PJ Hall
Clemson, Senior
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Hall’s playmaking skill from the frontcourt would be a natural fit for Golden State’s style. It wouldn’t be a shocker if Hall, much like Trayce Jackson-Davis, were to earn minutes right away.
“Trying to be a sponge and just soak up as much as I can from the little things [Steph, Draymond & Klay] did...I'm ready to steal all the stuff that I kind of added up and get ready for the summer.” — Lester Quiñones pic.twitter.com/yoDNY5PYX4
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 1, 2024
The Suns don’t have much recourse this summer. The NBA projects a salary cap of $141 million for 2024-25, a luxury-tax line at $171.3 million, the first apron at $178.7 million and the second at $189.5 million.
Depending on player options (Drew Eubanks, Eric Gordon, Damion Lee and Josh Okogie can all choose to stay another year for minimum dollars)—before re-signing O’Neale—the Suns’ payroll could exceed $213 million with about $145 million in tax.
At that salary level, Phoenix faces the following restrictions:
Can bring back an equal or lower salary for any player the Suns send out in trade, but not a dollar more
No aggregation in trade (combining the salaries of more than one player for a more expensive return)
Loss of pre-existing trade exceptions (the largest was $6.5 million from the Cameron Payne trade to the San Antonio Spurs)
Cannot send or receive any cash in trade
Cannot send or receive a player via sign-and-trade
No mid-level or bi-annual exception
Sign buyout players during the season who had earned more than about $12.9 million
The 2032 first-round pick will be frozen (can’t be traded, dropped to the end of the round)
In taking the series, Boston avenged its 2023 conference finals loss to Miami, which was a No. 8 seed.
“That’s how it should be — we should be learning from our mistakes and things we could’ve done better and applying it to the next season, because we’re trying to have a different outcome this year,” said Celtics star Jayson Tatum, adding that the victory was necessary for Boston’s maturation as a team.
Luka Magic was in full effect as the @dallasmavs took a 3-2 series lead in LA!
— NBA (@NBA) May 2, 2024
35 PTS
10 AST
7 REB
14-26 FGM
Game 6: Friday, 9:30pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XRmQKGtf32
But overall Klay is still a modern miracle, still performing at an overall quality level despite sufering an ACL and Achilles injury back-to-back. Either of those injuries used to be a death knell for a career; instead Klay is still fighting to stay on the court and rising up the historical rankings.
He’s sixth all time on the made three-point charts at 2481 triples, doing it in an absurdly fast 793 games. For reference, the guy he passed at #7 Kyle Korver finished at 2450 in 1232 games.
Next up on the list is the Splash Grandpa Reggie Miller, who knocked down 2560 treys in 1,389 games.
Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
