The Golden State Warriors received unexpected praise from Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero. The Warriors are in the headlines recently for their negotiations with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
Appearing in a video with Chet Holmgren for Boardroom, the two young stars battled it out in NBA 2K26. They were also asked questions during their intense matchup, including the city they want to go to after a win.
While Holmgren chose his home city of Minneapolis, Banchero went with Los Angeles while also mentioning Golden State’s Chase Center.
“I’m a West Coast kid. I like coming to the West Coast. I like going to L.A. I like the Chase Center, like the Warriors Arena,” Banchero said.
The Magic forward was born and raised in Seattle, so he knows a thing or two about the West Coast. He signed a five-year, $239 million contract extension with the Magic last July. That means Warriors fans can’t ask him to come and play for Golden State at this point in time.
The Warriors, on the other hand, moved from the Oracle Arena in Oakland to the Chase Center in San Francisco at the start of the 2019-20 NBA season. ESPN ranked Chase Center as the third-best arena in the league. They were just behind the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento and Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Chase Center Attracts Thousands of Warriors Fans
While the atmosphere at Oracle Arena is different from the Chase Center, the arena attracts a lot of fans every year. For the 10th straight 82-game season, the Golden State Warriors have sold out all 41 home games in the 2024-25 season. All home games in the 2025 NBA playoffs were sold out as well.
In addition to the Warriors, the Golden State Valkyries also play at the Chase Center. The Valkyries sold out all of their 22 home games in their inaugural WNBA season. They established an active fanbase, with the Chase Center being called the “Ballhalla.”
The Warriors and Valkyries are both owned by Joe Lacob and Peter Gruber. They ushered in the most successful era of Golden State basketball when they purchased the franchise in 2010. The Warriors have won four titles since then, in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022.
Warriors Aware of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic’s Potential Free Agency
Amid the reports about the Golden State Warriors‘ negotiations with Jonathan Kuminga, Sam Amick of The Athletic mentioned the franchise’s desire to have flexibility in the summer of 2027. It’s one of the reasons why they haven’t offered Kuminga a three-year deal with a player option or accepted a sign-and-trade from the Sacramento Kings involving Malik Monk.
The Warriors are reportedly aware that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic could become free agents in the 2027 offseason. Both have player options for the 2027-28 season, with the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers also on the lookout.
The Warriors, who are well aware that Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver’s Nikola Jokic both have player options for the 2027-28 season, are hardly alone on this star-hunting front. High-profile teams like the Lakers and Clippers have sent similar signals in recent months,” Amick wrote.
Keith Smith of Spotrac reported in July that Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are expected to agree on an extension next offseason. As for Antetokounmpo, he was linked to a potential trade this offseason. The Milwaukee Bucks managed to convince him to stay after making a slew of moves to bring in new players.
Paolo Banchero Drops Unexpected Praise for Warriors