The Warriors may have found themselves in an awkward spot with Dalen Terry.
Golden State signed Terry to a training camp deal knowing the most likely outcome was a trip to the G League with Santa Cruz. But his showing against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night may have complicated that plan, because the young wing looked every bit like someone who belongs on an NBA roster.
With essentially the entire main rotation sitting out, Terry finally got a real preseason runway after logging only fourth-quarter minutes in the first two tune-ups against the L.A. Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers.
He responded with 23 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in a strong all-around outing that nearly pushed the Warriors to an upset on the road. He was efficient from deep, too, knocking down 4-of-5 from 3-point range while making plays both with the ball and without it.
The problem for Golden State is simple: there doesn’t appear to be room for him.
As a fifth-year player, Terry can’t just slide into Malevy Lyons’ two-way spot, which removes the easiest path to keeping him in the organization at the NBA level. Unless something changes, he’s headed to Santa Cruz, where the Warriors would want him to keep producing and wait for a future opening created by a Golden State trade.
That’s where the danger comes in. If Terry keeps looking like this, another team could decide it wants him first.
There are still clubs around the league with roster spots or enough flexibility to make a move, and Terry’s performance in Portland only strengthened the case that he’s a real NBA player. His first two preseason appearances, even in limited minutes, added to that impression.
Once Golden State waives him at the end of preseason, the Warriors will have little ability to stop another team from signing him.
If they wanted to avoid that, the path would be a trade to clear space. But that doesn’t look likely, especially with the players at the back end of the roster ineligible to be traded after only signing offseason deals. The only realistic route would be a 2-for-1 type of deal where the trade itself helps the Warriors, with Terry coming along as a secondary piece.
For now, Golden State can only hope Terry remains in the G League, keeps impressing, and is still there if a spot eventually opens up. But if another team decides his preseason play deserves a place on a main roster, the Warriors may not be able to do anything about it.
In Other News...
Warriors Frontcourt Question Puts Yaxel Lendeborg To The Test
Yaxel Lendeborg has already shown he is willing to talk boldly about one of the leagues basic jobs, saying rebounding comes easier in the NBA because the floor is more spread out and players are a little more lax. For the Warriors, the comment lands at an interesting moment, because their frontcourt setup is in flux and the team may have to lean on smaller lineups right away as it pieces together its early-season rotation.
Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss opening night against the Lakers and could remain out into November because of an illness, which puts extra pressure on the Warriors to get by with less size inside. That makes Lendeborgs work on the glass more than a side note, especially with tougher opponents and stronger rebounders on the schedule, and it will be one of the more revealing tests of how far his skill translates when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Lacob Gets Real About Steve Kerr And The Warriors Image
Steve Kerr has spent more than a decade helping define the Warriors on the court, and Joe Lacob is still comfortable with the way he handles the broader spotlight that comes with the job. The team owner said he trusts Kerr to do the right thing, even as the coach has remained one of the leagues most outspoken voices on politics and has at times drawn attention well beyond basketball.
Kerr is entering his 13th season as Golden States head coach, with four championships already on his rsum in that role and five more from his playing days. His willingness to speak out has long been part of the Warriors public image, and while there have been moments of tension around that, Lacobs latest comments suggest the organization is still willing to live with a coach who brings strong convictions as well as winning credentials. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Have A Kristaps Porzingis Problem They Can't Ignore
Kristaps Porzingis remains one of the more intriguing additions around the Warriors this fall, but the club still has not offered much clarity on when he will be available. Steve Kerr said there are no new details on the big mans health issue, leaving the team to keep working without a timetable while trying to figure out how he fits into the rotation once hes back. Porzingis has dealt with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome before, though it is not clear whether that is connected to what he is dealing with now.
For a team trying to sort out the back end of its roster and the early-season picture, the uncertainty matters. Brandon Williams has made a strong preseason push for a roster spot, and rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg has also drawn positive internal attention, so the Warriors do at least have some encouraging depth storylines developing alongside the Porzingis situation. Even so, the bigger question hanging over the group is how long they will have to plan without the veteran center in the mix. [Read more 🡒]