Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr remains optimistic about Klay Thompson's status for opening night of the 2022-23 NBA season.

"We're 13 days away. My guess is he will be ready," Kerr told reporters Wednesday. "But it's not something we can say yes or no on."

On Saturday, Thompson said he felt fine physically but had taken a step back from basketball this summer to mentally reset. As a result, his preparations ahead of the upcoming season were disrupted.

Thompson lost two full years of his career, the first to a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals and the second to a torn Achilles as he prepared for his return.

The five-time All-Star made his long-awaited 2021-22 debut in January. Over 32 games, he averaged 20.4 points on 42.9 percent shooting, including 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The mental toll on Thompson had to be enormous. First, he had to anxiously wait until he got the green light to play again. Then came the emotional release of suiting up and stepping onto the court. And he only had a few months to get reacclimated before the Warriors were starting the postseason and en route to winning their fourth title in eight years.

Nobody can blame the 32-year-old for taking a step back to focus on himself, even if it set him back in terms of his readiness for the season ahead.

Thompson didn't play in either of Golden State's two preseason games in Japan. He did team up with Stephen Curry to beat teammates Moses Moody and Jordan Poole in a three-point contest.

The Warriors have three more preseason games before the defending champions host the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 18. There will be more opportunities for Kerr to get Thompson on the floor and back into game shape.

The Golden State Warriors are releasing second-year guard Mac McClung, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The reigning NBA champions intend to sign Ty Jerome, who was waived by the Houston Rockets. Per Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Golden State is also bringing in Anthony Lamb on a training-camp contract.

McClung played 12 minutes in the Warriors' 104-95 preseason win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday. He finished with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.

The 23-year-old spent the bulk of the 2021-22 season in the NBA G League, making just two appearances in the NBA regular season. In the G League, the 6'2" guard averaged 19.6 points and 5.8 assists over 13 games with the South Bay Lakers.

Jerome brings a little more experience as Golden State looks to shore up its backcourt. The 6'5" guard is approaching his fourth season in the Association, having averaged 7.1 points and shot 34.4 percent from beyond the arc in 17.1 minutes per game in 112 contests.

Lamb would give the team another option on the wing. The 6'6" forward has logged 423 career minutes, putting up 5.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.

The Warriors have the NBA's highest payroll at $202.1 million. Because of that, they may prefer to have the flexibility offered by signing a player to a training-camp or two-way contract even though they have the space to offer one more guaranteed deal.

PGA 2K23 continues to add star power to its lineup, with Stephen Curry set to be a playable character in the golf video game:

Curry joins fellow NBA legend Michael Jordan as special characters in the new game.

According to the press release, Curry's avatar will be accurately dressed in his Under Armour Curry Iso-Chill Golf adjustable cap, Charged Curry SL shoes, Curry Polar polo shirt and Curry Limitless shorts.

The Golden State Warriors star is obviously best known for his basketball career as the all-time leader in made three-pointers. He has eight All-Star selections, two MVPs and four NBA titles, winning a championship with Finals MVP this past season.

Curry has also impressed on the golf course as a regular contender at the American Century Championship, a celebrity tournament. He also made multiple appearances on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Though not quite as polished as professional golfers, he certainly has plenty of talent.

Gamers can now try to get the most out of his abilities while playing as Curry against Jordan or real-life golfers like Tiger Woods, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele and more.

Woods will be on the cover of the game, which is set for standard release on Oct. 14.

The Golden State Warriors may have found another draft gem in Patrick Baldwin Jr.

The rookie forward scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in Sunday's 104-95 win over the Washington Wizards in their second preseason matchup in Japan. Active on both ends of the floor, Baldwin also added a steal and a block, flashing the type of talent that made him a 5-star recruit coming out of high school.

The performance earned effusive praise on social media—and from Warriors coach Steve Kerr:

Baldwin's college experience was nothing short of miserable. Rather than making the leap to an elite program, he chose to stay close to home and play for his father at Milwaukee. The move made him a big fish in a small pond, and Baldwin struggled to live up to the hype. He averaged 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting a dreadful 34.4 percent from the floor in 11 games, with leg injuries limiting his playing time and effectiveness.

The one-year college experience dropped Baldwin from a projected lottery pick to a fringe first-rounder, with the Warriors taking advantage of his fall and grabbing him with the No. 28 pick in June.

It's only one preseason game played on the other side of the globe, but it's clear Baldwin's talent is there. His combination of sensational shooting form and athleticism is special, though he's likely a year away from getting significant rotation minutes on a loaded Warriors roster.

Allowing Baldwin to learn under the Warriors veterans and spend some time in the G League should get him the type of developmental help he never got last season at Milwaukee.

Tickets for the Oct. 18 season-opening game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center are selling as the second-most expensive regular-season ticket in NBA history.

Arash Markazi of The Sporting Tribune reported Saturday the average TickPick sale price is $897, which trails only the final game of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's career in April 2016 ($1,137).

