Tag: warriors

Santa Cruz Warriors Bubble Preview

The Santa Cruz Warriors will look to build upon last year’s 21-21 record, which placed the team 7th in the Western Conference and 15th overall. Their offense scored the 7th fewest points per game in the league with a 112.6 offensive rating.

Defensively, they allowed the 11th fewest points per game to go along with a 114.4 defensive rating. The G League bubble will provide the new-look squad an opportunity to improve upon their standing a season ago.

Santa Cruz’s Young Stars:

Jordan Poole will look to lead the Warriors into the bubble. Appearing in only three G League games as a rookie, Poole spent the majority of his first season with the Golden State Warriors. The 2019 first round pick played an average of over 22 minutes per game across 57 games played. This season, his minutes have decreased to slightly under 10 minutes per game.

The assignment to the Santa Cruz Warriors will allow the 21-year-old to get some valuable playing time to further develop his skills. In a media availability on February 5, he described his prior experience with the team, “I was able to play with Coach Weems and the coaching staff last year for three games and it was fun. He does an amazing job.”

In the same availability, the Santa Cruz guard explained his approach to the bubble, “Whatever the coaches need me to do, I’ll do. I’m that type of player and that’s the type of player I’ve been my entire life. First and foremost, I want to go out there and I want to win,” Poole said.

A guard that will be sharing the floor frequently with Jordan Poole is rookie Nico Mannion. After an underwhelming one-and-done campaign at Arizona, Mannion was selected with the 18th pick of the second round in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Only appearing in a quarter of Golden State’s games this season, this G League stint will provide the rookie with more playing time. Thus, a greater opportunity to showcase his talent that ESPN touted as the 9th overall player in the 2019 high school class.

“[Poole and Mannion] have a lot of talent…and they provide some spacing. They both can shoot the ball. Both can play-make. They brought a different level of energy to practice and, hopefully, that carries over to the games,” Head Coach Kris Weems explained in what he has seen in Santa Cruz’s two young guards,

In a Zoom call with reporters on February 2, Coach Weems laid out his plans for their playing time, “I know for sure, both, Nico and Jordan will play a good amount of minutes, probably around the 30-minute mark.”

The Experience of the Santa Cruz Warriors:

Jeremy Lin‘s desire to return to the NBA has brought him to Santa Cruz, about nine years after the famed “Linsanity” streak for the Knicks. Coach Weems explained his perception of Lin, “What I notice now is maybe he doesn’t have the same athletic burst that he had a few years ago.”

“But, his pace, he never lets defenders speed him up, which is really important. It’s something that, both, Nico and Jordan need to learn. He’s already shown we can trust him with the ball,” Weems said.

Lin last played for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association.

Additionally, Dusty Hannahs is an elite floor spacer who is entering his fourth G League season. Hannahs averaged 21.4 points per game last year, which was top ten in G League scoring per game. Hannahs nearly achieved the prolific 50-40-90 shooting percentages a season ago.

More specifically, the sniper shot 46.9% from the field, 44.8% from three on over 7 attempts per game and 91.5% from the line. Coach Weems displayed excitement when describing Hannahs.

“Dusty is one of the best shooters in the G League the last couple years. He’s really learned how to put the ball on the floor, and he can play-make some.”

It will be interesting to see how teams decide to guard the Santa Cruz Warriors with their numerous highly-skilled guards. An underappreciated player that will be vital to the team’s success is Axel Toupane. As one of the few wings on the roster, Toupane will be relied upon often.

“He’s got 10 or 11 years experience as an overseas professional as well as playing a couple years off-and-on in the NBA and in the G League,” Coach Weems said to reporters.

Toupane previously played in the G League from 2015-17 for Raptors 905, where he was named 2015-16 G League Most Improved Player.

In a media availability on February 5, Kris Weems provided detail into the forward’s playstyle, “He can shoot the three, I think he’s better from the corners. Where I’ll try to utilize him most is in transition. Throw the ball ahead to him and let him create. He’s an unselfish guy, but he can finish.”

Santa Cruz’s Near Future:

The G League Warriors have a chance of receiving reinforcements once the season has started. As Coach Weems gave an update on Alen Smailagic on February 2.

“Alen’s going to take a little bit longer as he’s still recovering from his knee surgery. He’s getting back on the court. I know he did this week. I’m not going to put a timeline on it because I’m not sure,” Weems said.

“I haven’t consulted with the medical staff, but hopefully, in the next couple weeks as we get him ramped up, he’ll be able to play and contribute to the team as well.”

The Santa Cruz Warriors will get their season underway on February 10 versus the G League Ignite. The game will be live on ESPN2 at 11:00 am EST. This will be the first game of the G League bubble and an entertaining initial test for each team.

