Warriors give Oakland another proud moment
OAKLAND, Calif. — Even from six rows back, brothers William and Rizal Cahambing, ages 9 and 10, were not going to miss a chance to see their favorite Golden State Warriors player, Stephen Curry, as he rode atop a double-decker bus during Thursday’s parade to celebrate the team’s latest championship.
The brothers took turns climbing on top of a water cooler to see over the crowd and jumped with delight as Curry’s bus went by.
With talk of the team being an NBA power for years to come, the brothers and other kids may grow up in an era of Warriors dominance that could make this year’s celebration a regular occurrence — although not one that takes place in Oakland much longer.
The Warriors are headed to San Francisco, where they broke ground this year on a new arena slated to open in 2019.
Oakland is also losing one of its other beloved teams, the NFL’s Raiders, to Las Vegas, and the city is still reeling from a police scandal and mourning a deadly warehouse fire.
So Thursday was a rare chance for Oaktown to celebrate.
“Curry, look over here,” William screamed as the two-time NBA champion lifted up the championship trophy in his direction.
William and Rizal’s father, Ray Cahambing, said it was unfortunate Oakland was losing the Warriors, “but the diehard fans” would make the trip across the Bay to San Francisco to see the team.
The Warriors went 15-1 in this year’s postseason, with sweeps in the first three rounds before beating LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games in the NBA Finals.
Fultz works out
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Markelle Fultz wants to be the first player chosen in the NBA draft next week, either by the Boston Celtics or whatever team ends up with their No. 1 pick.
Just in case he isn’t, he also wants the Los Angeles Lakers to know what they can get at No. 2.
Fultz went through an hour-long private workout for the Lakers on Thursday before meeting with the team’s top brass at their training complex. The Maryland-born University of Washington product is generally expected to be the top pick, but he has stayed in close contact with the Lakers since the draft combine.
“Never know where I might land,” Fultz said, “so I just wanted to see how it is out here.”
The 6-foot-4 guard believes he would fit well alongside D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers’ similarly sized third-year guard.
With the No. 2 pick for the third consecutive season, the Lakers know they’ll be able to choose either Fultz or Lonzo Ball, the UCLA playmaker widely considered the second-biggest talent in the draft. Ball is eager to stay home with the Lakers, and he went through an extensive workout in El Segundo last week.
KCP sentenced
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. — Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been sentenced to a year of probation as punishment for a charge from a March traffic stop in suburban Detroit.
The Detroit Free Press reported Caldwell-Pope learned his punishment Wednesday in a Rochester Hills courtroom after pleading guilty to allowing a person to drive under the influence. A charge of operating while intoxicated was dismissed.
The former University of Georgia standout was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving after police said he was spotted going about 45 mph in a 25 mph zone at 2:50 a.m. on March 29 in Auburn Hills. He was arrested after a field sobriety test, and another test showed he had a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent.
He continued to play for the team last season and is a restricted free agent.
West heads south
LOS ANGELES — Hall of Famer Jerry West is leaving his job as an executive board member with the Warriors and is expected to take a similar role with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers said to NBC Sports Bay Area during Thursday’s victory parade festivities, “Jerry West, gone.” Last week, Myers said he would have a discussion with West after the season.
The 79-year-old West, a former Lakers player and coach who has been with Golden State since 2011, told ESPN he is intrigued at the prospect of working for Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, whom he calls “a winner.” West said he would like to help Doc Rivers, the coach and president of basketball operations, and general manager Lawrence Frank. The Clippers are focused on retaining key free agents this summer, including Chris Paul.
Also Thursday, the Inglewood City Council unanimously approved an exclusive negotiating agreement with the Clippers that could lead to the construction of an arena for the team across the street from the future home of the NFL’s Chargers and Rams.
The arena would be privately funded and no public money would be used for the project, said Gillian Zucker, Clippers president of business operations. The Clippers have a lease to play at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles through 2024, but Ballmer has been open about his desire for a new venue since he bought the Clippers for $2 billion in 2014.