Getty Anthony Lamb brings up the ball in a Houston Rockets game.
The Golden State Warriors are adding more competition to training camp, signing a former Houston Rockets wing who will make his bid to earn a roster spot.
The Warriors had already planned an open competition for the 15th and final roster spot, working out a number of veteran players over the summer and inviting several to training camp. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Monday that the Warriors added another wing to the mix.
“The Warriors are signing forward Anthony Lamb to a training camp deal to compete for a roster spot, sources tell me and @anthonyVslater,” he tweeted. “Lamb has played 26 games for Houston and San Antonio over the past two NBA seasons.”
Lamb Gets Chance With Warriors
Though the Warriors already kicked off their preseason schedule with a pair of games against the Washington Wizards in Japan, Lamb will get a chance to show off his skills at the Warriors training camp. The 24-year-old small forward averaged 5.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per game over the course of two NBA seasons, spending time with the Rockets and one game with the San Antonio Spurs last season.
Lamb made an even bigger impression during his time with the G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He appeared in 13 games last season, averaging 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game and was named to the All-NBA G League Third Team.
Congratulations to Anthony Lamb on being selected to the 2021-2022 All-NBA G League Third Team 🎉🐍
Coming out of college after four years at Vermont, Lamb said he modeled his game after another do-it-all big man who spent time with the Rockets, P.J. Tucker.
“I know I can do a lot of what he does,” Lamb told Hoops Hype in a 2020 interview. “People tell me he plays really strong, he makes three-pointers, he spreads the floor with space. He is able to guard one through five. That is something I know I can do. That is why I know that being able to bring that to a team right away would be able to help and create a positive impact on whatever team I go to in the future.”
Warriors Making Roster Moves
The Warriors have already made a number of roster moves, including one that considerably tightened the competition at training camp. Veteran wing Andre Iguodala announced late last month that he was returning to the team for what will be his 19th NBA season. The Warriors had held a roster spot open for Iguodala, and his return means that the players competing at training camp will only have one spot to fill, not two.
The Warriors reportedly are releasing Mac McClung to make room for Ty Jerome, and bringing in Anthony Lamb to compete for a roster spot
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The Warriors have brought a group of players into training camp to compete for the final spot, including Jerome Robinson, Pat Spencer and Trevion Williams. Guard Mac McClung also earned a training camp deal, but was released at the same time that Lamb was signed.
The Warriors held a similar competition for the final spot last year, with journeyman guard Gary Payton II earning the final roster spot and eventually moving into an important spot in the regular-season and playoff rotation. The Warriors could also choose to leave the spot open, giving them flexibility going into the season.