Wes Goldberg: The Warriors announce the signing of Marquese Chriss to a two-way contract. pic.twitter.com/VBgLmfPNYX
Storyline: Marquese Chriss Free Agency
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Chris Haynes: Marquese Chriss has signed his contract, officially rejoining the Golden State Warriors on a two-way deal, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
Connor Letourneau: Steve Kerr on whether it surprised him that Marquese Chriss was available on a two-way: “It did. I guess the one thing that maybe hurt him in terms of not being picked up is just the trade deadline. … We’re the beneficiaries of that.”
Monte Poole: The Marquese Chriss re-signing is indeed imminent, as first reported by @Marc J. Spears. Was the plan all along, per league sources. Warriors were relieved Chriss went unclaimed on waivers and are very interested in keeping him beyond this season.
Marquese Chriss back to Golden State
Marc J. Spears: The Warriors plan to re-sign big man Marquese Chriss to a two-way player deal, a source told @TheUndefeated.
Bobby Marks: As expected, Chriss (and Gary Clark) cleared waivers. Golden St. was hoping a waiver claim would give them more room under the hard cap.
They liked Chriss, for sure. A part of the front office hopes he doesn’t get claimed off of waivers, so the team can bring him back in March. The Warriors would definitely be interested in signing him in the offseason, which for Chriss is a sign of how impressive he was during this make-good opportunity. But they weren’t just going to dump other assets. The only asset they could actually just dump, the one the Warriors were least invested in, was Chriss.
Under the current salary-cap structure, the Warriors can sign you to a 10-day contract. Would you be open to that? Marquese Chriss: “We’ve had conversations about certain things to try and make things work but I think that’s something that I would try to keep between myself and them, just because I don’t know any situation that might come up. But who knows? I would like to be here. So eventually, if that happens, I would be all for it.”
Do you think this stint changed the league-wide perception of you? Marquese Chriss: “Absolutely. I texted Bob [Myers] yesterday and I just told him I appreciated him because pretty much the whole summer, I was on the outside looking in. I had certain opportunities and certain places I could go to try and do the same things I did here, but I felt like coming here was the best opportunity for me and they put me in an opportunity to succeed from day one. I think just being here, it created a different narrative for myself.”
General manager Bob Myers informed Chriss last week that the team might need to waive him to keep Lee with the NBA club the rest of the season. But when it actually happened Monday, many players were stunned. Chriss had built strong bonds with his teammates and left some to believe he could be a long-term piece.
Bobby Marks: Golden State makes it official on the Marquese Chriss waiver. If this was early-November, Chriss would likely get claimed. However, because his contract is guaranteed once claimed and teams put a high priority on open roster spots before the trade deadline, it is unlikely.
Marquese Chriss open to signing a two-way contract
Connor Letourneau: Marquese Chriss said he would like to get a guaranteed deal, even elsewhere, but would be open to talking to Golden State about a two-way contract if that’s all that was available.
The Warriors signed veteran forward Marquese Chriss to a non-guaranteed one-year deal, as first reported by Yahoo on Tuesday. Chriss is unlikely to make the roster. Because of the hard cap, the Warriors don’t currently have the necessary wiggle room to add a 15th and final guy to their roster. If they did, Damion Lee, currently on a two-way deal, would likely get that spot. But if Chriss can impress in camp, the Warriors could shed a piece to find a spot for him. Alfonzo McKinnie is the easiest to lose. He’s the only of the 14 current roster guys on a non-guaranteed deal. They could cut him at any point before the Jan. 10 deadline.
Bobby Marks: Because of hard cap restrictions, the contract for Marquese Chriss in GSW has no salary protection. However, landing a roster spot one week from camp gives the forward an open audition for all 30 teams. No downside in taking a camp deal.
Marquese Chriss to Warriors
Chris Haynes: Free agent forward Marquese Chriss — 8th pick in 2016 NBA Draft — has reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
Anthony Slater: I hear it’s a non-guaranteed camp invite for Chriss. Warriors don’t really have room for 15th man (hard cap), but McKinnie (very likely to remain on roster) has a non-guaranteed deal and other pieces could be shed if Chriss impresses.
Chriss is a free agent at the end of the year and at least a couple of Cavs players are hopeful he can return next year on a make-good deal similar to what Rodney Hood signed last summer.
And yet, that’s a big reason why Chriss is in Cleveland. He has the reputation of not playing hard and not listening to his coaches. He was banished in Phoenix for throwing fits at coaches, and then the Rockets quickly moved on from him. One league source outside of the Cavs wondered whether his career is in jeopardy, even at this young of an age, because of his reputation and habits. If he can’t make it here, on one of the worst teams in the league where playing time is plentiful, where exactly can he fit? “I don’t think it’s even close to being over,” Chriss said of his career. “Obviously I haven’t been in the best position for myself and I think this is a better position for me to grow and develop as a player.”
