Kerr on the turnovers, defense; Popovich the Entertainer, humility of Wembanyama, Iguodala flowers
[+video/transcripts/notes/quotes/digest]
I have to admit, I still have not found the right rhythm for these posts, but I know I am close. Going forward, I think I will just go ahead and split up the transcripts and digests — and maybe add some game notes, if possible. This could end up with more than one email newsletter per day, but I think it is justified because I believe there are people out there who like to read the transcripts. This is supported by what I’ve seen on YouTube, which is why I’m pivoting a little bit and more dedicated to transcripts, which also had me swamped this past weekend. It also helps me get a really firm grasp of the team, basically going through all the interviews and quotes at least two times.
So this will probably be the last post where I co-mingle transcripts and digest. I just got a little behind this weekend as the transcripts started to pile up and I got a tad overwhelmed as the pipeline of Golden State Warriors content swelled over the past few days in anticipation of Opening Night. That built up and reporters made sure their exclusives were posted in time, resulting in a flood of pre-Opening Night articles and published interviews. How to more efficiently transmit all the content — e.g., notice how I don’t bother to delete the timestamps below, which are used on YouTube — that I see and absorb quickly to you on this site and the YT channel (and the forthcoming Discord server), as well as other social media platforms is still a work-in-progress.
Let me break this article up into more discernible parts, with the behind-the-scenes aspect still in play: 1) Steve Kerr said postgame that he still had concerns about the turnovers (and team defense) despite going 4-1 in the preseason, 2) Gregg Popovich had a wonderful exchange with Anthony Slater of The Athletic at pregame, 3) I found Victor Wembanyama extraordinarily humble and aware of “quote traps”, and 4) the digest starting with all the flowers given Andre Iguodala on Instagram from his peers.
KERR ON TURNOVERS & DEFENSE
I’ll just plop Steve’s postgame San Antonio Spurs interview transcript right here and let you find the part about the turnovers. The video is included with Coach Pop’s pregame (its transcript is below):
0:00 Steve Kerr postgame Spurs on summarizing the night and preseason in general: “Tonight wasn't great, you could tell we didn't have any energy read from the beginning. But, you know, overall camp went well. You know, we're relatively healthy Draymond is getting there and for the most part, camp was a success you know, we got a lot of things done. Guys are really connected. We have a really good deep bench a lot of guys who can play our rookies are impressive. You know, our young younger, vets Moses, JK have really come along and they're playing well. And so I liked the team, but we've got to, we've got a long way to go. A lot of work to do.”
0:59 on the subs coming in in the second half and picking it up a little: “Yeah, yeah. Well, those guys have done that throughout camp. They play with great energy and there's a lot of skill there. And it just wasn't the starters’ night. It's our fifth preseason game. They knew they were only gonna play 20 minutes or so. And they didn't have it tonight, but that's okay. We start for real Tuesday and we'll be better and like I said, overall, we're in a decent place.”
1:33 on Moses Moody overall in camp: “Well, he's really shot the ball well and he shot it well in the playoffs last year, and he's continued to shoot it well in camp, plays hard every time out there. And I didn't play him at all in the first half and then (in the) second half, he comes out and gets 18 points and eight boards and he's all over the place. So I'm really, really proud of Moses and his development and same with JK. Those guys are really coming along with them.”
2:12 on what has impressed him about the rookies that he wasn’t expecting to see: “Both Brandin and Trayce have a good feel for the game. They both understand the patterns. They understand defensive decisions and timing and positioning. Brandin’s a great rebounder, Trayce is a guy who can finish at the rim, (and) does a good job of protecting the paint. So both (are) very impressive players and it's just fun to see how advanced they are already at such a young age.”
3:02 on what he wanted to see that didn't during the preseason: “Turnovers. We’ve really hammered that home and it hasn't made an impact yet. We're gonna continue to talk about it and coach it and insist upon it, and hopefully we'll get better. And I think too much fouling as well. That was a big problem last year. We had our moments in the preseason where we defended without fouling, but not consistently enough. So I'd like to see those things improve.”
