To say that the 2019-20 NBA season was a lost year for the Golden State Warriors doesn’t quite sum up the experience. Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala were gone, Klay Thompson was shelved by his ACL tear and Stephen Curry eventually joined him with a broken hand.
As a result, Steve Kerr was forced to ride a ragtag group of renegade ballers to a 15-50 record before the pandemic hit; the team’s worst result since 2000-01 when Dave Cowens was calling the shots. That’s not to say that it was all bad for Dub Nation — there were a handful of bright spots amid the downturn.
While the Andrew Wiggins trade probably tops that particular list (especially in hindsight), the play of two-way signee Ky Bowman on both sides of the ball definitely put smiles on fans’ faces, too.
Regardless, Bowman couldn’t lock down a long-term spot in Golden State, and he went on to suffer a devastating injury of his own. Now, though, the 24-year-old is battling to get back into the Association and his rights have already been acquired by a new club.
Bowman Signs G-League Deal, Gets Traded
Over the last few days, a pair of former Warriors have signed G League contracts; Bowman was one of them, joining fellow guard Quinn Cook; Mychal Mulder is said to be signing a deal as well.
Unlike the Cook, though, Bowman didn’t join the available player pool. His rights were already owned by the Agua Caliente Clippers, who subsequently traded him to the Austin Spurs in exchange for the returning player rights to Cam Reynolds and a first-round pick in the 2022 G League Draft.
And it looks as though he’ll actually suit up for his new team. Per the official release, Bowman has been assigned the No. 6 for his Spurs uniform. Meanwhile, the G League transaction log notes that he has been activated by the team.
Getting back onto the hardwood in the developmental league is a big step for Bowman. The former Boston College star suffered a season-ending ACL tear last February while with Agua Caliente.
However, player development guru Packie Turner — who has worked with Steph and Seth Curry, Aaron Gordon and multiple former Warriors, among others — has been training with Bowman and has raved about the work he’s been doing:
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Bowman’s Career At a Glance
After playing three years at BC, Bowman was invited to participate in the 2019 NBA draft combine but ultimately failed to hear his name called. However, he landed a two-way contract with the Warriors just one day after the draft.
During his lone year in the Bay Area, the 6-foot-1 point-man appeared in 45 games for the Warriors, making 11 starts along the way. He averaged 7.4 points, 2.9 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 22.6 minutes per contest in doing so.
His best game was a November ’19 loss to the Trail Blazers, during which he scored a career-high 24 points, while adding five assists, three rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot.
The Warriors eventually converted Bowman’s two-way pact to a multiyear NBA deal. However, they ultimately parted ways with him just before the start of the 2020-21 season, prompting his move to the Clippers and their affiliate squad.
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Former Warrior Gets Traded While Eyeing Hardwood Return