I think that players like DLee and Iggy can eat the minutes that either Bradley or GP2 would get so I can see them wanting to save $6M. It's not chump change. For me, the biggest need is a big fella, but I can see the Warriors wanting to go with what they have and maybe bring someone in near the trade deadline. If they can survive the bigger teams it will say a lot for us. If not, we done fugged up. So, I will sit back and see how the FO decide to play this out. GP2 has always had my vote. Inspired D is rare.
Keep the 15th spot open for the maximum flexibility of getting a qualified Big (such as Marc Gasol or equivalent). It's not a money issue. Got Iggy for a reason. Iggy needs to deliver more just like Draymond needs to score for himself on the Offensive side. That helps keep every opponent honest. As the new season progresses, not having a qualified Big in the backup (or starting position), can be do or die for the purpose of getting into the playoffs, or not. Not dream about Championship as yet. Dubs need to get into the post season somehow, then dream about the Championship as a legit dream. Jordan Bell has a lot of needed development in terms of playing legit NBA games. He may not have the aptitude to be developed. I don't think JB is a factor. Remember Bogut? By his presence on the roster, opponent teams need to prepare a game plan against him. That's a huge distraction against the opponents even Bogut did not play any meaningful minutes. Hate to see our beloved Dubs get bullied out of the full 7-games series post season playoffs. My 2 cents.
I think GP 2 is a better on ball defender and doesn't get hurt as much, he can back up Draymond and JTA. I think Klay won't have his defense back all the way this season.
This tweet appears suggests knowledge that AB’s contract with the Lakers is indeed a non-guaranteed. So throw the transactional theory out the window as I threw on the table earlier.
Maybe I’ll still get a chance to ask Kerr at some point if it just really came down to who played the best and honoring that, although I don’t think I want to ask that now due to the sensitivity of the Marcus Thompson report potentially dividing the team (ie it’s possible Kerr refuses to go into detail and gets irritated by someone asking that). Anyways, let’s keep some perspective. The 15th player is, all in all, inconsequential to wins and losses (hopefully).
With the aforementioned Iguodala endorsement of Avery Bradley as well as one from Steph (reported by NBCSBA) *AND* now today a report from Marcus Thompson saying both Curry and Draymond did not want AB to get cut, one thing lost in the shuffle that will perhaps never be revealed is the actual contract negotiation.
It remains to be seen if AB will get picked up, but as of today and with no further information, what if he wanted better than a non-guaranteed deal?
One thing I *am* quite confident of is Myers’ need to make this 15th spot a non-guaranteed deal so that there is still “optionality” through to the buyout period. Of course, you’d think AB’s side would know this already, but maybe they still think he’s deserving of guaranteed money? So it might be a lot more complex than the information that’s been presented so far.
So now they’ll see if GP can clear waivers over the next 48 hours, and if he does then GSW is likely to sign him to another fresh non-guaranteed contract, per his sources.
The one flaw in my “hot take” for AB was that it did not reward the player who actually had the better preseason which was clearly GP2 especially based on the LAL performance last Tuesday. The basketball gods would’ve frowned on me and I’ve always been about the basketball gods. So, shame on me. I’ll do better next time and I did learn something.
Overall, I would rather the 15th spot be taken than not taken, just in case of an injury or other unforeseen circumstance, because Chase Center is a cash cow that can probably absorb a minimum contract’s luxury tax charge, with a couple concerts and a WWE thrown in. I just don’t “fear” the luxury tax that most fans and pundits do, because Chase is such a Golden Goose.
And I might even throw in a bonus hot take that as we get closer to the light at the end of the tunnel with the pandemic, Chase could even be MORE profitable than pre-pandemic, assuming there’s an extra thirst for concerts and such, the public having been deprived for so long. Like, there might be extra concert dates being booked as we speak just because they know they have to make up for last year’s emptiness. Oh, and good ol’ supply and demand.
In any case, imo Lacob set the Warriors up this way. He knew he’d be a repeat taxpayer and he knew that a new arena in SF would help them pretty much unfairly achieve a state where luxury taxes can be absorbed. That’s the whole “unfair competitive advantage” that every venture capitalist looks for in a business plan.
But I digress. What happens with the 15th spot remains to be seen and I’m not mad if it is indeed Gary Payton Jr. And I’m also not mad that I was wrong in predicting Avery Bradley as the choice.
