Having signed Graham Ike to a two-way contract on Sunday, the Golden State Warriors have seemingly crushed any hope second-round Lajae Jones had of being on an NBA roster this season.
Jones was selected 54th overall in the second-round of June’s NBA draft and suited up for the Warriors in summer league where he played nine games on the team's way to the championship. However, Jones doesn’t appear to be part of Golden State plans for this upcoming season, having missed out on the chance of a two-way contract as the front office locks in Ike alongside LJ Cryer and Malevy Lyons.
Warriors squeeze out Lajae Jones with Graham Ike signing
It’s not an overly surprising move considering there were immediate reports following his selection that Jones could be a draft-and-stash prospect for Golden State. Ike's impressive form during summer league, and the Warriors need for another center as insurance for veteran duo Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, only solidified the fact Jones won’t be part of the team this season.
It’s not yet known where Jones will ply his trade. There’s still a chance Golden State keep him in house by having him play for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G league, allowing themselves to keep a watchful eye on his development for a potential call up later down the track.
The other option is to have Jones go overseas to play in another competition, something that might offer the 22-year-old a more lucrative avenue from a financial standpoint as he begins his professional career.
Jones was largely in a bench role during summer league, averaging 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.1 minutes while shooting only 41% from the floor and 25% from 3-point range.
Warriors prioritize rotation players with two-way contracts
The point of two-way contracted players is largely as development pieces who can split their time between the G League and main squad. The Warriors, however, are clearly acknowledging that their aging and injury-prone roster requires their two-way players to be legitimate rotation pieces on some nights this season.
Ike, Leons and Cryer all fit that mould, the latter two of which played considerable minutes late last season through Golden State's injury crisis. Cryer, in particular, could stake a claim for genuine rotation minutes even when the roster has relatively good health.
While Jones did show some positive signs during summer league to suggest he could become an NBA player in the future, he did appear a development prospect that would struggle to find his way on the floor early on.
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