GSW 2025-26 Season Outlook with Anthony Slater + Monday Daily Duncs (10/6/25)

Interactive Transcript

spk_0 Let us now speak of the golden state warriors my hometown team and that of course of

spk_0 Ethony slater of ESPN no longer the athletic

spk_0 How you doing man? Very good. How long have we been doing these?

spk_0 I've you know, I might have been back the mercury news days Oklahoma days. Do we ever do a thunder version of this?

spk_0 Yes, I would imagine that we did I mean the first pod we ever did

spk_0 Well, actually no probably probably not I don't know that we maybe I would have had you on in

spk_0 2015 I don't know if we really got to know each other until that playoff series between the warriors and thunder and I actually went on your pod at the

spk_0 Oklahoma and in between games three and four as we talked about whether the 2016

spk_0 Wears could come back or not or whether they're gonna get blown off the floor and that's they looked done in that series

spk_0 I remember half time of game four of that warriors thunder 2016 series and thunder's up like 20

spk_0 They're up to oh in the series. They're clearly going up 3 1 and it was like wow this thunder team is like overwhelming right now

spk_0 But you know didn't didn't end that way

spk_0 No, it didn't I probably and I probably slummed it with Strauss for

spk_0 The warriors preview the next year, but then I think I would guess I probably wise dump after that and went with you

spk_0 Because I guess yeah, I guess he was he only did that one year he would have been in retirement after that so

spk_0 Yeah, I'm gonna do this for a while. This is yes. Yes number number eight number nine my 13th year covering the league so

spk_0 Ten covering the warriors. You know, there's a little ten season, you know post-arrant leaving Oklahoma City for the warriors

spk_0 So yeah, I know it's a lot flown it's it's a shame the videos not working

spk_0 We could see all the gray in your beard now after well that you know, it's coming to a TV screen or you can see my grace

spk_0 Well, you have a lot in common with some of the warriors players. Yeah, I'm actually it's funny

spk_0 You say that like I'm Dre Montage. I was Clay's age. I am Clay's age. So yeah, you're right in Dre Mont

spk_0 The greatest in the beard have been poppin for Dre Mont over the last years now

spk_0 Well, yeah, he and LeBron I mean it's gonna kind of feel a little bit a little miserable to like just get your ass kicked by a guy with like

spk_0 literal gray in his beard like that if you're one of these young dudes, but I guess we'll start talking here about how much

spk_0 Ask the warriors actually will kick this season and I guess we can just start with the conclusion what

spk_0 John called the other day the conclusion to our long national nightmare with the

spk_0 Cummings a situation, you know, I know you talked about it with bond temps on the

spk_0 reboot of the warriors stock report the other day, but I guess what I wanted to ask you is this is a quite

spk_0 Germain to the season necessarily, but do you think this ended up in a fair place? Would you characterize one side of the other is having one these

spk_0 Negotiations, I mean, I'd say the warriors won like the final battle if you want to call it that right? I mean, you know

spk_0 Aaron Turner very clearly, you know, publicly

spk_0 You know through even the hoop collect a podcast that he went on with me a wind horse

spk_0 agitated for the the the player option that Jonathan can make a really wanted

spk_0 And threaten the qualifying offer for the final month and the lead up and then decided that the end not to take the qualifying offer

spk_0 You could say they got a slight plow in the flesh right the the 45 million dollars over two years bumped up to

spk_0 46.8 they got the 15% trade kicker which you know if there's ever a deal you want a trade kicker and it might be this deal

spk_0 So that'll get it up to like about 48.5 or something like that

spk_0 So, you know, I you could hear the argument of hey, you know, you you spent two months doing that and you got a little

spk_0 You know a little

spk_0 Bite at the apple at the end, but the reality is this is the structure the warriors wanted which was one in one

spk_0 Waving the no trade clause no at the end of the day coming aside decided against the two plus one they could have got three years 75 million

spk_0 I guess I would say three minus one at least so that's what you talk about in this show the first option on the end

spk_0 I mean, I felt like a fair deal would have just been straight to guaranteed years without a team option on the end

spk_0 But the warriors would do that they just they wouldn't do that and and you know and I guess this is getting a little bit more into the nuance of

