Warriors Reunite With NBA G League/Summer League Star on 2-Way Deal

After a busy summer, the Golden State Warriors can still add two more players to their already impressive stable of talent, and there is a clear leader in the clubhouse for the first of those jobs.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Friday, July 21, that the Dubs had agreed to a two-way contract with NBA Summer League standout Lester Quinones, adding that the 6’5″ shooting guard has a legitimate shot to claim the team’s 14th roster spot ahead of the upcoming season.

“Guard Lester Quinones has agreed to return to the Golden State Warriors on a two-way NBA deal, per sources,” Charania tweeted. “Quinones will enter training camp with a strong opportunity for a full roster spot. He averaged 21.9 PPG, 4.4 APG and 4.1 RPG in seven Summer League games for the Warriors.”

Anthony Slater, also of The Athletic, retweeted his colleague’s report on Friday, adding that it is “unlikely” Golden State fills its 15th roster spot ahead of the season. However, Slater added that “there’s a strong chance [the Warriors] have a camp competition for the 14th spot with Quinones as a candidate among other non-guaranteed options.”

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Lester Quinones Stood Out on Offense as Undrafted Rookie

Golden State signed Quinones last offseason out of Memphis after he went unselected in the 2022 NBA Draft. Since joining the franchise, Quinones has proven himself upon every stage on which he’s been granted the opportunity.

The shooting guard averaged 21.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 0.9 steals on 32 minutes per night across 31 games played for the Santa Cruz Warriors — Golden State’s G League affiliate. Quinones shot 45% from the field, including 35.3% from deep on 3.2 attempts per outing, and 77.8% from the free throw line, according to NBA.com. He produced a positive net rating of 3.1 during his G League season as an offense-first player.

Though he didn’t rebound as well, Quinones was equally proficient as a scorer during the 2023 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He also put up similar assist numbers with 4.4 per night over the summer as opposed to the 4.8 assists he averaged during last year’s G League campaign.

Quinones got minimal run with the Warriors’ main roster last year, appearing in four regular season games. He averaged 4.5 minutes per outing, along with 2.5 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists, per Basketball Reference. Quinones will turn 23 years old in November, shortly after the start of the 2023-24 regular season.

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Lester Quinones Must Fight Hard for Playing Time in Crowded Warriors’ Backcourt

The guard positions in Golden State are relatively stacked, particularly after the team traded for Chris Paul III, who figures to begin the year as the starting point guard.

Paul’s arrival will move Steph Curry into the shooting guard spot more regularly and will likely result in Klay Thompson starting at small forward, though Thompson will play some shooting guard as well. Curry is also likely to handle the ball for a significant amount of time at the point guard position.

Other guards on the team include Moses Moody, a former lottery pick whose role is expected to increase in his third season, and Gary Payton II, who the team traded to re-acquire in the middle of last year. The Warriors also selected Brandin Podziemski in the first round of the 2023 draft, who will play whatever minutes he sees during his rookie campaign as a member of the backcourt.

Despite his area of the floor being overcrowded, Quinones is potentially capable of filling in as a scorer off the bench with a game similar to that of the departed Jordan Poole. It may not happen anytime soon, or ever, but Quinones has given reason for Dubs fans to believe he could one day meaningfully contribute to the franchise’s success, particularly on the offensive side of the basketball.

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