The elevation of rookie center Quinten Post to the Golden State Warriors main roster has left the franchise with an open two-way spot, having previously signed Jackson Rowe following Reece Beekman's departure to the Brooklyn Nets in the Dennis Schroder trade.
Rowe has joined Pat Spencer on a two-way contract, with the Warriors having shown a propensity in the past to reward good G League form by signing players from Santa Cruz.
They're set to do that again coming out of the All-Star break, with reports former ninth overall pick Kevin Knox II will sign a 10-day contract following excellent recent performances in the G League.
The Warriors should sign Blake Hinson to a two-way contract
Knox and Rowe shouldn't necessarily be the only players elevated from Santa Cruz though. Undrafted forward Blake Hinson has been putting up some big numbers in the G League, including a massive 42-point outing against the Stockton Kings at Kaiser Permanente Arena last week.
Hinson shot 17-of-25 from the floor including 8-of-13 from 3-point range to help the Warriors to a high-scoring 152-144 victory. The 25-year-old also added 11 rebounds in 39 minutes of game-time as Santa Cruz held Stockton at bay after a 43-28 second-quarter.
.@B_Hinson21 rebound work 🤌💪#SeaDubs pic.twitter.com/2cGVJ2QbaU
— Santa Cruz Warriors (@GLeagueWarriors) February 14, 2025
In 18 regular season games (five starts) with Santa Cruz, Hinson is averaging 15.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. The 6'8" forward is shooting 36.3% from 3-point range on nearly nine attempts per game, having previously become a noted sharpshooter throughout his extensive college career.
As a member of the Pittsburgh Panthers, Hinson was awarded All-ACC Second Team honors in 2023 and First Team in 2024. Yet despite shooting 18.5 points on 42.1% from beyond the arc in his final year, Hinson went undrafted at last year's NBA Draft.
He signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and impressed for the franchise during Summer League, but was subsequently waived in order to sign a big man in the form of Christian Koloko. Golden State quickly swooped in signing Hinson to a training camp contract, but he was unable to make the final roster after playing just 10 minutes during preseason.
He may not go without an NBA deal for much longer, with Hinson's combination of physicality and pure shooting ability a potential fit for a Golden State roster that lacks shooting in the front court.
While much of the focus is on what the Warriors will do with their main roster spots, be on the lookout for the possibility of Hinson being rewarded with a two-way contract over the coming weeks.