SAN FRANCISCO – With one roster spot still open, the Warriors decided to double up on experience in free agency.
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Golden State will sign forward Georges Niang to a one-year contract worth $3.9 million, ESPN reported Tuesday. Niang’s agency, Priority Sports, confirmed the signing on social media.
The move comes a few hours after the Warriors finally made a new addition outside of the draft by bringing in combo guard Brandon Williams on Tuesday. The deal is projected to take the Warriors up to the second apron of the NBA’s salary cap, giving them little roster flexibility for the season.
Niang, 33, played for the Warriors’ Santa Cruz G League affiliate for part of the 2017-18 season.
Since being picked in the second round by Indiana in 2016, Niang has carved out a respectable nine-year career spread across four different teams. He established himself with the Utah Jazz during a stint from 2018-2021, later playing in Philadelphia, Cleveland and Atlanta.
He spent time back with the Jazz last season, though he did not play due to a foot injury. After being traded by Utah to the Memphis Grizzlies at the deadline, Niang was waived and did not sign with another team.
He has averaged 7.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a jack-of-all-trades who can guard both forward spots while standing 6-foot-6. Though not an explosive athlete, Niang is still a capable offensive threat who is a career 39.9% 3-point shooter.
Niang will reinforce a wing rotation that will be thin until Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody return from knee injuries later in the season. He is expected to back up top draft pick Yaxel Lendeborg, fourth-year forward Gui Santos and possibly even second-round rookie Lajae Jones.
The Warriors’ regular season begins on Oct. 21 in Los Angeles against the Lakers.
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