POPOVICH THE ENTERTAINER
Pop had not one, but two verbal jousts with reporters during his pregame. From the title of our upload, Pop of course called Steve an “asshole”, but it was the result of this funny exchange with Logan Murdock of The Ringer…
Murdock: “Steve said he saw that you’d kind of been rejuvenated after the summer obviously big Draft pick of Wemby, but what's it been like for you to coach this team?”
Pop: “What was I being rejuvenated from, was I in a mental institution or was I depressed and curled up in my bedroom or something?”
Logan: “I don’t know, Steve said it. And he knows you better than I do.”
Pop: “Steve's an asshole.”
Logan: “I agree.”
Pop: “I’m telling him that tonight, after the game.”
The other one was with Slater, obviously. Now, this is not meant to throw Slater under the bus. I’ve said a few times here and on previous past iterations of LGW’s website(s): Slater is the Kevin Durant of reporters, the Not-Really-That-Slim Reaper. If you know how we do things here at LGW, we offer a window into the Warriors that is very “19th Man”, very family-like. That’s the secret sauce to this team, this franchise. It’s an ecosystem and so when I chuckle at an exchange between Pop and Slater, it’s meant to be like locker room camaraderie anecdotes. It’s these moments, like Steph dancing around a shoe in the pregame huddle in the bowels of Toyota Center, these behind-the-scenes “outtakes” that make the experience even more fun, especially when it’s Hall-of-Famer Pop…
Slater: “What do you think of Chris Paul’s fit with the Warriors?”
Pop: “I don't care. That's Steve’s problem. I just figure out my own stuff as best I can. I don't think about what other people have to do with their teams. Honestly, it's true.”
Slater: “Okay, how about as a fan?”
Pop: “I'm not a fan. I think basketball is pretty boring. I think tonight there's gonna be some pick-and-roll. And I think Steve's gonna tell his team to get back in defensive transition. And now that I think about it, I'll probably tell my team the same thing. And if you block out, you might rebound better. You know, hit the open man. How hard is that?”
[Laughter in the media room! See? We’re all just having fun.]
Here’s the full transcript of Pop pregame. His praise of Andre is nice…
0:00 on if everybody is available tonight: “Yes.”
0:14 on Keldon Johnson’s focus on defense: “(Starts talking about Johnson but then segues to Tre Jones)… But it doesn't matter where you play Tre…He's just got the competitive nature that every coach would love and kind of like the way Avery Johnson was, everything he has, he gives. His teammates know it and respect him for it.
He energizes everybody so doesn't matter where he plays.”
2:18 Logan Murdock: “Steve said he saw that you’d kind of been rejuvenated after the summer obviously big Draft pick of Wemby, but what's it been like for you to coach this team?” Pop: “What was I being rejuvenated from, was I in a mental institution or was I depressed and curled up in my bedroom or something?”
2:18 Logan: “I don’t know, Steve said it. And he knows you better than I do.” Pop: “Steve's an asshole.” Logan: “I agree.” Pop: “I’m telling him that tonight, after the game.”
2:22 on Andre Iguodala: “He’s one of those, like, in baseball, a utility infielder. I don't know if they still use that term nowadays, but he can do a little bit of everything. And he's willing to do anything that the coach or the team needs to win that particular game and he sets a tone. He's respected by everybody. He speaks and when it's important, if he does speak, everybody respects what he says. And those kinds of guys are often rare. They don't need to beat their chests. They don't need to talk all that much, but it's there. It's real. It's genuine. And he's one of those kinds of players, just an ultimate winner. And Steve depended on him a lot.”
