WARRIORS

Dwight Howard Not Being Signed By The Warriors

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The Golden State Warriors will not be signing veteran big Dwight Howard. Howard, who spent last season playing in Taiwan, spent two days with the Warriors this week. However, Golden State opted not to sign the eight-time All-Star and former first-overall pick. “The Warriors are not expected to sign Dwight Howard or another veteran center ahead of training camp. Howard had a two-day visit with the Warriors this week that included meetings and workouts, but the Warriors are expected now to maintain flexibility to sign a potential big man later in camp or into the regular season,” reported Shams Charania.

Howard is expected to meet with other interested teams next week. Despite this, it appears to be growing increasingly unlikely that Howard will be back in the league this season. Howard’s last NBA action was as part of the Lakers back in 2021. He turns 38 in December. He averaged 6.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game across 60 games in his last NBA season.

Read More: Dwight Howard compares the teammate vibes of LeBron and Kobe

Howard Eyes The Olympics

Despite his NBA uncertainty, Howard is eager to represent Team USA at the Paris Olympics next year. As the US looks to build a superteam, Howard made it clear that he wanted to be a part of it. Furthermore, he went as far as to say that if he wasn’t selected, he would declare for Taiwan and “drop 85” at the tournament. In the late 2000s, Howard was a go-to pick for the national team. He won Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2008 and World Cup bronze at s well as a World Cup bronze at Japan 2006.

There are just two problems with Howard’s plan. The first is that Taiwanese citizenship requires five years of residency, which Howard doesn’t have. The second is that, eligible or not, Howard would still be watching the Olympics from his home as Taiwan is not able to qualify for the Olympic tournament. Only three teams from Asia and Oceania – New Zealand, Lebanon, and the Philippines – will participate in qualifiers next year for the four remaining Olympic spots.

Read More: Dwight Howard sued by ex-butler

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Andre Iguodala Claims Jordan Poole Was Lowkey Disrespected By The Warriors

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In a recent podcast appearance with JJ Redick, Andre Iguodala spoke about Jordan Poole. Specifically, Iguodala reflected on the less-than-ideal role that Poole had to play for the Warriors. In short, Iguodala summarized that the Warriors were built around Steph, Klay, and Draymond. Poole, who would often play off the bench, was expected to play without the freedom or the eccentricities afforded to the team’s Big Three. If Draymond was having a wild night with errant passes and the like, Poole had to be perfect. If Steph was cold from three, Poole had to be hot. In Iguodala’s eyes, Poole had to play clean-up to whatever the Big Three wasn’t doing on any particular night.

Drafted in 2019 by the Warriors, Poole had four solid seasons with the team. In his final season before being traded to the Wizards, Poole had over 20 points per game. On any other team, Poole would likely have been an instant starter and first-rotation lock. However, it’s always going to be hard to get that consistent playing time with a roster like Golden State’s. Even in his 20.7 ppg season, Poole only started 43 games.

Read More: Nick Young claims Draymond tried to punch him like Jordan Poole

Draymond Green Seemingly Shades Jordan Poole

A lot of the stories over the summer after Poole was traded was the seemingly reignited beef between him and Draymond Green. While Green feuded with Poole’s father on social media, he also appeared to shade his former teammate on TikTok.

In a TikTok for Bleacher Report, Green jumped on the “roster builder challenge”. Essentially, you have to create an NBA roster using one player from five randomly-selected teams. The video started simply enough, with Green choosing Cavs PG Darius Garland and Utah F Lauri Markkanen. Then came the Wizards as Green’s third team. “Who still on Washington’s team?” Green said with a laugh before taking F Kyle Kuzma. Additionally, Green rounded out his team with Damian Lillard (Blazers) and Bam Adebayo (Heat). When asked how they would do, Green argued that “they should win. But they don’t have me, Steph, or Klay. This is an Eastern Conference team. They lose in the Finals to the Warriors.”

Read More: Jordan Poole hits Draymond with Gunna lyrics

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Dwight Howard To Meet With The Golden State Warriors

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The Golden State Warriors will meet with Dwight Howard next week, according to Shams Charania. The Warriors have spent the latter half of the offseason searching for a depth big man. Howard is 37 and has spent the last two years in Taiwan. He last played in the NBA in 2022 following his third stint on the Lakers.

