Category: Sports News

Three potential value selections for Warriors at pick No. 41 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Some might call it luck, others might call it fate. Basketball’s greatest love story happened nearly 11 years ago in the most unexpected way. 

The beauty of a cheesy quesadilla met the warmth of a beefy burrito to, of course, create Taco Bell’s perfect quesarito marriage, as aired on ESPN’s coverage of the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. 

And in that moment, without even knowing it, Denver Nuggets fans were quietly introduced to Nikola Jokić. Not through highlight packages and analysts breaking down how he’ll forever change the franchise. But at the bottom of the scroll, listed as a power from Serbia who was taken with the No. 41 overall pick. 

The Warriors have a history of their own with the pick, and now own it themselves again in this year’s draft, which begins with the first round on June 25. They’d need Chris Paul to play Cliff Paul in a new State Farm commercial, Taco Bell to get a new way to “Live Más” and a Toyota commercial highlighted by an inflatable giant pink Pegasus to follow for everything to align right and pull off the miracle of finding the next Jokić at 41. 

It isn’t happening. The Warriors have their own future Hall of Fame second-round pick in Draymond Green. Jokic is the ultimate outlier.

There have been two players to go from being a second-round pick to winning MVP. Willis Reed did it first in 1970, and Jokic won the award three times. He already has six top-five finishes in his first 10 years in the league.

When Reed was a second-round pick in 1964, there were a total of nine teams. Reed was the 10th overall pick.

As the scroll showed during his draft announcement, Jokic averaged 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds over 25 games in 2013-14 while playing in the Adriatic League. His scouting report was full of negatives centered on his body and lack of athleticism. Jokic was a draft-and-stash prospect who again spent the 2014-15 season in Serbia, where his stats increased to 16.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game as a 32.6-percent 3-point shooter. 

Mike Dunleavy only has selected college players since becoming the Warriors’ general manager ahead of the 2023 draft. He did make an interesting addition when the Warriors signed Taran Armstrong out of Australia’s NBL to a two-way contract in late February. Armstrong showed promise and is part of the Warriors’ summer league plans. The Warriors could look internationally in the draft, including grabbing more talent from Australia.

Alex Toohey has played two professional seasons in the NBL, would bring size on the wing the Warriors desire at 6-foot-8 and is 21 years old. If the Warriors really want to get big like the outside always begs for, they could entertain the idea of 7-foot-3 center Rocco Zikarsky of the Brisbane Bullets. China’s Hansen Yang, 7-foot-2, might be intriguing too. 

Yang turns 20 the day of the second round, and Zikarsky will be 19 in July. 

But even if (when) the Warriors don’t draft the next Jokić this year, there’s still talent and value if they keep their pick where it’s at. 

The second-best player taken with the 41st pick by win shares is Cuttino Mobley, a certified bucket in the league for a decade before his career ended to a heart condition. As real bucket-getters do, Mobley still is getting it done in the Big3. Mobley made All-Rookie Second Team as a second-round pick, finished second in Sixth Man of the Year his second season and averaged 16 points per game in an 11-year career. 

Those are numbers and accolades the Warriors sure would take from their draft pick this year. There are more recent examples that also can excite them. 

Are players like Willie Green (2003), Jodie Meeks (2009), Pat Connaughton (2015), Jarred Vanderbilt (2018) and Tre Jones (2020) perfect? Of course not. But they all have carved out productive careers. If the Warriors come out of the draft with a Green, Meeks, Connaughton, Vanderbilt or Jones at No. 41, their scouting department and front office should be applauded. 

Dunleavy in the last two drafts brought in second-round picks that were both taken much later than No. 41, and outperformed expectations. The quesarito has been discontinued, sadly meaning there will never be another draft story quite like Jokić’s. Another Dunleavy success story, though, shouldn’t be out of the question.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Warriors won't find next Nikola Jokić at No. 41, but there's value to be found originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Some might call it luck, others might call it fate. Basketball’s greatest love story happened nearly 11 years ago in the most unexpected way. 

The beauty of a cheesy quesadilla met the warmth of a beefy burrito, to of course, create Taco Bell’s perfect quesarito marriage, as aired on ESPN’s coverage of the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. 

And in that moment, without even knowing it, Denver Nuggets fans quietly were introduced to Nikola Jokić. Not through highlight packages and analysts breaking down how he’ll forever change the franchise. But at the bottom of the scroll, listed as a power from Serbia who was taken with the No. 41 overall pick. 

The Warriors have a history of their own with the pick, and now own it themselves again in this year’s draft, which begins with the first round on June 25. They’d need Chris Paul to play Cliff Paul in a new State Farm commercial, Taco Bell to get a new way to “Live Más” and a Toyota commercial highlighted by an inflatable giant pink Pegasus to follow for everything to align right and pull off the miracle of finding the next Jokić at 41. 

It isn’t happening. The Warriors have their own future Hall of Fame second-round pick in Draymond Green. Jokic is the ultimate outlier.