spk_0 You know who won who didn't win the negotiations the reality is like, you know, Jonathan coming to took it

spk_0 This makes it more tradable

spk_0 So the warriors won in that sense and you know two years from now if if coming as either moved for

spk_0 You know somebody that really helps this team or you know blossoms and they have them kind of on a team friendly deal and extend off

spk_0 Whatever if like the warriors will definitely look like they won these negotiations

spk_0 But within these negotiations

spk_0 Generated a more sour feelings on a relationship that already had a ton of scars

spk_0 And you know this john the kamega certainly feels like he was forced into this structure

spk_0 And is not coming back believing like you know he was presented, you know

spk_0 The a situation where he is viewed as a building block of the future of the team

spk_0 I have a zero clue if that's gonna like derail anything

spk_0 I don't expect him to to come in and and rattle the tables

spk_0 But this wasn't uh, you know the the the most people friendly

spk_0 Negotiation but I sure you would argue like who cares?

spk_0 You know businesses business and and the warriors got done what they wanted to get done

spk_0 Yeah, and ultimately you and Tim were noting that Steve curves in the last year his deal

spk_0 And he's kind of just gonna say what he's gonna say at this point he has that kind of equity and but and so he was asked about coming

spk_0 He's like always not that kind of guy's gonna mess things up

spk_0 I was sort of like if Steve was gonna really be honest he would say well, what's he gonna do intentionally play bad like that

spk_0 That's not gonna be good for him like he's trying to continue his career

spk_0 He's trying to either have get another team to covet him or get us to pay him again at some future point like okay

spk_0 So he's he talked about how stuff and dream on and Jimmy run the locker room

spk_0 And you know that wasn't necessarily enough without Jimmy back in 2023 when coming in and these other guys were

spk_0 Carping in the Sacramento series and Steph Curry had to like beg them all to actually

spk_0 To actually be part of the team before game seven

spk_0 But I think ultimately like John think coming it doesn't have any lovers like he needs to come in and help the team

spk_0 And whether he has sour feelings or not like they'll just sit him if he's not actually helping the team

spk_0 So that's yeah, and that's part of what this summer was to me. It was like the

spk_0 You know the the end game of this four-year relationship

spk_0 We're obviously there and obviously I guess I shouldn't say end game because there's at least a few more months of it

spk_0 But I think that both sides

spk_0 You know came to the came to the conclusion at the that you know they

spk_0 This part of the reason coming aside took the one plus one is the idea in over the two plus one that we are

spk_0 You know minus one however you want to call

spk_0 Is the idea that if he gets traded to a new team it you know the other team they can bring him to the table next summer

spk_0 Rip it up and extend off it all they cared about at the end was getting that first year salary as high as possible

spk_0 Because in in their view that is the extend off at number and I know there was some

spk_0 Curiosity about the way shoms you know where did the tweet the whole rip up

spk_0 You know and redo but the reality is that's for the next team

spk_0 Was the idea of it is is extend off that first year number and you know in in his hopes of of getting to a place that views him like

spk_0 You know as as a building block and and I guess wrapping it back to what I was trying to say at the beginning of the question is

spk_0 You know, I think he he enters this season believing that this franchise that drafted him seventh overall that certainly has believers at the top of the organization in him

spk_0 Didn't bring him back this summer saying hey, we still view you as this guaranteed future building block and infer a young player

spk_0 That that can be difficult to to absorb really

spk_0 No, I think that's fair

spk_0 So let's turn to the team on the floor this year

spk_0 and

spk_0 Before we get to some of the new additions that I think really weren't talked about that much because they never

spk_0 became official due to the Kaminga saga last year

spk_0 What is the takeaway for you from last year as far as where this team truly was how they stacked up in the west

spk_0 Obviously with an incomplete in that Minnesota series due to the currentry

spk_0 Yeah, I think sometimes the

spk_0 Full extent of the Jimmy Butler segment of the season can be a little overblown

spk_0 I you know what the record when they were both on the floor late in the season was like you know 22 and five or something like that

spk_0 But it was a lot it was a lot of bad tanking teams early

spk_0 I would say the segment that that sticks in my mind as as you know anybody that wants to post something up and say

