Dub Hub: Kyrie Irving was the ‘biggest player’ in Klay Thompson’s recruitment to the Mavs

Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Wednesday, August 21st.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• During an interview on NBC Sports Bay Area, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd explains why Kyrie Irving was the ‘biggest player’ in Klay Thompson’s recruitment to Dallas.
• Steph Curry files trademark for viral Olympic catchphrase “Nuit Nuit”
• Anthony Edwards calls Michael Jordan the “only one that really had skill” from previous NBA generations.

Klay Thompson’s departure from the Golden State Warriors was the biggest storyline of the team’s offseason. The Splash Brother left the Bay Area to join the Dallas Mavericks after spending his first 13 years with the Warriors. In an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd revealed that star point guard Kyrie Irving was one of the “biggest players” in Thompson’s recruitment process.

Via NBC Sports Bay Area:

“When you talk about the recruitment, it was a lot of people that were involved in that. But one of the biggest players in that was Kai,” Kidd said on the latest episode of NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Dubs Talk,” which debuted Tuesday. “Kai being able to, player to player, (detail) his experience of what Dallas has been like for him in two years and being able to tell Klay the honest truth of what he thinks can happen with Klay coming to Dallas.”

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Wednesday, August 21st:

Warriors News:

How Irving swayed Klay’s decision to leave Warriors for Mavericks | NBC Sports Bay Area

“I would love to say it was all me,” said Kidd, a key member of Dallas’ recruiting squad. “But it wasn’t. It was a team effort. But I think player-to-player – in this league, they all talk about their situations, and they all recruit one another – this was about Kai and Klay being able to talk.

“And I also believe Klay did his homework, just understanding the situation. It would have been an easy for him to stay (with the Warriors or elsewhere in California). So, he had to put in some effort of doing some homework to see what Dallas was all about.”

When Warriors ironically saw Waters’ fit, potential before trade | NBC Sports Bay Area

On the morning of the second day of the inaugural two-day draft, Dunleavy acquired shooting guard Lindy Waters III from the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 52 overall pick, Golden State’s only pick in the draft, before later reacquiring the selection to take Boston College big man Quinten Post. Though Waters had only played 104 games in the NBA, the Warriors had him high on their list of lesser-known names who could make an impact in the right situation.

And his performances against the Warriors’ Santa Cruz G League affiliate might have been a major contributing factor.

“He can really shoot it,” one G League source told NBC Sports Bay Area.

The same source noted it felt like Waters made six 3-pointers every time he played Santa Cruz. In Waters’ one game last season for the OKC Blue against the Sea Dubs, that number was spot on. His showings from previous years stand out, too.

Steph Curry files trademark for viral Olympic celebration “Nuit Nuit”

NBA 2024-25 schedule release: 35 games I’m looking forward to this season | The Athletic

Chris Paul returns to the Bay: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors, 10 p.m. April 9

I’m serious! You can dismiss this because Paul only played one season with the Warriors, they didn’t make the playoffs and he missed 24 games. But you’re missing the underlying subtext of this return. When we dig beneath the surface, we get to unearth the comfort zone for Paul and the Warriors. They love to hate each other! The Warriors never liked him when he was on the Clippers and Rockets. He’s hated the Warriors for keeping him from competing for a title time after time. They get to go back to openly being enemies. This is the sweet spot of hatred and pettiness.

Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Edwards were drug tested after the gold medal game

NBA News:

NBA predictions 2024-25: Biggest turnarounds, turbulent teams and the biggest questions | ESPN

The next superstar to request a trade will be ...?

Since being drafted No. 2 in 2016 and joining the Pelicans in 2019, 26-year-old Brandon Ingram hasn’t found the immediate success he was hoping for. He averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds last season — a slight downturn from his numbers in 2022-23. Ingram has one year remaining on his four-year, $158 million contract. If he doesn’t get an extension, the one-time All-Star could start shopping around.

The Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine has been in the center of trade speculation for months amid growing tension between the All-Star and the organization. However, the trade market never fully developed for LaVine due to his contract, and the Bulls are preparing to bring the 10-year veteran back to training camp this fall after he had season-ending surgery on his right foot last February. With the departure of DeMar DeRozan and the uncertainty of Lonzo Ball’s return, LaVine could be the next to ask out of Chicago.

Anthony Edwards: Michael Jordan Was Only NBA Player with Skill in Older Generations | Bleacher Report

Speaking to Lane Florsheim of the Wall Street Journal, Edwards explained that Michael Jordan was the only player “that really had skill” from past generations.

“I didn’t watch it back in the day so I can’t speak on it,” he said. “They say it was tougher back then than it is now, but I don’t think anybody had skill back then. [Michael Jordan] was the only one that really had skill, you know what I mean? So that’s why when they saw Kobe [Bryant], they were like, ‘Oh, my God.’ But now everybody has skill.”

Devin Booker posts highlights of Team USA’s Olympic experience

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Ten takeaways from the Warriors 2024-25 schedule

9. The back-to-back schedule is favorable

Golden State is scheduled for 14 back-to-back games this season, slightly below the NBA average of 14.9. Nine of those 14 come at home, which is both favorable and a result of West Coast geography. They play three games in four nights 11 times, an average number.

But their advantage comes in facing opponents who are playing back-to-backs 18 times, 14 of those coming when the Warriors themselves have had a night off ahead of the game. As 12 opponent back-to-backs are in San Francisco, it should help reverse last year’s odd struggles at home (21-20 record).

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