Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Thursday, May 16th.
Stephen Curry adds another award to his already illustrious career. The Golden State Warriors superstar received the Pro Basketball Writers Association’s Magic Johnson Award; an honor given to the NBA player who best combines excellence on the court with cooperation and professionalism when dealing with media members and fans.
Congratulations to Stephen Curry on being named the recipient of the Magic Johnson Award for the second time
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 15, 2024
The award, which is given by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, gives honor to an NBA player who displays excellence on the hardcourt and in his… pic.twitter.com/j09JSWpafz
Curry is a two-time winner of the Magic Johnson Award after previously winning it in 2016. The honor comes just days after Curry’s head coach Steve Kerr was awarded the Rudy Tomjanovich Award — the head coaching equivalent of what Curry received on Wednesday.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, May 16th:
The PBWA is pleased to announce that Stephen Curry of the Warriors has won the Magic Johnson Award for the 2023-24 season.
— The PBWA (@ProHoopsWriters) May 15, 2024
Details at https://t.co/S8VjlgjCcc pic.twitter.com/hur8QjLlhl
“He came in here,” Lacob said, “and he just absolutely destroyed everyone. What showed through was his competitiveness was so high. It’s hard to describe without you getting to see it, but there’s a difference between somebody being competitive and somebody being maniacally competitive and trying to destroy everybody in every single drill for an hour straight.”
Lacob said by the end of the workout, the other players “kind of wanted to quit.” At the time, he thought that might be a red flag for the other players, but Green’s career has proven that the workout was just a reflection on him.
FIRST TEAM
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Center: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets). The three-time NBA MVP and one-time NBA Finals MVP was selected with the No. 41 overall pick in 2014. Jusuf Nurkic, also a center, went No. 16 overall in the same draft.
Forward: Draymond Green (Warriors). Four-time NBA champion, three-time All-Star, eight-time All-Defensive team selection went No. 35 overall in 2012. Power forward Thomas Robinson, out of the league since 2017, went No. 5 overall.
Forward: Herb Jones (Pelicans). Rarely does a No. 35 overall pick (2021) start as a rookie, but this is an elite defender with a reliable 3-ball. James Bouknight, taken No. 11 overall, struggled before being waived by Charlotte in February.
Guard: Khris Middleton (Bucks). Three-time All-Star, No. 2 scorer on NBA championship team, was the No. 39 selection in 2012. Fellow shooting guard Dion Waiters, a man of irrational confidence, went No. 4 overall in that draft.
Guard: Jalen Brunson (Knicks). The No. 33 pick in 2018 is an NBA All-Star and team leader who finished fifth in the 2024 MVP voting. Jacob Evans III, taken five picks earlier by the Warriors, most recently toiled in a Canadian League.
During an interview on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” Snoop Dogg revealed he’s hoping the four-time NBA champion, who is bound to hit free agency next month, signs with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.
“I’m hopeful that we can get us a Klay Thompson,” Snoop Dogg told Smith. “His dad is Mychal, he works for the Lakers, it’s an easy transit down the road.”
The Warriors veteran reportedly has been linked to the Orlando Magic despite Golden State general manager Mike Dunleavy revealing the franchise’s desire to keep Thompson, who Dunleavy claims has a “mutual” desire to stay in the Bay Area.
The Golden State WNBA expansion team announces its name and brand identity: the Golden State Valkyries.
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) May 15, 2024
"We've arrived and we're ready to compete," Jess Smith, the team's president, tells @dianermacedo. pic.twitter.com/2dFXftt6Sf
He had 31 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.
The few conversations that Doncic had with the referees Wednesday night were brief and cordial. He avoided arguing and bickering during a game that the Mavericks led for the final 43 minutes, 59 seconds.
“I talked to them normal without complaining — nothing,” said Doncic, who recorded the third 30-point playoff triple-double of his career. “I think it was the whole game, nothing. So I just go out there and hoop. Have fun, have fun. It was the old Luka — a smile on my face.”
There are also questions of fit on the roster to work through, such as whether Allen and Mobley, two non-shooting bigs, can co-exist in the same starting unit, and whether Garland can thrive playing alongside Mitchell as two smaller guards who need the ball.
Furthermore, rival executives believe the Cavs will have to seriously evaluate the fit of Mitchell and Garland and ultimately may have to choose one or the other. Should Mitchell decide to stay long term, sources briefed on the matter say Garland’s representation, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, would have a conversation with Cavs officials on potentially finding a new home for the one-time All-Star.
Brian Windhorst on Bronny James publicly addressing whether he wants to play with his dad in the NBA: "I've only been waiting for two years for him to answer that question because LeBron has been talking for two years about wanting to play with him. Bronny has never answered the… pic.twitter.com/T9NobakA1s
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 15, 2024
Now the top-4 protected pick has finished its wild journey and settled at No. 14. There was a 3.4% chance the pick ended up in the top 4, roughly the same odds as Jordan Poole playing full game without committing a turnover. In a way, this is good news for the Warriors.
Having a future first-round pick pending limits a team’s ability to make deals, because of the “Ted Stepien Rule” that forbids teams from dealing their first-round pick in consecutive years. It’s named after the former owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who traded so many future first-rounders that the league banned the Cavs from making trades and put this rule in place.
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