Category: Basketball

Counting down the 10 greatest Warriors transactions under Lacob, Guber: Part I originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

A relatively futile summer by the Warriors’ front office has left a vocal segment of Dub Nation rolling its collective eyes in despair, if not disgust. Their highest hopes were kneecapped by the failure to make a move that would stir the fan base back toward faith.

Golden State’s shot-callers, however, maintain belief in the roster they will have when training camp opens in less than five weeks. While no one upstairs is pleading for explicit trust, they would like to think they deserve a chance.

The Warriors on Tuesday made a move toward rebuilding that with the addition of Brandon Williams, a cat-quick guard with an elite first step. It’s not enough to put them near the top tier of the Western Conference, but it makes them a better offense.

How much trust, though, should the front office be afforded? Given the hits and the misses under the ownership of CEO Joe Lacob and co-chair Peter Guber, we examine what we consider their 10 shrewdest transactions since they took ownership of the franchise 16 years ago.

We count down from No. 10 to No. 6 today in Part I, with Part II coming on Thursday:

10) Sign-and-trade deal to acquire David Lee (July 2010)

This was Lacob’s way of announcing himself to the NBA, making a splash before the ink was dry on the league’s approval of new ownership. Golden State was in search of an impact power forward, and Lee was coming off an All-Star season – averaging 20.2 points (on 54.5-percent shooting), 11.7 rebounds – with the New York Knicks.

The cost of obtaining Lee was Kelenna Azubuike, Ronny Turiaf, Anthony Randolph – the three played a combined 81 games for New York – and two future second-round picks. Then-GM Larry Riley did the grunt work. 

Lee was one of the building blocks behind the Warriors escaping NBA purgatory, as he averaged 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds over 327 games. He became in 20213 Golden State’s first All-Star in 16 seasons (Latrell Sprewell, 1997) and was a significant rotation member on the franchise’s first championship in 40 years. 

9) Trading for Jimmy Butler III (February 2025)

After winning 12 of 15 games to open the 2024-25 NBA season and then losing 12 of 15, the Warriors needed a roster upgrade. They spent January straddling the mediocrity line (.500) when second-year general manager Mike Dunleavy went shopping.

After Kevin Durant, toiling in Phoenix, expressed no interest in rejoining Golden State, Dunleavy turned to a former teammate: Butler, a veteran forward who had become a malcontent in Miami.

The cost of obtaining Butler was Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and a top-10-protected first round pick in the 2025 draft. Also departing in what was a four-team trade were Dennis Schroder and Lindy Waters III.

Butler made an immediate impact, joining with Stephen Curry to lead the Warriors to 23-8 record over the final 31 games, second only to eventual champion Oklahoma City in the West.

The hope is that Butler, rehabbing a surgically repaired torn right ACL, can return by midseason.

8) Trading for Andrew Wiggins (February 2020)

KD left after three seasons. Klay Thompson was rehabbing after ACL surgery. Curry sustained a broken hand in Week 1. The 2019-20 season was a disaster before November.

Durant did the Warriors enough of a favor for them to bring in DeAngelo Russell, a defective guard who was allergic to defense. He was, however, a talented scorer. That was enough of a lure for then-GM Bob Myers to engineer a trade that became thievery.

The Warriors obtained Wiggins along with a 2021 first-round pick (used to select Jonathan Kuminga) and second-round pick later moved, with Russell, Jacob Evens III and Omari Spellman going to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Wiggins came to Golden State and soon shed the label of being an underachiever. He was a solid two-way wing who in 2022 made his first All-Star team. Moreover, he was the star member of Curry’s cast as the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.

7) Trading for Andre Iguodala (July 2013)

After four consecutive losing seasons, Golden State reached the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2007. The No. 6-seed Warriors upset Iguodala and the third-seed Denver Nuggets in the first round and put a scare into eventual champion San Antonio in the conference semifinals.

Iguodala was impressed enough to become a free agent bound to leave the Nuggets, who responded with a sign-and-trade deal that gave him a future by the Bay. Myers oversaw a deal that acquired Iguodala for Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson, Brandon Rush and four future draft picks.

This was a huge win for two reasons. One, the Warriors obtained an athletic wing who was a stellar defender and possessed leadership qualities. Two, the move signaled that Golden State’s status within the league had risen enough to become a destination.

Iguodala was a four-time champion whose jersey now hangs in the rafters at Chase Center.

6) Trading for Andrew Bogut (March 2012)

The Warriors quickly realized they needed to improve their defense even if it meant sacrificing some offense. Lacob and Riley decided at the trade deadline to break up their dynamic but small backcourt featuring Monta Ellis and Curry.

Golden State considered moving Curry – true story – but ended up trading Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks for Bogut, a 7-foot center who was a terrific defender and passer but struggled with injuries.

