Highlights from Japan Game: Hachimura and Wiseman put on show, plus Suga and Curry

By Kurt HelinSep 30, 2022, 11:10 AM EDT

Jun Sato/WireImage

The NBA preseason is officially here — and it started in Japan. The Golden State Warriors faced the Washington Wizards in front of a sold-out crowd at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo. In case you didn’t wake up at 6 am Eastern to watch a meaningless preseason NBA game (and if you did, we’re worried about you), here are a few highlights and notes from the night.

• The Wizards were there because they have the biggest Japanese star in the NBA, Rui Hachimura, and he was given a chance to shine. The crowd erupted when he did anything.

Rui Hachimura was getting buckets for the @WashWizards in the #NBAJapanGames 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EQPP6Gr4vi

— NBA (@NBA) September 30, 2022

• The leading scorer on the night was the Warriors James Wiseman with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, plus nine boards.

Steph to Wiseman for the sweet alley-oop!pic.twitter.com/WEFuFgS1zN

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) September 30, 2022

• Dunk of the game goes to Kyle Kuzma.

💥 OH YEAH KUZ! #NBAJapanGames

📲 https://t.co/rgegl2X5Zu pic.twitter.com/gDzU9eIF1w

— NBA (@NBA) September 30, 2022

• Stephen Curry was doing Stephen Curry things.

Steph splashes from the other side of the Pacificpic.twitter.com/DtaU5mZHxi

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) September 30, 2022

• Stephen Curry also met Suga of BTS and gave him some game-worn kicks. This will win Twitter for the day.

👟 @StephenCurry30 gifts Suga his game kicks in Tokyo!#NBAJapanGames | @BTS_twt | @bts_bighit pic.twitter.com/iuKOK3SJRu

— NBA (@NBA) September 30, 2022

Suga shows off @stephencurry30’s game kicks from tonight’s action in Tokyo! #NBAJapanGames #NBAKicks pic.twitter.com/JhZi2Bu03c

— 🏀 #NBAKicks 👟 (@NBAKicks) September 30, 2022

• Oh, by the way, the Warriors won 96-87. As for the level of basketball, it looked like the first preseason game after a flight halfway around the world. The teams combined to shoot 11-of-47 in the first quarter (23.4%) and both were under 40% for the game.

• Klay Thompson is sitting out both Warriors games in Japan.

• TRIVIA TIME: Can you name the other two players currently in the NBA born in Japan?

Cam Thomas (Yokosuka) and Yuta Watanabe (Yokohama), both of the Brooklyn Nets (Watanabe is on a training camp deal and is not expected to make the roster). Both were raised much of their lives and went to high school and college in the United States.

PBT Podcast: Golden State Warriors season preview

By Kurt HelinSep 26, 2022, 2:00 PM EDT

Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors will enter the season hanging banner number four from this era and passing out their championship rings, but this is a team with more questions than most returning champs.

Otto Porter and Gary Payton II are gone and their minutes will go to a young core — Jordan Poole, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman — who are going to be asked to carry a larger load. Particularly during the regular season.

Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to break down this coming Warriors season, what to expect, and if the young core can get the older vets to the playoffs rested and ready to defend their title. There’s also talk of what comes next in Golden State, as some hard contract choices are coming in the next few years.

You can always watch the video of some of the podcast above, or listen to the entire podcast below, listen and subscribe via iTunes at ApplePodcasts.com/PBTonNBC, subscribe via the fantastic Stitcher app, check us out on Google Play, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

We want your questions for future podcasts, and your comments, so please feel free to email us at PBTpodcast@gmail.com.

Giannis Antetokounmpo says Stephen Curry is the best player in the world

By Kurt HelinSep 25, 2022, 5:25 PM EDT

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo is at the top of pretty much every “best player in the world” list right now.

Except his own.

For Antetokounmpo, the best player in the world is the one that leads his team to the title, so today, it is Stephen Curry (hat tip to Lance Allen of NBC Milwaukee).

Giannis says “am I one of the best players in the world? Yes. But am I the best in the world? No. That’s the player that takes his team to the finish line. That’s Steph Curry. Until next year.” #Bucks pic.twitter.com/331sjK1pDs

— Lance Allan (@lanceallan) September 25, 2022

It’s easy to see where Antetokounmpo is coming from, but basketball is a team game. The best player may not be on the best team, despite his skill set, and that team may not win. Curry was spectacular in leading the Warriors to their fourth banner since he arrived, he’s near the top of the best in the world list, but it’s not all about winning.

