Malevy Leons didn’t need a headline-grabbing preseason night to make his case with the Warriors. He just needed to look like a player who belongs.
That mattered on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, where Leons turned in a tidy first showing in Golden State’s preseason debut and gave himself a little breathing room in the race for one of the team’s two-way spots. The Warriors still have 14th- and 15th-roster battles in play, but the conversation around the two-way slots is where things get especially interesting.
LJ Cryer and Graham Ike appear to have a firmer grip on their spots. Cryer brings perimeter shooting that could matter later in the season, and with Kristaps Porzinigis still missing from practice, the Warriors do not have much flexibility in the big man rotation to move on from Ike. That leaves Leons in the most vulnerable position, especially with former second-round pick Alex Toohey in camp and flashing enough against the Clippers to remind Golden State why it drafted him.
Leons, though, answered with a solid start after a rough stretch with the team last season.
He isn’t likely to play a major role this year, and with Georges Niang still on the roster, Golden State does not have an immediate opening for what Leons offers. Even with Jimmy Butler out until at least mid-season, Leons does not bring the floor spacing or offensive upside to push Niang out of the picture in terms of rotation flexibility.
Last season’s numbers also didn’t make his case easy. In 25 games during the Warriors’ depleted stretch, Leons averaged 3.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists while shooting 44.4% from the floor. He often looked uncomfortable with the ball and hesitant when driving to the rim.
There was context behind that, though. Leons played through a wrist injury last season and even had to shoot free throws with his non-shooting hand. Golden State was short on options, so he stayed on the floor anyway.
Sunday looked different. Leons was active, found ways to cut into the offense, and showed some solid perimeter defense when the chances came. In just under 10 minutes, he finished with eight points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal.
That was more involvement than he showed at any point last season.
He also carried over some momentum from Summer League, where he was much more productive. Across nine games between Las Vegas and the California Classic, Leons averaged 9.6 points on 56.5% shooting from the field.
For Leons, the path to sticking around is pretty clear: fit into Golden State’s new offensive structure, stay active along the baseline, rebound, and finish around the rim. He checked those boxes on Sunday, and that gives him a real foothold as Toohey keeps pushing for his own two-way opportunity.
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It is a familiar kind of Warriors crossroads: protect the future while managing the present. With concerns already lingering around the health of Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis, the urgency goes beyond one negotiation, even if Podziemski's situation may resolve soon. How Golden State handles that conversation will say plenty about where the front office thinks this team is headed. [Read more 🡒]