For the first time since they were coached by Al Attles, the Warriors had a defensive presence. Bogut missed the rest of the season but played 67 games in 2013-14 and again in 2014-15. He was the anchor of a defense that was an unappreciated aspect of the 2015 championship.

Lacob one week after the trade was showered with boos at Oracle Arena for trading a fan favorite for a man in street clothes. Three years later, those boos were replaced by a championship parade. He got the last laugh.

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With the departure of Jaylen Brown, it seems like a no-brainer: Payton Pritchard will be a starter next season.

But let’s not forget that prior to Jayson Tatum’s return last season, Pritchard ceded his starting role to Baylor Scheierman after starting 47 out of the first 48 games. At the time, it was a move made in an effort to replace Anfernee Simons’ scoring in the second unit after he was traded for Nikola Vučević.

Now, Brown is in Philadelphia, but his spot will presumably be filled by the player he was traded for, Paul George. So unless PG13 is that veteran punch off the bench, it would seem reasonable to assume that the six-year pro might be part of the opening lineup.

Or maybe, he returns to the same role that earned him Sixth Man of the Year in 2025.

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Recently, CLNS Media and CelticsBlog’s Bobby Manning sat down with PP to discuss early workouts with teammates new and old and what he’s looking forward to next year.

Individually, Pritchard wants to reach the free throw line more often in 2026-27. As a team, they want to make better reads while maintaining their hard-playing identity.

“That’s the biggest thing, and we need everybody to take a step,” he said. “Regular season wins, you win by playing hard and then in the playoffs, you win by playing harder and smarter. That’s really the recipe.”

If more free throws is one of Pritchard’s goals, it might make sense for him to enter the first quarter with opposing teams in foul trouble. He hasn’t been much of a foul grifter to date, but with just two more years left on his team-friendly contract, a boost in his numbers could land a bigger payday, regardless if he starts or not.

Assessing Warriors' Georges Niang signing to complete team's 15-man roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

At long last, the Warriors’ 15-man roster for the 2026-27 NBA season was completed on Tuesday. 

The Warriors went nearly two months without making an outside move, aside from their two draft picks. On Tuesday, they changed course and added not one but two veteran players to round out the roster. 

Point guard Brandon Williams agreed to a one-year contract in the morning to start off the day. Hours later, veteran forward Georges Niang came to terms on a one-year contract in the afternoon. The Warriors, for the first time since their 2021-22 championship season, are going into the season with a full 15-man roster. 

Yet the real number is 13 as Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody will miss at least the opening months of the season rehabbing from injury. 

Niang being the final touch to the Warriors is a reunion of sorts nearly a decade in the making. He spent training camp with the Warriors in 2017 after playing 23 games for the Indiana Pacers as a second-round pick the season before. Niang then played 26 games for the Warriors’ G League affiliate in 2017-18 and averaged 18.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game with a 42.1 3-point percentage. 

Last season, Niang, now 33, didn’t play at all. 

He missed the entire 2025-26 season after fracturing his foot in September. Prior to a missed year, Niang was a reliable forward who could stretch the floor at a high clip. Over 79 games between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks in the 2024-25 season, Niang shot 40.6 percent from 3-point range.

Niang in his past seven seasons has been a 40.1-percent 3-point shooter on 4.3 attempts per game. His offensive traits as a passer and knock-down shooter at an elite level from the corners make Niang an easy fit for Steve Kerr. 

Now that the Warriors’ 15-man roster is settled a month ahead of training camp, let’s first break it down by groups, starting with guards.

The group consists of Steph Curry, De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski and Williams, plus Gary Payton II defensively. The Warriors’ wings already are behind the curve without their top two in Butler and Moody. Will Richard is more of a wing than a shooting guard, but the Warriors’ biggest hole is clearly at the 3. 

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg likely will play a lot of small forward because of Butler and Moody’s absences, though he’s naturally a power forward. As is Draymond Green, Gui Santos and Niang, as well as Payton offensively out of the dunker spot. 

A center trio of Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford and Charles Bassey completes the puzzle. There still will be scenarios where Green plays center, but he shouldn’t have to as much, and he should be surrounded by more size. Horford can play with Porzingis, and Bassey believes he can complement them both.

Unlike years past, the Warriors can throw size on the court while spacing the floor. They have six players at 6-foot-4 or under, including LJ Cryer on a two-way contract, but going down the line of Lendeborg, Green, Porziņģis, Horford, Santos, Bassey and Niang is new kinds of length Dub Nation is not used to. 

And almost all are at least threats from long distance, minus Bassey and Green for the most part. 

Defensively, the Warriors will need Melton to be at his best guarding on the ball. They will need Lendeborg to be better than what he showed in summer league. They will need Payton to be even better and Green to be at his best just enough. They will need Frank Vogel to be as important of an addition as anybody this offseason. 

Curry offensively will continue needing to be heroic as ever. Who his main sidekick will be as Robin waits is everyone’s best guess. A rotation of sorts is the first answer. If that’s enough is the wait-and-see of this all. 