3:41 on Cory Joseph: “I think he's Tre Jones’ twin. Everything I said about Tre applies to Cory. He's a winner, he competes at the highest level. He does whatever it takes, plays great defense, runs the floor, hits the open man. He does nothing that would endanger a team's chances of doing well. I mean, he's human. He's gonna turn it over here and there. He's gonna miss a shot, but he's the kind of guy that coaches want to have on their team.
4:22 on what else he likes with the second unit: “I don't know, I haven't watched them play that much. I'm not sure who's in the second unit, really.”
4:40 on any concerns about Wemby being bigger than David Robinson or Tim Duncan in terms of hype: “Basically because of social media and the world that we live in, you can figure that out. Logically they weren't sliced and diced as much. They came, everybody knew who they were. But this guy has had that hype for so long, kind of like LeBron did. I compare him more to LeBron than those two guys, in that respect... I worried about it and one of my major concerns was to figure out how to protect him more. I'm gonna give him speeches about this and this is the lesson you gotta look out for, this and all that. I found out very early, when I'm talking to him that he's kind of looking at me like, ‘Why is this guy telling me all this stuff here?’ He knows; he's been through it. He's got character. He's got a sense of humor. He's intelligent. He knows how to handle it. So I'm not worried about it anymore.”
5:52 on Wemby changing the geometry on the court, for example telling his guys they can be a little higher on the entry pass to him: “Could you tell my team that in the locker room to be a little bit higher? … They are; they are really beginning to. They were throwing it like this instead of like that, so yeah, He’s different. He changes the dynamics on the court. And the spacing at both ends of the court… We had to get used to Timmy and this is even more different than that.”
6:32 on what he thinks of Chris Paul’s fit with the Warriors, asked by Anthony Slater: “I don't care. That's Steve’s problem. I just figure out my own stuff as best I can. I don't think about what other people have to do with their teams. Honestly, it's true.”
6:47 on if he has any thoughts on CP3 with the Warriors as a fan of basketball: “I'm not a fan. I think basketball is pretty boring. I think tonight there's gonna be some pick-and-roll. And I think Steve's gonna tell his team to get back in defensive transition. And now that I think about it, I'll probably tell my team the same thing. And if you block out, you might rebound better. You know, hit the open man. How hard is that?”
7:19 on the open runs during the summer helping the Spurs bond with Wemby
8:20 on how his team looked with Sochan starting at point guard
8:59 on Bassey
THE HUMILITY OF WEMBY
Did you catch Pop saying above that he wanted protect Wemby from the media narratives at first, but then soon realized Vic had that covered? How can you not like this kid? The soft-spoken-ness, the absolutely superb English, the pausing between thoughts and giving the politically correct answer, the list goes on.
Check out this exchange between him and Nate Duncan of the Dunc’d On podcast, as Wemby protects himself from any forthcoming bulletin board material…
Duncan: “…guys who are accustomed to seeing a bigger guy and thinking that they have a mismatch (because the bigger guy can’t keep up on defense) and you kind of enjoy the process of letting them know that maybe it's not this match?”
Wemby: “Yeah, it's some stuff that's gonna surprise, probably, my opponents at first, but I'm sure with the scouting reports and the film, that our opponents are going to get to know us and get to know me. So they won't be surprised anymore in a few months or years. But yeah, of course I'm always okay with the fact that they think they can get an easy bucket.”
Here’s the full transcript, including Jonathan Kuminga and Cory Joseph…
0:00 Jonathan Kuminga postgame on how he would evaluate his preseason: “I'd say it was a great one. Just to go out there and have a feel of the game, knowing everybody. So far, like I said, it was good. I would say I'm proud of it for sure.”
0:40 on what he liked versus things he wants to work on: “I mean, I'll go with the — not just the team policy, but pretty much whatever the team’s like. Gotta cut them turnovers down a little bit and I feel like today, I actually did better. I think that's the biggest thing. I'm just working on it, watching film. I was supposed to watch film with Coach Kerr, but those turnovers. Eh, I feel like so far, that’s the only thing I gotta work on. And as the games go, as the season goes, as I get even way more comfortable, things like that won't happen.”
