The Golden State Warriors have completed their 15-man roster by signing veteran power forward Georges Niang to a one-year, $3.9 million contract, league sources, filling out a frontcourt that already includes Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
The Warriors also agreed to a one-year minimum contract with reserve guard Brandon Williams earlier Tuesday. The two signings are the team’s first external free agent additions of the summer, with Golden State otherwise choosing continuity over roster change in its offseason approach.
Niang brings a specific and valuable set of skills, particularly floor spacing from the power forward position. He has shot 39.9 percent from three-point range over his career at high volume and was one of the more durable frontcourt players in the league before his injury, appearing in 72, 76, 78, 82 and 79 games across five consecutive seasons. Niang missed all of last season after fracturing his left foot in September.
The role he fills
Niang is expected to contribute primarily as a reserve behind the Warriors’ veteran frontcourt. His shooting ability at his position gives Golden State a spacing option that complements the ball-handling and passing that Green brings as the team’s primary offensive engine from the power forward slot. Porzingis adds another dimension to the frontcourt, and Horford provides the veteran presence and defensive awareness the rotation needs.
Niang has prior history with the organization. After joining the team in training camp in 2017, he played for their G League affiliate in Santa Cruz before his career developed elsewhere. Niang’s path back represents a reunion with a franchise that has spent years building around similar spacing and movement principles.
The Curry situation
The roster is essentially settled, which focuses attention on the next major piece of business. Stephen Curry becomes eligible for a contract extension Saturday. The organization has made clear it intends to keep Curry with the Warriors for the rest of his career, and sources have confirmed mutual desire on both sides to reach an agreement.
Curry is the centerpiece of the franchise and has been since his first MVP season in 2015. At 38 years old entering his 17th season, he remains one of the most watched players in the league and is currently 22 three-pointers away from 4,000 career made threes, a milestone no player in league history has reached.
The signing completes the surrounding cast for what figures to be another Curry-centered contention window. The combination of the established core, the rookie Lendeborg and the specific floor-spacing skills Niang provides gives the Warriors a well-constructed roster heading into the year.