Bringing in a player like Niang who missed all of last season easily looks like another red flag when it comes to health. Last season also sure looks like an outlier for Niang, who rarely missed games in years past. The Warriors are hoping for a glass-half-full approach for a handful of players. 

It starts with Steph, who got a long offseason to get his body right. So did Draymond, his longest tenured teammate. Melton finally had a summer without rehab, and same with Podziemski after undergoing two surgeries a year ago. Horford gets a normal offseason where he can be around the Warriors from the jump instead of the start of training camp. 

Seen internally almost as an offseason addition, Porziņģis, starting with his team debut, played in 15 of a possible 27 regular-season games (55.6 percent), compared to just 17 of the Hawks’ 53 games (32.1 percent) earlier in the season. 

Nobody is going to see the Warriors as favorites. Inking Williams and Niang wasn’t going to change anybody’s mind about that. The two are positives off the bench and add more balance throughout the roster. 

Staying afloat and riding the waves as opposed to letting them crash and sink the ship is the game the Warriors will be playing in a little less than two months when the season opens in Los Angeles.

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Great Britain's men's basketball team have turned to the NBA in their bid to progress into the full qualifying rounds for the 2029 EuroBasket campaign.

The side, led by Newcastle Eagles head coach Marc Steutel, has been able to name three players in his squad who are either current or recent players in the world's top domestic league for this week's double-header against Switzerland and Slovakia.

Boston Celtics centre Amari Williams is part of the squad, as is power forward Tobi Lawal who was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks earlier this summer.

Another addition to what is, on paper, the strongest GB squad in some time is forward Tosan Evbuomwan. The 25-year-old has this summer joined Barcelona following three seasons in the NBA and its reserve G-League.

"With every squad selection, you want to try to make sure that you are getting the balance of the most talented players available," Steutel told BBC Sport.

"Because of where our players play and the restrictions that has at times, it's not always as straightforward on the outside as people may think.

"We feel really excited about this group for sure."

The trio make up three quarters of the four most recent British players to feature in the league, alongside OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks.

Great Britain enter the second of three preliminary qualifying rounds for the 2029 EuroBasket tournament. They face both Switzerland and Slovakia home and away across three international windows in August, November and February.

Should GB finish top of the group, they will enter full qualifying for EuroBasket. Failure to do so will see them enter the final round of preliminary qualifying next year.

How have GB been able to land NBA players?

For Evbuomwan and Williams, 24, this double-header on Thursday in Switzerland and then at home to Slovakia in Newcastle on Sunday is set to mark their GB debuts at senior level.

But how the duo have been able to sign up for the latest fixtures is all about timing.

Four of GB's six first-round qualifying matches for the 2027 Fiba World Cup were in November 2025 and March 2026, which clashed with the NBA season.

But with this window opening in between NBA seasons, as well as those of its European counterparts, the stars aligned for Steutel and his team.

"In the season, guys in the NBA [and] the EuroLeague, we struggle to get. There's very little ability to be able to do that," added Steutel.

"We're right before the start of the season and our general manager has done an incredible job communicating with the Boston Celtics.Tosan is closer to home now with Barcelona.

"They've both been really supportive and want those guys to play, so [we're] really excited."

GB's coaching staff have long craved the opportunity to be able to cash in by adding recent NBA players to their squad.

Dan Clark, who featured at the 2012 Olympics alongside two-time NBA All-Star Luol Deng, is now GB's general manager and has stayed in contact with Newcastle-born Evbuomwan and Williams, awaiting the opportunity to be able to call on the duo.

"It's not just a 'this window' thing, it has taken years," explains Steutel.

"Tosan is someone who I've known for a long time and I've followed his journey. He's someone who has communicated really well with us and Amari likewise. Dan Clark has been communicating with Amari for years.

"We're able to get the timing right now and get them in a GB jersey. It's great for the team, but I think it's great for British basketball on the whole."

'To have our debuts at the same time is special'

While the journeys of Williams and Evbuomwan from English upbringings to reaching the NBA have differed in some ways, the crux of their stories is the same.

A school year apart, Evbuomwan moved to Princeton University in New Jersey in 2019. A year later, Williams made a similar move to attend Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Both were starting their basketball journeys that would ultimately tee up their senior international debuts.

"It was something I've been trying to do since I moved away to America seven years ago," said the Nottingham-born Williams, who was drafted by Orlando Magic in 2025 and traded to the Celtics.

"To have the opportunity to do it this summer is something I've been looking forward to."

Evbuomwan added: "It's exciting. All of us being able to commit to this window.

"Me and Amari talk a lot and it is something we have talked about for a while. For us to have both our debuts at the same time in the same window is special."

There is an added homecoming for Evbuomwan when GB face Slovakia on Sunday. It is being played at the Vertu Arena in Newcastle, the home venue of the Eagles, for whom he previously played at youth level.

