SAN FRANCISCO — Amid the champagne showers that drenched Golden State’s locker room within the TD Backyard, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins hopped on Instagram Dwell to share the celebration with their followers.
Within the livestream, Poole checked out Wiggins and proclaimed, “You are going to get a bag.”
An uncontrollable smile cracked throughout Wiggins’ face earlier than he responded, “No, we will get a bag.” Poole repeated the identical phrases again to the digital camera.
Wiggins, who’s heading into the ultimate season of his $147 million rookie extension from 2017 with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Poole, who’s getting into the final yr of his rookie deal, are each up for contract extensions earlier than turning into free brokers subsequent offseason. They’ve till Oct. 17 to barter new contracts with the Warriors.
“I’d love to remain right here,” Wiggins stated Saturday afternoon on the Warriors’ exit interviews. “Being right here, that is top-notch. The way in which they deal with the gamers … we’re all one large household. I really feel like a whole lot of locations could say that, however they present it by means of their actions.”
Wiggins arrived in Golden State in a commerce that stemmed from Kevin Durant’s departure in 2019. At first, there have been questions on how efficient the commerce can be.
Wiggins was leaving the Timberwolves with a popularity that instructed he was lazy. Many did not assume he was a tough employee or would have the ability to make a real influence on the Warriors — particularly not one that may assist them win one other title.
However by the top of the season, the message from contained in the Warriors was that they would not have received with out Wiggins. And he grew to become the primary participant picked No. 1 general within the fashionable draft to get his first All-Star nod and win his first title with a crew he did not debut with.
“There was a whole lot of discuss, folks have one thing to say about each little factor, however now I am completely satisfied that I made it right here,” Wiggins stated. “Individuals did not assume I may ever be on this place and even be useful on a championship crew. However I am proving the doubters flawed and I will maintain it going.”
Like Wiggins, there have been a whole lot of doubts surrounding Poole’s future. Following his rookie season in 2019-20, some questioned whether or not he would actually have a future within the league. However this season, he not solely stuffed the beginning taking pictures guard spot as Klay Thompson labored his approach again however he additionally began rather than Stephen Curry by means of the ultimate month of the common season — and the primary few video games of the playoffs — earlier than he created his personal position as a sixth man.
“He undoubtedly deserves [a new contract],” Wiggins stated. “Jordan is somebody who works so exhausting, who makes his teammates higher, and may go on the market on the courtroom and dominate.”
Poole wasn’t as definitive as Wiggins when requested if he wish to return to Golden State, however it wasn’t as if he sounded wanting to go anyplace else.
“If I will be utterly trustworthy, I have never even been capable of fathom something about that course of but,” Poole stated. “I used to be so locked in on the championship. Like, we all know it is going to occur, we put ourselves in conditions to achieve success and all the pieces else will deal with itself.”
Whereas signing Wiggins and Poole to extensions can be a transfer to maintain them from turning into free brokers subsequent summer season, the Warriors have a variety of free brokers this offseason.
Gary Payton II, Andre Iguodala, Kevon Looney, Otto Porter Jr., Nemanja Bjelica, Damion Lee and Chris Chiozza will all be unrestricted free brokers. Juan Toscano-Anderson and Quinndary Weatherspoon will probably be restricted free brokers.
Of the upcoming free brokers who had been made out there for exit interviews, all voiced a want to stay in Golden State.
Payton, who grew to become a key participant for the Warriors after grabbing the fifteenth roster spot at the beginning of the season, stated he would “completely” like to stick with Golden State.
A journeyman who has spent most of his profession within the G League and has been reduce from 5 completely different professional groups, Payton stated he expects this summer season to be the primary time he will get to select the place he finally ends up.
After Looney’s breakout season that noticed him play in each regular-season and playoff recreation, he stated he “undoubtedly” desires to return to the crew that drafted him.
“I at all times need to be again right here,” Looney stated. “I need to come again and attempt to defend what we simply received and be part of one thing particular once more.”
Porter signed a one-year cope with the Warriors to carry a veteran presence to the crew. When he joined final summer season, he noticed profitable a title as a potential consequence, and now that it has occurred he additionally vocalized wanting to come back again for extra.
“I do know that this crew can compete once more for an additional championship and it will be an incredible alternative if I may keep right here,” Porter stated. “It could be wonderful to be right here with that group of fellows once more and do it over again.”
Whether or not the Warriors can retain all these gamers is but to be seen. They’re already the highest-spending them within the league.
However there’s clearly a mutual want between the entrance workplace and gamers to have an identical roster from this championship yr heading into subsequent season.
