Category: Sports News

The Golden State Warriors finalized their 15-man roster by signing veteran forward Georges Niang to a one-year, $3.9 million contract. Niang, who enters his 11th NBA season, brings much-needed frontcourt floor-spacing to Golden State.

Free agent forward Georges Niang has agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million deal with the Golden State Warriors, Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. Niang — a career 40% 3-point shooter — enters his 11th NBA season after missing 2025-26 due to injury. pic.twitter.com/XFD2t1XKNm

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 25, 2026

Known affectionately as “The Minivan,” the 33-year-old boasts a career 39.9% mark from three-point range. The Warriors plan to deploy him primarily as a stretch-four off the bench, complementing their core with reliable perimeter shooting and high-IQ veteran depth.

After missing the entire 2025–26 season recovering from a left foot injury, Niang arrives in the Bay Area fully healthy and eager to contribute. He previously posted solid reserve minutes across stints with Utah, Philadelphia, and Cleveland, averaging 9.9 points in his last full campaign.

For Golden State, acquiring a proven 40% long-range sniper on a cost-effective deal serves as a high-value perimeter addition.

Counting down the 10 greatest Warriors transactions under Lacob, Guber: Part I originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

A relatively futile summer by the Warriors’ front office has left a vocal segment of Dub Nation rolling its collective eyes in despair, if not disgust. Their highest hopes were kneecapped by the failure to make a move that would stir the fan base back toward faith.

Golden State’s shot-callers, however, maintain belief in the roster they will have when training camp opens in less than five weeks. While no one upstairs is pleading for explicit trust, they would like to think they deserve a chance.

The Warriors on Tuesday made a move toward rebuilding that with the addition of Brandon Williams, a cat-quick guard with an elite first step. It’s not enough to put them near the top tier of the Western Conference, but it makes them a better offense.

How much trust, though, should the front office be afforded? Given the hits and the misses under the ownership of CEO Joe Lacob and co-chair Peter Guber, we examine what we consider their 10 shrewdest transactions since they took ownership of the franchise 16 years ago.

We count down from No. 10 to No. 6 today in Part I, with Part II coming on Thursday:

10) Sign-and-trade deal to acquire David Lee (July 2010)

This was Lacob’s way of announcing himself to the NBA, making a splash before the ink was dry on the league’s approval of new ownership. Golden State was in search of an impact power forward, and Lee was coming off an All-Star season – averaging 20.2 points (on 54.5-percent shooting), 11.7 rebounds – with the New York Knicks.

The cost of obtaining Lee was Kelenna Azubuike, Ronny Turiaf, Anthony Randolph – the three played a combined 81 games for New York – and two future second-round picks. Then-GM Larry Riley did the grunt work. 

Lee was one of the building blocks behind the Warriors escaping NBA purgatory, as he averaged 16.7 points and 9.3 rebounds over 327 games. He became in 20213 Golden State’s first All-Star in 16 seasons (Latrell Sprewell, 1997) and was a significant rotation member on the franchise’s first championship in 40 years. 

9) Trading for Jimmy Butler III (February 2025)

After winning 12 of 15 games to open the 2024-25 NBA season and then losing 12 of 15, the Warriors needed a roster upgrade. They spent January straddling the mediocrity line (.500) when second-year general manager Mike Dunleavy went shopping.

After Kevin Durant, toiling in Phoenix, expressed no interest in rejoining Golden State, Dunleavy turned to a former teammate: Butler, a veteran forward who had become a malcontent in Miami.

The cost of obtaining Butler was Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and a top-10-protected first round pick in the 2025 draft. Also departing in what was a four-team trade were Dennis Schroder and Lindy Waters III.

Butler made an immediate impact, joining with Stephen Curry to lead the Warriors to 23-8 record over the final 31 games, second only to eventual champion Oklahoma City in the West.

The hope is that Butler, rehabbing a surgically repaired torn right ACL, can return by midseason.

8) Trading for Andrew Wiggins (February 2020)

KD left after three seasons. Klay Thompson was rehabbing after ACL surgery. Curry sustained a broken hand in Week 1. The 2019-20 season was a disaster before November.

Durant did the Warriors enough of a favor for them to bring in DeAngelo Russell, a defective guard who was allergic to defense. He was, however, a talented scorer. That was enough of a lure for then-GM Bob Myers to engineer a trade that became thievery.

The Warriors obtained Wiggins along with a 2021 first-round pick (used to select Jonathan Kuminga) and second-round pick later moved, with Russell, Jacob Evens III and Omari Spellman going to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Wiggins came to Golden State and soon shed the label of being an underachiever. He was a solid two-way wing who in 2022 made his first All-Star team. Moreover, he was the star member of Curry’s cast as the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.

