With all the disappointments of this offseason, Golden State Warriors fans at least have one thing to look forward to— even when most teams have finished their offseason business, the Warriors still have two guaranteed roster spots and a two-way contract to dole out.
That's not necessarily a positive thing. But those players could come to have major roles this season as Golden State leans into its depth in the absences of Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler. At the very least, there's some intrigue there.
Rumors have floated surrounding Golden State's interest in free agents like Georges Niang, Kelly Olynyk, Dalen Terry, and Brandon Williams. It's almost certain that the Warriors will sign at least one of those pieces to a veteran minimum deal to fill out their roster. Notably, second-round selection Lajae Jones also has yet to sign a contract with the organization.
But with Mike Dunleavy's pronouncement, per NBC Sports Bay Area, that Golden State will likely enter the season with all 15 of their roster spots full, a path has been opened for Jones to eventually join the team on a two-way deal. As of now, that's likely his only path to the roster.
Lajae Jones could be an important two-way contributor for the Warriors in 2026-27
The Warriors' desire to enter the season with a full roster makes perfect sense. They'll be down two starters until at least mid-season as Butler and Moody rehab their injuries. With a particularly injury-prone, veteran core, they're going to need as much help as they can get as the regular season unfolds.
“I think we’ll go 15, based on the injuries to Moses and Jimmy. That puts us at 13 on opening night – available players. To stick with 14, a lot of that was kind of avoiding tax and apron issues. I think right now we put ourselves in a position to carry 15 on opening night, and would be pretty surprised if we didn’t.” Mike Dunleavy via NBC Sports Bay Area
There are multiple paths for the Warriors to fill those two roster spots. They can either sign two veteran free agents, or they can sign one (likely targeting the frontcourt) and leave the second spot open for a training camp battle among the two-way players.
As of now, LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons are taking up two of the Warriors' three two-way spots. If there were a battle, Cryer would likely have the upper hand after a strong Summer League showing.
That likely leaves Jones destined for the final two-way spot. But there's no shame in that.
Jones flashed some on-ball defensive upside and perimeter shooting potential during Summer League. Last season at Florida State, he averaged 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while knocking down 32.5% of his attempts from beyond the arc. If he can hit his 3-point shots more consistently and be more controlled in his attacking of closeouts and downhill drives, he has a chance to develop, rather quickly, into an NBA-caliber rotation player. He'd certainly get some run in the early portions of the season even on a two-way deal.
Dunleavy's comments don't necessarily indicate what direction the Warriors will take with those final two roster spots. But his desire for depth makes it seem like the priority for those guaranteed spots will be both health and veteran experience.
Perhaps elevating Cryer would open the door to add Graham Ike as well, who showed upside as a paint presence during Summer League. But it certainly seems like Jones will be signing a two-way contract in the near future— once the rest of the Warriors' offseason business gets sorted out.
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