1:27 on what he’s seen from Moses: “I will say Moses doing great so far. We all doing great. We all growing. We get the opportunity to play out there, we go out there and show what we can do and that goes a long way. Once the coaches go back and look at it, and see we actually doing better and growing and getting better every day, that’s our chances. Even me and Moses to actually go out there on the court and play and enjoy the game and help the team win.”
2:18 responding to silence from reporters: “That’s it?”
2:31 Cory Joseph postgame on how his back is feeling: “Feels really good. Yeah, I didn't really feel my back was an issue out there. Just continue to do my stuff to prepare for every game, but it feels good.”
2:57 on if his back injury came out of nowhere: “I just tweaked. It wasn't a crazy deal, but it's just something that I had to get right before getting back on the court. But just something that I just had to deal with, wasn't really like — didn't really come out of nowhere, but then again, it wasn't something crazy.”
3:22 on the roster depth of it and mix of veterans and young guys: “I think it’s great. Like you said, we're very deep. We got a lot of talent. And we got a lot of guys that know the game and with very high IQs and I think we can use that to our advantage throughout the 82-game season. And I think it's great, anytime your number can be called and you gotta be ready to perform.”
3:52 responding to no more questions: “Amazing. Perfect. Thanks, guys.”
3:59 Victor Wembanyama postgame on a guy thinking they have a mismatch and enjoying the process of letting them know that maybe it's not: “Yeah, it's some stuff that's gonna surprise, probably, my opponents at first, but I'm sure with the scouting reports and the film, that our opponents are going to get to know us and get to know me. So they won't be surprised anymore in a few months or years. But yeah, of course I'm always okay with the fact that they think they can get an easy bucket.”
4:45 on what the veteran teammates have been talking to him about and welcoming him to the city (of San Antonio): “Even though we're a young team, the more experienced guys, they really have a cohesion with all of us, the young guys and the rookies. So it's really been easy to adapt, to get into the city and we often have team dinners. We have one tonight actually. So it's really a team that goes well along together.”
5:29 on what play in the preseason that stands out: “I think my dunk against Miami surprised myself a little bit because I was almost too short. I've [inaudible] with my fingers. I'm trying stuff and most of the time it works but sometimes it doesn't.”
6:05 on if Pop encourages experimenting: “Maybe they do, but I don't know about it because I'm so stubborn in that way trying always. I don't think I've ever had a coach having to tell me, “Yeah try some stuff.” So maybe they do, but I don't know about it. But Pop told me that Manu who taught him how to sometimes leave some freedom to the players because Manu was doing some crazy stuff and I guess Pop had to control himself not to tell him what to do sometimes.”
6:58 on what the preseason showed him how effective he could be right now: “Even before the preseason, during our months of practice in San Antonio, almost the whole roster was there and I could feel right away that I could have an impact on the game and that could help my team in many ways. There's a lot of sacrifices that I'm willing to make. And I think with our roster and the lineup that we put on the court, sometimes we got so much size, so much versatility, that I think we're a team who can manage to never force anything. We always have that. We always have multiple options. And it really all comes down to how quick we get to really, really know each other against the toughest competition in the league.”
8:14 on how often he has to remind guys to throw it high to him: “At first, pretty often, which makes sense. But as I said before, in that environment the players around me are just so good that they learn to play with me pretty quick, even though we still got a long way to go. It's really something that is natural and I think we're going to see less and less passes that are too low.”
8:57 on, as a center, having handles like a guard and whether he likes to set screens have the ball: “So I'm not a center, even though I can play that position and I have. But I don't like considering me in a certain position. I think we've seen in the preseason, I've been the setter and the handler as often, so what I like is really to change.”
