16 July 2023 , 11:07
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Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry expressed his disappointment as Donte DiVincenzo left the franchise to sign with the New York Knicks.
It has been an offseason of change in the Bay Area following the 2022/23 NBA season. Golden State reached the Western Conference semi-finals, losing to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, long-time executive Bob Myers stepped down as general manager, suggesting the end of an era for the Warriors..
Curry and co. are looking to contest a fifth championship in recent times with Mike Dunleavy replacing Myers. He immediately made a splash, bringing veteran 12-time All-Star Chris Paul to Golden State before also re-signing Draymond Green to ensure the core of the franchise’s dynasty remained intact.
However, the Warriors also suffered some key departures, particularly affecting their depth. DiVincenzo spent just one season with the franchise but left a lasting impression on Curry, who heaped praise on the new Knicks star.
“He’s all about basketball, he’s all about winning,” Curry said on Thursday, according to SNY. “He brings great energy to the locker room. I used to call him the vet even though he’s still on the younger side, just because he’s got that kind of spirit about him.
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“He plays way beyond his years… He’s good on both sides of the ball, he can play-make better than most people probably realise. So he fills a lot of holes on a team.
“He’s not selfish in the respect of - I know he wants to start and be that guy - but he also understands where value can be created on a team no matter what the role you’re asked to do is… And the Knicks got a good one.
Donte DiVincenzo was a key depth player for the Golden State Warriors, often coming off the bench to lead the second unit (AP)“I’m happy that he got his fair share of that CBA too. So it was good.”
DiVincenzo signed a four-year, $50million (£38m) contract with the Knicks, where he will reunite with former college teammates Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson. Last season, he put up 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while enjoying 26.3 minutes per game with the Warriors.
Curry alluded to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement as a potential obstacle to the Warriors re-signing DiVincenzo. Golden State will no longer have access to the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception in future seasons under the new CBA which affected their ability to retain certain role players.