Category: Basketball

Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors reportedly have ‘renewed' contract discussions originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors have reestablished contract negotiations.

Golden State’s front office has remained at an impasse with the 22-year-old restricted free agent this offseason over a new deal, though both sides are trying to work through their issues.

“Well, there’s been renewed conversations between the two sides,” NBA insider Anthony Slater said Friday on ESPN’s “NBA Today.” “There’s dialogue, but as you all know, talking doesn’t necessarily equal movement. They’ve shared contract concepts and opinions about the whole thing between each other this last week, dating back to last weekend.

“Kuminga wants more of a player-friendly deal, more of a signal that he’s a building block, not a trade asset.”

After trading for Jimmy Butler last season, Kuminga fell out of Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s regular rotation. The lack of meaningful playing time, coupled with his free agency status, has led to both sides looking into trade possibilities. While a potential trade framework was in place with the Sacramento Kings, nothing materialized.

Both sides appear willing to work out a deal to keep Kuminga in Golden State, but the 22-year-old still is not sold on being what amounts to a backup for games when Butler and Steph Curry can’t carry the offensive load.

Kuminga was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, with Golden State expecting the raw but talented forward to develop into an All-Star caliber player. While he has shown flashes of brilliance, it hasn’t been enough to win a spot in the starting rotation with Butler in the fold.

The 22-year-old has few other options given the lack of interest from other teams and his restricted free agent status.

Hopefully, both sides can work through their differences and figure out a resolution before the start of official team training camp next month.

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Watch Steph Curry knock down incredible half-court shot at his basketball Camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry still has “it,” in case you were wondering.

The Warriors sharpshooter showed off his long-range prowess at his annual “Curry Camp” on Friday, nailing a shot from well beyond the half-court line. Such performances have almost become routine for Curry, who has cemented himself as the greatest shooter in the history of professional basketball.

Curry’s camp hosted 26 local boys and girls high school basketball players in Menlo Park for an intensive experience with world-class instruction. This year is an important one for the Curry brand as the camp has expanded into Asia, with stops in Japan, China and Hong Kong, culminating in the first-annual CurryCon.   

The 37-year-old has been hard at work this offseason, with a focus on improving his footwork and getting his body in tip-top condition for his 17^th NBA season this fall.  

Curry wasn’t the only member of his family to show off their basketball skills, as his 7-year-old son, Canon, demonstrated that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Before Curry’s emergence in the NBA, the 3-point shot was regarded as more of a novelty than a legitimate offensive strategy. Once Golden State’s dynastic run was in full swing, it became apparent that the long-range game was here to stay. Now, opponents have to guard Curry from the second he possesses the ball until he takes a shot, which has forced the 37-year-old to make a few tweaks to his game.

With Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Curry all back on board for the Warriors, the franchise is hopeful that the trio can take them back to the NBA Finals.

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Scal details biggest challenge for Tatum to return this season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Could Jayson Tatum actually play meaningful games for the Boston Celtics in 2025-26?

That question has picked up steam recently as the superstar forward continues to attack his rehab from a ruptured Achilles in mid-May. And there’s plenty working in Tatum’s favor: He underwent surgery immediately after his injury in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, he’s just 27 years old, and he’s an incredibly hard worker, all of which could accelerate his recovery process.

But even if Tatum’s Achilles fully heals in, say, nine or 10 months, should the Celtics put him back on the court in February or March, especially if they’re fighting for a spot in the playoffs? While that sounds tempting in theory — a fully-healthy Tatum would make the C’s a serious postseason threat — former Celtic and NBC Sports Boston color analyst Brian Scalabrine would like to offer a word of caution.

🔊 Celtics Talk Podcast: Scal & Drew break down the Celtics’ 2025-26 regular season schedule | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

“There’s a reason (the NBA season) is 82 games,” Scalabrine told co-host Drew Carter on a new Celtics Talk Podcast. “Just watch a playoff game and watch a preseason game: There’s so many levels in between. Getting thrown back into the middle of a race where you’re trying to get out of the play-in (tournament) and you’re playing these meaningful, high-level games, that is not ideal — not (just) for your Achilles, but for your body. There needs to be some build-up.”

Scalabrine clarified that he’s not putting any limitations on Tatum, adding that the superstar forward is a “top-five well-trained athlete in basketball” who takes incredible care of his body and will do everything he can to return to action as soon as possible.