Howard is an eight-time All-Star, last earning the honor in 2014. Furthermore, he has also been named to five All-NBA First Teams, the last coming in 2012. Other players the Warriors have considered adding include Blake Griffin. However, as noted by The Athletic, “Would Howard enter the situation with the correct mindset? If he doesn’t play for two straight weeks, would he be fine with that? If they tell him to rebound, remain physical but never expect a play run in his direction, would he remain content? Is there any concern he’d become a distraction on the sideline or in the locker room for a franchise that is already attempting quite the chemistry experiment bringing Chris Paul into the mix?”

Read More: Jimmy Butler links up with Morgan Wallen in Toronto

Howard Says Team USA Or Else

Elsewhere, Howard has spoken on his desire to play with Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. In the late 2000s, Howard was a go-to pick for the national team. He won a gold medal at the Beijing Games in 2008 as well as a World Cup bronze in 2006. However, he is likely on the outside looking in when it comes to 2024. Despite this, Howard is adamant that he be selected. Furthermore, he has gone as far as to say that if he isn’t selected, he will play for Taiwan and “drop 85”.

There’s just one problem with this assertion. Taiwan (or Chinese Taipei as it is referred to by the IOC) can’t qualify for the Olympics. Taiwan is not one of the 24 remaining teams that will compete for one of the four remaining Olympic spots next July. Furthermore, Howard has not lived in Taiwan for five years, meaning he cannot be naturalized as a citizen in time for the Olympics.

Read More: Kai Jones roasts his own teammates online

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SOURCE SPORTS: LeBron and Lakers Will Open NBA Season Against Denver Nuggets on Ring Night

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LeBron James will get a chance for revenge when his Los Angeles Lakers open the NBA season by taking on the reigning champion Denver Nuggets on their ring night. The 2023-24 NBA season will tip off at Ball Arena moments after the Nuggets raise their championship banner. It will be the 21st NBA season for LeBron James.

Game 2 of the season-opening double-header will see the Phoenix Suns’ new trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal take on the new-look Golden State Warriors, who have added former Sun Chris Paul to Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson.

The rest of the opening week matchups are below. What are you excited to see?

The post SOURCE SPORTS: LeBron and Lakers Will Open NBA Season Against Denver Nuggets on Ring Night first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: LeBron and Lakers Will Open NBA Season Against Denver Nuggets on Ring Night appeared first on The Source.

NBA Season To Open With West Coast Blockbusters

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The NBA has announced that the 2023-24 season will officially begin on October 24. What’s more, they will skew tradition to open with a slate of purely Western Conference matchups. The official tip-off will occur in Denver, where the Nuggets will raise their championship banner before taking on the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s a rematch of the Western Conference Finals, in which the Nuggets swept the Lakers so hard that LeBron considered retiring.

However, that game is almost serving as a lead-in to the night’s real marquee matchup. The Phoenix Suns will take on the Golden State Warriors. This means that Chris Paul will be facing his old team on night one. Furthermore, we will get out first look at Phoenix’s new Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.

Read More: Druski launches sports management agency

NBA Promises Hyped Opening Week

However, the fun continues over the first days of the new season. October 25 sees the new-look Celtics take on the Knicks. Meanwhile, Victor Wembanyama makes his debut in an in-state matchup against Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks. That’s followed by the Sixers taking on Milwaukee to kick off October 26, which also features LeBron taking on KD as the Lakers face the Suns. The first half of the week very much feels like it will help establish who’s legit in this year’s title races.

Furthermore, October 27 is a day dedicated to playoff rematches. The Heat, who may or may not have Damian Lillard, take on the Celtics. That is followed by the Kings taking on the Warriors. Of course, the Kings came so close to beating the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, only to choke a 3-1 series lead. Finally, October 28 sees the Knicks back in action, this time taking on Zion Williamson and the Pelicans. Then the Suns have their third game of the week as they face the Utah Jazz. Which matchups are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.

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Draymond Green Expected To Decline Player Option

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The future of Draymond Green is one of the biggest free agency talking points of the NBA offseason. Green has spent his entire career with the Warriors after being drafted in 2012. However, 2023-24 represents a player option year for Green’s $99.6 million contract. 2022-23 was a sub-optimal year for Green, who admitted that he lost the locker room after his viral fight with Jordan Poole.

