The Golden State Warriors have assessed veteran forward Georges Niang, and head coach Steve Kerr has taken a patient approach.
According to Kerr, after losing their third straight game to start the 2026-2027 NBA season, Georges Niang should continue to work on himself, as the team has chosen to be more patient with him considering his past injuries.
“Georges will find his way. You know he hasn’t played in a year basically with the injuries last year, so he doesn’t have his legs underneath him yet. He’s such a good basketball player and a perfect fit for us,” Kerr said after the Warriors’ 131-122 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.
Georges Niang’s Injuries Before Joining The Golden State Warriors
During the 2024-2025 NBA season, Niang maintained his reliability, splitting time between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks while missing only a single game due to a brief illness in March 2025. However, his fortune shifted in September 2025 during offseason training with the Utah Jazz, where he was diagnosed with a fourth metatarsal stress reaction in his left foot.
The Jazz chose a cautious recovery timeline to prevent long-term structural damage, which ultimately sidelined him for the entire 2025-2026 NBA season. After a year away from competitive action, Niang signed with the Golden State Warriors ahead of the 2026-2027 season, slotting him as the team’s backup power forward.
In his Warriors regular season debut against the Los Angeles Lakers, Niang posted 7 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals across 20 minutes. He followed that up on October 23 against the Memphis Grizzlies, recording 4 points and 3 rebounds in a 13-minute stint off the bench.
Rounding out the opening stretch against the Phoenix Suns, Niang struggled from the floor by shooting 2-of-9 to finish with 4 points and 4 rebounds in 23 minutes.
Georges Niang Reveals Why He Signed With The Warriors
Georges Niang signed a one-year, $3.9 million contract with the Warriors in the offseason to complete the 15-roster of the team in the regular season.
This was a full-circle moment for Niang, who joined the Warriors training camp at the height of the Warriors dynasty with Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson.
“That all started when I signed a training camp deal with the Warriors 10 years ago” he said on the Not Even D2 podcast. “I got to see how Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green worked every day. Same time, same hoop, same drill, and I was like ‘dang, they just won a championship’ – Who am I to not have a routine if these guys are still acting like they’re trying to make the team?”
Niang also praised how Curry holds down the Warriors fort even after their dynasty years.
“Being on the other team, I don’t think people understand how much you worry about a guy like [Steph Curry]. There’s been so many times where we’ve been up 15 or 16 against the Warriors in the 4th quarter with 2 minutes to go, and we’re still like ‘Alright, the game’s not over’,” he said.
Niang can still turn things around with the Warriors this season as the team looks to remain in the hunt for the playoffs.
Warriors’ Steve Kerr Makes Assessment On Georges Niang After Poor Showing