The Golden State Warriors have spent much of this offseason waiting on LeBron James, and that patience may be shaping more than just the top of their roster. It could be setting up a real opening for an under-the-radar guard.
Golden State has already brought back Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and De'Anthony Melton, and all three are expected to matter in 2026-27. But with the free agent market shrinking and the James situation still unresolved, the Warriors are sitting on a roster that is thinner than it looks. They have only 10 players under standard contracts, and two of them - Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody - do not yet have designated timelines to return from the season-ending injuries they suffered in 2025-26.
That shortage becomes even more obvious in the backcourt. After taking Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Golden State still does not have much guard depth beyond Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, and De'Anthony Melton. That kind of roster squeeze can create opportunity, and it may be pointing directly toward two-way guard LJ Cryer.
Cryer got a taste of that opportunity last season, and he made enough of it to matter. As injuries kept stripping down the Warriors’ rotation, he was pushed into a two-way role.
An ankle injury shortly after his arrival limited him, but he still flashed as a perimeter threat. In 18 games, he shot 39.4% from 3-point range and 40.2% from the field overall.
At 6'1", Cryer is never going to be mistaken for a big guard, and his defensive limitations likely cap his ceiling. But Golden State has long valued shooting, and Steve Kerr’s system makes room for players who can stretch the floor. Cryer fits that mold.
The Warriors currently have only two active players who shot better than 37% from deep last season: Curry and Podziemski. Lendeborg also hit 37.2% from 3-point range at Michigan, but the larger point remains the same. Golden State needs shooting, and it does not have much flexibility to go shopping for it.
If the Warriors look to the veteran minimum market, Gary Trent Jr. stands out as a possible fit after shooting 36% from beyond the arc with the Milwaukee Bucks last season. Even so, the team has not been shy about leaning on two-way players when the rotation demands it. Pat Spencer played a significant backcourt role in each of the past two seasons before being converted to a standard contract each time, and his move to the Phoenix Suns this offseason leaves that spot open.
By passing on a true guard in the Draft and not adding one in free agency so far, Golden State may have already cleared a path for Cryer. If the roster stays this way, he could get a genuine chance to build momentum in 2026-27.
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Warriors Put Immediate Pressure On Melton With This Curry Backcourt Bet
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Meltons first run with the Warriors never had much time to breathe, and that is part of what makes this next stretch so interesting. Golden State is clearly comfortable with the idea that Melton can answer a real need next to Curry, but the pressure is immediate: he has to stay available, settle into the role quickly and show that the fit the front office sees is more than just a theory on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Draymond Green Blasts Celtics Over Stunning Jaylen Brown Trade
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Greens criticism landed in the middle of a broader back-and-forth about how to judge the deal, with some seeing Philadelphia as the clear winner and others pointing to the uncertainty around Paul Georges recent play and health as a reason to slow down. Even in a league that lives on bold swings, this is the sort of transaction that can look one way on the day it happens and another way once the dust settles, which is why the discussion around Boston is far from finished. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors May Already Regret Passing On This Draft Night Opportunity
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Instead, the player drawing the most attention has been the one they watched land elsewhere, and he has already started to look like more than just a Summer League flash. His recent run has only sharpened the sense that Golden State may have passed on a chance to add a wing with real long-term value, especially with other names the team liked still waiting to make their own summer debuts. [Read more 🡒]