Golden State Warriors Rumors
Booker’s coach on Team USA, Gregg Popovich, and teammate Draymond Green (not to mention assistant coach Steve Kerr, but we digress) have been in Booker’s shoes, having lost a Finals. He said Popovich and Green discussed it with him “in short conversation.” “Talkin’ about it with Draymond, and him stressing the fact that it’s not gonna be that easy to get back to the Finals,” Booker said. “I remember us as a team saying that in the locker room after we lost — you know we’ve got to understand, it’s going to be even harder to make it to the point we were at. … But I’m excited for the experience. It was great. I am glad I got to do it, obviously ended up on the wrong side of the stick, but that’s life.”
Windhorst: “So I’m not sure we’re gonna get a star on the market.” Spears: “But I’m gonna be at Golden State headquarters just in case.” Windhorst: “Well. The rumor out of Team USA is that Draymond is doing work [laughter].” Spears: “[Laughter] GM Green?” Windhorst: “[Laughter] That’s all I’m gonna say. The team building going on — the team building is that Draymond is doing work.”
“We’ll see what happens,” said Duarte, a native of the Dominican Republic who was a basketball late-bloomer. “My goal is to play in the NBA and stay there for a long time. So we’ll what happens. I like the Knicks. I like Golden State. So we’ll see what happens.”
The Knicks, said multiple sources, have been trying to package their picks (19th, 21st and 32nd) to move up in the draft. It might be necessary if they target Duarte, whose draft range starts at the end of the lottery. According to Hoopshype, New York reached out to the Warriors about their 14th pick and the Pelicans about their 10th pick.
Warriors viewing Josh Giddey as a strong possibility with No. 7 pick
According to a league source, the Warriors view Josh Giddey as a strong possibility with the No. 7 pick. At 6-foot-8, 185 pounds with preternatural passing ability and an improved jumper, he boasts an intriguing mix of ready-made NBA skills and long-term potential. Odds are that Giddey, who doesn’t turn 19 until Oct. 10, could fill a role for the Warriors next season as a secondary ballhandler off the bench.
Giddey’s recent commitments to the Australian national team prevented him from attending the draft combine or working out for NBA franchises, but Warriors executives watched him post 14 points, four rebounds and three assists in Australia’s exhibition win over Nigeria in Las Vegas on July 13. What most impressed Golden State, per a source, was Giddey’s poise against a team loaded with NBA players.
A league source said that, in addition to Giddey, the Warriors would consider Connecticut guard James Bouknight, G League Ignite forward Jonathan Kuminga and perhaps one or two others at No. 7. Long a popular choice for the Warriors in mock drafts, Baylor guard Davion Mitchell likely won’t be Golden State’s pick because of concerns he doesn’t have enough upside to warrant a top-10 selection.