But practically speaking, Scalabrine believes a late-season return would be difficult for the Celtics to manage, especially for a player of Tatum’s stature who would be expected to be his superstar self whenever he’s on the court.

“It’s easy to do it if you’re me: I sub in, it’s the second quarter, I sub out like five minutes later, and those are my minutes,” Scalabrine said. “So, is Jayson Tatum gonna start? Is he gonna end the game? There’s moments where the game is less talented. Is he gonna play in those moments?

“… How do you build up? How do you get your legs without doing it at the highest level? Is he gonna play 10 minutes a game for a month? So, that’s what I’m asking. Star players, they get thrown in there, they’re required to do everything. I don’t know if that demand on your body is too much.”

The Celtics have avoided placing any timelines on Tatum, which also means they haven’t ruled him out for the 2025-26 season. And if Tatum feels he’s healthy enough to play in February, March or even April, you know he’ll be pushing hard to make a comeback.

As Scalabrine warns, however, such a comeback might be easier said than done.

“I don’t know anything, I’m not a doctor or anything like that. I just know this: NBA basketball in October does not look like NBA basketball in April,” Scalabrine added.

“… October and April are not the same. We think (they are) because we’re there every single day and we see this natural build-up. But if you watch in October and then all of a sudden you watch playoff game, you’re gonna be like ‘Whoa, this is way different.'”

Also in this episode:

• Celtics start the season with divisional matchups against the Sixers and Knicks.
• When do former Celtics players make their returns to TD Garden?
• Cooper Flagg’s debut in Boston could be the toughest ticket of the season.
• Other notable matchups for the Celtics.

Watch Steph Curry's son Canon adorably show off handles at dad's basketball camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Like father, like son.

Warriors superstar Steph Curry widely is regarded as one of the greatest NBA point guards of all time, and it appears his talents already are being passed down to his 7-year-old son, Canon.

The younger Curry was spotted at his dad’s annual basketball camp showing off his handles.

Canon first faked his defender to get them on the floor before showcasing multiple spin moves and then topping it off with two layups.

And just like his dad, he did it with unmatched swagger, of course.

The Curry Camp now has been around for a decade, as it continues to provide mentoring for youth athletes to empower them on their journey and what it means to be part of a team, per the Under Armour Next website.

Curry has had several now-NBA and WNBA players pass through his camp, including Trae Young, Anthony Edwards, Amen and Ausar Thompson, Jalen Green, Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Cameron Brink.

It might not be long until Canon is the next Curry Camp attendee that makes it pro.

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Celtics' reported Amari Williams signing brings clarity to roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The other shoe on the Boston Celtics’ roster has dropped.

The Celtics have signed rookie big man and 2025 second-round draft pick Amari Williams to a two-way contract, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Friday.

Boston had a bit of a two-way logjam after an Aug. 5 trade that sent Georges Niang to the Utah Jazz and brought back two-way guard RJ Luis Jr. Teams can carry up to three two-way players on their roster, and the Celtics had all three slots filled with Luis, 2025 second-round pick Max Shulga and Miles Norris, which left no room for Williams at the time.

The C’s waived Norris on Sunday, however, which freed up a two-way spot for the team to add Williams.

While Norris had an intriguing skill set as a rangy sharpshooter, Boston’s decision to keep Williams isn’t surprising. The Celtics invested the 46th overall pick in Williams, and the 6-foot-11 big man showcased impressive court vision during NBA Summer League.

Boston also lacks depth in the frontcourt — Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher and Luka Garza project as the team’s top three big men — so if Williams can give the Celtics meaningful minutes at some point this season, that would be a very positive development.

After Williams’ reported signing, the Celtics have all of their two-way slots and 14 of their 15 roster spots filled. The open roster spot gives president of basketball operations Brad Stevens the flexibility to make additional moves before the season begins, with recently-acquired guard Anfernee Simons a potential trade chip as the C’s look to shed more salary.

Steph Curry teases interactive ‘CurryCon' experience ahead of China tour originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Superstar Warriors guard Steph Curry teased a major event to come during his Curry Brand tour in China when talking to reporters Thursday at his Curry Camp in Menlo Park.

In addition to taking his Curry Camp to China for the first time, the four-time NBA champion said fans will be able to participate in an interactive convention dedicated to Curry’s basketball career.