Evbuomwan added: "Very meaningful. Being able to represent your country is one thing. Being able to represent your country in front of your family and friends is a bonus."

'We'd love to see Anunoby in a GB jersey' - Steutel

Across the three international windows in August, November and March, Great Britain, Slovakia and Switzerland will each get a window each of playing two matches.

GB have theirs this week and will want to take advantage of the star power available to them before the domestic season restarts.

But moving forward, there is another name Steutel and his supporting cast would love to add in OG Anunoby.

The 29-year-old was a key man for the New York Knicks as they won their first NBA title in more than half a century in June.

A two-time NBA winner, Anunoby is also eligible for the United States and Nigeria, having yet to play international basketball for any nation at senior level.

Great Britain remain hopeful of one day getting the London-born forward in their ranks.

"Our general manager is in communication with OG and his team," said Steutel.

"His season went way into the summer, winning the championship and playing a lot of basketball. Unfortunately, the timing is not right on this window - but we hope so.

"Our qualification now is for EuroBasket 2029 and we hope we can get there. It is a long way away. But he's someone else we'd definitely love to see in a GB jersey."

Another Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony has just come and gone. While that means we’re still several months away from when next year’s class will be announced, we are a few steps closer to it, when several Nets could have a shot being immortalized forever in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Newbies

Neither Mike D’Antoni nor Amar’e Stoudemire will be remembered for their brief stints as Nets assistant coaches, but they did contribute to some of the most exciting basketball we’ve seen from the organization in recent years.

D’Antoni operated as an assistant coach under Steve Nash during the 2020-21 season, where Brooklyn was a toenail away from the Eastern Conference finals, and likely more. Stoudemire also served under Nash that season and for the 2021-22 campaign. Congrats to the both of them.

Guys with Fair Cases

With the aforementioned inductions now completed, there are 247 players currently eligible to go into the hall next summer. Of that group, there are 11 former Nets ranking in the top 50 for total win shares. There’s no bonafide, correct metric to judge a player’s Hall of Fame candidacy on, but we’re going to roll with that to narrow things down.

Second in win shares is Buck Williams (1981-1998), who has as good of a case as anyone, and his jersey hanging in the rafters at the Barclays Center. He played for the Nets from 1981-1989, making three All-Star teams, four All-Defensive teams, and one All-NBA team. He also won rookie of the year in 1981.

Before LaMarcus Aldridge (2007-2022) played the last two years of his career in Brooklyn, he made seven All-Star and five All-NBA teams. He’s fourth in win shares among the aforementioned 247-man crowd of candidates. Jason Terry (2000-2018) is 15th, and another player who spent the latter years of his career in the borough. He’s got an NBA title and the 2008-09 Sixth Man of the Year award to his name.

Further down the list we have Paul Milsap (2006-2022), who appeared in just 24 games for the Nets during his final NBA season. He also made one All-Defensive and four All-NBA teams. P.J. Brown (1994-2008) ranks 26th in win shares. He played his first three years in the NBA with the Nets before moving on to make three All-Defensive teams and win a title with the 2007-08 Boston Celtics. The late Clifford Robinson (1990-2007) is only two slots behind him. He played the last two years of his career in New Jersey, but snatched a Sixth Man of the Year award, one All-Star, and two All-Defensive team nods before that.

Things round out with Anthony Mason (1988-2003), who played his rookie season with the Nets before later making an All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive team, along with the 1994-95 Sixth Man of the Year award. Sam Cassell (1993-2008) made an All-Star, an All-NBA team and won three rings, all after the Nets traded him in 1999 following one and half seasons with the franchise.

You all know Richard Jefferson (2001-2018), who has the 42nd most win shares on this list after spending the first seven years of his career with the Nets. He made an All-Rookie team and was a valued role player when the Cleveland Cavaliers won it all in 2016. Joe Johnson (2002-2022) is right behind him, having made seven All-Star teams and an All-NBA one. He was a Net from 2012-2016. Then, we have Blake Griffin (2011-2023), who’s a six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA player, and the 2010-11 Rookie of the Year. He played two seasons in Brooklyn from 2021-2022.

Newer and Noteworthy, but Weaker Cases

There are also a few other notable players who’ve recently attained eligibility and at one point or another donned Brooklyn’s black and white. Neither of these two players broke the top-50 in win shares, but they do have cases to be argued if you position them right.

Goran Dragic (2008-2023) is widely regarded as one of the greatest Slovenian basketball players of all-time. He also made one All-Star and one All-NBA team. He earned the 2013-14 Most Improved Player of the Year award, nine years before he’d join Brooklyn for 16 games to close out their 2021-22 season. Jamal Crawford (2001-2020) has as interesting of a case as you’ll find. He never made an All-Star or All-NBA team, but did win three Sixth Man of the Year awards, tied for the most with Lou Williams.

