Warriors beat writer Danny Emerman shares his thoughts on the Warriors and beyond
Fall is here, which means hope springs eternal in the NBA. That includes the Warriors, who are out of the spotlight entering the regular season about as much as they have been since their dynasty began.
“I do think that we’ve been forgotten about a little bit,” head coach Steve Kerr said.
Media Day is tomorrow, and here’s how it works. All the Warriors players will take the podium in the interview room for about 10 minutes apiece. Questions will be asked, and answers will be feigned. Then the team will jet off to Hawaii for training camp. As Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic made clear at his 10th media day, it’s somewhat of a charade; the biggest questions will be answered on the court throughout the next six months, not at a mic.
But it is somewhat of an opportunity to take the temperature of a team. Here’s what everyone’s curious about heading into Media Day.
Will Jonathan Kuminga get extended before Oct 21?
The question applies to Moses Moody, too, but much more aptly to the former sixth overall pick. Kuminga made significant strides last year, but concerns about his fit on the roster and in Golden State’s system remain. His draft class counterparts already got paid, and things can get dicey when a team introduces uncertainty to a player’s situation — even if restricted free agency means the Warriors maintain near-term control without an extension. Kuminga won’t get a chance to prove he’s “earned” a maximum rookie extension before the Oct. 21 deadline, but the team believes in his development and has a history of doling out extensions earlier rather than later.
How much did Brandin Podziemski improve?
Selecting Podziemski was Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s first home run as general manager. A First-Team All-Rookie selection, Podziemski will be empowered to shoot more, handle more and create more. He’s already an excellent glue guy and help defender, but if he can maintain efficiency while upping volume on offense, Podziemski’s belief that he can be an All-Star won’t be far-fetched after all.
A related question: So, who’s going to start? My money’s on Steph Curry, Podziemski, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green.
Can Draymond Green keep himself out of trouble?
The Warriors went 32-19 in the 51 games Green played (without getting ejected) last season. That’s a 51-win pace. He’s entering his 13th season and is out of excuses; any additional serious offense could jeopardize his career. His team needs him to stay on the court.
Can Moses Moody escape rotational purgatory?
The Warriors have said for years now that they want to create more minutes for Moody in their crowded rotations. Then they went out and signed De’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield, each of whom presumably leap-frogged Moody in the pecking order. Moody will need to display serious strides to earn playing time, or get stuck in DNP land once again.
What’s the path to landing a big fish?
Dunleavy said the Warriors are about as …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
