Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Tuesday, October 1st.
The Golden State Warriors wrapped up media day on Monday, with players sharing their thoughts on the upcoming season. Despite the departures of veterans like Klay Thompson and Chris Paul, the additions of Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and De’Anthony Melton have caught the attention of Warriors’ superstar point guard, Steph Curry. He already sees similarities between this roster and the 2021-2022 championship squad.
The Warriors' new additions remind Steph of the players the team added in the offseason before their 2022 championship run pic.twitter.com/o8qUSOncVy
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) September 30, 2024
In the 2021 offseason, Golden State brought in key veterans like Otto Porter Jr., Nemanja Bjelica, and current Golden State player, Gary Payton II. Their versatility and experience helped propel the Warriors to a 53-29 finish in the Western Conference, eventually leading to the franchise’s seventh NBA title.
Curry is optimistic that this year’s new faces can bring similar results. With a roster full of motivated, hungry players, the Warriors are hoping to contend for another title and prove the doubters wrong once again.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, October 1st:
“I always tell people . . . championships are won 6 through 10,” Green said, referring to crucial non-starters. “Championships aren’t won 1 through 5. We see great 1 through 5s all the time, and everybody in the world is like, ‘Uh-oh, watch out for that team, that starting five.’ How are you going to beat that team?’
“You (go) against that team, and they lose in the first round, and you realize, oh, they ain’t that good. That’s because they were 1 to 5 dominant. The teams that you see that have a really good 1 to 5 but their 6 through 10 are strong, those are the teams that are going to compete for championships.”
Kuminga, who like Mutombo, was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, detailed how impactful the legendary big man was on his own NBA journey.
“It was crazy news early in the morning. It’s very sad. Great person,” Kuminga told reporters Monday at Warriors Media Day. “I got to meet him a couple times and share moments, and we all look up to him. Pretty much every Congolese kid. Every African kid coming from Africa. One of the first Congolese to ever play in the NBA, someone who had a great career.
“If you look at things he did, just based off basketball, how he helped to build a lot of things in the country. He helped a lot of kids come in, and they’re reaching their goals. He was a great man, and it’s just very sad that happened. We’re all going to miss him. It’s just very sad to hear that news.
Kuminga’s extension negotiations will be a persistent topic until the Oct. 21 deadline. The two sides are still apart on a potential contract. Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said he’s comfortable if it gets rolled into restricted free agency next summer. Kuminga is also downplaying the urgency.
“Hopefully (it gets done),” Kuminga said. “Only God knows. I don’t know what’s going to happen. That’s not my concern. I’m just happy to be here, happy to start a new season. Fourth year. I’d love to have it, but I’m not really concerned about it. If I get it, if I don’t, it’s cool. I’m still going to be me. I’ll just go out there and perform.”
Loon's been shooting upwards of 500 threes a day this offseason pic.twitter.com/YYezZWyAOw
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) September 30, 2024
Warriors vs Mavs is going to be fun pic.twitter.com/x7IXBdqJ7Z
— Sloane Knows (@sloaneknows) October 1, 2024
Thompson said he believes his game “complements the roster very well” and that he provides the Mavs’ offense “a whole new dimension.” He acknowledged that he will have to make a significant adjustment to adapt to the Mavs’ style of play, which is drastically different than Golden State’s system.
“From an X’s and O’s standpoint, I’ll have to adjust to maybe playing off such good creators,” Thompson said. “In Golden State, it was very motion-based offense. But I mean, just being able to play with Luka the last few days, his ability in the pick-and-roll is maybe the best I’ve ever seen. It’ll be fun to play with him in those sets because he draws so much attention and he gets so many open looks for the perimeter. So I’ll be there to knock them down.
“I think it will take a couple weeks just to get used to this new system, but luckily opening night is not until [Oct. 24]. So this preseason might be the most important one I’ve had in so many years, and I can’t wait to get going tomorrow and learn this system. But I do know I’m a hooper, so I can adjust accordingly and I look forward to doing that.”
In San Antonio, the 6-foot Paul posed next to the 7-foot-4 — or more — Wembanyama. Paul barely reached the shoulder of the reigning rookie of the year. Paul was brought in to help lead a team that the Spurs hope is on the rise, after years of being someone tough for the team to deal with in opposing uniforms.
“I have despised Chris for many years,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
“It’s mutual,” Paul said.
Normal hair Jimmy https://t.co/Y54azUtpoq pic.twitter.com/1Wb2zaDQ2z
— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) September 30, 2024
You know, at one point from 1972-1976 there was an Oakland professional team that won the championship? The A’s three-peated from ‘72-’74. The Warriors won the NBA Finals in ‘75. And the Raiders won the Super Bowl in ‘76.
And now...none of them are in Oakland. The A’s are done playing in the East Bay, headed apparently to Las Vegas. Bay Area legend Stephen Curry, who spent his formative NBA years getting the Warriors out of the trash heap and into a dynasty before the team left Oakland to San Francisco, was asked about the A’s leaving at his team’s media day today.
Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