Ignite are loaded with young stars, such as Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga. The squad also features veterans, including Amir Johnson and Jarrett Jack, to mentor the future NBA talent. Santa Cruz rookie Nico Mannion, was asked about the new pathway in a media availability on February 5,

“I really respect what those guys are doing, taking a different route, a route less travelled, and making the best of it. I really respect what they’re doing and I’ve played against I think pretty much almost all of them. All the young guys on that team, whether it’s through high school or AAU, and they’re all great players. So props to them and I respect that route that they chose.”

Stay up-to-date with the latest from the NBA G League, as well as with the development of future elite prospects from around the world, by following Call-Ups on all social media channels.

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Two-Way Preview: Nico Mannion, Golden State Warriors

In preparation for the upcoming 2020-21 NBA season, teams have been filling their rosters with talent, including two-way players. With the Golden State Warriors signing their 48th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Nico Mannion, to such a deal.

A five-star recruit coming out of high-school, Mannion was a one-and-done prospect with the Arizona Wildcats. He had an up-and-down season at the collegiate level, which cost his draft stock dearly and led to him becoming a second-round draft selection.

Players signed to a two-way deal spend the majority of the season in the G League. Normally two-way players are eligible to be called up to their parent team in the NBA for a maximum of 45 days per season.

With the 2020-21 season being shortened, two-way players can be active for up to 50 of the NBA’s 72-game schedule. Travel days and practices will not be included, as they have previously.

Arizona Basketball: Could Nico Mannion really return for 2020-21 season?
(Image/Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

Pinnacle High School:

Mannion had a stellar freshman season at Pinnacle High School, under Head Coach Charlie Wilde. In 28 games, he averaged 20.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. While leading Pinnacle to a 22–6 record.

His level of play during the season led to a Sports Illustrated article dubbing Mannion a “Sorta-Maybe” basketball prodigy. The fiery-headed point guard then stepped up his level of play during his sophomore year. Averaging 23.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists.

Overall, during the course of his high school career, Mannion gained notoriety on social media and gained a following due to his impressive handles and dunking ability. This led to considerable interest from numerous elite college programs. Such as Duke, Villanova, Marquette, and Arizona.

Mannion averaged 30.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in his final season at Pinnacle. But ultimately, he opted to stay in-state and committed to the University of Arizona.

During his high-school career, he was named Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year award twice and was recognized as the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) Senior Athlete of the Year (2018-19). As well as being named a McDonalds All-American in 2019.

Staying Home With the Arizona Wildcats:

A highly touted prospect, Nico Mannion had an underwhelming time with the Arizona Wildcats. Although, the young point guard did shine early on. As he claimed MVP honors in the Wooden Legacy pre-season competition.

However, the step-up in competition and playing alongside other top prospects in Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks) and Zeke Nnaji (Denver Nuggets) exposed Mannion’s readiness for the next level.

While he wasn’t bad, he simply wasn’t the finished product. Through 32 games, the 6-foot-3 prospect averaged 14 points, 5.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in the 2019-20 campaign. He shot poorly across the board. 39.2% from the field, 32.7% from 3-point land, and 79.7% from the free-throw line.

He did get his NBA opportunity though. As the Golden State Warriors drafted him with the 48th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and signed him to a two-way contract.

Nico Mannion signs two-way contract with Golden State Warriors - Arizona Desert Swarm
(Image/Santiago Mejia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

Player Profile:

Nico Mannion is a well-rounded prospect who is a jack of all trades. Despite his struggles at the college level, he plays beyond his age and will be an above-average pick and roll facilitator right off the bat.

He is comfortable with the ball in his hands and is adept at reading what opposing defenses are giving him. Making reads in order to either get his teammates an easy basket in the paint, to fire the ball out to a teammate on the perimeter, or to simply pull up from range himself.

While he’s not an explosive or lightening quick athlete, Mannion has decent speed and burst that allows him to put opposing defenders on the back foot. This might be effective in college, but against the best of the best in the NBA, he may struggle to beat his opponent in a footrace to the rim.

Where the young point guard might get caught out is in his poor shot selection. As with many social media famous players, such as LaMelo Ball and Julian Newman, Mannion has developed a bit of a reputation as a below-average shot taker. Regularly settling for highly contested shots and playing a significant amount of hero ball.

That will not fly in Golden State. A team that is built on moving the ball, passing up a good shot for a great shot, and a team that is famous for unselfish play. Mannion may have to cut his teeth and develop in the G League for a couple of seasons.

It is the hope of the Warriors that they can develop Mannion’s well-rounded skill-set and have him mature a handful of those traits into potentially impactful ones. In Stephen Curry, Mannion will have an ideal mentor. One who can show him what it takes to play at the highest level.

