The Warriors’ two-way picture is looking awfully thin, and Malevy Leons’ latest preseason outing only sharpened that concern.
Golden State needs production from every corner of its roster this season. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are out until at least mid-season, which puts even more pressure on the team’s depth pieces. That includes all three two-way contract spots, because each of those players could be asked to fill rotational minutes at some point once the games start counting.
LJ Cryer has a clear lane as a shooter and pesky guard. Graham Ike also has a path, though that depends in part on Kristaps Porzingis’ return staying delayed. Leons, though, doesn’t sit in that same tier after his roughest preseason showing so far against the Portland Trail Blazers.
He had been better in Golden State’s first preseason game, and Alex Toohey doesn’t look like a real threat to push him off his two-way spot. Still, those two things can coexist with the bigger issue: Leons may be close to locked into a roster spot, but it’s hard to picture him giving the Warriors steady value on an NBA floor.
The concerns are pretty straightforward. His jumper comes and goes, and he doesn’t bring enough force inside to make a consistent impact unless the offense gifts him easy looks on cuts to the rim.
That leaves Golden State in a tricky place. With Dalen Terry not eligible for a two-way deal and no better alternatives having emerged, the Warriors may end up carrying Leons into 2026-27 whether they like the fit or not.
It’s not entirely fair to bury Leons based on what he showed last season. He hurt his shooting wrist at the start of his time with the Warriors, and he was probably still getting minutes largely because the rotation was so short-handed. In 25 games, he put up 3.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.9 assists while shooting 44.4% from the field.
There were signs of life in Summer League, where he averaged 9.8 points and shot 56.1% from the field.
But against Portland, in what was easily his biggest chance yet to make a statement, Leons managed just five points and went 2-of-11 from the field in more than 33 minutes. For a more polished player, that kind of preseason line would barely register.
For Leons, it fits the pattern. He has not shown enough against NBA-level competition to treat this as a random off night.
The finishing is inconsistent, and his offensive game is limited for a forward in Golden State’s system.
That sort of profile can work if a team only needs one two-way player it can trust. The Warriors don’t really have that luxury. They may need all three of those spots to matter, and right now they don’t have a cleaner answer waiting in the wings.
Terry was solid against Portland, but he can’t be signed to a two-way contract because he has four years of NBA experience. He’ll likely have to begin the season in the G-League and go from there.
Toohey, one of Golden State’s second-round picks in 2025, is the other possible option. But he scored just five points in the Portland game too, and he still looks a long way from being a dependable scorer at the NBA level. The encouraging part is simply that he’s back after the injury that wiped out most of his rookie year.
The Warriors did bring in Terry to add competition on the main roster, but their offseason moves have basically left Leons with a clear path to a two-way deal. Maybe they could have added Lajae Jones on a training camp contract, or taken a swing on Jordan Hawkins or another undrafted free agent such as Tobe Awaka or Nick Martinelli.
Instead, Golden State is left hoping Leons keeps developing. That’s where things stand as the Warriors head toward what should be a pivotal regular season.
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The harder part is sorting out how his status could ripple beyond rehab. There is already speculation from one Bleacher Report writer about a possible Butler trade to the New Orleans Pelicans, a reminder that his name can still pull the conversation in multiple directions even while he recovers. Nothing along those lines has been confirmed, but it is the kind of idea that keeps a decision like this from feeling routine, especially for a Warriors team watching the entire situation unfold from a distance. [Read more 🡒]