The Golden State Warriors have completed their trio of two-way contracted players heading into training camp, signing summer league standout Graham Ike to sit alongside LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons.
With Cryer being a guard and Leons a wing/forward, it’s an understandable move from the Warriors to sign a center who could provide necessary insurance for injury-prone big men Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
Warriors complete two-way contracts with Graham Ike signing
Ike was Golden State’s starting center during the triumphant summer league campaign, having impressed with his interior presence on both ends of the floor after going in undrafted in June.
Ike averaged 10.0 points,7.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 block in nine appearances, shooting 48.4% from the floor in 21.2 minutes per game. The 22-year-old had six points, nine rebounds and three assists during the come from behind victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the Championship Game in July.
Ike enters the league following an extensive college career where was named to the All-American Third Team with Gonzaga last season, having averaged 19.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 56.3% from the floor.
He rounds out a four-man center depth chart headlined by the former Celtics championship duo of Porzingis and Horford, while the Warriors also brought back former second-round pick Charles Bassey on a minimum deal after he impressed during the final five games of last season on a 10-day contract.
Graham Ike could get minutes in injury-prone center rotation
Unlike many players on two-way contracts, Ike could see legitimate minutes for the Warriors this upcoming season as they manage the workloads of Porzingis and Horford who combined to play just 77 games last campaign. Horford is already ruled out from playing both sides of back-to-backs, and Golden State will undoubtedly be cautious with Porzingis given his injury and health history. Even Bassey, to a lesser extent, has an injury-plagued past that includes a torn ACL.
The Warriors have clearly taken into account their older, injury-prone roster with their two-way contracted players, with all three of Cryer, Leons and Ike potentially capable of filling minutes throughout the season rather than being strictly development players who would spend the majority of time in the G League.
The Warriors will already enter the season short-handed due to long-term injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, while they’re bound to deal with more injury concerns that could open the door for someone like Ike to kickstart his NBA career and become a long-term piece for the franchise.
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