9:38 on how he balances the spotlight with his teammates: “I mean, I don't force anything, but I'm trying to — I consider my teammates like my brothers, unconditional love. So I'm trying to share as much as I can just like I would with my family. So there's really no big deal about this, I guess. Before they got to meet me, maybe they thought it would be a big deal with my teammates but, really, it’s not. On my side, it’s — for me, the answer is easy. It's just to know where I'm going. I mean, being driven, having that internal motivation that stops me from falling into the opposite of humility — I don’t know how to say this.”
10:56 [last two questions are in French]
FLOWERS FOR ANDRE
It seems like a distant memory all of a sudden, but Friday leading up to the Spurs game was all about Iguodala’s retirement. Here’s Steve’s pregame transcript which includes a wonderful story about Andre’s love for golf. Be sure to check the “flowers” section after the transcript…
0:45 on what Andre meant to this franchise: “Well, he's one of the main reasons we've got those four banner banners hanging up. He was a foundational piece of what has been one of the great runs in NBA history, in many ways. Andre set the tone for the whole thing by agreeing to come off the bench and 2014-15 really sacrificing and making the move that unlocked the team that allowed Harrison to thrive, that strengthened our bench, but also set a tone for unselfishness, and team-first mentality, and that was ultimately rewarded with a title and Finals MVP for Andre, ironically, when we put him back in the starting lineup. I mean, as a coach, you dream of a team that embraces the group's success over everything else. And Andre to me was the guy who set the tone and told everybody on the roster, ‘This is what it's about.’ And then you look at the type of player he was, just incredibly smart, amazing feel at both ends, was always a step ahead of everybody else on the floor, elite defender and the perfect complement to the group we had, because he was able to to expose the defense and get shots for Steph and Klay and cover up the other end defensively when we made mistakes. So Andre was just special.”
2:44 on the other little things that he did in the margins that may not be on the stat sheet but things seen on video: “Every game there's stuff on tape that you can see exactly what he's doing, where he's a step ahead of the defense. He’d ave an open shot, but he'd see Steph or Klay come in through the paint and he would take his time, pump fake, take a dribble the other direction and then just swing it to those guys and then he would laugh going back down the floor because he knew he had the defense on a string. There are a million plays that he made that are tough to describe, but just always in the right spot, always seeing what's happening and being proactive instead of reactive, and could guard anybody because of his size and length and speed. Just guarded any individual player in the league and then was also one of the best help defenders in the league. The numbers don't show it because he wasn't a huge scorer, but Andre was one of the best players in the league over his run here and, like I said, one of the main reasons we got these banners here.”
4:10 on if he'll be around at all: “Well, a lot of us are in touch with Andre. And he's just so busy. He's got a million irons in the fire. So he has not been around much so far, but it wouldn't surprise me if he starts coming back around and just misses being with the group. That's usually how it goes, but he could do anything he wants. If he misses basketball and he decides he wants to get back in, he can for sure be a coach if he wants, but he's got a lot of options and I think my experience retiring was, it's good to get away and just enjoy your freedom and lay the sword down for a while and enjoy the family and I think he's going to do that.”
4:59 on the lineup tonight and doing some interesting stuff tonight: “Well, we'll start Chris, Steph, Klay, Wiggs and Loon. And we're gonna play Rodney McGruder a little bit, now that he's back. He was fantastic for us leading up to camp. And we want to give him a look tonight. This is not going to be a 30-plus-minute night for our starters. We’ll scale it back, so probably 20, 24, in that range, which means we'll play more people as well.”
5:43 on if he has a favorite Andre Iguodala moment on or off the court: “When we won the title in ‘15, during that run, one of my best friends is a member at Augusta. And Andre loves golf. And so my friend Jeff, he said, ‘Hey, tell Andre and Steph, if we win the title, we'll go to Augusta. So, Andre is such a golf night, I told him. So the buzzer sounds, I think Steph threw the ball up in the air. Andre catches the ball. I mean, it's not 15, 20 seconds after we've won the NBA championship and Andre runs over to me. He goes, ‘We’re going to August!’. Like, ‘That’s what you're thinking of right now?’ But he loves golf so much. And I always love that story. Because he made the sacrifice to come off the bench all that year and then he starts the last three games. He gets Finals MVP, and then he gets to go to golf heaven. So it's a good run.”