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame candidates are often announced in stages starting in December. Final inductees are typically unveiled in early April.

An interesting long shot

Kyle Hines works for the Nets organization as assistant player development coach in Brooklyn and assistant GM in Long Island. He never played in the NBA, but the Naismith Hall of Fame honors not just those with league credentials, but those who are among the best to ever play the game. Hines, who turns 40 next week, played 16 seasons in Europe, dominating the continent until he retired in 2024.

Here’s a compendium of his accomplishments while playing in Italy, Germany, Greece and Russia: four-time Euroleague champion, six-time Russian League (VTB) champion, three-time Italian League champion as well as rings in the Greece and German leagues. Individually, he was named to the Euroleague All-Decade team and the Euroleague 25th Anniversary team as well as the Russian League Hall of Fame. Three times, he was named the best defender in Europe, etc. etc.

A native of Sicklerville, N.J., outside Camden where he founded the Team Hines 42 Foundation, he played college ball at UNC-Greensboro. In other words, he checks all the boxes.

Everyone knows that the Brooklyn Nets tank was driven by a poor offense. There were nights when they couldn’t buy a bucket and other than Michael Porter Jr., there was no reliable scorer on the roster.

But as Brian Lewis writes Tuesday, the defense wasn’t any good either.

The Nets had the sixth-worst defensive rating in the league last season at 118.2. All of the bottom-eight squads ended up going 26-56 or worse besides they Bucks, and they had the advantage of riding superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo for much of the season. Almost without exception, lousy defense means losing kjyrbasketball.

Now, following a number of off-season moves, particularly with the trade for Julius Randle and the signings of Keon Ellis, Moe Wagner and Josh Minott, the team appears to have improved in physicality and the ability to disrupt their opponents’ offense, two areas where the Nets were particularly wanting. To be sure, we’re not talking about any All-Defensive team candidates, but with so much of the Nets rebuild, it’s incremental.

“Being a disruptor, that’s what our team is going to be known for, that’s what we want to be known for,” Sean Marks recently told The Post. “That’s the style with which Jordi and the coaches want to play, whether you’re playing out of position, whether you’re helping your partner out there, you’re scrambling to make up for it.

“But I think a physical brand [of defense is needed], and we brought in players who are physical. So that’s what we want to see. That’s contagious. And our rookies will learn from them having — the sophomores, too — having to go through that every day in practice. And then you go out there and do it for 82 games.”

Lewis also cited some positive numbers put up by Minott and Ellis. After coming to Brooklyn, Minott’s steal percentage ranked in the 98th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass. As for Ellis, his steal percentage ranked in the 94th percentile in 2024-25 and in the 96th percentile for the Kings last season before being traded to Cleveland, where it fell to just 83rd percentile.

The Post writer argues that defense was also critical to the Nets choice of promising defender Mikel Brown Jr. over the “defensively-challenged” Darius Acuff at No. 6 in the June Draft.

The Nets also have installed Day’Ron Sharpe at the starting center position replacing Nic Claxton sent to Chicago in the three-team deal that brought Randle to Brooklyn along with Joshua Jefferson, the No. 28 pick. Marks spoke about how Sharpe, who had the Nets top individual defensive rating last season deserves the chance … and a new contract that will pay him $20 million over the next two years.

“From [Sharpe’s] standpoint, it’s an opportunity, right? And Day’Ron deserves that opportunity,” Marks said. “He’s put a lot of work in over the last couple of years. You can see the physical changes, you can see the confidence with which he’s played with.

“He’s been in our gym really religiously all summer long already. So he knows what’s ahead of him. And he knows the expectations that he’s put on himself. So again, excited to see — not only for Day’Ron, but for a lot of guys: Do they seize this opportunity?”

The Nets did lose some rim protection in the switch but as Lewis also points out, Claxton finished the season at the opposite end of defensive spectrum from Sharpe with the worst individual defensive rating (other than the departed Cam Thomas who left at the trade deadline.) Might the Nets give Noah Clowney back-up minutes at the 5 to take advantage of his 7’2” wingspan and shot-blocking potential? He seemed to show that ability back in April 2024 when he had games of seven and four blocks within a week. But like a lot of his game, he’s failed to show consistency, his career average only 0.6 blocks per game. Of course, he’ll have an added incentive. He becomes a restricted free agent in July.

Physicality should also be an area of improvement with the addition of Randle and Wagner in particular. Both are known as tough guys.

As Lewis reports, there’s a lot of enthusiasm for Ellis, the rangy 6’4” 26-year-old who played for Jordi Fernandez in Sacramento … and who the Nets signed to a two-year, $18 million contract, a nearly 400% jump in salary over what he made last season.

“There’s definitely familiarity with Keon,” Marks said of the relationship between Ellis and Fernandez. “And I think what we saw from Keon a couple of years ago was a young man that came into the league and obviously surprised some people with just the pace at which he played with, the poise, but also being a disruptor out there on the defensive end of the court as well.