There have been two players to go from being a second-round pick to winning MVP. Willis Reed did it first in 1970, and Jokic won the award three times. He already has six top-five finishes in his first 10 years in the league.

When Reed was a second-round pick in 1964, there were a total of nine teams. Reed was the 10th overall pick.

As the scroll showed during his draft announcement, Jokic averaged 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds over 25 games in 2013-14 while playing in the Adriatic League. His scouting report was full of negatives centered on his body and lack of athleticism. Jokic was a draft-and-stash prospect who again spent the 2014-15 season in Serbia, where his stats increased to 16.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game as a 32.6-percent 3-point shooter. 

Mike Dunleavy only has selected college players since becoming the Warriors’ general manager ahead of the 2023 draft. He did make an interesting addition when the Warriors signed Taran Armstrong out of Australia’s NBL to a two-way contract in late February. Armstrong showed promise and is part of the Warriors’ summer league plans. The Warriors could look internationally in the draft, including grabbing more talent from Australia.

Alex Toohey has played two professional seasons in the NBL, would bring size on the wing the Warriors desire at 6-foot-8 and is 21 years old. If the Warriors really want to get big like the fan base always begs for, they could entertain the idea of 7-foot-3 center Rocco Zikarsky of the Brisbane Bullets. China’s Hansen Yang, 7-foot-2, might be intriguing too. 

Yang turns 20 on the day of the second round, and Zikarsky will be 19 in July. 

But even if (when) the Warriors don’t draft the next Jokić this year, there’s still talent and value if they keep their pick where it’s at. 

The second-best player taken with the 41st pick by win shares is Cuttino Mobley, a certified bucket in the league for a decade before his career ended to a heart condition. As real bucket-getters do, Mobley still is getting it done in the Big3. Mobley made All-Rookie Second Team as a second-round pick, finished second in Sixth Man of the Year his second season and averaged 16 points per game in an 11-year career. 

Those are numbers and accolades the Warriors sure would take from their draft pick this year. There are more recent examples that also can excite them. 

Are players like Willie Green (2003), Jodie Meeks (2009), Pat Connaughton (2015), Jarred Vanderbilt (2018) and Tre Jones (2020) perfect? Of course not. But they all have carved out productive careers. If the Warriors come out of the draft with a Green, Meeks, Connaughton, Vanderbilt or Jones at No. 41, their scouting department and front office should be applauded. 

Dunleavy, in the last two drafts, brought in second-round picks that were both taken much later than No. 41, and outperformed expectations. The quesarito has been discontinued, sadly, meaning there will never be another draft story quite like Jokić’s. Another Dunleavy success story, though, shouldn’t be out of the question.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Warriors won't find next Nikola Jokić at No. 41, but there's value to be found originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Some might call it luck, others might call it fate. Basketball’s greatest love story happened nearly 11 years ago in the most unexpected way. 

The beauty of a cheesy quesadilla met the warmth of a beefy burrito, to of course, create Taco Bell’s perfect quesarito marriage, as aired on ESPN’s coverage of the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. 

And in that moment, without even knowing it, Denver Nuggets fans quietly were introduced to Nikola Jokić. Not through highlight packages and analysts breaking down how he’ll forever change the franchise. But at the bottom of the scroll, listed as a power from Serbia who was taken with the No. 41 overall pick. 

The Warriors have a history of their own with the pick, and now own it themselves again in this year’s draft, which begins with the first round on June 25. They’d need Chris Paul to play Cliff Paul in a new State Farm commercial, Taco Bell to get a new way to “Live Más” and a Toyota commercial highlighted by an inflatable giant pink Pegasus to follow for everything to align right and pull off the miracle of finding the next Jokić at 41. 

It isn’t happening. The Warriors have their own future Hall of Fame second-round pick in Draymond Green. Jokic is the ultimate outlier.

There have been two players to go from being a second-round pick to winning MVP. Willis Reed did it first in 1970, and Jokic won the award three times. He already has six top-five finishes in his first 10 years in the league.

When Reed was a second-round pick in 1964, there were a total of nine teams. Reed was the 10th overall pick.

As the scroll showed during his draft announcement, Jokic averaged 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds over 25 games in 2013-14 while playing in the Adriatic League. His scouting report was full of negatives centered on his body and lack of athleticism. Jokic was a draft-and-stash prospect who again spent the 2014-15 season in Serbia, where his stats increased to 16.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game as a 32.6-percent 3-point shooter. 

Mike Dunleavy only has selected college players since becoming the Warriors’ general manager ahead of the 2023 draft. He did make an interesting addition when the Warriors signed Taran Armstrong out of Australia’s NBL to a two-way contract in late February. Armstrong showed promise and is part of the Warriors’ summer league plans. The Warriors could look internationally in the draft, including grabbing more talent from Australia.