7:02 on convincing him to come back last year and if there was any inclination that they would have to get him back this season: “Well, it wasn't really discussed. I think last year, it was tough because he couldn't stay healthy. And we were really hoping and counting on him being there and his body didn't hold up. And so when we went into this this offseason, we were in touch with him, but neither side was sort of banging down the other door. We kind of assumed Andre was going to retire, but gave him the respect of keeping the door open if that's what he wanted. But it wasn't like the previous summer where we were really pressing him to come back and play. We know how everything's got to play out each year is a little different. And this summer was different and we just kind of left each other alone and let it play out. And I think he's very, very much at peace with his decision. 19 years is an incredible run.”
8:31 on if Draymond was able to do 3-on-3 by the end of this week: “Yeah, Draymond played 3-on-3 today… he's doing fine. But he needs some work, for sure. Today was the first day he has done that. So obviously, you’ve got to keep doing that and advanced to 5-on-5. And so we'll see what it means. But it's a good first step.”
9:01 on what the conversations are like when going up against a player like Wembanyama: “Yeah, I mean, we haven't talked about the matchup. We’ll do that just before the game because it's preseason. We're not as locked in on personnel and gameplan and all that. But everybody knows what a talent he is and it'll be fun for for us to play against him tonight and for our fans to see him play.”
9:40 on receiving an award from the Love Life Foundation tomorrow, the Advocate for Peace Award: “Yeah, I mean, I'm very, very honored. And I'll be there tomorrow and excited about the event. I'm, as you know, a very strong advocate for gun violence prevention, gun safety measures and tomorrow will be a very flattering night and I'm really honored to be receiving the award.”
10:19 on what having Victor does for Pop and if he’s perfectly suited to coach him after going through Tim: “Yeah, well, apparently it got him a five-year contract, that’s how I look at it. No, I know how rejuvenated Pop is and I think the last few years in many ways have been a lot of fun for Pop coaching his young guys, leading them. I've had several meals with Pop during the last couple seasons, and it's the usual seeing the whole team is there and everybody is engaged and connected and we know how much Pop loves that aspect of coaching, along with the gratification that comes with seeing young guys develop. So that part of the equation has been really powerful the last few years. But everyone wants to win. I mean, Pop’s one of the biggest competitors I've ever been around and so I think he's really excited to have Victor, but also these young guys who they've developed and they're going to be much improved this year and Pop’s bouncing off the walls. He's really excited about all this.”
11:45 on Vern Glenn of KPIX filling in for hype man Franco Finn during the Warriors player introductions and any kind of advice: “Yeah, be yourself. Don't be Franco, just do you. That's my advice.”
12:07 Glenn: “Well, he's been teaching me how to go all gutteral and stuff like that and spelling out the names.”
12:11 Kerr: “Just be yourself. Be authentic. All right, you got this. We believe in you. Thank you.”
Before we list out all the flowers for Andre, let’s hear from Iguodala himself, who posted this via an ingenious back-of-a-t-shirt print, in a photo taken by Jordan Jimenez of personal-photographer-to-Jordan Poole fame:
“I want to thank y’all for being part of my journey. From Springfield to Arizona, Philly, Denver Miami and Bay Area.
Living out one of my dreams and having the of you all has been incredible but it’s time to move on.
As they say, all things must come to an end but there’s also life after…
Stay tuned,
[signed Andre Iguodala]”
You can buy the t-shirt for $50 here: https://roboticminds.co/products/rmc-for-andre-iguodala and it apparently comes with a trading card.