spk_0 This is why I believe that they are

spk_0 Legitimate contenders. It's you remember the stretch where they won like three and four games

spk_0 It was like at Memphis at LA then home against Denver

spk_0 Yeah, they won those three and obviously they won the playing game they had that fierce

spk_0 Game 82 against the Clippers were both teams look like pretty legitimate Western Conference threads

spk_0 I can felt like a real playoff game

spk_0 And Jimmy Butler was awesome in that game Jimmy Butler was awesome in the

spk_0 Play in game and then you know they beat a good Houston team up like a really fierce defensive team

spk_0 And in seven games and that was with a hobble Jimmy Butler

spk_0 Miss game three obviously he had that really tough fall in game two like that was a legitimate series win

spk_0 And then they're up one oh against Minnesota and they

spk_0 Can't like you can't tell them that they wouldn't have won that series

spk_0 Or at least been deeply competitive in that series and it's one of those weird things for most teams exit the playoffs knowing

spk_0 Hey, we weren't good enough if you get eliminated and they can't truly tell themselves that and I you know

spk_0 I don't know how much you do or don't believe in the defensive rating down the stretch

spk_0 Which was I think they were number one in the league post all server like and you know still like kind of a french top 10 type of offense

spk_0 But they certainly come into the season believing in that segment of the season and what they did in the playoffs and and that they can compete

spk_0 Yeah, I would say the one thing that would give me a little bit of pause is

spk_0 Even when stuff went down they couldn't stop the timber wolves and maybe that's because they just

spk_0 Lost their lost their hope or or whatever you want to say but there was there was hope that if they could have won one game after stuff

spk_0 Went down that he could have returned for that game six ultimately

spk_0 They never even got close to that it was the game three the game three is the one that haunts them

spk_0 They you I'm trying to remember the exact specifics of the end

spk_0 But that was the game like comingo was like excellent in and that was probably the one that Jimmy throttle up as much as he could have

spk_0 But you know to your point

spk_0 I think part of the reason they struggled to defend

spk_0 Minnesotas because they had to lean for like more offense heavy lineups

spk_0 You know they were starting trace Jackson Davis and playing him a lot and obviously comingo got heavy minutes

spk_0 Because they had to find scoring without Steph Curry

spk_0 So I think while taking Steph Curry out you would say well that you know that shouldn't hurt the defense much

spk_0 I just think he had to completely route you know

spk_0 Reconfigure the lineups. I had to go offense heavy

spk_0 Yeah, and also frankly the wolves didn't have to worry as much about Steph Curry and they could go with more offensive heavy groups

spk_0 As well Randall and read both the smoke them pretty badly at times in that series

spk_0 So they've now signed I'll work for it and they're bringing back the empty mountain

spk_0 He's not gonna be ready for probably the first month or so of the season

spk_0 Payton the second is back in the fold as well

spk_0 But let's start with or for what is he gonna bring to this team space five is what Steve Kerr called it the other day

spk_0 Um, I'm looking now. I mean he's starting to really throw up threes over the last you know really

spk_0 I guess his last like four Boston seasons

spk_0 But last year 5.2 attempted threes in 27.7 minutes

spk_0 You know Quentin Post is gonna have a role of the bench like really gets you know his per 36 three point attempts are like

spk_0 Really high for a seven footer. So theoretically now you could play

spk_0 You know, whatever minutes Quentin Post and now whoever get combined in again

spk_0 You have a like a pretty legitimate stretch, you know aggressive stretch five shooter out there

spk_0 And that's just not what has been the Warriors MO the last few years and they're just talking about how

spk_0 Much space that should theoretically create for a guy like Jimmy Butler

spk_0 I think might that might help the most he really kind of needs

spk_0 Space obviously we can talk about some of the linemps that will include Caminga

spk_0 You know, I've reported on that you know early in the negotiations in this contentious, you know, Caminga negotiation

spk_0 That you when the Warriors told the Caminga side hey, you know the plan is to sign out for it at the mid level

spk_0 That's gonna hard cap them at the second apron so that that you know really caps that the first year amount that the Jonathan Caminga can make

spk_0 That was one concession that the Caminga side was okay with because it was like you know