GSW just announced signing Axel Toupane, presumable to an Exhibit 10. I would love to see the timeline on Toupane, when he got let go of the Bucks and any workouts with other teams. Without knowing the details, if they always had one eye on Toupane, that helps explain the 15th spot vacancy a lot more. Toupane is a beast and I’m basing that off of G League Bubble play!
Put it this way, if you’d told me all along it would be Toupane vs AB vs GP, I would’ve picked Toupane by a country mile just based on potential as a long-term NBA wing.
So obviously AB, GP2 *and* JB all got waived tonight after the game. Ricky on our Discord mentioned he liked how it seems to show trust in the other 14. My other two cents: it could also have been maybe they feel no one will pickup Avery on the open market. Ofc this take is extremely biased towards my other take lol 🤷🏻♂️ we’ll see if they get picked up.
And: Btw with three days in between now and Opening Night, that leaves enough days to sign-and-waive via Exhibit 10 the remaining SCW players. I forget what I was told was the maximum number of such contracts. I’ll double-check but I believe it was six (?). This may or may not add up — regardless, I get the sense that GSW had this planned all along, that they would utilize these last few days (also with the 48-hour waiver period) and that they would only fill the 15th spot if one of the training camp guys knocked their socks off *while also* preventing them from stocking their G League team. (Hopefully I got that right, again, I’ll try and double-check by tomorrow.)
Someone on YouTube just said AB “looks washed”. I can see where they’re coming from. But one thing I noticed in the Laker game, he could still dribble pop and stop for a short jumper. That’s not something GP has. So, for me, another nod towards AB. Forgot to include that in the post.
Good stuff so far. An NBA agent once told me it’s not the superstars that are hard to rep. It’s the fringe ones, the ones fighting for the NBA contract where the wheeling and dealing happens, where a workout with one team and not the other can make or break a player’s career. This 15th spot decision, at least the one right here (not all 15th spots are equal), seems like a parallel to that.
Interesting. I remember being a bit impressed by Toupane's game but not to the point of ever thinking that he would get picked over AB or GP2 as he is not a pg. But he's got some skills and that's what's important at #15. Alas, he's not a big.
I think that players like DLee and Iggy can eat the minutes that either Bradley or GP2 would get so I can see them wanting to save $6M. It's not chump change. For me, the biggest need is a big fella, but I can see the Warriors wanting to go with what they have and maybe bring someone in near the trade deadline. If they can survive the bigger teams it will say a lot for us. If not, we done fugged up. So, I will sit back and see how the FO decide to play this out. GP2 has always had my vote. Inspired D is rare.
Neither.
Keep the 15th spot open for the maximum flexibility of getting a qualified Big (such as Marc Gasol or equivalent). It's not a money issue. Got Iggy for a reason. Iggy needs to deliver more just like Draymond needs to score for himself on the Offensive side. That helps keep every opponent honest. As the new season progresses, not having a qualified Big in the backup (or starting position), can be do or die for the purpose of getting into the playoffs, or not. Not dream about Championship as yet. Dubs need to get into the post season somehow, then dream about the Championship as a legit dream. Jordan Bell has a lot of needed development in terms of playing legit NBA games. He may not have the aptitude to be developed. I don't think JB is a factor. Remember Bogut? By his presence on the roster, opponent teams need to prepare a game plan against him. That's a huge distraction against the opponents even Bogut did not play any meaningful minutes. Hate to see our beloved Dubs get bullied out of the full 7-games series post season playoffs. My 2 cents.
I think GP 2 is a better on ball defender and doesn't get hurt as much, he can back up Draymond and JTA. I think Klay won't have his defense back all the way this season.
When mitten comes into the game, momentum shifts. Often in W's favor. Mini JTA.
This tweet appears suggests knowledge that AB’s contract with the Lakers is indeed a non-guaranteed. So throw the transactional theory out the window as I threw on the table earlier.
Maybe I’ll still get a chance to ask Kerr at some point if it just really came down to who played the best and honoring that, although I don’t think I want to ask that now due to the sensitivity of the Marcus Thompson report potentially dividing the team (ie it’s possible Kerr refuses to go into detail and gets irritated by someone asking that). Anyways, let’s keep some perspective. The 15th player is, all in all, inconsequential to wins and losses (hopefully).
With the aforementioned Iguodala endorsement of Avery Bradley as well as one from Steph (reported by NBCSBA) *AND* now today a report from Marcus Thompson saying both Curry and Draymond did not want AB to get cut, one thing lost in the shuffle that will perhaps never be revealed is the actual contract negotiation.
It remains to be seen if AB will get picked up, but as of today and with no further information, what if he wanted better than a non-guaranteed deal?
