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What’s next for the Golden State Warriors and their 14th roster spot?

By Peter O'Keefe

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 28: Mike Dunleavy attends the game between the Utah Jazz and the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on November 28, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 28: Mike Dunleavy attends the game between the Utah Jazz and the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on November 28, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors made a somewhat surprising decision following their final preseason game on Friday, waiving veteran duo Rudy Gay and Rodney McGruder who had been battling for the franchise’s 14th roster spot.

After bringing ’40-50 guys’ in for workouts over the offseason, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the Warrior front office are yet to find someone suitable for that roster spot. That’s no doubt got to do with the free agent players available, but also the increased trust the franchise has in its younger players after an impressive preseason.

The Golden State Warriors WILL have to make a decision on their 14th roster spot at some point across the next 15 days.

Under CBA rules, NBA teams must have fewer than 14 players for no more than 28 total days during the regular season, and for no more than 14 straight days. In other words, Golden State must sign another player two weeks into the regular season starting on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns.

The Warriors plans appear simple here — nor Gay or McGruder were moving the needle enough for them to sign without first sorting through the plethora of players waived in the lead up to the regular season.

Rudy Gay was waived by the Golden State Warriors on Friday. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Rudy Gay was waived by the Golden State Warriors on Friday. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

The NBA has seen a flood of transactional activity in recent days as teams finalize their roster. The majority of players are young with little to no NBA experience, which with all due respect, aren’t going to be desirable for the championship-aspiring Warriors.

There are some though that fall into the same sort of category as Gay and McGruder. Players like Kevin Knox, Justise Winslow, Wenyen Gabriel, Tony Bradley, Jaylen Nowell, Darius Bazley, Khem Birch and Derrick Favors are all names with reasonable NBA experience that have been waived over the last week.

It’s not yet known if the Warriors have any interest in these or any of the other recently-waived players, but you can bet your house they’re wanting to scour the market one more time before being forced into a decision.

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Failing that Golden State could convert one of it’s two-way players, though that appears unlikely after limited preseason minutes for Lester Quinones, Jerome Robinson and Usman Garuba.

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