7) Trading for Andre Iguodala (July 2013)

After four consecutive losing seasons, Golden State reached the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2007. The No. 6-seed Warriors upset Iguodala and the third-seed Denver Nuggets in the first round and put a scare into eventual champion San Antonio in the conference semifinals.

Iguodala was impressed enough to become a free agent bound to leave the Nuggets, who responded with a sign-and-trade deal that gave him a future by the Bay. Myers oversaw a deal that acquired Iguodala for Andris Biedrins, Richard Jefferson, Brandon Rush and four future draft picks.

This was a huge win for two reasons. One, the Warriors obtained an athletic wing who was a stellar defender and possessed leadership qualities. Two, the move signaled that Golden State’s status within the league had risen enough to become a destination.

Iguodala was a four-time champion whose jersey now hangs in the rafters at Chase Center.

6) Trading for Andrew Bogut (March 2012)

The Warriors quickly realized they needed to improve their defense even if it meant sacrificing some offense. Lacob and Riley decided at the trade deadline to break up their dynamic but small backcourt featuring Monta Ellis and Curry.

Golden State considered moving Curry – true story – but ended up trading Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks for Bogut, a 7-foot center who was a terrific defender and passer but struggled with injuries.

For the first time since they were coached by Al Attles, the Warriors had a defensive presence. Bogut missed the rest of the season but played 67 games in 2013-14 and again in 2014-15. He was the anchor of a defense that was an unappreciated aspect of the 2015 championship.

Lacob one week after the trade was showered with boos at Oracle Arena for trading a fan favorite for a man in street clothes. Three years later, those boos were replaced by a championship parade. He got the last laugh.

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With the departure of Jaylen Brown, it seems like a no-brainer: Payton Pritchard will be a starter next season.

But let’s not forget that prior to Jayson Tatum’s return last season, Pritchard ceded his starting role to Baylor Scheierman after starting 47 out of the first 48 games. At the time, it was a move made in an effort to replace Anfernee Simons’ scoring in the second unit after he was traded for Nikola Vučević.

Now, Brown is in Philadelphia, but his spot will presumably be filled by the player he was traded for, Paul George. So unless PG13 is that veteran punch off the bench, it would seem reasonable to assume that the six-year pro might be part of the opening lineup.

Or maybe, he returns to the same role that earned him Sixth Man of the Year in 2025.

Recently, CLNS Media and CelticsBlog’s Bobby Manning sat down with PP to discuss early workouts with teammates new and old and what he’s looking forward to next year.

Individually, Pritchard wants to reach the free throw line more often in 2026-27. As a team, they want to make better reads while maintaining their hard-playing identity.

“That’s the biggest thing, and we need everybody to take a step,” he said. “Regular season wins, you win by playing hard and then in the playoffs, you win by playing harder and smarter. That’s really the recipe.”

If more free throws is one of Pritchard’s goals, it might make sense for him to enter the first quarter with opposing teams in foul trouble. He hasn’t been much of a foul grifter to date, but with just two more years left on his team-friendly contract, a boost in his numbers could land a bigger payday, regardless if he starts or not.

Assessing Warriors' Georges Niang signing to complete team's 15-man roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

At long last, the Warriors’ 15-man roster for the 2026-27 NBA season was completed on Tuesday. 

The Warriors went nearly two months without making an outside move, aside from their two draft picks. On Tuesday, they changed course and added not one but two veteran players to round out the roster. 

Point guard Brandon Williams agreed to a one-year contract in the morning to start off the day. Hours later, veteran forward Georges Niang came to terms on a one-year contract in the afternoon. The Warriors, for the first time since their 2021-22 championship season, are going into the season with a full 15-man roster. 

Yet the real number is 13 as Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody will miss at least the opening months of the season rehabbing from injury. 

Niang being the final touch to the Warriors is a reunion of sorts nearly a decade in the making. He spent training camp with the Warriors in 2017 after playing 23 games for the Indiana Pacers as a second-round pick the season before. Niang then played 26 games for the Warriors’ G League affiliate in 2017-18 and averaged 18.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game with a 42.1 3-point percentage. 

Last season, Niang, now 33, didn’t play at all. 

He missed the entire 2025-26 season after fracturing his foot in September. Prior to a missed year, Niang was a reliable forward who could stretch the floor at a high clip. Over 79 games between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks in the 2024-25 season, Niang shot 40.6 percent from 3-point range.

Niang in his past seven seasons has been a 40.1-percent 3-point shooter on 4.3 attempts per game. His offensive traits as a passer and knock-down shooter at an elite level from the corners make Niang an easy fit for Steve Kerr. 

Now that the Warriors’ 15-man roster is settled a month ahead of training camp, let’s first break it down by groups, starting with guards.

