NBA News Roundup: Steph Curry reflects on his charitable foundation's 3rd-year anniversary, Jordan Poole seen working out with Jeremy Lin, and more - August 4th, 2022
Multiple players will be eligible to sign extensions this NBA offseason and we are going to see a lot of issues arise with regards to the money involved.
Stars like LeBron James, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and more are all going to sign major deals in the coming weeks, determining the landscape of the league for the next few years.
The NBA offseason doesn't have much else going on. Trades and signings are almost negligible as the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook sagas dominate most trade rumors. Moreover, the draft and summer league are also behind us. Let's take a look at some news stories from around the NBA in the last 24 hours.
Andre Iguodala doesn't want to coach so he will either play next year or retire this summer
Andre Iguodala is 38 years old and his body is clearly slowing down. He played just 31 games last season with an average of 19.5 minutes per game. He laced up for just seven games in the entire NBA playoffs with an average of just 8.7 minutes a game.
It is clear the Golden State Warriors don't necessarily need his services on the court but would prefer his voice in the locker room and on the sidelines.
However, Iguodala has made it clear that he isn't interested in a coaching role, so he can either retire or play another season with limited minutes. He spoke to NBC Sports about his tough decision, saying:
"I’m trying to reflect on the season, enjoy it, enjoy being a champion. And if that time comes…I don’t know if it’s going to be a tough decision, but I’m ready for whatever…The thing that I don’t want the perception thrown out there, is that I’m a coach. I don’t want to get thrown into the 'Just go coach.' That’s not a route I’m looking forward to taking. Not at all."
Steve Kerr explains how a talk that Andre Iguodala gave "turned prophetic," and touches on the possibility of him becoming a coach.
"I think he's way too smart to sit next to me and come to all our coaches meetings... I would love to have him back on the roster if it works out." https://t.co/hFZqA3BVbK
Jordan Poole seen doing offseason workout with Jeremy Lin
Jordan Poole is one of the key pieces of the Golden State Warriors' machine and his development is crucial for the franchise. He is the main reason behind analysts suggesting that the Dubs have great depth and could repeat their title run next season.
Poole's progress has been a case study for the organization's excellent drafting and development and he is going to see even more minutes than he did last season.
Poole's jersey sales rank fourth, just behind the Hall of Fame trio, and he is clearly Steph Curry's disciple. He was seen working out this summer with former Warrior Jeremy Lin. Lin was rumored to rejoin the Dubs after signing with their NBA G-League affiliate Santa Cruz Warriors in 2021.
JP getting some off season work in earlier this summer w Jeremy Lin. 🔥
📸:@jfungphoto https://t.co/IYXQazTjh5
Portland Trail Blazers sign free agent center to an NBA training camp deal
Norvel Pelle hasn't seen much game time since he went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft. He has bounced around from team to team, playing less than 10 games for each franchise.
He has been a part of the Knicks, Kings, Nets and Jazz in the past year alone and currently plays for the Cavaliers' G-League affiliate Clevaland Charge.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Portland Trail Blazers are going to sign Pelle to a training camp deal.
Blazers are bringing Pelle to camp to compete for an available two-way roster spot.
Ish Wainright has agreed to return to the Phoenix Suns
Ish Wainright played mostly garbage minutes for the Phoenix Suns last season. He laced up for 45 games but played just eight minutes per night. He averaged 2.4 points and 1.2 rebounds per game while shooting 32% from downtown.
The 27-year-old went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft and had a bunch of overseas stints before joining the Suns last season.
As reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania, Wainright is returning to Phoenix on a one-year deal.
Free agent Ish Wainwright has agreed to a two-way NBA contract to return to the Phoenix Suns, his agents Jim Tanner and Deirunas Visockas of Tandem told @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Steph Curry's Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation celebrates it's third-year anniversary
Steph Curry's charitable foundation is celebrating its three-year anniversary and he reflected on all the great work they have done in the Bay Area. His foundation, titled "Eat. Learn. Play.", focuses on children and the three fundamental aspects of childhood - nutrition, education and physical activity.
Steph and his wife Ayesha Curry recently threw the first pitch at an Oakland Athletics game, and the two-time NBA MVP spoke about the foundation at the RingCentral Coliseum. He said:
"We were thrilled to launch our Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation in July of 2019 to help improve the lives of kids and families in our community…We have a passion for inspiring today's youth and ensuring an equal road to success for all kids. As we say all the time, "Talent is everywhere but opportunity isn't."…We are grateful for the impact our foundation has been able to have in our first three years and we feel blessed to have been able to step up to help meet the community's needs in really difficult times."
At our recent @eatlearnplay Day at the Ballpark for Oakland youth, @StephenCurry30 reflected on our third anniversary as a foundation. We join Stephen and @ayeshacurry in thanking our community partners and supporters who make this work possible. We are just getting started! https://t.co/QHcfbTZMTs
Curry lauded his charity's work over the past three years and mentioned how they "have distributed over 25 million meals, provided hundreds of thousands of books and literacy grants to support teachers and local organizations, and created opportunities and safe places for all kids to play."