“So for us, adding somebody that there’s a familiarity with, a young guy that fits our timeline and he’s played in big games, big moments and so forth.”

Ellis appreciates the kind words, but notes defense is a team concept.

“I think it’s just about the effort,” Ellis said. “I go out there and I just try to make it tough on guys. At the end of the day, you’re playing against the best players in the world. They’re going to score, they’re gonna get to their spots. You’re gonna have bad defensive games, you’re going to have good defensive games. But I just think the mindset of every night just trying to do the right things, be in the right spots, and just attack the gameplan, I think that’ll help everyone accomplish the goal.

“I’m not the greatest defender ever, but with team defense, everyone’s on the same page, that kind of helps everyone a little bit better. I think just me coming in, I’m more of a lead-by-example kind of guy, so I think just me going in and playing hard, that’s what motivates the next guy to go just as hard.”

• How the Nets can play to their strengths and improve their dreadful defense ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post

As the countdown for the NBA season approaches, the predictions and projections will start to follow. And ESPN started things off with a bang.

They kicked off their week-long preview of the season with their prediction of each team’s record. In what should hardly be a shock, not only did they predict the Lakers to drop in the standings, but they also predicted a pretty significant drop in wins as well.

Here’s their projected standings for the West this season.

1. San Antonio Spurs (62-20)
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (60-22)
3. Denver Nuggets (51-31)
4. Houston Rockets (51-31)
5. Minnesota Timberwolves (50-32)
6. Los Angeles Lakers (45-37)
7. Portland Trail Blazers (43-39)
8. Phoenix Suns (42-40)
9. Golden State Warriors (35-47)
10. Utah Jazz (34-48)

For those keeping track at home, that’s an eight-win drop. There’s a scenario where this would be understandable given the roster turnover. But the same logic doesn’t seem to have been applied across the board.

The Nuggets lost Peyton Watson, made no notable additions to a team that flamed out in the playoffs, but will win more than they did last season? The Wolves have massive questions about their roster after trading away their starting frontcourt and bringing in LaMelo Ball. They’re projected to win more this season.

The Blazers have more point guards on their roster than the Lakers have people vying for ownership of the franchise, but are projected to win seven more games this season. And none of this accounts for the fact that the Lakers saw both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves miss significant time.

You can pick and choose your discrepancies up and down these standings, but it feels like the Lakers were one of the only teams in the West punished in the standings. Again, a drop in wins could be argued given their own roster turnover, but it just feels like they took a chunk of wins out of the Lakers to account for so many other teams improving without applying the same logic.

ESPN’s preview will continue next with predictions of the major awards. I’m going to go on a limb, given the standings above, that Luka isn’t going to be viewed too favorably in that either.

At least they’re not projecting the Clippers above them anymore.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Steve Kerr will have a former Arizona guard under his tutelage this NBA season.

Brandon Williams has signed a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the Golden State Warriors, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday.

Free agent guard Brandon Williams has agreed to a one-year, $2.6 million deal to sign with the Golden State Warriors, agents Derek Lafayette and Curtis Lawrence tell ESPN. Williams averaged 13 points, 3.9 assists and 22.2 minutes per night across 66 games for Dallas last season. pic.twitter.com/VcDytjCDKe

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 25, 2026

The former Wildcats point guard is coming off a career-best season with Dallas Mavericks in which he averaged 13 points and 3.9 assists in 22 minutes per game. Williams appeared in 66 games with Dallas after spending the previous two seasons on two-way deals.

The 26-year-old debuted with Portland in 2021 after going undrafted out of college. Williams missed his sophomore season at Arizona due to a knee injury and spent the following year preparing for a professional career.

Williams, a Los Angeles native, is heading back to his home state to play for a Warriors franchise that has fallen on hard times in recent years. Williams will compete with De’Anthony Melton for the backup point guard role behind Stephen Curry.

Williams is the third former Wildcat to play under Kerr in Golden State, joining Andre Iguodala and Nico Mannion.

The Golden State Warriors have had a rather quiet offseason that returned many familiar faces from last season's roster. Now, they have added two newcomers at the guard and forward positions.

The Warriors agreed to sign 6-foot-1 point guard Brandon Williams to a one-year, $2.6 million deal, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania. Golden State also agreed to sign free agent forward Georges Niang to a one-year, $3.9 million deal, Charania reported.

Williams spent the 2025-26 season with the Dallas Mavericks, where he averaged career highs with 13 points and 3.9 assists in 66 games. Williams averaged 22.2 minutes per night, the most playing time he's seen since joining the NBA as an undrafted rookie signing in 2021.

Williams was on the Mavericks' roster the previous three seasons. He first entered the league playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, where he averaged 12.9 points in 24 games in 2021-22.

The veteran Niang has averaged 7.4 points per game across 544 NBA games, but did not play in 2025-26 due to injury.