spk_0 Alhorfer will really help Jonathan Caminga lineups like I can see plenty especially like if Jermon's missing a game or just you know parts of the game

spk_0 Where you just throw Caminga at the four Alhorfer at the five that's it theoretically really you know open avenues up for Caminga

spk_0 So you know to your point. I think offensively we know what Alhorfer's gonna bring in that sense lineup versatility

spk_0 But also defensively, you know him and Jermon and Jimmy Butler on the floor together, you know

spk_0 It's not gonna be some shot blocking, you know fearful at the rim type defense

spk_0 But it's kind of be like one of the smartest you know defensive frontlines and NBA history. Yeah, we'll see how

spk_0 Effective Horford can be I imagine Alhorferd will spend very little time being guarded necessarily by the opponent center

spk_0 Although we have seen

spk_0 Opponents don't want to put their center on dream on because he's the main screener for staff

spk_0 And then the center has to get out on the floor

spk_0 Maybe we'll even see more teams go with what Thomas Isolo did in the play-in putting their center on Jimmy Butler

spk_0 Which I actually thought worked okay, but it is useful to be able to force them into that situation

spk_0 Where at least you have to make some choices now about how to defend those guys because obviously Jimmy and Jermon or Caminga

spk_0 You know, we'll see how Caminga's three ball has gone along if he's a lot to shoot out out of the mid range

spk_0 We'll see whether that's that's part of his game this year

spk_0 But so yeah, I mean it definitely does really help as opposed to trying to go with a traditional center dream on and Jimmy

spk_0 That was just not gonna be enough space and of course they still have stuff to that you're right though

spk_0 Those are double space, you know those are

spk_0 You know kind of good things to mention like Moses moody for example was really good in that that last regular season stretch

spk_0 And then by the Houston series into the Minnesota series

spk_0 He was you know kind of almost deemed unplayable and part of that reason was because that's who they put the center on

spk_0 That's who opponents put the center on and they they had Moses moody spend his summer working on being a dive man

spk_0 And picking roles and working on his like screen angles and how to you know catch it in the pocket and

spk_0 Because they say same stuff Caminga's working on

spk_0 I'm gonna let you I'm gonna let you handle that one

spk_0 No, not the same stuff. John I think I'm gonna say I'm working on it

spk_0 You know, but I guess to the point is they know what you're saying which is like you know

spk_0 Teams are going to be creative

spk_0 And how they guard the Warriors because yes, they now have two shooting centers some real legitimate shooting centers

spk_0 But that doesn't mean everybody on the roster can shoot right this is not the five-out Celtics

spk_0 You know, there's still gonna be a lot of Dre Mungerina out there Jimmy Butler who you know still isn't a high volume three point shooter

spk_0 Caminga's gonna get you know plenty around hilltake threes, but you know

spk_0 We'll see if teams fear that ever

spk_0 Moody another guy can shoot it

spk_0 But I think teams clearly felt comfortable putting the center on him

spk_0 I could see them at times like you know Darren Paginski

spk_0 Depending on if he is or isn't in a slump. So there's a I think there's gonna be a lot of tricky ways to guard the Warriors and their coaching staff

spk_0 I know right now is trying to solve that

spk_0 These are the Monday October 6th 2025 daily dunks

spk_0 LeBron James teased the decision of all decisions hashtag the second decision tomorrow at noon with the video of him sitting down in a chair across from an interview

spk_0 Invoking memories of his 2010 decision show with Jim Gray

spk_0 Is LeBron announcing his farewell tour a new ad campaign both

spk_0 Today's announcement of an announcement worked. I am intrigued prepared to be disappointed by a marketing gimmick

spk_0 But intrigued nonetheless

spk_0 Expansion is seen as when not if according to Tim Bontems of ESPN in the longest term

spk_0 That's probably true over the ensuing decades the NBA will probably grow

spk_0 But I remain unconvinced the legal absolutely expanded the medium term with it just being a matter of which year

spk_0 That could happen. I wouldn't be surprised

spk_0 But I'm uncertain existing owners value and influx of cash through expansion fees at the expense of diluting their shares over the long run

spk_0 Turning 130th of national TV revenue into one 30 second of national TV revenue forever holds major downside