Here are more messages of congrats:
“4x NBA Champion
1x Finals MVP
3x All Defense
2012 Olympic gold medalist
Last but not least, he’s A REAL ONE! 🤧🔺
🗣️HOLLA, IGUODALA”— Evan Turner
“Congratulations lil bro! So proud of you. Anybody thats ever been around you knows how brilliant you are, so after retirement I know you'll do great things. Hoop wise next stop Hall of Fame!” — Allen Iverson
“Congratulations to the OG on a hell of a career. It was an amazing experience suiting up and playing with you. Appreciate the knowledge and wisdom you passed down to me. Enjoy retirement! #9” — Andrew Wiggins
“I was there right before the rings, so we didn’t have the high resolution photos like they do now 🤪
What stands out the most for me, being an undrafted second year player, was seeing the humility in you coming over from Denver. The sacrifices you made early on when coming to the warriors is the absolute best example of what it takes to build something special. You got your Finals MVP for the hardware but looking back, I think that was a pivotal chip that needed to fall to cement the dynasty that has been created. Although I wasn’t a part of the champagne showers (ain’t too late), that kind of selflessness is something that has always stayed with me. Don’t even have to worry about what you doing after hoops, you’re already off and running.
My dawg
Baze ⛹🏾♂️💨⚡️”
— Kent Bazemore
“I can’t say much about those pictures. But our relationship and bond is strong. I have Learned a lot from you on and off the court. It was amazing to be your brother and teammate. So much success and so many memories. Good luck in the next chapter and looking forward to what’s next for you. LOVE AND RESPECT” — Leandro Barbosa
And finally venture capitalist Clarke Miyasaki gave the most interesting, in-depth behind-the-scenes Andre story:
This is an Andre appreciation post for officially announcing the end of his Hall of Fame career. A couple of stories…
The first story expands on what he wrote in his book, The Sixth Man, that’s in the last photo. I flew out to Cleveland the night before Game 4 of the 2015 Finals and text Dre when I landed to see if he could still grab dinner that night. He had a full day of practice and media but told me that he had to get a workout in and then we could meet up. This dude is playing 35-40 minutes/game guarding the best playing in the world (Lebron shot under 40% that finals btw!) and he has to get a 2-hour workout in the night before Game 4?! I was shocked but that is the type of work he put into this beautiful game of basketball to become a 4-time NBA champion and part of the very rare group of NBA Finals MVPs. It was at that dinner where we had the conversation telling me they figured it out and won’t lose again as mentioned in the book.
The second story is when were at all-star weekend at the time I was trying to negotiate the NBA/Stance on-court sock deal. He was speaking at the NBA Legends brunch that Adam Silver and tons of NBA Execs & players attend. I jokingly told him to put in a good word to the commissioner for us if he had the chance. What does Dre do? During his speech in front of a couple thousand people, he throws in, “I was driving over here with the great Clarke Miyasaki from Stance socks…” Going above and beyond to help out a friend is who he is.
We met when Dre become part of the NBA Skullcandy Crew back in 2010 and for whatever reason, became fast friends. It’s easy to forget just how much fun we’ve had as I looked thru past pics. A very sincere thank you for all the meaningful life discussions, halftime texts, family game passes, golf trips, concerts, team dinners, contract discussions, business chats, ‘you’re not going to believe this’ stories, etc.
