With the preseason concluded, the Golden State Warriors made a move over the weekend that would be shocking if you haven’t been following the team closely … and completely expected if you have been. On
Saturday, the team announced that veteran guard Seth Curry had been waived.
This was not only expected, but necessary. The Warriors don’t have the cap space to carry 15 players on their roster for the entirety of the season. When they signed Seth — Steph Curry’s brother — to an Exhibit 9 contract, it was reported that it came with a handshake deal to waive the younger Curry before the season began, and re-sign him at a later date. Because NBA contracts are pro-rated, the Warriors can re-sign Curry to a veteran’s minimum contract in mid-November, and fit tidily under the salary apron.
The move allowed Curry to spend training camp with his soon-to-be new team. He got acclimated with the offensive and defensive schemes, built chemistry and rapport with his teammates and coaching staff, and got to be a part of the team. Now he’ll wait patiently for the better part of a month, and rejoin the team as a quality veteran sharpshooter off the bench.
Curry didn’t appear in any preseason games, as Steve Kerr prioritized that playing time for players who will be playing when the season begins tomorrow, as well as youngsters in need of development. Last year, while playing for the Charlotte Hornets, the 11-year veteran averaged 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 15.6 minutes per game, while leading the NBA with a 45.6% mark from three-point range.
In addition to Curry, the Warriors announced that undrafted rookie LJ Cryer had been waived. Cryer made a serious impression on the Warriors and the coaching staff during camp, and will surely be on the Santa Cruz Warriors when the G League season begins. Don’t be surprised if he takes one of the two-way contract spots at some point this year; currently those three spots are held by Pat Spencer, Alex Toohey, and Jackson Rowe.
