Warriors News: Former Warriors’ champion believes team is ‘not far off’ from NBA Finals contention

In today’s Dub Hub:

As the NBA Finals get underway, the Golden State Warriors watch from home as they continue to formulate their plans for the upcoming season. Their inability to advance past the Play-In Tournament, combined with the dominant performances from other teams this postseason, might suggest a significant gap between them and championship contention. However, former Warriors champion Juan Toscano-Anderson offered a different perspective during an interview on the Sloane Knows Podcast, expressing confidence that the Warriors aren’t far off from returning to their title-contending ways.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, June 7th:

Warriors News:

Former Warrior Juan Toscano-Anderson thinks the Warriors are not ‘far off’ from being contenders

Chris Paul reacts to new Hulu TV series “Clipped”

What Warriors can learn from Mavericks, Celtics in building an NBA Finals contender | San Francisco Chronicle

Year-to-year turnarounds are feasible, indeed

The Mavericks missed the playoffs last season, and the play-in tournament altogether, finishing 38-44 thanks in part to the strategic sitting of Doncic down the stretch.

Almost 14 months later, here they are in the NBA Finals, competing for the title.

To reach this point, they aced their offseason by adding an impact rookie — Lively — in the draft, signing Jones to a minimum-level bargain and adding forward Grant Williams via sign-and-trade. They then shrewdly dealt away Williams and draft capital with other contracts at the trade deadline to round out their rotation with Washington and Gafford.

That’s not to suggest the Warriors are due for a turnaround next season — Doncic is beginning his prime while Curry is exiting his — but the precedent has been set.

The exquisite timing of the Valkyries entering WNBA, Bay Area | NBC Sports Bay Area

The Valkyries have been blessed with the exquisite timing of climbing aboard a ride accelerating at a fast pace. They’re gaining momentum despite not having a coach or a roster. A coach will be in place sometime this summer, after which there will be an expansion draft that allows Golden State to start building a roster with veterans made available by other teams.

Even as the Valkyries continue to fill open positions – Maria Valdehueza, senior vice president for ticketing and events, was put in place on Monday – the high demand for tickets is making a statement.

Rob Mahoney on Kevin Durant’s Decision | Ringer Moments | The Ringer

NBA News:

Kristaps Porzingis’ return sparks Celtics in Game 1 of NBA Finals | ESPN

Porzingis, playing in his first game in more than five weeks because of a calf strain he suffered in the first round, had 20 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks in 20 minutes Thursday night, leading the Celtics to a 107-89 demolition of the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

It was Porzingis’ first playoff game since the first round, and it came against his former team.

“Kristaps had a monster game for us,” Jaylen Brown said. “Just his presence shooting the ball and then him being able to attack those switches and mismatches, he made ‘em pay every time, and that’s what we need going forward in the series.”

With Dan Hurley in contact with Lakers, how have college coaches fared in the NBA? | The Athletic

Brad Stevens, John Beilein, Lon Kruger, P.J. Carlesimo and Mike Montgomery have also made the NCAA Tournament Final Four and coached in the NBA.

Stevens — the president of basketball operations for the Celtics, currently in the NBA Finals — compiled a 354-282 record coaching Boston for eight seasons after departing Butler in 2013. He led the Bulldogs to consecutive NCAA Tournament runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2011. Named the 2024 NBA Executive of the Year, Stevens has also found success in the NBA beyond coaching.

TNT still negotiating for NBA rights according to Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

How my wedding was like the 2022 Warriors title

People thought our team was too old

Look, I’m no spring chicken but then again, neither was Steph Curry in the summer of 2022. But unlike the Warriors front office in the past two seasons, I managed to find a number two who could help me extend my romantic prime. Honestly, my wife is the Steph Curry, and I’m more of an Andrew Wiggins type who once had all kinds of promise, disappointed a lot of people, then rounded into shape just in time to get a ring.

Also like Wiggins, I once fractured my rib playing basketball. He collided with LeBron James, while I hurt myself trying to take a charge playing pickup against a professional actor and dancer named Reign.

A tweet to end the week:

Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.