In today’s Dub Hub:

Warriors rank 7th in NBA.com’s latest Western Conference power rankings.

The Golden State Warriors have officially released Episode 1 of First in 40: The Story of the 2014–15 Warriors—a three-part documentary chronicling the franchise’s first NBA title run in 40 years.

Advertisement

The premiere episode, titled “Foundation,” pulls back the curtain on Steve Kerr’s early days as head coach, stepping into a talented but unproven roster and introducing a brand-new offensive system built on movement, spacing, and unselfish play.

Having said that, the offense didn’t click right away, and some players were skeptical of these new changes. But as Draymond Green recalled Kerr saying, “The ball will find the guys who are supposed to get the shots.”

That approach would become the foundation of the Warriors’ dynasty and eventually reshape how the NBA was played for years to come.

From building on the groundwork laid by Mark Jackson to the early buy-in that changed the team’s identity, Episode 1 captures the moment the Warriors started to believe they could be champions.

Watch the full episode on the Warriors’ official YouTube channel:

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, August 8th:

Advertisement

Warriors News:It has never been tougher to build an NBA dynasty | ESPN

But since the Warriors won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018, the NBA has seen seven different champions hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the longest stretch of parity in league history. There have been 11 different finalists in that span, another league record. And in each of the past six postseasons, the defending champion has failed to reach the conference finals. The last time the NBA had a similar period of parity was in the late 1970s, when there were six different champions from 1975 to 1980 with eight different Finals teams.

Likely Jonathan Kuminga reunion with Warriors could create unwanted spectacle | NBC Sports Bay Area

“He’s a (scoring) monster at the four,” a former NBA player-turned-analyst, referring to Kuminga, tells NBC Sports Bay Area. “But that’s Draymond position. I hate Draymond’s game. Hate his game. But his IQ makes him a Hall of Famer. It’s through the roof. And that team needs it.”

Seth Curry recalls an on-court trash talk moment between him and Draymond GreenOffseason Power Rankings: Thunder clear favorites to repeat in West | NBA

Even if Kuminga were to stay (via the qualifying offer or a new contract), there will still be four or five additional roster spots to fill. Al Horford and Gary Payton II will reportedly fill two of those spots, giving the Warriors a good chance to remain in the top 10 defensively. Taking some of the offensive burden off Curry may be a tougher task. Butler got to the line a ton, but had an effective field goal percentage of just 50.4% over his 42 games (regular season, SoFi Play-In and playoffs combined) with Golden State.

Damion Lee recalls story of Steph Curry reading hate comments at halftimeNBA News:Celtics sign Joe Mazzulla to contract extension | NBA

“We are very excited that Joe has agreed to extend with the Celtics,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “He understands the job and has a passion for the Celtics that is only rivaled by our most die-hard fans. He’s worked hard and accomplished amazing things in his first three years as a head coach – including averaging over 60 wins per season and winning the 2024 NBA Championship. Joe is a gifted leader who brings a consistent commitment to learning, improving, and maximizing each day we get to compete for the Boston Celtics.”

Malik Beasley, subject of gambling probe, evicted from apartment | ESPN

Malik Beasley, an NBA player under investigation in a federal gambling probe, was evicted from his high-rise apartment in Detroit on Wednesday, according to court records.

Beasley’s landlord sued him twice this year in Michigan’s 36th District Court for a total of $21,505 in unpaid rent, the records show. The first case was dismissed in March, but the court issued an eviction order in the second suit — for $7,355 — after Beasley failed to respond. The eviction order was first reported by the Detroit News.

Hawks’ Dyson Daniels breaks down his best defensive plays from last seasonIn case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:Should Jonathan Kuminga start for the Warriors if he re-signs?

So now we’re left trying to fit Kuminga into a lineup of Curry, Green, Butler, and a center, likely Horford. Could that work?

The spacing would be clunky as hell. The four non-Currys in that lineup can all make a three, but none of them are exactly weapons from deep. Defensively, however, it would be fascinating. Green, Butler, and Kuminga could feasibly switch one-through-five against most lineups and Horford, even at the tail end of his career, remains a comfortably above-average defender, both on and off-ball, and against both traditional bigs and more modern ones. It’s a lineup I’d be extremely intrigued by, but it’s also a disaster waiting to happen that they probably shouldn’t start the game or the season with.

Advertisement

A tweet to end the week: