Having enjoyed a breakout period over the second half of last season, Gui Santos projects to be an incredibly important piece for the Golden State Warriors ahead of opening night in October.
That may be behind the Warriors' reported push against Santos playing for the Brazilian national team in the next fortnight, with the young forward left out of the squad to face the Dominican Republic (August 27) and Mexico (August 31) as part of FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
Warriors reportedly decide against Gui Santos' Brazil availability
According to Brazilian journalist Ze Pereira, it was Golden State who weren't very open to Santos playing in the two games ahead of what's sure to be another important season for the 24-year-old.
"The relationship between non-star NBA players during FIBA windows is always very complex; there were negotiations for the Brazilian to be available for this match. The GSW ended up not being very open to releasing him," Pereira said (translated from Portuguese).
Sobre a ausencia de Gui Santos na lista.
— Zé Pereira #ApostoloDeMasaiUjiri (@Jpsn89) August 18, 2026
A relação entre jogadores não-estrela da NBA em janelas FIBA é sempre muito complexa, houve uma tratativa para que o brasileiro estivesse disponÃvel para esta partida.
O GSW acabou não dando muita abertura para a liberação dele. https://t.co/YPuT90gQkr
It would make sense that this decision has been influenced by the Warriors rather than being directly made by Santos himself. Having been rewarded for his improvement with a three-year, $15 million contract at the end of February, it's not as if Santos needs to keep himself out to ensure he's healthy because he's still chasing a payday.
Santos has established himself as a core member of the Brazilian team over recent years, including playing in the 2024 Paris Olympics and the last FIBA World Cup the year prior. However, this would have been the first time he would have played for his country since becoming a bonafide and consistent NBA player.
Gui Santos' role will be truly fascinating entering this season
Santos averaged 15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals on nearly 52% shooting from the floor in his final 31 games from January 28 onwards. There will be a big watch on him entering this season as a result, particularly to resolve how much his numbers were attributed to the absences of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.
After starting 28 of his final 31 games, including both Play-In Tournament games against the L.A. Clippers and Phoenix Suns, Santos is no certainty to remain in the starting lineup come opening night despite Butler's ongoing absence.
The addition of 11th overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg threatens to reduce Santos' role in the frontcourt rotation, but this reported decision to urge him out of national duties suggests the Warriors still see the former 55th overall pick as a huge part of their team in the short and long-term.
Add us as a preferred source on Google