The Golden State Warriors officially announced the signing of Nate Williams to a two-way contract on Tuesday, leaving intrigue remaining on what the front office plans to do with the vacant 15th roster spot.
Based on recent history, Williams' addition to the Warriors is bad news for former second overall pick Lonzo Ball who had been linked to the franchise in the past fortnight after being waived by the Utah Jazz.
Nate Williams signing is bad news for Lonzo Ball
Ball remains an available free agent, but any suggestion of Golden State acquiring the 28-year-old has diminishing over the past 10 days. Acquiring Williams -- a similarly age and size of player -- doesn't bode well for Ball's chances of landing with the Warriors, nor any other free agent currently available on the market.
As a 27-year-old with 47 games of NBA experience, Williams is more of a ready-made player rather than a young project piece who needs significant time to develop. That's not to say he's going to play a significant role in Steve Kerr's rotation over the final 27 games of the season, but Golden State are likely to feel comfortable utilizing him in limited minutes if the situation arises.
From Long Island to The Bay!
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 17, 2026
The Warriors have signed guard Nate Williams to a two-way contract. pic.twitter.com/EC9ikAy4Sq
Williams' signing suggests the Warriors aren't overly thrilled with the current free agent market, and they'd rather save some money and utilize their previously open two-way spot to add a replacement rotation player.
If Golden State do ultimately qualify for the postseason and the 15th roster spot remains open, it's very likely Williams could then have his deal converted, allowing him to be active and available during the playoffs.
The Warriors have a history of such moves in recent years, firstly with Usman Garuba prior to the 2024 Play-In tournament loss against the Sacramento Kings, and then with Braxton Key on the eve of last year's playoffs.
Ball may subsequently have to look elsewhere for his next NBA home, having appeared in 35 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season where he averaged 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists on just 30.1% shooting from the floor and 27.2% from 3-point range.
Golden State could alter their plans if a surprise buyout option becomes available in the coming weeks, but unless that's forthcoming, it appears like they'll keep the 15th spot open and hope that the returns of Stephen Curry, Kristaps Porzingis and Seth Curry will be more than enough to strengthen the rotation we saw prior to the All-Star break.