Golden State Warriors Sign Michael Gbinije to Training Camp Deal
The Golden State Warriors signed former Detroit Pistons player, Michael Gbinije, on Tuesday, per Keith Smith of Real GM.
Despite the NBA still being roughly a month away from the start of the 2017-18 preseason, the Golden State Warriors front office has proven themselves to already be in midseason form, signing Michael Gbinije to what many believe to be a training camp deal.
News of this signing was first reported via Twitter by Keith Smith of Real GM on Tuesday.
Gbinije, 25, was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 49th overall pick (second round, pick 19) in the 2016 NBA Draft. Over the course of the 2016-17 regular season, the 6-foot-7 small forward played nine games with the Pistons, averaging 0.4 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.2 assists on 10 percent shooting in 3.5 minutes.
Gbinije also spent time with Detroit’s G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive, playing a total 16 games. In 35 minutes per game, he averaged 12.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.8 steals on 42.1 percent shooting from the field, 33.3 percent shooting from behind the arc.
Former Detroit Pistons forward Michael Gbinije has signed with the Golden State Warriors. Likely a camp deal designed to get him to NBAGL.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 5, 2017
He played five games with Detroit in the 2017 Orlando Summer League, averaging 7.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals in 29.4 minutes, shooting 26.5 percent from the field and 30.0 percent from behind the arc.
He was waived by Detroit on July 15, officially becoming a free agent on July 18. According to Real GM, Gbinije was picked up by the Warriors on August 29.
Official details on Gbinije’s contract have yet to surface, but it’s highly likely Gbinije has signed a partially-guranteed deal that will see him onto Golden State’s G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, following the conclusion of the preseason.
The same goes for former Indiana Pacers power forward, Georges Niang, who, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, signed a deal with the Warriors in mid-August.
Sources: Free agent Georges Niang signed partial guarantee with Golden State. He'll likely play for Santa Cruz, GSW's G-League affiliate.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 16, 2017
Niang, 24, was drafted by the Pacers with the 50th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He played 23 games with Indiana, averaging 0.9 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.2 assists in 4.0 minutes.
While playing for Indiana’s G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Niang averaged 19.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 33 minutes, shooting 44.8 percent from the field, 30.3 percent from behind the arc.
Both will be welcome additions to the Santa Cruz Warriors, who will be headed over by new head coach and former Golden State Warriors player, Aaron Miles.