Thunder may have gifted Warriors their latest hidden rotation gem

The Golden State Warriors have been succesful in unearthing unheralded rotation players in recent years, and fans may have just got their first glimpse at another young potential rotation piece.

In waiving Malevy Leons prior to the start of the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder might have just gifted a promising prospect to the Warriors after an impressive performance from the 26-year-old against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

Malevy Leons may prove Warriors newest hidden gem

Having appeared in just 21 garbage time minutes since signing a two-way contract with the Warriors in early December, Leons got his first real rotation opportunity in Memphis thanks to the absence of a number of key veteran players.

Leons certainly didn't look out of place on either end of the floor in his nearly 18 minutes, putting in a strong performance on both sides that certainly drew the attention of plenty of fans across social media.

With a skinny 6'9" frame and a big 7'1" wingspan, it's certainly not difficult to identify Leons on a Golden State team that so often lacks size. Yet it was how he used that size that was impressive, including in one-on-one matchups defensively, on the glass as an active rebounder, and in an emphatic dunk on a drive from the perimeter in the fourth-quarter.

Leons finished with nine points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block, shooting 3-of-5 from the floor and nailing his only 3-pointer. Unfortunately he missed a pair of free-throws late in the game that left him as the only Warrior player not to reach double figures in scoring, but that didn't stop head coach Steve Kerr from identifying the second-year forward during his post-game press conference.

"I thought Malevy was awesome. Just the energy, defending without fouling. Creating some problems for them on the defensive end of the floor, and then making some nice plays on offense too. It was fun to watch him play," Kerr said.

It may still be a slow burn for Leons to earn consistent minutes in a healthier Warrior rotation, but the Dutchman only has to look at Gui Santos and Moses Moody as examples of players who had to bide their time before exploding into prominent roles recently.

The other good news for Leons is that he's still eligible to be on a two-way contract for two further years, with Wednesday's performance already proof enough that the Warriors should persist with him beyond this season.