Former Golden State Warriors champion finds new team in China

With the NBA regular season now very much on the horizon, a number of players have seen the writing on the wall when it comes to their futures in the league. That includes former Golden State Warriors champion Quinndary Weatherspoon who has found a new team internationally.

Weatherspoon has signed with the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association, having previously played for two different Chinese teams since his departure from the Warriors in 2022.

Former Warriors guard Quinndary Weatherspoon signs in China

The 28-year-old was on a two-way contract during the Warriors 2021-22 championship team, appearing in 11 games for the franchise in which he averaged 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists.

Weatherspoon was somewhat surprisingly waived the following preseason in favor of Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome. Known for his defensive tenacity first and foremost, Weatherspoon had previously played 31 games across two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs.

After a number of different stops internationally over the past two years, Weatherspoon joined the Phoenix Suns in this year's Summer League where he averaged 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and an assist on 34.6% shooting from the floor.

Former Los Angeles Lakers wing and 2018 first-round pick Troy Brown Jr. has also headed internationally for the first time, signing with Manisa Basket of the Basketball Super League in Turkey. After appearing in 59 games last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons, Brown worked out for Golden State this offseason in the hopes of earning a contract with the franchise that was ultimately not forthcoming.

Brown was initially the 15th overall pick of the 2018 Draft by the Washington Wizards, but is perhaps best known for his one year with the Lakers in 2022-23 where he made 45 starts and averaged 24.5 minutes per game.

Weatherspoon and Brown aren't the only two players with Warrior ties to head overseas during the offseason. 2x NBA champion Damian Jones also signed in China with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls, while another former Golden State big man, DeMarcus Cousins, finished the 2024 season with Philipino team the Zamboanga Valientes.

Eric Paschall, a former All-Rookie First Team member with the Warriors in 2020, signed to play for Pistoia Basket 2000 in Italy, as did former Golden State forward Anthony Lamb with Aquila Basket Trento.

Most notably last year's two-way contract big man Usman Garuba left the Warriors and the NBA to return home to Spain where he signed with his childhood team in Real Madrid.