Adrian Wojnarowski: Rockets declined 4th-year option on Marquese Chriss, source tells ESPN.
January 27, 2020 | 10:19 am UTC Update
Kobe Bryant often took a helicopter to practices and games both to minimize traffic time and maximize his energy. But with the Los Angeles Lakers legend and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, among the nine people that were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday morning, should that have been the correct mode of transportation?
That is among the tough and unsettling questions law enforcement and aviation officials are hoping to answer. “We do know there was an issue with visibility and a low ceiling,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Sunday evening. “The actual conditions at the time of impact, that is still yet to be determined.”
L.A. weather was extremely foggy Sunday morning, and law enforcement sources tell us even LAPD air support was grounded because of it. Flight tracker data shows Kobe’s chopper appeared to first encounter weather issues as it was above the L.A. Zoo. It circled that area at least 6 times at a very low altitude — around 875 feet — perhaps waiting for the fog to clear.
Eyal Smener was on the phone in his living room when he heard a loud whirring sound. He thought it might be a helicopter flying much lower than usual up in the hills behind his home in Calabasas, but he did not hang up the phone to investigate. The noise he heard next is one he will not soon forget. “It was this weird, loud grinding sound,” he said. “And then nothing. Just nothing.” He didn’t think much about it until his wife told him an hour later there had been a terrible helicopter crash involving Kobe Bryant. Then he knew he had heard the final seconds of Bryant and the other souls lost aboard a helicopter that Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters had claimed the lives of nine people on Sunday morning.
Trae Young fought back tears as he spoke about the last conversation he had with Kobe. He said Kobe told him he was proud of how much he’s seen his game progress, and to continue to be a role model for kids growing up and for Gigi.
Wilson Chandler: Death is certain. But some people you just think they’ll be here forever.
While the basketball world lost one of its legends Sunday when Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash, Anthony lost a friend. “Our friendship and relationship was deeper than basketball. It was family. It was friendship,” Anthony said. “Basketball was the last piece of connective tissue between us two.”
Orlando Sanchez: “My very first game of my career was against Kobe…I don’t really get nervous, butterflies…but I walked on the court and was like, that’s Kobe over there” @Dame_Lillard on his Kobe Bryant memories #kobe #mamba
Danny Green: This is so crazy, We just seen you! Been sitting here thinking of what to say…and there are absolutely no words that can truly describe what you meant to me, my friends and family, and the basketball world/culture that we live in today. We’ve had many so many battles on the court and so many brief interactions off the court but extremely meaningful to me and I’ll never forget them. You were an icon and an idol to us all! You were a God! and your legacy will forever live on. This season will be dedicated to you and the others we’ve lost today. prayers and condolences go out to the Bryant family and the other families that were on board.
Mario Hezonja: My HERO, idol, teacher, mentor, basketball father, coach.. Shaped my mentality that carried me through everything, from Croatia to Barcelona to your NBA and our home MAMBA Sports Academy. Your work ethic, skills, leadership, competitive drive, mindset, intelligence pic.twitter.com/VqcF6al8qb
That, more or less, was the extent of the conversation. For a reporter, Bryant could be either a great jousting partner or an intimidating foe. Tee him up on the right topic — in a variety of languages — and there was no better interview in the NBA. But he did not suffer fools. He would bat down questions as lazy or ill-considered, even if it was just a thin veneer as he diverted from a topic he wanted to avoid. I last saw him employ the tactic 11 days before he died while announcing a partnership between Major League Soccer and BodyArmor, the sports drink company in which he was an early investor. A reporter asked him whether he supported LAFC or the L.A. Galaxy. “Ask a better question,” he said.
In our short conversations that day, we talked about Gianna and her love of basketball. We joked about how much more hectic our lives had gotten with the addition of more kids. His youngest daughter, Capri, was born last June, one month after my second son. When I chastised him for not coming around Lakers games more often, he said, “I’ve been busy chasing these four kids around.”
When I was 17 years old, I had the opportunity to interview Bryant in Orlando during an After-School All-Stars charity event (after emailing his publicist more times than I’m proud to admit). He accepted a key to the city of Orlando and spoke with hundreds of children about the importance of academic success and chasing their dreams. I’d only ever seen Bryant on television, so the thought of meeting him and talking to him one-on-one was incredibly nerve-wracking. However, when Bryant arrived, he was extraordinarily friendly and gracious. He gave thoughtful answers and was so kind, even though I was just a teenager and there were a million more important things he could’ve done with his time. Whoever said “never meet your heroes” clearly wasn’t talking about Kobe. It was sweet watching this on-court assassin interact with young children too. They went nuts when he emerged from the Amway Arena tunnel and after joking with them for a bit, he spoke about the importance of education and chasing your dreams. The kids were captivated, hanging on his every word. After the event, he told me that he felt blessed to be in a position where he could have such a significant impact on the youth.
