A day after Steve Kerr visited the 49ers’ facility in Santa Clara, he and Bob Myers were back at Warriors HQ, as the team prepares to embark on its preseason program.
Golden State has a trip to Tokyo slated in 10 days to play the Washington Wizards. With a likely desire to lean on younger players in those games, the brass provided updates on health statuses and contract situations.
On injuries/health:
- There are no restrictions for the likes of James Wiseman (knee recovery), Ryan Rollins (stress fracture, foot) or Patrick Baldwin (ankle injury). Wiseman has played in a “ton” of pickup games at the Warriors’ facility over the last month
- Here’s what Kerr said on Wiseman’s development:
“In a case like James, you have three college games and zero training camp, zero Summer Leagues. So now, comes the foundational stuff. His work ethic is fantastic. His approach, his attitude; he’s beloved by his teammates. They are seeing how hard he works.
So now it’s a matter of experience. He just has to keep playing, and we have got to continue to be patient and allow that development to happen an organic, natural rate.”
- Kerr said there’s plenty of reason to be excited about Klay Thompson. Get the hype reels ready:
“I know he’ll be in a good place, just emotionally as he comes into camp. But I think our training staff repeatedly has told us and told him last year that he will be better this year than he was the second half of last year just because of the nature of the rehab. I expect him to be a big year and be more consistent. I thought he showed that he was still himself last year but it was more sporadic. I think it will be more consistent this year. I think we are all sort of anticipating that”
Contract situations:
- There are a number of players up for contract extensions. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole all have open-ended situations, with Wiggins’ and Poole’s the most pressing.
- Bob Myers said Warriors have spoken to representatives for both Green and Wiggins, mentioning that he talked to Rich Paul “the other night”
- As for Poole, Myers said the Warriors intended to meet with his reps after Tokyo. They plan to:
“Sit down for the first time and start having that conversation, and I think that’s about two weeks out from the deadline for him. Where that will go, I don’t know. I know that they want to meet and I know we want to meet, and then we’ll see what the next two weeks give us.”
Andre Iguodala’s status:
So what about Andre Iguodala? The Warriors have an open invitation for the veteran to stick around for another year if he wants to.
But as of right now, the team doesn’t have much clarity on the situation, with Kerr saying he has not conveyed his decision on retirement or returning.
Myers not so jokingly said everyone would have to tune into his Point Forward Podcast to find out his decision.
“He’s someone you want around,” Myers said. “If it was up to me, we would keep him around a long time, even if he wasn’t playing but we’re running out of time. I’ll call him when we get out of here, see what he’s doing — he’s going to let you know, apparently. Watch his Podcast, I guess.t he’s doing — he’s going to let you know, apparently. Watch his Podcast, I guess.”