The Warriors still have unfinished business in free agency, and one of the biggest calls left on their board may be right in front of them: what to do with LJ Cryer.
Golden State already lost Pat Spencer to the Phoenix Suns earlier in the month, and that departure left the team with another point guard question to answer. Cryer has made that decision harder. His summer league run didn’t just lock down his place on a two-way contract - it also put him in the conversation for a real roster spot.
He kept that momentum going Sunday in the Championship Game, helping the Warriors beat the 94-90 victory in the Championship Game on Sunday with 15 points, three rebounds and six assists. He shot 5-of-10 from the field and 4-of-8 from 3-point range while dealing with an ankle injury, and once again looked like one of the team’s most useful creators.
That matters because the Warriors don’t have many guards who can do what he does. His ability to make plays and shoot off the dribble stands out on a roster that, beyond Stephen Curry, doesn’t have much of that skill set. With Curry now 38 and having recently missed 27 straight games because of a knee concern that will need to be managed, the need for another reliable ballhandler feels even more obvious.
The current projected depth chart shows just how open things still are. At point guard, it’s Stephen Curry and Cryer on a two-way deal.
Brandin Podziemski, De'Anthony Melton, Will Richard and injured Moses Moody are listed at shooting guard. Small forward includes Gui Santos, injured Jimmy Butler and two-way player Malevy Leons.
Power forward has Draymond Green, who remains unsigned, along with Yaxel Lendeborg. At center, the group is Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Charles Bassey.
There is reportedly mutual interest in bringing back Gary Payton II, but the Warriors have to decide whether that should come at the expense of keeping Cryer buried on a two-way contract. The case for moving Cryer up is simple: if the team believes he belongs in the rotation, why wait to make it official? Otherwise, Golden State could end up needing to convert him later, and that isn’t always easy if there isn’t a roster spot waiting.
Across eight summer league games, Cryer averaged 14.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 41.3% from 3-point range on nearly eight attempts per game.
In Other News...
Warriors' LeBron Chase Just Put A Huge Plan B In Focus
The veteran market keeps circling back to DeMar DeRozan, and the Warriors are part of that conversation as they weigh their next move. With the forward recently waived and still drawing interest across the league, Golden State is keeping tabs on a player who would immediately bring scoring, shot creation and a long track record of production to a roster that is still trying to maximize Stephen Currys window.
What makes the situation more interesting is the way the Warriors are approaching it, with their interest tied to a bigger swing elsewhere. DeRozan is also on the radar for the Pistons, Raptors, Lakers and Trail Blazers, and the Lakers ability to offer only the veteran minimum could matter in the end. For Golden State, the question is whether the chase for LeBron James changes the entire board, or whether DeRozan becomes the more realistic name to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Steph Curry Just Lost One Of His Favorite Thunder Matchups
Stephen Currys history against Oklahoma City has long been tied to one familiar face, and not in a flattering way for the Thunder. Lu Dort spent years as the rugged assignment on Curry, the kind of defender teams leaned on when they wanted to make life as uncomfortable as possible for Golden States star guard. The numbers still tilted heavily toward Curry in those meetings, but the matchup itself had become one of the leagues more familiar chess matches.
Now the Thunder have to redraw that picture. With Dort gone, Cason Wallace is expected to take on a bigger share of the work against Curry, giving Oklahoma City a younger option with room to grow into the role. There is at least one recent reminder that the switch can matter, too, since Wallace drew the start in a game last season and Curry was held to 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting in a Thunder win. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Hit A Wall Chasing Ex-Warriors Champion
The Lakers have moved to shore up their perimeter defense by signing Matisse Thybulle to a one-year contract, a familiar sort of fallback for a team still trying to reshape its roster around the post-LeBron James reality. Thybulle brings the kind of defensive reputation that can help on the edges, and his addition comes as Los Angeles continues to search for pieces that fit a new direction.
What makes the move notable from a Warriors perspective is the path not taken. Los Angeles had been exploring Jonathan Kuminga as part of its broader roster hunt, but that pursuit never got to the finish line, and the Lakers were not eager to empty out valuable draft assets in a sign-and-trade chase. For now, the pivot to Thybulle says as much about the market as it does about the Lakers' priorities. [Read more 🡒]