spk_0 Excellent framing from Tim Bontems of ESPN on the 10 people who could define the 2025

spk_0 26 season this article really gets at what is making the league tick on and off the floor

spk_0 The two names that would have strongly considered adding though knocking out someone is tough

spk_0 Steve Balmer and Victor Wemba Niyama Bontems included Kauai Leonard Namsilver

spk_0 But I think this Clipper scandal is that important and Wemba Niyama could become a game breaking superstar at any moment

spk_0 Within the last few years Mark Steins had he heard whispers of a player resigning for less money with the pledge

spk_0 The team will take care of him down the road that be salary cap circumvention teams and players aren't allowed to agree to future contracts

spk_0 Funnily the team that comes to mind is the Clippers with the colibatum

spk_0 He used non bird rights to resign for 120% of the minimum 2021 established bird rights opted out in 2022

spk_0 Then resigned again for two years and 23 million dollars

spk_0 That's a bit before Steins timeline, but the Clippers have repeatedly signed Betoom since after trading to the 76ers

spk_0 Including this year of course there are gray areas and explicit written promise of a future contract is a major violation

spk_0 See the timbrels is Joe Smith

spk_0 But what if the Clippers merely explained to Betoom how they how much they valued him and how useful early bird rights could be

spk_0 The NBA will keep 2026 all star at the Clippers arena Adam Silver said via Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

spk_0 Since the scandal broke as Silver said anything that wasn't partial to the Clippers or neutral

spk_0 He could have dodged the question and gotten the same result

spk_0 The investigation will probably drag past the All Star break anyway

spk_0 Silver could have just waited it out allowing All Star weekend to occur in LA before the investigation concludes

spk_0 Instead Silver made a point to say the Clippers will keep All Star

spk_0 Alex Simon of SFGate aggregates reporters criticizing Jonathan Kamingen as agent for bungling the forward's restricted

spk_0 Creatancy maybe Kaminga and Aaron Turner could have done more prior to avoid being so trapped

spk_0 But once they were stuck in the spot. I thought they did all right

spk_0 No Kaminga didn't get the larger contract. He wanted no you didn't get the sign in trade

spk_0 He wanted no you didn't get the player option. He wanted no he couldn't avoid the team option

spk_0 He didn't want no he couldn't get rid of the no trade clause

spk_0 But what was he supposed to do the Warriors had nearly all the leverage Kaminga could have taken the qualifying offer despite him

spk_0 And it would have hurt them, but it would have hurt him too

spk_0 So Kaminga took a reasonable choice among the unappealing options by waiting

spk_0 He got nearly 900,000 more this year over gold states reported prior to your offer

spk_0 That isn't nothing sure his delay irked many but their impatience isn't his problem and doesn't really matter

spk_0 Trading camp wasn't opening any sooner if Kaminga signed in July missing media days on inconsequential

spk_0 That extra nearly 900,000 dollars matters far more and Kaminga got that out of a stone

spk_0 Nikola Yovic's extension starts higher next season than dips in 2027-28 according to Keith Smith of spot track

spk_0 The difference isn't huge, but it's revealing about the heat's plan

spk_0 They appear to be prioritizing 2027 cap space over 2026 cap space

spk_0 We project Miami to remain over the cap next summer where the andrew Wiggins opting in for about 30 million dollars

spk_0 But we project the heat to have 81 million dollars cap space in 2027

spk_0 Though that doesn't include Tyler Hero

spk_0 John Morant is weak to weak with a sprain left ankle not the start the grizzlies wanted all links in these daily dunks

spk_0 We found the full daily dunks which are linked in the show description

spk_0 Thank you so much for listening to the free portion of this episode

spk_0 If you want to listen to the rust, please subscribe link is in the show notes for dunked on prime where you will get

spk_0 Six episodes per week ad free five of dunked on and one of hollinger and duncan

spk_0 And of course you will also get five days a week of Dan Felman's daily dunks as well

spk_0 We also do offer reduce pricing for those in difficult financial circumstances if you want to check out the letter pin to my

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GSW 2025-26 Season Outlook with Anthony Slater + Monday Daily Duncs (10/6/25)

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