However, the Warriors had been eager to retain him. Despite criticizing Green for the Poole fight, head coach Steve Kerr said he was eager to have Green back next year. Furthermore, sources indicated that Steph Curry was eager to run it back with “The Big Three” (him, Green, and Klay Thompson) for at least one more year. However, major news has now broken about the potential future of Green with Golden State.

Warriors Will Fight To Retain Green

Per Marc J. Spears of ESPN, the Warriors expect Green to decline his player option year, valued at $27.5 million. “The Warriors expect Draymond Green to opt out of the final year of his $26 million contract,” Spears stated. “But Joe Lacob, [Mike] Dunleavy, the Warriors are going to do everything in their power, if he does as expected, to bring him back.” The Warriors are currently over $100 million over the cap. This could pose a problem in making Draymond a competitive offer on the free agency market.

As mentioned by Spears, the job of retaining Green, if he does decline the option, falls on newly-appointed GM Mike Dunleavy. While Dunleavy is a long-time Warriors exec, it’s unclear what sort of relationship he was with Green. His predecessor, Bob Myers, was seen as the “Draymond Whisperer”. However, declining his option year will allow other teams to pursue Green as well. Furthermore, this could see a major contender or cap-friendly team make a big offer to bring in the veteran big man. Do you think Draymond will stay with Golden State? Let us know in the comments. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.

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Golden State Warriors Can’t Contend Without Draymond Green, JJ Reddick Argues

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The Warriors’ season ended in humiliation. They were bullied out of the playoffs by the Lakers in the second round. A lot has been written, and said, about this season for Golden State. Steve Kerr said the team never felt like a championship roster. Furthermore, Kerr placed much of the blame in regard to team dynamics on the fight between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole last October. Green agreed, stating that he lost the locker room after the incident. Despite this, Kerr is eager to have Green back on the team

Furthermore, while questions remain about the Warriors’ future, there is hope. Both Steph Curry and Klay Thompson both have at least one year left on their contract. Additionally, Green has the option to exercise a player year for $27 million. However, sources have confirmed that Curry, arguably the leader of this team, wants to run it back with the Big 3 for one more year at least. Now, another voice is advocating for the Warriors to do everything it takes to keep Green on the team.

Reddick Argues Warriors Don’t Contend Without Green

“Absolutely not,” Reddick began when asked if the Warriors can contend without Draymond. “Draymond is so important to everything they do on both sides of the basketball. And defensively specifically, what we saw last year was a non-elite defense from the Golden State Warriors…And yet, Draymond Green had another elite defensive season. He is the anchor of that defense. When the Golden State Warriors have contended, it’s because they have had an elite defense. You lose him, with really no way to replace him, you’re not winning an NBA championship.”

While Chris “Mad Dog” Russo sees the Warriors as a top-tier contender next season, Reddick is more reserved. To him, the Warriors have the potential to contend if they play the draft and free agency correctly. However, to him, getting rid of Draymond is getting rid of the team’s championship chances. Green has not yet been the focus of much speculation yet, with many believing that he will pick up his player option. However, what do you think Draymond should do? Do you think the Warriors will let him leave? Let us know in the comments. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.

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Bob Myers Leaves The Warriors: Report

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Bob Myers is one of the most respected executives in all of basketball and it is easy to see why. Overall, he put together one of the greatest dynasties in the entire history of the NBA. The Golden State Warriors won four titles starting in 2015 and made it to six NBA Finals. Although the team had some down years, they came back in 2022 and won it all. It was a huge achievement for the team that showcased just how well put together the Warriors have been throughout all of these years.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, they were not able to get over the hump this year. They had a weak regular season that resulted in a sixth seed in the West. Furthermore, they were pushed to seven games by Sacramento before being eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in six. It was not the end of the season that the Warriors were hoping for, and now, they have big decisions to make. However, moving forward, Myers will not be making these decisions.

Read More: Steve Kerr Says Warriors Failure Stemmed for Green-Poole Fight

Bob Myers Leaves On His Own Terms

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Bob Myers announced that he would be stepping down from the team. Overall, Myers was not fired or anything like that. Instead, he just believes now is the best time for him to leave. He has accomplished everything he has set out to, and he is happy leaving right now. Although Warriors fans are certainly going to miss him, it seems like Myers will get to enjoy some much-needed time off. Either way, this is an end of an era for the Golden State Warriors. What happens from here on out, is anyone’s best guess.