Alex Toohey has played two professional seasons in the NBL, would bring size on the wing the Warriors desire at 6-foot-8 and is 21 years old. If the Warriors really want to get big like the fan base always begs for, they could entertain the idea of 7-foot-3 center Rocco Zikarsky of the Brisbane Bullets. China’s Hansen Yang, 7-foot-2, might be intriguing too. 

Yang turns 20 on the day of the second round, and Zikarsky will be 19 in July. 

But even if (when) the Warriors don’t draft the next Jokić this year, there’s still talent and value if they keep their pick where it’s at. 

The second-best player taken with the 41st pick by win shares is Cuttino Mobley, a certified bucket in the league for a decade before his career ended to a heart condition. As real bucket-getters do, Mobley still is getting it done in the Big3. Mobley made All-Rookie Second Team as a second-round pick, finished second in Sixth Man of the Year his second season and averaged 16 points per game in an 11-year career. 

Those are numbers and accolades the Warriors sure would take from their draft pick this year. There are more recent examples that also can excite them. 

Are players like Willie Green (2003), Jodie Meeks (2009), Pat Connaughton (2015), Jarred Vanderbilt (2018) and Tre Jones (2020) perfect? Of course not. But they all have carved out productive careers. If the Warriors come out of the draft with a Green, Meeks, Connaughton, Vanderbilt or Jones at No. 41, their scouting department and front office should be applauded. 

Dunleavy, in the last two drafts, brought in second-round picks that were both taken much later than No. 41, and outperformed expectations. The quesarito has been discontinued, sadly, meaning there will never be another draft story quite like Jokić’s. Another Dunleavy success story, though, shouldn’t be out of the question.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Camp-ready Jaylen Brown clears first question mark about Celtics' future originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

One of the many lingering health questions surrounding the future of the Boston Celtics got answered Wednesday.

The Celtics announced that Jaylen Brown, after undergoing a right knee arthroscopic debridement procedure, is expected to participate in training camp without limitations. Right knee issues, including a partial meniscus tear, limited Brown over the final months of the 2024-25 season, and there were concerns that offseason surgery might compromise his availability for the start the new season.

Now, assuming Brown is still on Boston’s roster after the team’s upcoming offseason maneuvering, the Celtics would have one of their two superstar forwards available to start the 2025-26 campaign. Jayson Tatum is sidelined indefinitely after rupturing his Achilles in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Celtics have tough financial decisions to ponder this offseason, needing to shed $20-plus million to get off the punitive second apron, plus an additional $20 million if they yearn to dip below the luxury tax line with a long-term goal of resetting cumbersome repeater penalties. That’s before addressing the future of free agents Al Horford and Luke Kornet.

Hovering above all that was the health status of three core members of the championship squad. There is no timeline for Tatum’s return, while Kristaps Porzingis battled a mystery illness that sapped his energy throughout Boston’s playoff run.

Brown being ready for training camp won’t stop trade speculation. In fact, knowing Brown will be available to start the season might make rivals more likely to inquire about his availability.

But if the Celtics elect to proceed with Brown and Tatum as the core of their team, then next season allows a healthier Brown to slide into the 1A role. Even after he won NBA Finals MVP and helped the Celtics secure Banner 18 in 2024, there were some who wondered if Brown eventually would want to be the clear-cut focal point of a team rather than share that spotlight.

Now, Brown might get the opportunity to do that in Boston.

The idea of Brown as the focal point could be an intriguing storyline if the Celtics are navigating an uncertain season while Tatum rehabs. Brown, snubbed from All-NBA status during the 2023-24 season and ineligible for that honor after playing just 63 games last season, would have every opportunity to showcase his ability to lead whatever version of the Celtics emerges this summer.

The 28-year-old Brown is entering year two of the five-year, $285 million extension he signed in July 2023 and will earn $53.1 million next season.

Brown averaged 22.2 points, a career-best 4.5 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game last season. His shooting efficiency dipped from his stellar 2023-24 season, down to 46.3 percent overall and 32.4 percent beyond the 3-point arc. Brown was voted to his fourth All-Star squad as a reserve, but knee woes contributed to him falling short of the 65-game threshold necessary for end-of-the-season award consideration.

The need for a surgical cleanup only hammers home how Brown played through pain at the end of the season, with Boston hoping to become the first Celtics squad to repeat as champions in over a half century. Brown clearly was hindered from night to night in the postseason but still produced some of his finest play, particularly in the immediate aftermath of Tatum’s season-ending injury.

Brown fretted that all of Boston’s injury woes seemed to nip the team at the worst part of the season.

“We just had some unfortunate events, some injuries,” said Brown. “Personally, I had some stuff that I was persevering through and it caught up to us in the end.”

Later, Brown added: “I’m looking forward to coming back stronger. Just take this [early playoff exit] with your chin up. I know Boston, it looks gloomy right now. Obviously with JT being out and us ending the year. But it’s a lot to look forward to. A lot to look forward to and I want the city to feel excited about that.

“This is not the end. I’m looking forward to what’s next.”