The Golden State Warriors are coming to grips with the fact that head coach Steve Kerr might have been right about describing the team as a ‘fading dynasty‘, but they aren’t going down without a fight.
Most recently, the Warriors signed wing player Nate Williams to a two-way contract, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, in hopes of putting more talent around Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, new addition Kristaps Porzingis, and the rest of the roster.
“The Golden State Warriors are signing Nate Williams of the Long Island Nets to a two-way contract, according to league sources,” Fischer wrote in a post on X.
Williams was last signed with the Los Angeles Lakers over the summer, but was cut before the season began.
Warriors Sign Nate Williams To Two-Way Contract
The latest roster move from Golden State comes as at the All-Star break, they have a record of 29-26 and currently sit eighth in the Western Conference standings.
While not a major move, it shows that the front office is still looking to add talent in hopes of making a playoff push. Curry recently said that he believes this team can make a run, and while it is yet to be seen how much playing time Williams will get over the final two months of the regular season, the team wants to do everything they can to win one more title and close out the dynasty.
In his career, Williams has averaged 3.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.6 assists on 51.7/28.2/58.3 shooting splits in 8.6 minutes in 47 games across three different seasons.
He began his career with the Portland Trail Blazers, playing in only five games, starting in four, and putting up the best numbers of his career.
He then played the last two years with the Houston Rockets, getting minimal playing time with a significant drop in statistics compared to the 2022-23 season with the Blazers.
Williams then signed a deal with the Lakers over the summer, but was cut before the season began.
While his NBA numbers don’t show a whole lot, Williams had a standout four years at the University of Buffalo, putting up 19.1 points, five rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 2022, but he still went unselected in that year’s draft.
Perhaps now, with Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield gone, Williams will slide in as a backup or reserve wing for the Warriors to give them a bit of energy in the non-Curry minutes.
Kristaps Porzingis Injury Update
While Golden State certainly isn’t signing Williams to play in the frontcourt, his addition is notable because, at the moment, the Warriors still haven’t seen Porzingis suit up for the team yet after landing him at the trade deadline for Kuminga and Hield.
After reportedly overcoming his P.O.T.S. illness, the Latvian is still dealing with a lingering Achilles injury that has sidelined him for half of the season.
However, before the All-Star Break, head coach Steve Kerr did tell reporters that Porzingis had played in five-on-five drills at practice, a good sign for the big man who the Warriors could desperately use at this point in the season, on both sides of the ball.
Minute limit? “48 straight,” he joked.
Does sound like he wants a normal workload quickly though.
Additionally, speaking to the press, Porzingis said that he is targeting the team’s first game after the All-Star break to make his Warriors’ debut, according to team insider Anthony Slater.
Having Porzingis on the court, both in terms of spreading the floor to add three-point shooting and rim protection, will hopefully be a strong piece as they battle to make the playoffs and stay out of the Play-In Tournament.
However, the team has yet to fully announce a return date for Porzingis and take him off the injury report, but for now, they have Williams to add to their depth chart.
Warriors Sign Ex-Lakers Wing Amid Latest Porzingis Injury Update