The Golden State Warriors filled out their main roster on Tuesday by officially signing Brandon Williams and Georges Niang, two names they had been tied to earlier in free agency.
That move does more than settle Golden State’s roster math. It also leaves Dalen Terry in an awkward spot, with the former first-round pick suddenly looking like a player without a clear path into the Warriors’ plans.
Terry had recently been connected to Golden State after being waived by the Philadelphia 76ers to clear space for the additions of LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Then came a detail that fueled even more speculation: Terry was spotted sitting next to Stephen Curry at a Golden State Valkyries game, which made it easy to assume he was headed for a training camp invitation and a chance to compete for a roster spot.
But that picture has changed fast. With Williams and Niang now signed, the Warriors are at a full 15-man roster. Outside of Charles Bassey, whose deal is fully guaranteed and who signed last month, the team’s contracts are locked in.
That matters because Terry is also ineligible for Golden State’s one remaining two-way contract after finishing his fourth year in the league. So if he’s going to make the roster by opening night, the only route is a trade that opens a spot. And that feels highly unlikely, especially if the Warriors would be making a deal solely to create room for him.
The whole situation makes that Curry-Valkyries sighting even harder to read. If Golden State already had Williams and Niang in mind, what was the plan with Terry?
Was a trade ever really on the table? Right now, it all looks a little murky.
For Terry, the practical move is to keep searching for another NBA opportunity. He seemed to have at least a training camp deal in view with the Warriors, but that window looks closed now. A month after Philadelphia waived him, he still hasn’t been picked up by another team, which doesn’t exactly point to a booming market.
One possible path would be for Terry to still show up at Warriors camp, work as extra preseason depth, and then head to Santa Cruz in the G League with the hope of forcing his way back if a roster opening appears. That would be the cleanest solution available.
Even then, Tuesday’s signings leave one thing clear: the earlier connection between Terry and Golden State now looks a lot more puzzling than promising.
In Other News...
Warriors Just Got Another Painful Reminder About Their League-Wide Appeal
The Warriors have spent the summer trying to rework a roster that still carries the weight of past title runs, but the market has not exactly treated them like a must-join destination. With little movement on the addition front, Golden State has watched other contenders stay active while free-agent and buyout options look elsewhere, a reminder that reputation around the league does not always travel with a championship pedigree.
Klay Thompsons recent decision only sharpened that point for the Warriors front office and fan base. After a buyout agreement with the Mavericks, he ended up in Miami because he wanted to join the Heat, and the optics were hard to miss for a team that once set the standard in player attraction. The bigger issue now is not just one player choosing another destination, but whether Golden State can do enough in team-building to make itself a more convincing landing spot the next time the market opens up. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Just Made A Frontcourt Bet Fans Will Debate
The Warriors added another layer to their frontcourt puzzle with the signing of forward Georges Niang, a move aimed at giving the roster more depth at power forward after Quinten Post left in free agency. Niang brings a very specific skill set to Golden State, headlined by a career 39.9% mark from three-point range, which fits the kind of spacing the team usually wants around its core.
There is also the obvious health question hanging over the deal. Niang did not play last season after a foot injury sidelined him before training camp, so the Warriors are banking on both his shooting and his availability as they continue filling out the roster, a day that also included a one-year agreement with point guard Brandon Williams. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Make A Late Backcourt Bet With Real Risk And Upside
The Warriors have added another piece to the backcourt mix, bringing in Brandon Williams on a one-year deal as they continue sorting out the edges of the roster before the season. Williams arrives after a busy year in Dallas, where he became a usable rotation guard over 66 games and showed enough scoring and playmaking to keep teams interested.
For Golden State, the move fits the kind of late roster bet that can look smart if a players game translates quickly, especially with the 14th spot now spoken for. Williams gives the Warriors another guard with some recent NBA run under his belt, and the appeal is obvious: there is room for him to carve out value if he fits, but the margin for error is also thin as the team keeps shaping the group around its core. [Read more 🡒]