It's a game with no shortage of interest from either fanbase.

Golden State is expected to raise its banner and unveil its championship rings celebrating the team's triumph over the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals, marking the organization's seventh title and its fourth since 2015.

The Warriors return almost all of the key contributors from last season's squad, including the longtime core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, and they once again figure to rank among the league's top title contenders.

Meanwhile, Lakers fans are hoping for a massive bounce-back campaign after missing the playoffs with a 33-49 record in 2021-22.

L.A.'s foundation has also remained the same, with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook leading the roster, but the franchise is hoping new head coach Darvin Ham can lead them back toward championship form.

So there will likely be plenty of Lakers supporters who make either the six-hour trek up I-5 or the 90-minute flight to San Francisco to see the opener in person.

For those who can't make it inside the Chase Center, the marquee matchup between Golden State and Los Angeles will be televised on TNT starting at 10 p.m. ET on Oct. 18.

James Wiseman received praise as he led all players with 20 points to help the Golden State Warriors open the preseason with a 96-87 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday.

Wiseman, who missed the 2021-22 season while recovering from a knee injury, also recorded eight rebounds, one assist and one block in 24 minutes. He knocked down eight of his 11 field-goal attempts and delivered multiple highlight-reel plays.

The game took place at Japan's Saitama Super Arena as part of the 2022 NBA Japan Games as the Warriors prepare to begin defense of their latest championship.

Here's a look at some reaction to Wiseman's performance:

It was otherwise a quiet night for Golden State's marquee names. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole combined to shoot 4-of-26 from the field. Klay Thompson missed the contest as the Dubs ease him into the preseason.

Rui Hachimura paced Washington with 13 points and nine rebounds in the loss.

The Warriors and Wizards play another exhibition game Sunday at Saitama Super Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 a.m. ET on NBA TV.

Forward Draymond Green reportedly won't hesitate to leave the Golden State Warriors in free agency next offseason if it benefits him to do so.

According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com (h/t Jack Simone of Heavy.com), an anonymous Western Conference executive said Green "is not going to be shy about leaving" Golden State for the right offer since he is "about player power" and "understands this business."

The executive mentioned the Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers as teams Green would potentially consider leaving Golden State for if he receives a favorable offer.

Green is under contract through at least the 2022-23 season, and while he could exercise his player option for the 2023-24 campaign, he also has the option of declining it and becoming a free agent next offseason.

The anonymous exec noted that Green has long had an interest in playing in Detroit, which is near his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan. Green would reportedly also "love" to play with Luka Dončić in Dallas, and may have an interest in joining LeBron James in L.A., especially since he has entertainment aspirations once his NBA career is over.

Green, 32, is one of the NBA's all-time great role players, having played a key part in four Warriors championships.

The former Michigan State standout is a four-time All-Star, seven-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection and one-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, due largely to his ability and willingness to do the little things in support of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

Green's career averages of 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 block per game don't necessarily leap off the page, but they prove that he does a little bit of everything to contribute to winning.

The Warriors and Green suffered through a couple of tough seasons after their run of five consecutive NBA Finals appearances, but they got back on track last season, winning their fourth title since 2015.

While Green never has been and likely never will be a go-to offensive option, he is the type of player that every contending team would love to have.

Because of that, the Warriors figure to have some heavy competition for Green's services whenever he hits the free-agent market.

It stands to reason that the Dubs will fight hard to retain Green, but given the money tied up in Curry and Thompson, plus potential future investments in Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman, keeping Green will be easier said than done.

Draymond Green may be entering his last season with the Golden State Warriors.

"I don't think it will happen," he told reporters when discussing whether he will receive a contract extension before the 2022-23 campaign starts.

Green's current deal features a player option for 2023-24, so there remains a chance he could enter free agency next summer if there is no new contract in place.

Frankly, it would be shocking to see Green play for another team.

He will forever be a Warriors legend for his integral role in their four championships in the last eight seasons, which is quite an accomplishment for someone who was a second-round pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

His resume includes those four titles, a Defensive Player of the Year, seven All-Defensive selections, two All-NBA nods and four All-Star game selections.

Yet money is something of a concern for Golden State.

In June, Sam Quinn of CBS Sports noted the champions were the most expensive team in NBA history last season at approximately $346 million in combined salary and luxury taxes.

Given the repeater penalty that the franchise will face for teams that paid the luxury tax in three of the previous four seasons, the situation won't get much cheaper moving forward.

Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins could also become free agents by next year, although there apparently isn't much of a hurry to get any deals done.

"With the Warriors' salary, with the landscape of their money, they're not rushing into any of these conversations," ESPN's Kendra Andrews previously reported on The Jump. "So, when you look at Andrew Wiggins, they have all season to figure out that extension. And Draymond Green, that's a couple years away. So that is definitely lower on their list of priorities right now."

Green seems to understand that given his comments.