During Kobe’s playing days, I loved to ask rookies about their first match-up against Bryant. They often talked about how intimidating he was, and how he was just as unstoppable as they’d imagined. For many players, sharing the court with Kobe was their welcome-to-the-NBA moment and something they’ll never forget. Many players would talk about how he could beat you in so many different ways. “His counter-moves have counter-moves,” Courtney Lee once told me. That’s because he spent countless hours in the gym, perfecting his craft. Kobe’s insane work ethic, tenacity and desire to be great are a huge part of his legacy.
Novak Djokovic: My heart truly mourns over the news today. Kobe was a great mentor and friend to me. You and your daughter will live forever in our hearts. There are not enough words to express my deepest sympathies to the Bryants and every family suffering from this tragedy. RIP my friend
January 27, 2020 | 6:53 am UTC Update
Nine people died in the helicopter crash on Sunday that claimed the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Though the Bryants lead the headlines due to their fame, we want to make sure we also recognize the other victims who died. In addition to Kobe and Gianna, junior college baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri, and daughter Alyssa died in the crash. We have since learned that another victim was Christina Mauser, who was a girls’ basketball coach. Mauser’s husband Matt shared the sad news of Christina’s death on Facebook Sunday.
Saturday was the final time Young spoke to Kobe and Gianna. A source told The Athletic prior to the Hawks’ game against the Washington Wizards on Sunday night that Kobe and Gianna FaceTimed with Young on Saturday to congratulate him for being named a starter in the All-Star Game. Young didn’t want to divulge all of the details of their conversation but did confirm that he spoke with the father-daughter duo the day before they tragically died, alongside seven others, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
“One of the last conversations we had, man, he was just telling me how he’s seen my game progress,” Young said before he paused for eight seconds as he choked up. “He was just happy for me. He was saying how proud he was of me and how he wants to continue seeing me be a role model for kids growing up and just for Gigi and all of the kids looking up to me and continue to inspire these kids and continue to play my heart out. That was one of the last things he said to me.”
Gianna told Young how much she loved watching him play and how big of a fan she was of the Hawks’ point guard. Young told her he made it a point to watch her highlights on YouTube and Twitter. She admired Young so much that she wanted to train how he trains. It didn’t matter that her father was one of the best basketball players of all time; she wanted to be like Young. So, Gianna started training with Alex Bazzell, Young’s trainer during the offseason, in addition to her lessons from dad. Young went to one of Bryant’s camps while he was in high school. But Young’s relationship with Kobe only started blossoming in the past two years as Gianna started idolizing Young.
January 27, 2020 | 6:27 am UTC Update
Harrison Faigen: Others hinted at this earlier, but the Lakers just officially cancelled practice for tomorrow. That would seem to be the right call, I can’t imagine what many in that building are going through.
Duane Rankin: Q: Do you think the league should consider maybe taking the games off tomorrow and possibly cancelling them? A: Yes. It should’ve happened today.” Monty Williams after #Suns played at #GrindCity following death of #NBA legend, future 1st ballot HOFer Kobe Bryant. #BlackMamba pic.twitter.com/Xdd7xDnStg
Jay Allen: Carmelo Anthony just told us that’s the hardest game he’s ever had to play. Very emotional after the passing of his friend, Kobe.
Vince Carter: This is painful!!! I’ve known this man since he was 15 & I was 16. AAU teammates to competing against him for 18 seasons in the NBA. We were literally talking in these pics how I will enjoy retirement and that we would have a convo soon on how to go through it. Also how happy…
Gordon also spent time with Bryant. In late August, Gordon was among a group of rising young players and superstars whom Bryant invited to a two-day minicamp. “This past summer, it really felt like he was starting to develop a mentorship with me,” Gordon said. “It was a beautiful thing just to get to experience some of the things that he was teaching us about the game of basketball and about the game of life. He’s a very unique individual, a very fierce competitor.”
Bruno Fernando: Momma, Kobe, Mambacita I know y’all were watching and cheering us on tonight with a big smile on yalls faces🕊🕊🕊❤️❤️❤️. Continue to look down on us and lift us up with all the love strength and Passion you have🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🕊❤️. #LifeDoesntBelongToUS😪
Fred Katz: What an amazing story from Troy Brown about advice he once got from Kobe. A high-school teacher told Kobe not to put all his eggs in one basket, and he responded “I’m gonna put all my eggs in one basket, because if I put all my eggs in one basket, there’s no way I can’t succeed.” pic.twitter.com/Ahz3W6FPnV
Jamal Crawford: Kobe has to be the new NBA logo…..