Official PointForward retirement podcast:
REST OF DIGEST: WAIVE GAY, McGRUDER
• The Golden State Warriors (postgame after Spurs game) are releasing Rudy Gay and Rodney McGruder, sources tell me and Anthony Slater. This trims Warriors’ standard deals to 13 players, giving extra roster/financial flexibility, and they will add the 14th spot within first two weeks of season. (Shams Charania)
• The Warriors will enter the season with 13 roster players. Trims a little tax. A 14th must be added within two weeks. McGruder/Gay both among candidates to fill 14th when time comes. (Anthony Slater)
• Minimum roster rules changed in the new CBA. A team still has 2 weeks to sign a player if the roster falls below 14 players. However, a team has only a 28 day allotment for the entire season. (Bobby Marks)
STEPH x FORTNITE
Another Steph x Fortnite tweet with video — we’ve mentioned Steph’s involvement with Fortnite before in a previous article (just enter “steph fortnite” in the Substack search field, obviously: “Run the Ring. Now on Fortnite. Built with @CreatorsCorpgg. Let’s see what you got. 0980-3642-2044”
ERIC GORDON ON KLAY, BAHAMAS, GSW
Mark Medina of Sportskeeda with Eric Gordon on Klay Thompson, Team Bahamas, and free agency with Warriors/Suns: https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-houston-warriors-option-eric-gordon-choosing-phoenix-suns-free-agency-recruiting-klay-thompson-bahamas-exclusive
Mychal Thompson told me he’s not sure if Klay winds up getting selected to play for Team USA or if he plays for the Bahamas. Will you all try to convince Klay to play for the Bahamas? Gordon: (smiles) “We’ll see. He knows he has a tough decision to make. It can go either way. But I’ll take our chances.”Do you have any read on that, or too early?
Gordon: “It’s too early to know. But he knows the direction we’re at. I think he sees how meaningful it is for the Bahamas.”
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I understand you had several options in free agency, including the Warriors and the Rockets. Is that correct?Gordon: “Yeah. Houston and the Warriors were definitely an option. Milwaukee was definitely an option. But I felt Phoenix was onto something special. It was a tough decision, but I really think we have everything going on here from ownership, to coaches and to players. It’s hard to beat.”
MOODY DONATES SHOES TO eSTEM HS
Moses Moody donated Ja Morant signature shoes to his alma mater, eSTEM of Little Rock, AR.
Here’s a promo video clip:
PODZIEMSKI DAY AT SANTA CLARA U.
Brandin Podziemski Day will be on 1/20/24 at Santa Clara vs Portland.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, JIMMY
Jimmy Butler sported an unorthodox haircut on Media Day for the Miami Heat and it is now paying dividends on the official NBA app:
STEPH on GOLF PODCAST
Steph x No Laying Up podcast from Wed 10/18, says he’s down to a +3 handicap
BPODZ/TRAYCE/GUI AT SANTA CRUZ
Podziesmki, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Gui Santos at Santa Cruz FanFest:
GP2 x DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH
How GP2’s mom influenced his positive energy: “When Gary’s fourth-grade teacher raised concerns about his learning, his mom, Monique Payton went above and beyond to provide her son with the tools for success in and out of school. Monique’s unwavering commitment as a parent to a child with dyslexia inspired her to acquire new skills and knowledge, empowering her to support Gary effectively.
Join us tomorrow (Sun 10/22) at the UCSF Block Party, where Monique will be the keynote speaker, taking the stage for a conversation. She’ll be sharing her unique insights on parenting a child with dyslexia, turning challenges into triumphs.”
“October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, shining a light on this learning difference affecting many. The GPII Foundation is leading the charge, raising awareness and support. Dyslexia’s hidden struggles must be addressed, with communities and schools providing screening and resources. GPII Foundation leads this crucial mission.
Join us in creating an inclusive world. Let’s champion awareness and education, breaking down barriers for dyslexic individuals. Support the GPII Foundation, let’s make a difference! Let’s get it done!”
NEXT UP ON THIS WEBSITE
Transcript of Kerr, Draymond Green, Klay from practice Sunday, mainly spotlighting Draymond’s message about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which somewhat eerily went rather unnoticed,
Transcript of Kerr, CP3, and Kevon Looney from Monday practice. Might even include Tuesday morning shootaround if there’s time.
Digest of Sunday and Monday. Might even include Tuesday news items if there’s time.
Announcement of Discord server, which will essentially contain all of the content you see on this website, with the main differences being that there will be even more and that they get posted as they happen, for paid subscribers only — that is to say, if you’re willing to wait for me to post the same stuff (minus some tidbits) here, but much less organized, you can still get that for free here.
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