Warriors’ Newest Addition Joins Team Prior to Home Opener: Report

The Golden State Warriors greeted the newest addition to their roster ahead of the team’s home opener against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, October 21.

Anthony Slater, of The Athletic, reported the arrival of guard Jeff Dotwin via Twitter.

“Jeff Dotwin, the Warriors’ new two-way contract guard, has joined the team,” Slater wrote Thursday morning. “Currently having a post shootaround conversation with Steve Kerr.”

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Dotwin Offers Offensive Presence to Backcourt Already Flush With It

Slater reported the signing of Dotwin on Monday, October 18, also via social media, adding details on the deal and why the Warriors brought the young pro into the fold.

“The Warriors are claiming Jeff Dowtin and converting him to their vacant two-way roster spot, per source,” Slater wrote. “He’s a scoring guard who performed well in summer league, including for the Warriors in Sacramento.”

Precisely what role Dotwin will play remains unclear, but as the newest member of the roster his chances of seeing action against the Clippers Thursday night are slim to none. His role moving forward will most likely be to serve the team in a capacity from the end of the bench, at least at first.

An offensive presence in college at Rhode Island University where he averaged 15.3 points per game his junior season and 13.9 points per game his senior year, according to Basketball Reference, the 24-year-old Dotwin has been a career NBA G Leaguer to this point. He graduated from Rhode Island in 2020.

Dowtin stands at 6-feet, 3-inches tall and weighs 185 pounds. Scoring is the top attribute he brings to the table, though that is not what the Warriors currently need most. Steph Curry dominates the ball during his minutes at point guard, and head coach Steve Kerr plans to continue staggering Curry’s rotations with fellow backcourt starter Jordan Poole to guarantee a scoring threat from the guard position every minute of meaningful basketball that Golden State plays.

The stagger strategy, which Kerr announced prior to the Dubs’ season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, is likely to remain Golden State’s primary mode of offensive operation until the return of All-Star Klay Thompson from a more than two-year injury hiatus, which is currently projected for around Christmas 2021.

The decision proved effective the first time out, as the Warriors overtook the Lakers in the 4th quarter, going on to win on the road in convincing fashion by a score of 121-114.

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Guard Depth May Prove Useful to Dubs After Injury Scare in Opener

One development that would certainly throw a wrench into Kerr’s plans for the Warriors’ backcourt would be an injury to either Curry or Poole. The Dubs were unable to escape Los Angeles Tuesday night without suffering their first scare of the regular season in this regard.

Slater reported from the sideline that Poole had tweaked an ankle against the Lakers, after which members of the Warriors’ training staff escorted him to the locker room. Poole was able to return, however, and help his team to a victory.

According to further reporting from Slater on Thursday, there appear to be no linger effects.

“No injury report surprises for the Warriors tonight in the home opener vs Clippers,” Slater wrote on Twitter. “Jordan Poole not even listed after that ankle twist the other night.”

While good news for Golden State, it remains clear that the team needs to keep its bench full of reinforcements in case Curry or Poole go down for any period of time. Dotwin now adds to the ranks of Dubs guards who could step in and score a bucket or two should worse come to worse against the Clippers, or anywhere else down the line.

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