One thing I *am* quite confident of is Myers’ need to make this 15th spot a non-guaranteed deal so that there is still “optionality” through to the buyout period. Of course, you’d think AB’s side would know this already, but maybe they still think he’s deserving of guaranteed money? So it might be a lot more complex than the information that’s been presented so far.
Slater writes that had GP2’s guaranteed portion of his most current contract (waived as of postgame) not been a factor, he would’ve won the 15th spot: https://theathletic.com/2892992/2021/10/16/is-gary-payton-ii-still-an-option-for-the-warriors-in-their-now-vacant-15th-roster-spot/
So now they’ll see if GP can clear waivers over the next 48 hours, and if he does then GSW is likely to sign him to another fresh non-guaranteed contract, per his sources.
The one flaw in my “hot take” for AB was that it did not reward the player who actually had the better preseason which was clearly GP2 especially based on the LAL performance last Tuesday. The basketball gods would’ve frowned on me and I’ve always been about the basketball gods. So, shame on me. I’ll do better next time and I did learn something.
Overall, I would rather the 15th spot be taken than not taken, just in case of an injury or other unforeseen circumstance, because Chase Center is a cash cow that can probably absorb a minimum contract’s luxury tax charge, with a couple concerts and a WWE thrown in. I just don’t “fear” the luxury tax that most fans and pundits do, because Chase is such a Golden Goose.
And I might even throw in a bonus hot take that as we get closer to the light at the end of the tunnel with the pandemic, Chase could even be MORE profitable than pre-pandemic, assuming there’s an extra thirst for concerts and such, the public having been deprived for so long. Like, there might be extra concert dates being booked as we speak just because they know they have to make up for last year’s emptiness. Oh, and good ol’ supply and demand.
In any case, imo Lacob set the Warriors up this way. He knew he’d be a repeat taxpayer and he knew that a new arena in SF would help them pretty much unfairly achieve a state where luxury taxes can be absorbed. That’s the whole “unfair competitive advantage” that every venture capitalist looks for in a business plan.
But I digress. What happens with the 15th spot remains to be seen and I’m not mad if it is indeed Gary Payton Jr. And I’m also not mad that I was wrong in predicting Avery Bradley as the choice.
GSW just announced signing Axel Toupane, presumable to an Exhibit 10. I would love to see the timeline on Toupane, when he got let go of the Bucks and any workouts with other teams. Without knowing the details, if they always had one eye on Toupane, that helps explain the 15th spot vacancy a lot more. Toupane is a beast and I’m basing that off of G League Bubble play!
Put it this way, if you’d told me all along it would be Toupane vs AB vs GP, I would’ve picked Toupane by a country mile just based on potential as a long-term NBA wing.
So obviously AB, GP2 *and* JB all got waived tonight after the game. Ricky on our Discord mentioned he liked how it seems to show trust in the other 14. My other two cents: it could also have been maybe they feel no one will pickup Avery on the open market. Ofc this take is extremely biased towards my other take lol 🤷🏻♂️ we’ll see if they get picked up.
And: Btw with three days in between now and Opening Night, that leaves enough days to sign-and-waive via Exhibit 10 the remaining SCW players. I forget what I was told was the maximum number of such contracts. I’ll double-check but I believe it was six (?). This may or may not add up — regardless, I get the sense that GSW had this planned all along, that they would utilize these last few days (also with the 48-hour waiver period) and that they would only fill the 15th spot if one of the training camp guys knocked their socks off *while also* preventing them from stocking their G League team. (Hopefully I got that right, again, I’ll try and double-check by tomorrow.)
Someone on YouTube just said AB “looks washed”. I can see where they’re coming from. But one thing I noticed in the Laker game, he could still dribble pop and stop for a short jumper. That’s not something GP has. So, for me, another nod towards AB. Forgot to include that in the post.
Good stuff so far. An NBA agent once told me it’s not the superstars that are hard to rep. It’s the fringe ones, the ones fighting for the NBA contract where the wheeling and dealing happens, where a workout with one team and not the other can make or break a player’s career. This 15th spot decision, at least the one right here (not all 15th spots are equal), seems like a parallel to that.
Listen if what we need is a deep run in the playoffs then you need a solid center to back up these guys ASAP ! You need a solid center.
Interesting. I remember being a bit impressed by Toupane's game but not to the point of ever thinking that he would get picked over AB or GP2 as he is not a pg. But he's got some skills and that's what's important at #15. Alas, he's not a big.