Golden State Warriors

Former Los Angeles Clippers lottery pick Jerome Robinson has agreed to a contract with the Golden State Warriors, the franchise announced Thursday.

Terms of the pact were not released.

Robinson spent the 2021-22 campaign with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State's G League affiliate. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 22 games while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 32.1 percent from deep.

The Clippers selected Robinson 13th overall in the 2018 NBA draft out of Boston College. He spent a season-and-a-half in L.A., averaging 3.1 points and 1.3 rebounds in 10.6 minutes per game across 75 games.

The Clippers traded Robinson to the Washington Wizards in February 2020 as part of the three-team deal that sent Isaiah Thomas to L.A. In 38 games with the franchise, he averaged 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 21.3 minutes per game.

Washington did not pick up the 25-year-old's fourth-year option, and he was waived in April 2021.

Robinson should compete for a roster spot in Golden State alongside Mac McClung, Pat Spencer and Trevion Williams. The team has 13 guaranteed contracts on its roster for 2022-23, and two spots are up for grabs.

However, one of those spots is being held for veteran Andre Iguodala, who is weighing whether to retire. If he returns for another season, Robinson will be fighting for one available roster spot, though it's possible Golden State leaves the last spot vacant to save money.

The Warriors enter the 2022-23 season looking to win another championship after defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals last season. Solidifying the bench will be key in helping the team make another run.

The NBA 2K ratings have been a hot topic among players in recent years, and a star is once again unhappy with his standing in the most popular basketball video game.

Golden State Warriors star shooting guard Klay Thompson is the latest player to call out the video game franchise, with the three-point specialist taking exception to his low shooting rating:

Thompson apparently feels disrespected for being ranked so far below his Warriors teammate Stephen Curry despite statistically being right behind him as one of the greatest three-point shooters of all time.

It's also possible that the source of Thompson's gripe stems from him having the same shooting rating as Desmond Bane, Kevin Durant and Luke Kennard.

Whatever the case may be, Thompson enjoys playing with a chip on his shoulder and may have found a new source of motivation when the Warriors open the season to defend their 2022 NBA championship.

On Tuesday, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reported on First Take that Golden State Warriors young forward Jonathan Kuminga was "shortchanging" the Dubs with his attitude and work ethic.

"I'm worried about Kuminga," Smith said on the program. "I'm hearing too many things about him off the court in terms of his head. The level of discipline he lacks. You understand?

"Some of the foolishness," he continued. "I'm not getting in his personal business. I'm not saying nothing like that. I'm talking attitude, I'm not talking actions. I'm saying that attitude, the level of focus, commitment, determination, just putting your head down. Doing the work."

On Friday, Kuminga's teammate, Andre Iguodala, came to his defense.

"My young fella, I'm on his head," he said on his Point Forward podcast (h/t Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports). "He took some licks from Stephen A. I don't know how warranted they were because from what I heard he been doing what he supposed to do this summer."

Kuminga, 19, appeared in 70 games for the Warriors last year as a rookie, averaging 9.3 points and 3.3 rebounds. It was a bit role for Kuminga, and unsurprisingly, considering the Warriors had enough veteran talent to eventually win the title.

Now, he'll be looking to prove that he can earn an even bigger role in the 2022-23 campaign, and prove his detractors wrong.

Stephen Curry said there's only one NBA team he'd like to play for if his tenure with the Golden State Warriors ever came to an end: the Charlotte Hornets.

Curry, who played high school basketball at Charlotte Christian School, made the declaration while receiving the key to the city of Charlotte on Thursday (via Andrei de Guzman of TalkBasket).

The four-time NBA champion reiterated his commitment to the Warriors, saying he's always wanted to "finish my career at Golden State because of how much it means, and the experiences and teammates and the journey we've been [on]," before discussing Charlotte.

"Everybody asks me, 'You wanna play one year for the Hornets and come back?' … I am not breaking any news right now, I'm not making any promises," Curry said. "All I would say is if there was a team that I did want to play for that was not named the Warriors, that would be it."

Along with his previous time in North Carolina, there are a few other reasons the future Hall of Famer could be interested in landing with the Hornets.

First, his father Dell played 10 seasons with the franchise (1988-98) during his own playing career, a move that happened shortly after Steph was born in Ohio in March 1988 while his dad was suiting up for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Second, NBA legend Michael Jordan is the majority owner of the Hornets. Curry recently explained how he tries to use the same leadership techniques as MJ did during his dynastic run with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s:

Yet, despite the connections to Charlotte, it's hard to imagine Curry moving on from the Warriors.

He's built a special environment in Golden State alongside longtime teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, and it would be quite fitting if they play another handful of years together before walking off into the sunset.

Of course, the same thing was said about the San Antonio Spurs' legendary trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, but sometimes the off-ramp of a decorated career can get complicated.

Parker ultimately left San Antonio in 2018. Where did he play his final season? In Charlotte with the Hornets.

Golden State Warriors first-round draft pick Patrick Baldwin Jr. was seen as a risky selection because of his injury history, but any concerns seem to have faded as he is reportedly further along in his development than expected.