The takeaway from what Antetokounmpo said is how much he wants to win — he wants a second ring.

"I try not to focus on (MVP). I've won two and its given me a lot of joy but the joy of winning a championship for this city was 20 times more. So I just try to focus on that"

— Justin García 🎙 (@tmjgarcia) September 25, 2022

"There's something to desperation (before your first championship) but I haven't lost it. I'm blessed to be in this spot and I'm not going to take it for granted. I want to win a championship. I kind of got jealous of seeing Golden State's parade. You know that feeling"

— Justin García 🎙 (@tmjgarcia) September 25, 2022

The Bucks enter the season as one of the favorites to win that ring, but it’s going to take a lot of things going right for that to happen.

Including Antetokounmpo showing he is the best player in the world.

Warriors GM Myers reiterates he would like to extend Green, Poole, Wiggins

By Kurt HelinSep 24, 2022, 2:00 PM EDT

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Andrew Wiggins is entering the final year of his contract and the Warriors want to extend him. Jordan Poole is up for a contract extension and if it isn’t worked out by the start of the season he becomes a restricted free agent next summer. Draymond Green is eligible — and wants — a four years, $138.4 million extension (the max they can give him).

Bob Myers said again this week that he wants to keep all three of those players — all critical parts of the Warriors run to a title last season — but financial reality could intrude upon that dream. Here’s what Myers said Thursday, via Kendra Andrews of ESPN:

“We want all of those guys,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers said at a news conference Thursday. “Can we get all of them? I don’t know.

“It depends on what the money ends up being. What the ask is what we can end up doing. We’re not at a point to make those decisions yet. Some of these decisions may be made in the next two weeks, some might be made in the next seven, eight months.”

The Warriors turned heads around the league paying more than $350 million in player salaries and luxury tax last season — and this season they will be in the same ballpark. Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob has said even with the cash cow that is the new Chase Center, this is not a team that can spend $400 million. Some expenses are locked in, such as Stephen Curry and his $215.4 max contract extension. Klay Thompson is at the max for a couple of more years.

Poole is part of the future in Golden State — along with Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and maybe Jonathan Wiseman — and they can’t let him go. Wiggins was the Warriors’ second-best player in the postseason last year. That has led to some speculation Green could be the odd man out — something Myers has denied. Green will make $25.8 million this season but is expected to opt out of the $27.6 million player option he has next season. It leaves the Warriors and Green with a choice.

Something’s got to give, but the Myers and the Warriors seem ready to kick that financial can down the road until next summer, and for this season get the band back together and chase another ring.

Poole would be the first up (there is an Oct. 17 deadline to extend him). Whatever happens, this will be an undercurrent of a story all season long in the Bay Area.

Iguodala makes it official: He will return to Warriors this season

By Kurt HelinSep 23, 2022, 1:12 PM EDT

Justin Ford/Getty Images

Andre Iguodala is a pro’s pro, he understands how the game is played on and off the court. He’s not going to hurt his team, he’s not going to leave them hanging. Which is why it was always expected that, while he delayed the announcement, he would be coming back to the Golden State Warriors, who had left a roster spot open for him.

Iguodala made it official on his Point Forward podcast that dropped Friday — he will be back for a 19th season.

The big decision, straight from the source.

Andre and @thekidet break down what went into the call that Iguodala wrestled with all summer.

Special Pod: https://t.co/VbuT7poHQn pic.twitter.com/18w4Iqrpkr

— Point Forward (@pointforward) September 23, 2022

"This is it, @StephenCurry30."

Andre, in this special pod with co-host @thekidet, makes it very clear that this will be his last season in the NBA.

— Point Forward (@pointforward) September 23, 2022

Iguodala will be a veteran voice in the locker room, something needed with a team leaning into its youth this regular season. Last season, Iguodala played in 31 games and averaged 4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in those games. He saw a little more playoff time, getting on the court in seven games, but was not a regular part of the rotation.

The Warriors enter the season as title contenders, one where the focus will be on getting a top-four seed but making sure the legs of their 30+-year-old core players — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green — are as rested and fresh as possible for the postseason. That means leaning into more minutes and a larger role for Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman.

Iguodala will be there to help guide that young core.

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