Derek Jeter: ll I ever needed to know about Kobe Bryant was this: that throughout our friendship, the most meaningful conversations we had — they were always about family. Put aside one of the all-time great basketball careers for a second. Put aside his famous work ethic, the Mamba mentality, that incredible will to win. I’ll let everyone else tackle that. But when I think of Kobe, I really just end up thinking about those special few personal conversations that we were lucky enough to share together, each time one of us had a new baby daughter. I end up thinking about how, here was this guy who was beyond gifted as an athlete, who was obsessed with being a champion, who was known as an absolute assassin with a ball in his hands. And in the moments I got to spend with him? He didn’t really talk about any of that. He cared much more about being a husband to Vanessa and a dad to his girls. He loved his family — he was his family. That’s what was important.
As Gigi grew into a young teenager, her love for basketball transcended watching her dad. She began playing competitive ball year-round, with her father helping to coach her team. During an interview on Jimmy Kimmel’s television show recently, Kobe said of Gigi that she “for sure” wanted to play in the WNBA someday. “The best thing that happens is when we go out and she’ll be standing next to me and fans will come up to me like ‘Hey, you gotta have a boy, you and (Vanessa) gotta have a boy — somebody to carry on the legacy and the tradition’ and (Gigi) will be like ‘Oy, I got this. We don’t need a boy for that. I got this!’”
January 27, 2020 | 5:40 am UTC Update
John Altobelli, 56, who guided the Pirates to four California community college state championships and racked up more than 700 victories in 27 seasons at Orange Coast, was among the nine victims in the helicopter crash that killed former Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Tony Altobelli, John’s younger brother and the school’s sports information director, confirmed that John Altobelli’s wife, Keri , and daughter, Alyssa, who played on the Newport Beach-based club basketball team with Bryant’s daughter, Gianna, were also killed in the crash.
When I heard the news, I thought immediately of Michael Jordan, who Bryant told me on several occasions was the player he aspired to be. Certainly, Bryant came closer than anyone else to matching the talent, the intensity — and the aura — of His Airness. I reached out to Jordan via text, knowing the news would be overwhelming and deeply personal. “I’m devastated!!!!” Jordan wrote me. “Too emotional to respond. I can’t find the words to make sentences!!!!
Kyle Kuzma: Damn I’ve been messed up all day…….I grew up trying to be like you. I would watch YouTube highlights as a kid trying to mimic you (and I still do) I would go to the gym as a kid and shoot fade-aways for hours acting as if every shot I took was at the buzzer just like you. Then 3 years ago I became a laker. You became family & a mentor to me. As a young kid I would of done anything in the world to meet you and as a rookie I had my opportunity. A dinner. A dinner with my idol Kobe Bryant. Talking about basketball, life and business with you at that moment changed my life forever man. I’m teared up just trying to write this but Kobe thank you for being a brother to me. Anything I ever needed from you, was just a call away. Thank you for all the knowledge. Thank you for just being a friend. Your inner drive is something that will never be match. Heroes come and go but you my guy will truly last forever. OUT.
Rick Fox: Kobe and Gianna may your souls and the souls of the others who were with you Rest In Peace. My condolences and prayers go out to Kobe’s wife Vanessa, his daughters and the Bryant Family. I Love You Kobe and will miss you dearly.
“Today is one of the saddest days in my lifetime.” Dwyane Wade reflects on the news of Kobe Bryant’s death. (via @DwyaneWade )
Bradley Beal: Really don’t know how to feel! Speechless, numb, hurt, etc. no words can mount to the pain! But your passion, dedication, (MAMBA) mentality, love and knowledge both on and off the floor were exemplar! For that, I smile knowing you left an unbelievable mark on this game and in my life! Thank you for paving the way. PEACE and BLESSINGS to the families involved and affected by this tragedy. God be with us ALL! #blackmamba #8 #24 #GOAT
Joey Buss: I’m feeling numb – words can’t describe the impact Kobe has had on the world, LA, and the Lakers – not to mention the influence he had in my life as someone I grew up idolizing. I loved him – and send my condolences to all the families who lost someone today. RIP
After starting the night off in Kobe Bryant’s iconic No. 8, Trae knocks down a half-court buzzer-beater going into the half and appears to say it’s for Kobe 🙏
Steve Nash: My heart is broken for Kobe and his family. I’ll never forget the battles but what I really admired was the father he was to his girls. Rest In Peace old friend with your angel Gianna
Jared Dudley: Speechless on this plane ride home! A sad day bruh! RIP Kobe Bean Bryant! Prayers go to his family and loved ones 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 This doesn’t even feel real man..
Mike Conley: Words are tough to find right now. Truly heart broken and praying for each family involved. It was an honor to compete against you.