How Brandon Williams fits with Warriors

The fifth-year NBA player joins a guard-heavy team already featuring the likes of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Will Richard, LJ Cryer, Gary Payton II and De'Anthony Melton.

Williams will seemingly be a spark off the bench for Golden State. It's a role Williams is familiar with and the Warriors know how dynamic he can be torching other second units − they got a taste of that work last season.

Williams had one of his best games against the Warriors on Christmas Day 2025, while with the Mavericks. Williams seemingly couldn't miss that day. He tallied 26 points on 9-for-12 shooting from the field.

He scored a career-high against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 7, 2025 when he went off for 31 points on 10-for-15 shooting, including 4-of-8 on 3-point field goals. He added six assists, five rebounds and a steal to his stat line. Williams showcased his ability to get to the rim and draw contact that game, getting to the free throw line eight times, making seven.

How Georges Niang fits with Warriors

If healthy, Niang brings another 3-point shooting threat to the Warriors roster. He fits in all too well.

After a decade in the NBA, Niang has proved to be a reliable role player and credible 3-point shooter who connects from deep at a 40% clip for his career.

Niang missed the 2025-26 season due to a foot injury. The Warriors were all too familiar with injuries last season, with Curry, Moody, Jimmy Butler III and Al Horford among the big names impacted.

Niang has played for the Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks. He was going to return to the Jazz after a trade last offseason because the team felt his veteran presence would benefit their young core. Niang joining the Warriors' mix of veteran leadership and young reserves should be the perfect storm.

Plus, Niang should be somewhat familiar with the Warriors' organization and development system having played for their G-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, during the 2017-18 season.

Reuniting old teammates

Williams won't have too much of a time getting acclimated with the Warriors and how they operate. He is already familiar with a member of the team.

Williams is a 26-year-old guard from Los Angeles. He attended Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California, where he was teammates with Melton. They dominated the floor when they shared the space. Melton averaged 20 points and Williams averaged 15.8 points as they led the Celts to a 33-5 record and won the CIF Division I state championship.

The two celebrated Williams' signing, posting a screen grab from their FaceTime video call showing both smiling as Williams quoted the tagline for hip-hop producer Chandler "Turbo" Durham.

"RUN IT BACK TURBOOOO @DeAnthonyMelton," Williams posted on X, formerly Twitter, with blue and yellow hearts symbolizing the Warriors' color-scheme.

Although not Southern California, Williams is back on the West Coast, so that has to be a breath of fresh air for him. His familiarity with Melton should help make for a smooth transition to the Bay Area.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors signing Georges Niang, Brandon Williams: How they fit with Golden State

The Golden State Warriors filled the final spots on the roster Tuesday.

After signing Brandon Williams to a $2.6 million deal in the morning, the Warriors have inked another deal with free agent forward Georges Niang.

Niang, who missed the entire 2025–26 season because of injury, signed a one-year, $3.9 million contract with the Warriors.

The forward is the ultimate role player and journeyman. The Warriors will be Niang’s sixth team in 11 NBA seasons.

The 33 year old is a career 40% 3-point shooter and is widely known for his stretch four abilities. He’s a solid shooter, can space the floor and gives Golden State another gritty player.

This isn’t Niang’s first stint with the Warriors organization as he was with their G-League affiliate during the 2017–18 season. Niang has spent time with the Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Hawks.

After a quiet offseason, the Warriors have made two signings in the same day. Golden State targeted both Williams and Niang over the last month to fill its two open regular-season roster spots.

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In one corner, you have the Lakers, who desperately need an athletic wing. 

In the other?

You have an athletic wing who’s desperate to prove himself. 

The Lakers and Jonathan Kuminga need each other. It would be a symbiotic relationship.

It would infuse the lineup of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler with some explosiveness and speed. And it would give Kuminga a chance to rehabilitate his image after a very public clash with Warriors coach Steve Kerr followed by the Hawks declining to pick up his $24.3 million team option in June.

While Kuminga’s camp rejected the Lakers’ initial two-year, $20 million offer, it behooves both sides to figure something out via a sign-and-trade despite the Lakers’ significant financial constraints. 

After the Lakers overhauled their roster this summer, acquiring nine new players, there are some major holes on the squad. 

The most glaring? The wing position. 

The Lakers’ starting lineup doesn’t have enough speed. Or defensive power from the perimeter. They need a two-way wing. 

Kuminga is the best player on the market who fits that bill. 

And even though Kuminga’s camp is hoping for something more in the ballpark of $20-$25 million annually, it benefits both parties to reach an agreement. 

After Kuminga was selected by the Warriors as the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft, he wanted to become a star. But the Warriors needed him to star in his role on a veteran-laden team that included Steph Curry and Draymond Green. 

There were times when Kuminga shined, such as when he stepped up in the second round of the 2024 playoffs while Curry was sidelined with an injury, finishing with 30 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks in Game 3 of that series. 