C.J. Holmes of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Baldwin has already impressed in his short time in the Bay Area, and the Warriors believe they may have landed a gem with the 28th pick.

"I’ve been shocked by what I’ve seen in an exciting way," one Warriors staffer said (h/t HoopsHype).

Another Warriors staffer added: "He’s an exciting prospect. Very exciting."

A former McDonald's All-American, Baldwin was a top-10 prospect in the class of 2021, per 247Sports. His freshman season at Milwaukee was cut short by an ankle injury. He averaged 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

If Baldwin develops the way the Warriors are hoping, the 6'9", 220-pound forward will be a key member of the team's young core that also includes Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman.

Golden State is coming off its fourth NBA title in eight years and will begin its 2022-23 season on Oct. 18 at home against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The first two years in the NBA haven't gone well for Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman, but he has come away with a positive outlook.

"Just experience, going through adversity, it teaches you a lot," Wiseman said, per C.J. Holmes of the San Francisco Chronicle. "It basically draws you closer to yourself. I'm not afraid to be myself anymore. I'm happy about everything I've gone through because it's molded me into the person I am today. It's strengthened me mentally, physically, in all aspects."

Wiseman was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, one spot ahead of Rookie of the Year and All-Star LaMelo Ball.

The Warriors center hasn't had the same level of individual success, suffering a torn meniscus in April 2021 that ended his rookie year after just 39 games. He then missed all of 2021-22 while rehabbing the knee injury.

Wiseman was up and down when he did play, averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while struggling with efficiency. He finished his rookie year with a negative-0.6 value over replacement player, per Basketball Reference.

"I feel like the odds are stacked against me every day just because of my injuries," Wiseman said. "I've had so many setbacks where now I feel like I have to play catch-up. But that's why I'm just being patient with myself. I'm just trying to figure everything out, that's really it."

In addition to the physical rehab, the young player has also focused on the mental aspect of the game.

"People only see me on the basketball court; they don't see the real stuff behind the scenes," Wiseman said. "I had to do a lot of stuff for myself, a lot of self-reflection and healing. Those were just unseen hours people don’t understand."

It could set 21-year-old up for a big comeback in 2022-23.

Golden State didn't need Wiseman to win the 2022 NBA title, but the center could make the team even more dangerous if he lives up to expectations next season.

Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA on TNT analyst Shaquille O'Neal paid Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry the ultimate compliment Thursday.

Speaking on The Big Podcast (h/t HoopsHype) with TNT colleague Kenny Smith, Shaq referred to Curry as the "best player in the world."

O'Neal explained his rationale behind the declaration, noting that greatness is primarily measured by winning championships:

"Yeah, by far. Hell yeah. As Kenny Smith would tell you, you can have a category, but the real ones are recognized by the championships that you have. Nobody plays better than Steph Curry. He's a tough shot-taker, tough shot-maker. I like where he's brought his career."

Shaq has long spoken highly of Curry. A couple of months ago, he put Steph among the top 10 players in NBA history and called him the greatest shooter of all time.

Thirteen years into his career, Curry is the all-time NBA leader in three-pointers made with 3,117. He also boasts career averages of 24.3 points, 6.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 3.8 three-pointers made and 1.7 steals per game.

Curry is an eight-time All-Star and two-time NBA MVP, but most importantly, he has won four NBA championships, and he finally became an NBA Finals MVP last season when the Dubs took down the Boston Celtics.

Strong arguments can be made for the likes of Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Kevin Durant as the best player in the game today, but it is tough to argue against Curry averaging 27.4 points per game in the playoffs en route to a championship last season.

Shaq is a four-time NBA champion and three-time NBA Finals MVP in his own right, and Curry is just one title away from surpassing one of the most decorated champions in NBA history.

The Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics put on an entertaining series in the 2022 NBA Finals, and the dates for their rematches in the upcoming season have reportedly been revealed.

The Athletic's Shams Charania reports that the first matchup will take place on Dec. 10 in San Francisco, and the two teams will meet again in Boston on Jan. 19.

The Warriors defeated the Celtics in six games to win their fourth championship in the last eight years. Golden State faced some adversity when it lost Game 1 at home and then fell behind 2-1 after Boston was victorious in Game 3.

But the series shifted in Game 4 when Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry put forth an all-time performance, pouring in 43 points to lead Golden State to a 10-point victory. The Warriors followed with another 10-point win at home in Game 5 behind a strong effort on both ends from Andrew Wiggins.

In the close-out game, Curry once again dominated with 34 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to lead the Warriors to a 103-90 victory in Boston. Wiggins, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and Draymond Green each scored in double figures to support Curry's performance. The 34-year-old point guard was named Finals MVP for the first time in his illustrious career.

While the Celtics were never outclassed in the Finals series, the team will surely be hungry for revenge after falling short of its title aspirations. Boston's core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III remains intact, and the team added a key piece by trading for point guard Malcolm Brogdon.

Golden State also maintained its core, so there will be some familiarity between the two squads that should lead to some intense matchups in their two meetings this season.