Dub Hub: Draymond Green backs Chris Paul as a ‘winner’ for the Warriors

Warriors News:

Exclusive Draymond Green one-on-one interview; reactions to Warriors’ preseason opener | Dubs Talk

Klay Thompson wants to stay with Warriors but feels ‘blessed’ regardless of future | The Athletic

“I know if I just do my job and I’m in shape and I compete at my highest level, I’m going to make money in this league for a long time. So I don’t worry about it. I’m blessed beyond measure. Obviously you want to make the most in the window you have as an athlete. But I’m not going to let that get in the way of winning a championship. When you win, everything else will be taken care of.”

A brief history of the Warriors “rubbing” opponents the wrong way | Dub Nation HQ

Not that it’s a new set that Kerr was trying out to test its potency — “Rub” has been part of the BLOB playbook for a couple of years now. It’s not exclusive to the bench mob, either; it would be criminal for Kerr not to use the floor-warping talents of Steph Curry to sow discord among defenses.

It’s easy to see where Curry would slot in: as the screener for the inbounder. Whoever’s defending Curry has the natural inclination to not detach from him at any cost — at the risk of letting someone who Curry screens for get wide open underneath the rim.

Kuminga eager to show Warriors he’s ready to reach next level | NBC Sports Bay Area

“He’s been making my life easier,” Kuminga says. “Just small things that I didn’t really know before. As long as I’m talking, especially on defense, I literally can be in perfect position, as long as I’m directing him or directing the person in front of me. Because I’m the one who can see everything behind them. Just tell them, ‘I’m here with you, CP.’ Or ‘I’m here with you, Steph.’ Whoever is on the floor, let them know that I’ve got their support.

“And most of the time, with CP, the ball finds me without me knowing. It’s a good thing, but I’m surprised how the ball is right there. I’ve been picking his brain every day. Just watching him, being around him, creating this relationship that’s not just a teammate but more like a brother to me.”

‘I know I still got a lot to give’: Rudy Gay competes for a role on the Golden State Warriors | Andscape

“I’m not the oldest person on a team for once,” said Gay with a smile after practice Oct. 5. “To actually got into a locker room where I can hear some music that I can actually understand is refreshing. Today was Throwback Thursday. So, it was all my stuff. When you think of Throwback Thursday, we don’t think about Mary J. Blige, Usher. But, here, that’s what it is, man.

“I see why they’ve had so much success. Everybody knows their role. Everybody knows their position, down to the music. It’s refreshing… I knew this is a team that already had things figured out. So [I] just sit there, being ready for your turn and make the best of your opportunity at the end of the day. This is something I can teach my kids. I’ve been in every situation the league can offer. So, this is part of my story.”

NBA News:

NBA says ‘load management’ no longer supported by scientific data: ‘Every player should want to play 82 games’ | The Athletic

“Before, it was a given conclusion that the data showed that you had to rest players a certain amount, and that justified them sitting out,” said Dumars, now the executive vice president of basketball operations for the NBA, who was a six-time All-Star for the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons in the 1980s and 90s.

“We’ve gotten more data, and it just doesn’t show that resting, sitting guys out correlates with lack of injuries, or fatigue, or anything like that,” Dumars said. “What it does show is maybe guys aren’t as efficient on the second night of a back-to-back.”

Dumars added that the “culture” in the NBA should be that “every player should want to play 82 games,”

Charlotte Hornets waive Kai Jones

NBArank 2023: Player rankings for 2023-24, from 50 to 11 | ESPN

No. 11: Devin Booker

Phoenix Suns | SG

2022 NBArank: 10

Why he fell one spot: On the verge of turning 27, traditionally looked at as the age when players enter their prime, Booker is a top-10-caliber talent. A dangerous scorer who has grown as a playmaker, Booker is simply one of the best the league has to offer, but the addition of star guard Bradley Beal could cap Booker’s usage in 2023-24.

One huge question for the season: Can Booker make a run at MVP? He has already long been considered one of the most fundamentally sound players at his position, and after finishing fourth in voting for the award in 2021-22, his scoring, shooting percentage and assist averages all went up last year. The key will be staying on the floor: Booker missed 29 games because of injury last season.

— McMenamin

Kevin Garnett has high expectations for the Jordan Poole, Kyle Kuzma duo in D.C.

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Cory Joseph practices as he nears a return

Joseph being fully healthy and up to speed for the start of the season would be very nice for the Warriors. They clearly have the best point guard position in the NBA with Paul and Steph Curry, but there’s not a lot of depth in the playmaking department if Joseph is sidelined, since Draymond Green is injured and rookie Brandin Podziemski is likely not someone that Steve Kerr wants to be allocating meaningful minutes for early in the year.

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