Or when he went 11-for-11 from the field, finishing with 25 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots in a two-way masterpiece against the Hawks in January 2024.

But he also struggled with inconsistency. He resented being pigeonholed. And eventually the relationship between him and Kerr soured past the point of no return, leading to him being dealt to the Hawks in February 2026. 

After only playing 16 games for the Hawks while averaging 12.3 points on 47.6 percent shooting, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists, they declined to pick up his team option, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Lakers and Timberwolves are among his top options. 

The offense wouldn’t run through Kuminga on either of those teams, but he’d have a starting role on the Lakers alongside Doncic, Reaves, Kessler and likely Quentin Grimes. 

It’s unclear if he’d be a starter on the Timberwolves alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. He could possibly snag that fifth spot, though Ayo Donsunmu could also be in contention for it. 

Kuminga, who’s 23 years old, is going to have to accept a hard truth in the NBA. 

It doesn’t matter what he can do. What matters is what a team wants him to do. 

That’s where an NBA player’s value lies. Not in his abilities.  Not in his potential. But in how he fits on a team. How selfless he is. Whether he’s willing to plug the holes in the way that management sees fit. 

Now’s Kuminga’s chance to prove that he can do that. 

The Lakers need someone who can attack the rim and defend multiple positions. Kuminga’s services wouldn’t be additive, they’d be essential. 

If Kuminga chooses to join the 17-time champion Lakers, he wouldn’t be the team’s star but he’d firmly be in the spotlight. 

Los Angeles is a much bigger market than Minnesota. It would give Kuminga a chance to prove to the world he’s selfless enough to play a role, while also giving him national attention when he shines. 

The Lakers need Kuminga. 

And if he chooses to come to the Lakers, he could begin really making a name for himself. 

He’d be playing on the second-most successful franchise in the NBA. He’d be playing on a team that has worldwide recognition. And he’d be playing on a squad that really needs him. 

While it remains to be seen how this will all play out, one thing is certain. 

The Lakers and Kuminga could both help take each other to the next level. 

Before he joined the Lakers in 2018, a limited liability company controlled by former franchise superstar LeBron James borrowed almost $300 million from a couple of life insurers that were being advised by Guggenheim Partners, the California Post confirmed Tuesday. 

Guggenheim Partners, to which former Lakers owner Mark Walter is the CEO, is under federal investigation over potential hidden, related-party transactions. It is widely believed that the federal scrutiny prompted Walter’s shocking sale of the Lakers after owning the team for less than a year.

Nothing indicates the loans to James are connected to those inquiries.

The securitization, which was first reported by Bloomberg, happened in 2017 while James with playing for the Cavaliers. 

The deal was structured to provide immediate cash to James and “backed by a stream of future revenue tied to his earnings outside basketball” such as the lifetime partnership deal he secured with Nike in 2015. 

There was a follow-on securitization in 2022 after James joined the Lakers. 

The initial bond taken by James came with a 4.8% interest rate, and is not due back until 2049.

Four years later, Midwestern insurers (North American Company for Life and Health Insurance and Midland National Life Insurance Company) flushed LeBron’s LLC (King James Funding) with nearly $60 million worth of 34-year bonds at an even-higher 5.75% interest rate.

The two insurance companies were owned by Sammons Financial Group. Guggenheim was in charge of picking the assets for the firm’s portfolio until 2021, Bloomberg reported.

The initial securitization occurred before James joined the Lakers as a free agent in July 2018. And before Mark Walter, the CEO of Guggenheim, became a minority owner of the Lakers in July 2021.

James signed a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with the Lakers in August 2022.

“The 2018 and 2022 transactions were a securitization done by Mr. James with his personal, non-NBA salary, assets and income which is a very common financial structure for an individual with this level of earnings and assets,” a James spokesperson said in a statement to the California Post.

“Both transactions were fully approved by the NBA. Mr. James has no affiliation with Guggenheim, Sammons Financial, North American Life or Midland National beyond their participation in these transactions.”

Guggenheim is also listed among the investors in SpringHill Co., a media venture started by James and business partner Maverick Carter.

Walter agreed to purchase the majority ownership of the Lakers from the Buss family in June 2025 for a then-record valuation of $10 billion.

He officially acquired a majority stake in the franchise last October before selling his shares to businessman Josh Kushner and ex-Disney executive Bob Iger at the historic valuation of $12.5 billion.

The Financial Times reported last week that Walter and his business partner, Todd Boehly, are looking to sell their minority stakes in Chelsea Football Club.

The recent news surrounding Walter has prompted speculation that the Lakers sale was a quick way to liquify assets for any potential legal troubles facing Walter.

Walter remains the controlling owner of the Dodgers after purchasing majority ownership in 2012. Dodgers president Stan Kasten has stated the Dodgers aren’t for sale.