Dub Hub: Jonathan Kuminga wants to be a better rebounder this upcoming season

Warriors News:

Jonathan Kuminga describes how he is working on becoming a better rebounder during practice

Kerr thrilled to have CP3 on Warriors after win over Lakers | NBC Sports Bay Area

Kerr noted how the Warriors are excited about having Paul’s game-management skills and experience after watching him read scenarios as an opponent for so long.

“He understands when we need to pull it back and get into an action or play faster because he understands the rhythm of the game,” Kerr told reporters. “So, Chris is amazing. Really fun to have him on our side, finally.”

Chris Paul loving the support from Dub Nation

Sources: New Zealand Breakers sign NBA forward Anthony Lamb | ESPN

Anthony Lamb has signed with the New Zealand Breakers for the remainder of the 2023-24 NBL season, sources told ESPN.

Lamb, who played 62 games for the Golden State Warriors last NBA season, will replace Justinian Jessup, who’s out indefinitely with a pelvic injury, sources said.

Jessup will get a CT scan on Monday (AEDT) to determine the extent of the injury, sources said.

Lamb will initially join the Breakers as an injury replacement for Jessup, but the plan is for him to remain with the team for the entire season. Lamb does, however, have an NBA out in this deal, sources said.

Funny moment between Jonathan Kuminga and Steph Curry during Saturday’s preseason game

NBA News:

Sources: Team USA pursuing Jrue Holiday for 2024 Games | ESPN

Holiday, 33, has yet to decide, but USA officials — with managing director Grant Hill leading the way — are hopeful Holiday will commit to being one of the 12 members on next year’s Team USA Olympic team, sources said.

USA Basketball officials use the word “beloved” to describe how strongly they feel about Holiday, whom they considered the second-most-impactful player, after Kevin Durant, on the 2021 gold-medal-winning team. Team USA struggled defensively in the FIBA world championships this summer in the Philippines and Holiday’s on-ball defense, playmaking and leadership are among the factors fueling USA Basketball’s recruitment.

Celtics extend Payton Pritchard with 4-year, $30 million contract: Sources | The Athletic

What a roller-coaster year it’s been for Pritchard. He was out of the rotation for an entire season and now he is the team’s offensive sixth man. Pritchard will likely spend this year coming into the game in the first quarter and orchestrating plenty of the offense. So there was upside for him to put up numbers and command a bigger salary in free agency. But because of his restricted status, it was going to be hard for teams using their midlevel exception to give Pritchard a reasonable offer sheet and hope the Celtics don’t match. Pritchard’s deal, with an annual average value of $7.5 million, is fully guaranteed.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen will miss at least two weeks with an ankle injury

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Warriors-Lakers preseason musings: How Steph Curry and Chris Paul are working on guard-guard actions

Curry initiates the action — part of the “21” series, named as such because it involves the 2-guard and the 1-guard — by passing to Paul on the wing. Curry typically follows his pass to initiate handoff action with Paul, but instead flares away from the ball. Paul then goes off of the Looney dribble hand-off and gets an open look that just misses.

Suffice to say, Paul won’t be missing looks like that quite often this season.

Warriors kick off the preseason in style

But the star emerged, and it was Kuminga, who many are expecting big things from this year. Kuminga played well in the first half, showing a few brilliant moves mixed with some struggles and sloppiness. But in the second half he took off. Both teams emptied their benches at halftime, and by the time the fourth quarter rolled around, it was mostly back-of-the-bench players, and camp invites competing for roster spots.

Kuminga got some play in that quarter, and the message he sent was clear: he is significantly better than a back-of-the-bench player. He ended the game with a game-high 24 points, attacking the rim relentlessly and also shooting an exciting and encouraging 4-for-8 from distance, to go along with eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks (though he did have five turnovers, one a pass he made to Curry, who was not in the game, which sent the Dubs’ bench into a fit of laughter).

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