The Golden State Warriors are making a change at the margins of their roster, waiving forward Jackson Rowe from his two-way contract. While the move won’t make national headlines, it’s another small but telling adjustment for a team still trying to find the right mix behind its core.
Rowe’s time with the Warriors has mostly played out behind the scenes. After signing a two-way deal in January, he spent most of his minutes with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League, where he put up solid numbers-16.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 36.4% from deep.
That production earned him a brief look at the NBA level, where he appeared in six games, averaging 3.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per contest. He shot 47.1% from the field, though his three-point stroke (30%) didn’t quite translate in the small sample.
At 28, Rowe was a late bloomer by NBA standards, but his path to the league was anything but conventional-and that’s part of what made his story so compelling. A four-year starter at Cal State Fullerton from 2016 to 2020, Rowe was a steady presence in the paint and on the glass, averaging 12.1 points and 7.3 rebounds across 111 collegiate games. He shot an efficient 57.5% from the field and a respectable 37.3% from beyond the arc, showing the kind of inside-out versatility that’s become more valued in today’s NBA.
After college, Rowe took the long road. He played professionally in France, Sweden, Canada, and Germany before finally landing in the G League last year. When he made his NBA debut, he became just the 13th player in Cal State Fullerton history to log minutes in the league-a testament to his persistence and the global grind it took to get there.
But in Golden State, opportunity is limited, especially for players trying to break in on two-way deals. Head coach Steve Kerr has leaned more heavily on another two-way player, Pat Spencer, who’s carved out a bit more trust within the rotation. With the Warriors’ roster currently heavy on guards and light on frontcourt depth, Rowe became the odd man out.
The Warriors haven’t announced who will fill Rowe’s spot, but the expectation is that they’ll look to bring in another big man. With rookie Alex Toohey still trying to find his footing and the team’s depth chart leaning guard-heavy, a more traditional frontcourt presence could help restore some balance.
Moves like this don’t shake up the standings, but they’re part of the constant roster recalibration that teams like the Warriors have to make-especially when you’re trying to squeeze every ounce of value out of two-way contracts. For Rowe, it’s another chapter in a career that’s already seen its fair share of twists. And for Golden State, it’s a small tweak in a season where every detail matters.