“We’re taking Curry Camp to China; we’re doing something called ‘CurryCon,’ which is kind of wild to think about — an interactive experience based on my journey,” Curry said. “I’m excited about it.”

Curry added he’ll be promoting his new Under Armor shoes at the convention, and that his brother and fellow NBA sharpshooter, Seth Curry, will be abroad with him.

Under Armor shared more details about the convention in its initial press release from July.

“This dynamic 3-day fest in Chongqing, open to all fans across Asia, will serve as a hub for innovation and fan engagement, fostering a vibrant community around the brand,” Under Armor wrote.

“Attendees will have the chance to explore interactive exhibits, discover the latest product innovations, engage in sports sessions with athletes, and delve deep into the brand’s rich history, core values, and forward-thinking vision for the future of sport.”

China holds a special place in Curry’s heart. He has been touring the nation and promoting Curry Brand there since 2014 and has established a connection with his massive Chinese fanbase over his 17-year Warriors career. 

“We’ve been going (to China) since 2014 as well,” Curry said. “The reaction, the reception, the fan (and) the energy (are) special. So, I’m looking forward to it.”

No one should be surprised if “CurryCon” is a major hit and turns into an annual exhibition.

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Steph Curry details how his offseason preparation ‘drastically' has evolved originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry’s offseason program has undergone many changes.

On the eve of his 17th season in the NBA, the Warriors superstar explained how his summer regimen has shifted over the years.

“It has evolved drastically [over the past decade] from when I started this camp to now in terms of building out the schedule of on-and-off-court stuff and how to pace yourself through an offseason,” Curry told reporters Thursday after the first day of his annual Curry Camp. “I don’t spend as much time on the court as I did back in the day, but it’s much more intentional and much more purposeful. I’m nerding out on heart rate stuff, foot contacts, checking all of the boxes of movement and skill that’s relevant to my game.

“So, it’s a lot more informed. The work feels harder, which is fun because you kind of have to meet that level and know that as you get older, you’re still trying to play at a high level.”

The 37-year-old’s attention to detail is required at his age to sustain his prolific shooting ability, which relies on precise footwork and rapid-fire movements to get the ball out of his hands and into the hoop.

Even though conventional wisdom says that NBA players slow down in their late 30s, Curry has beaten back Father Time again and again. While he sustained a strained hamstring during the playoffs last season, the two-time NBA MVP still is playing at an elite level after 16 years in the league.

With a new-look Golden State squad that will be more integrated with Jimmy Butler, the Warriors are looking to defy the prognosticators and make another deep playoff run.

Curry has spent his entire career with the Warriors, where he developed into the greatest shooter the NBA has ever seen. With another offseason of diligent preparation and painstaking attention to detail, look for Curry to rain down three-pointers from midcourt.

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How Steph Curry is preparing for Warriors season despite roster ‘uncertainty' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors are the only team in the NBA who haven’t made an offseason move leading up to the 82-game slate in 2025-26. But Golden State superstar guard Steph Curry isn’t worried.

At his Curry Camp on Thursday, the 11-time NBA All-Star detailed to reporters where his confidence in the Warriors comes from, particularly before training camp starts in late September.

“It’s different, for sure,” Curry prefaced about Golden State’s move-less offseason. “But … my confidence is built on the identity that we were able to create over the last third of the regular season last year (and) the playoff journey. We have a really good team, and we do know we need some pieces to help get us to the next level. 

“I think the veteran presence that we have — with me, Jimmy [Butler], Draymond [Green] – like, we understand how to prepare through that uncertainty and be able to hit the ground running in training camp, knowing we should have some movement by then.”

Curry, a four-time NBA champion and 17-year veteran with his Warriors, isn’t writing off the campaign before it even starts. And unlike those fairly critical of Golden State’s current makeup, Curry is choosing to remember just how good the Warriors were after acquiring Butler right before the 2025 NBA trade deadline — they had a 23-7 regular-season record with Butler on the floor.

Curry also lightly mentioned the Warriors’ promising playoff run, which was cut short after he suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain that kept him out of the devastating second-round series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Whether it’s the acquisition of veteran center Al Horford, the trading of up-and-coming forward Jonathan Kuminga or something else up Golden State’s sleeve, Curry isn’t losing any sleep over the Warriors’ current roster. 

After all, he isn’t the one making decisions.

