Warriors Defensive Stopper Returns After Signing Qualifying Offer: Report

The Golden State Warriors‘ front office has been busy since summer league action wrapped up on Sunday. After a couple of weeks without word of a signing, the team suddenly came to terms with a multitude of players recently.

Earlier in the week, The Athletic’s Shams Charania indicated that journeyman big man JaMychal Green and summer league standout Mac McClung would be making their way to the Bay Area. Then, on Friday night, the league insider reported that former Purdue center Trevion Williams had agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the Dubs.

Those aren’t the only signings coming down the pike, though. A familiar face has a new deal as well.

As reported by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, guard Quinndary Weatherspoon has signed his qualifying offer from the team, a move that will keep him in his two-way slot from last season. The signing was later confirmed by the NBA’s transaction log.

Weatherspoon Has Made an Impression

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Weatherspoon appeared in all of 11 regular-season games for the Warriors in 2021-22, largely in mop-up and emergency situations. Along the way, he averaged 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 6.6 minutes per contest.

Weatherspoon was a force to be reckoned with during his time in the G League, though, logging a 25-7-3 line and shooting 52.3% from the floor.

However, he’s made his name on the defensive side of the court. The baller famously earned time on the main roster last season by using his impressive 6-foot-9 wingspan to give Dubs star Klay Thompson fits when he was practicing with the G Leaguers as part of his rehab.

It’s a story similar to that of Gary Payton II, who made it his mission to nullify Stephen Curry during training camp while he was vying for a spot last fall. That’s apropos, too, as Weatherspoon believes he can follow in Payton’s footsteps.

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The Warriors’ Next Great Find?

During summer league, Weatherspoon made no bones about his desire to break out of the two-way loop and finally lock down a regular roster spot. “I see other people doing less than what I did who get their opportunity,” Weatherspoon said, via the San Francisco Chronicle.

For that reason, he held off on signing his qualifying offer. Clearly, though, he recognizes a good situation when he sees it.

“It’s all about fit. I think Golden State is a great fit for me.”

He’s not just talking about his side of it, either. Weatherspoon fully believes he can follow up on the unlikely success of Young Glove and be Golden State’s lockdown specialist in 2022-23.

“Some of the things that GP did last year, I think I can bring to the team,” Weatherspoon added. “As long as I bring the right mindset in, I think a lot of things will work out.”

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