In the eyes of many, the dynasty ended as soon as the Warriors lost to the Lakers. Steph Curry is getting older, as is Klay Thompson. Additionally, there is this sense that Draymond Green will want to leave and join LeBron James in L.A. Whatever the case, it was a pleasure watching the Warriors over the past decade. Give us your thoughts on this news, in the comments section below.

Read More: Colin Cowherd Roasts The Entire Warriors Roster

Steve Kerr Says Warriors Failure Stemmed for Green-Poole Fight

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The Golden State Warriors crashed out of the playoffs with a blowout loss to the Lakers in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals. It capped a disappointing season for the Warriors, who went from reigning champions to a struggling six-seed.

After their elimination, head coach Steve Kerr admitted that they were not a “championship team” this season. There are a lot of things that went wrong for the Warriors. These include a dismal record on the road and some of the worst transition efficiency in the league. Despite these on-court factors, Kerr has pointed to something else to explain the Warriors’ slump.

Kerr Says Trust Was Never “Rebuilt” After Practice Fight

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 12: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in game six of the Western Conference Semifinal Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 12, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

In October 2022, it was reported that during a Warriors practice, Draymond Green and Jordan Poole had gotten into a physical altercation. Green spent a week away from the team. But more importantly, according to Kerr, it caused the team to lose trust in one another. “Anytime some trust is lost, then it makes the process much more difficult, and there was some trust lost.” Kerr, speaking at his exit interview, continued. “That’s as blunt as I can be. We have to get back to what has made us really successful, which is a really trusting environment and a group that relies on one another and makes each other better.”

However, he went on to specifically call out the Green-Poole fight as the inciting incident. “There’s no hiding from it — the incident with Draymond and Jordan at the beginning of the year played a role in that,” Kerr said. “It’s hard for that not to impact a team.” However, Kerr stated that he is eager to rebuild that trust and move forward with both players on the team. “Look, if Draymond is not back, we’re not a championship contender,” Kerr said. “We know that. He’s that important to winning and to who we are. I absolutely want him back.” 2023/24 is a player option year for Green, meaning that his future with the Warriors lies solely with him.

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Kim K, Kendall Jenner, Bad Bunny Watch Lakers Win

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On May 11, the Lakers were finally able to prove a psychic Corgi and Stephen A. Smith wrong as they beat the Warriors 122-101. LeBron had a dominant 30-point game, nearly hitting a triple-double with nine assists and nine rebounds. Fan-favorite Austin Reaves put 23 points. After the game, the Warriors conceded that they were not a “championship team” this season. The Lakers will play the Denver Nuggets in the next round.

Now the Kardashian-Jenner dynasty has a long history of dating NBA players. While most of the athletes linked to the family are former flames of Khloé, Kim and Kendall have also had their basketball romances. Kim briefly dated Kris Humphries, who retired in 2017. Meanwhile, Kendall has had romances with Suns star Devon Booker and current Celtic Blake Griffin.

Kim Brings A Homemade Sign, Kendall And Bad Bunny Have A Lakers Date

Kim was courtside was the Lakers’ Game 6 win. Earlier in the series, she had been spotted showing off her curves in a tight-fitting “I Love Nerds” top. That appearance fueled speculation that Kim was dating a Laker, a claim she denied. For Game 6, she was in attendance with her daughter, North. Together they held up a homemade sign that read “Tristan Thompson” in alternating purple and gold letters. Thompson, Kim’s former brother-in-law, played four minutes off the bench, pulling down two rebounds. It remains to be seen if Kim will continue attending Lakers home games as they take on the Nuggets for a place in the NBA Finals.

Elsewhere in the crowd, fans spotted Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny. The pair have been publicly dating since February 2023. At one point, the broadcast appeared to catch Benito asking Jenner if she wanted to go home after the game, with Jenner appearing to reply “we can do whatever”. The Lakers and Warriors were the only elite athletes in the building. Benito recently came out on top in a WWE street fight match against fellow Puerto Rican wrestler, Damian Priest. Who was your favorite celebrity appearance during the NBA playoffs? Let us know in the comments below.

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