According Shams Charania, the Golden State Warriors have signed former Rockets center Usman Garuba to a two-way contract. He recently played in the FIBA World Cup with Spain and will add some more center depth behind Kevon Looney.
Garuba is a 6-foot-8, 229-pound forward from Spain. The Houston Rockets picked him 21st overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. He’s spent his first two seasons with Houston but hasn’t received much playing time.
In his short NBA career so far, Garuba has averaged 2.8 points and 3.9 rebounds on 47.5 percent from the field and 36.7 percent on 3-pointers. However, he played 75 games last season as a primary backup center for the Rockets while shooting 40.7 percent on 3-pointers. Garuba has shown an ability to space the floor as a small ball center while being a physical force in the paint.
Averaging just 12.2 minutes through his first two seasons, Garuba doesn’t have a particularly large NBA sample size under his belt. He may spend most of his time next season in the NBA G-League, but his unique skillset should intrigue Steve Kerr enough for him to get spot minutes.
Garuba is still only 21 years old and has plenty of potential to grow into a quality NBA player. He can shoot threes at a solid clip while his physical profile allows him to play center as a 6-foot-8 forward.
Steve Kerr has shown an affinity for small ball centers like Garuba who can space the floor. This should bode well for Garuba, but his two-way deal could limit his opportunities this season at the NBA level.
Depending if the Warriors keep Garuba by the end of the season, it’s unclear how this year will go for him. Garuba will be playing behind Looney, Dario Saric and Draymond Green, each of whom will take up large chunks of minutes at center.
Speaking of Looney, he could mentor Garuba and teach him his strategies. Looney has grown into an effective small ball center at 6-foot-9, and Garuba is on a similar career trajectory. If Garuba can learn from Looney, Garuba could solidify a longterm role with the Warriors.
When Garuba is called upon, he should be able to provide a different look at the center position. His youth, floor spacing and physicality should provide a nice boost of energy for the Warriors. Garuba’s role as a spark plug will be a simple yet important role. The Warriors don’t have many young players outside of their rookies, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.
Garuba may only play 20-30 games if the Warriors keep him the entire season. His opportunities might be limited, yet Steve Kerr will probably find some spot minutes for him.
It’s definitely possible that the Warriors believe Garuba can help solve some of their depth issues at center. With his youth and international experience, he could grow into a reliable option for the Warriors.
However, it’s tough to tell whether Garuba will be kept on a two-way contract throughout the entire season. The Warriors have consistently shuffled around who they keep on two-way deals, so it’s possible he’s not with the team for long.
A similar thing happened last season when the Warriors opted to sign Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome to two-way contracts. The Warriors had previously just signed two different players to two-way contracts, but they were released not long after signing to accommodate Lamb and Jerome.
Either way this signing indicates that the Warriors want to add more size. The Warriors don’t want to repeat last year’s mistakes. Garuba will likely see some solid preseason action, which should determine what his role and contract status will be for the 2024 season.
Make sure to follow The Game Haus on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest sports and esports news.
Stay tuned for more weekly NBA coverage of all your favorite teams!
“From Our Haus to Yours”
Featured photo courtesy of NBA.com.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