“But, you control what you can control,” Curry said. And no matter how many new experiences you have or whatever the difference is from this offseason to the previous ones, you don’t let it affect your own personal preparation for the season and then the conversations that we’re having on what we need to do to get ready.”

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Why Warriors, NBA embracing old stars is correct move entering 2025-26 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Nostalgia never stops. Vintage is always in for a culture sprinting to be first in line to future endeavors. 

Fashion for teenagers is a not-so-subtle reminder of the gray hairs I’ll find on the side of my head, TikTok has turned songs that are 25 years old back into hits and the top movies at the box office domestically this year have been about a computer game made in 2011, another Lilo & Stitch, a new Superman and the seventh movie from the Jurassic Park franchise. 

The NBA this season is jumping into the pool of reboots with their return to NBC, queuing up John Tesh’s Roundball Rock to deliver memories of the 1990s. Look at how NBC advertised its opening slate of the Houston Rockets playing the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Warriors facing the Los Angeles Lakers, going full NBA Jam with Tesh’s theme song playing in the background of old video game sounds. 

The four players highlighted in order are Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steph Curry and LeBron James. The last that comes to mind among the four is the 27-year-old reigning NBA MVP whose team won the championship last season. 

As the Warriors lean on three players in their mid-to-late 30s, the entire NBA will continue to go all-in on O.L.D. until the wheels fall off on three of the game’s greatest to ever play. Who can blame them, too? 

When the Rockets, Thunder, Warriors and Lakers take the court for opening night, Oklahoma City’s ring celebration will be in the background of viewers. An afterthought to how Durant will fit on the new-look Rockets and his reaction to his former team hanging a championship banner 10 seasons after he left. Nearly completely forgotten about once all attention turns to Southern California with Steph and LeBron stealing the show once again. 

All 30 seconds of NBC’s Warriors hype video on Instagram are highlights of Curry (37 years old), Jimmy Butler (36 years old on opening night) and Draymond Green (35 years old). Brandin Podziemski isn’t exactly those players, and it’s hard when the Warriors are comprised of only nine players at the moment. 

From the Warriors’ standpoint, they better hope Curry continues to push the boundaries of age after playing at least 70 games for the second straight season and being named All-NBA for the 11th consecutive year he has played a full season. Green finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, but his body can only handle so much after more than a decade of slaying Goliaths. Butler proved to be a perfect fit almost immediately after joining the Warriors. He also hasn’t played 65 games or more since the 2018-19 season. 

“You look at the league right now, I know there’s a lot of youth taking over,” Curry said three months ago after the 2024-25 NBA season. “But we were one of the last eight teams that realistically had a shot, and if you can run that back, make some tweaks that can help our overall roster – obviously you’ve got to get through an 82-game season, like I said – and you want to be in a position where you’re not chasing, but I feel like we had enough that we showed we could be that team. That’s all you really want.” 

That’s also all the league really wants. Same goes with the Lakers and Rockets. 

There are clear reasons all three teams are playing on opening night and on Christmas. The Warriors’ final NBA Cup game of Group Play will be their first time playing Durant and the Rockets, and the Lakers’ last NBA Cup game of Group Play is them hosting former teammate Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks. Between cable and streaming services, the Warriors this season are playing in a franchise-record 34 nationally televised games. 

Like everything else in the Warriors’ universe, it all starts with Steph being the ultimate showman.

This isn’t to discredit youth and the inevitable reality that a new batch of stars will soon dictate the state of basketball. Luka Dončić , 26, had the most-popular jersey by NBAStore.com sales last season. Curry finished second, and James was third. Dončić became the first player since the 2012-13 season to lead in jersey sales ahead of Curry or James. 

The trio of Curry, Durant and James also bring back a time of American stardom in the NBA. The three went five straight seasons of winning the MVP from 2012 to 2016, followed by two more American-born players in Russell Westbrook and James Harden holding the hardware. Since then, the MVP has gone to a foreign-born player in seven straight seasons as basketball continues to expand globally in its parity era of a new champion the last seven years as well.

Already, the torch has touched the hands of Anthony Edwards for stretches. Let’s be real, stakeholders are begging for Cooper Flagg to run with it. Until the final flicker of light burns out on Steph, LeBron and KD, it’s still their league and the NBA still will operate knowing that to be the truth. 

Just like they should, holding onto the last breath of greatness as long as possible. 

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