NBA News Roundup, Thursday, August 8th: Kevin Durant speaks out on his move to the Brooklyn Nets, Domantas Sabonis keen to stay with the Pacers and more
The 2019-20 NBA season is still 10 weeks away, although the level of hype has already reached heights rarely seen.
Many of the NBA's top talents swapped teams during free agency, and the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers appear on a collision course after making a string of huge acquisitions over the past few months.
Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets will be confident after signing Russell Westbrook, while the Utah Jazz is a team to watch having added Mike Conley.
Much of the business around the NBA has already been conducted, although smaller trades could be completed ahead of opening night. So, as the NBA gears up for the new season, here are all the latest rumors and news you need to know for August 8th.
#3 Steph Curry backed to thrive alongside D’Angelo Russell
The Golden State Warriors recent dominance appeared to be slipping throughout a mixed 18-19 season, and the teams 4-2 NBA Finals defeat to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals added further credibility to the theory.
Nevertheless, the Warriors entered the summer hoping to keep their core talent intact for at least one more season, although DeMarcus Cousins, Kevin Durant, Shaun Livingston, and Andre Iguodala all exited the franchise.
Yet, the team managed to complete a surprise deal for D’Angelo Russell, and Steph Curry’s trainer told NBC Sports that the All-star duo will thrive together despite possessing a similar skillset:
We’ve had D-Lo in for workouts, so we’ve had the opportunity to have them work together and kind of get to know each other. I think that backcourt pairing is going to be really nice.
Russell started his career with the Los Angeles Lakers and was expected to serve as the franchises point guard for the next decade. However, discipline issues and a lack of consistency convinced the Lakers to part with the young star after just two seasons.
However, Russell soon started to live up to his potential with the Nets, and the 18-19 was a real breakthrough as the guard averaged 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per game.