Overall, as a second-round selection, the Warriors got themselves a good prospect. It was a low-risk, high-upside acquisition. Mannion does not project to be an outstanding professional. But he will absolutely fill a role, with the potential of being a key rotational piece.

Stay up-to-date with the latest from the NBA G League, as well as with the development of future elite prospects from around the world, by following Call-Ups on all social media channels.

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Splash, Introducing Sharpshooter Mychal Mulder

Many G League players get called up to the NBA and make an impact. One of the newer names on that list is 26-year-old shooting guard Mychal Mulder of the Golden State Warriors.

Mulder spent four years in college. The first two with Vincennes University, before transferring over to the Kentucky Wildcats for the final two. In his final season in Kentucky, he averaged 4.7 points and 1.5 rebounds, in 10.6 minutes per game.

It was time for Mulder to take his talents to the professional ranks, but he went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft. Ultimately, he opted to enter the G League Draft, where he was selected with the 9th overall pick by the Windy City Bulls.

Windy City Bulls v Lakeland Magic
(Image/Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images)

As a rookie in the G League, he averaged 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 steals, through 48 games. Shooting at a 41.8% rate from the field and 32.8% from 3. However, it was in his second season with the Bulls where a reputation started to build.

In the 2018-19 G League season, Mulder averaged 13.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. His shooting from the field increased to 46%. Although, his 3-point shooting ballooned to 41.2%. This placed him joint-5th in the entire league in 3-pointers made (135).

Following his impressive sophomore campaign, Mulder was invited to the NBA G League Elite Camp. Which led to him signing with the Miami Heat on an Exhibit-10 deal ahead of the 2019-20 season. He did get waived in October 2019 and joined the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Over the course of the past season, while only playing 0.3 minutes more than the previous campaign, Mulder’s points per game average shot up to 17. Alongside 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists. While his shooting numbers dipped ever-so-slightly, he still shot at an impressive 39.9% from beyond the arc. From the field, 45.1%. The 26-year-old led the G League in both 3-point attempts (381) and shots made (152).

On February 27, 2020, Mulder’s NBA opportunity came as the Golden State Warriors signed him to a 10-day contract. In that time, he featured in 6 games. Lighting up for a career-high 18 points in a 118-114 win against the Philadelphia 76ers. In the game, he shot 50% from the field and 42.9% from 3. He also had impressive showings against the Phoenix Suns (15 points), Washington Wizards (17 points), and Denver Nuggets (15 points).

The Warriors signed Mulder to a second 10-day contract. However, he only featured in one game due to the NBA suspension. This was against the Los Angeles Clippers, where he struggled, shooting 1-9 from the field for a total of 3 points. Upon the expiry of his contract, Golden State snapped up his services on a multi-year deal.

Over the course of his two 10-day contracts, Mulder averaged 11 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. On 38% shooting from the field and 30.8% from 3.

Golden State Warriors news: Mychal Mulder signs multi-year deal ...
(Image/Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

As per Hoops Hype, the deal runs throughout next season ($1.5 million), and into the 2021-22 campaign ($1.7 million) too. Except for the remainder of the current season (if a second NBA bubble comes to fruition), the rest is non-guaranteed, on a team option basis.

The Warriors clearly want to get back into contention quickly once Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson regain their health. Then there’s the topic of the potential number 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. For the time being, Mulder is a cheap productive option for the team. He could even very well be a solid bench piece on a contender too.

At the age of 26, there’s probably not much more left in terms of his ceiling. But Mulder is a player that very well suits the modern NBA. He’s a sharpshooter that can light-up from beyond the arc on any given night. His overall shooting statistics, to date, with the Warriors may not show that. Just look at his outings against the Suns (37.5% 3P), Wizards (42.9% 3P), Nuggets (50% 3P), and 76ers (42.9% 3P).

At times he really does show Steph Curry/Klay Thompson-esque flashes of excellence. With a smooth, quick release, his shooting mechanics are very pleasing on the eye. Maybe he could be the 3rd splash brother?

He doesn’t necessarily need the ball in his hands, he can work well off the ball and drift into open space, draining the 3-ball as and when required. The ability is there, however, to create looks on his own accord. Whether it be through mid-range shots off the dribble or by driving and converting at the rim.

He can hold his own defensively as well. When playing against the Phoenix Suns on March 1, Mulder held Devin Booker to 0-4 shooting on shots he contested.

With Mychal Mulder’s contract with the Golden State Warriors not guaranteed for next season, he will have an anxious wait to see where his future lies. Especially with the Warriors not being part of the NBA’s Orlando restart. However, he may get another opportunity to showcase his ability if the NBA opts for a second bubble for the teams at the foot of the league.

Either way, Mulder put everything on the table when his NBA opportunity presented itself, impressing many. Obviously including those from within the Warriors organization, but potentially from other NBA onlookers.

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