The group consists of Steph Curry, De’Anthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski and Williams, plus Gary Payton II defensively. The Warriors’ wings already are behind the curve without their top two in Butler and Moody. Will Richard is more of a wing than a shooting guard, but the Warriors’ biggest hole is clearly at the 3. 

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg likely will play a lot of small forward because of Butler and Moody’s absences, though he’s naturally a power forward. As is Draymond Green, Gui Santos and Niang, as well as Payton offensively out of the dunker spot. 

A center trio of Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford and Charles Bassey completes the puzzle. There still will be scenarios where Green plays center, but he shouldn’t have to as much, and he should be surrounded by more size. Horford can play with Porzingis, and Bassey believes he can complement them both.

Unlike years past, the Warriors can throw size on the court while spacing the floor. They have six players at 6-foot-4 or under, including LJ Cryer on a two-way contract, but going down the line of Lendeborg, Green, Porziņģis, Horford, Santos, Bassey and Niang is new kinds of length Dub Nation is not used to. 

And almost all are at least threats from long distance, minus Bassey and Green for the most part. 

Defensively, the Warriors will need Melton to be at his best guarding on the ball. They will need Lendeborg to be better than what he showed in summer league. They will need Payton to be even better and Green to be at his best just enough. They will need Frank Vogel to be as important of an addition as anybody this offseason. 

Curry offensively will continue needing to be heroic as ever. Who his main sidekick will be as Robin waits is everyone’s best guess. A rotation of sorts is the first answer. If that’s enough is the wait-and-see of this all. 

Bringing in a player like Niang who missed all of last season easily looks like another red flag when it comes to health. Last season also sure looks like an outlier for Niang, who rarely missed games in years past. The Warriors are hoping for a glass-half-full approach for a handful of players. 

It starts with Steph, who got a long offseason to get his body right. So did Draymond, his longest tenured teammate. Melton finally had a summer without rehab, and same with Podziemski after undergoing two surgeries a year ago. Horford gets a normal offseason where he can be around the Warriors from the jump instead of the start of training camp. 

Seen internally almost as an offseason addition, Porziņģis, starting with his team debut, played in 15 of a possible 27 regular-season games (55.6 percent), compared to just 17 of the Hawks’ 53 games (32.1 percent) earlier in the season. 

Nobody is going to see the Warriors as favorites. Inking Williams and Niang wasn’t going to change anybody’s mind about that. The two are positives off the bench and add more balance throughout the roster. 

Staying afloat and riding the waves as opposed to letting them crash and sink the ship is the game the Warriors will be playing in a little less than two months when the season opens in Los Angeles.

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Great Britain's men's basketball team have turned to the NBA in their bid to progress into the full qualifying rounds for the 2029 EuroBasket campaign.

The side, led by Newcastle Eagles head coach Marc Steutel, has been able to name three players in his squad who are either current or recent players in the world's top domestic league for this week's double-header against Switzerland and Slovakia.

Boston Celtics centre Amari Williams is part of the squad, as is power forward Tobi Lawal who was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks earlier this summer.

Another addition to what is, on paper, the strongest GB squad in some time is forward Tosan Evbuomwan. The 25-year-old has this summer joined Barcelona following three seasons in the NBA and its reserve G-League.

"With every squad selection, you want to try to make sure that you are getting the balance of the most talented players available," Steutel told BBC Sport.

"Because of where our players play and the restrictions that has at times, it's not always as straightforward on the outside as people may think.

"We feel really excited about this group for sure."

The trio make up three quarters of the four most recent British players to feature in the league, alongside OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks.

Great Britain enter the second of three preliminary qualifying rounds for the 2029 EuroBasket tournament. They face both Switzerland and Slovakia home and away across three international windows in August, November and February.

Should GB finish top of the group, they will enter full qualifying for EuroBasket. Failure to do so will see them enter the final round of preliminary qualifying next year.

How have GB been able to land NBA players?

For Evbuomwan and Williams, 24, this double-header on Thursday in Switzerland and then at home to Slovakia in Newcastle on Sunday is set to mark their GB debuts at senior level.

But how the duo have been able to sign up for the latest fixtures is all about timing.

Four of GB's six first-round qualifying matches for the 2027 Fiba World Cup were in November 2025 and March 2026, which clashed with the NBA season.

But with this window opening in between NBA seasons, as well as those of its European counterparts, the stars aligned for Steutel and his team.

"In the season, guys in the NBA [and] the EuroLeague, we struggle to get. There's very little ability to be able to do that," added Steutel.

"We're right before the start of the season and our general manager has done an incredible job communicating with the Boston Celtics.Tosan is closer to home now with Barcelona.

"They've both been really supportive and want those guys to play, so [we're] really excited."

GB's coaching staff have long craved the opportunity to be able to cash in by adding recent NBA players to their squad.

Dan Clark, who featured at the 2012 Olympics alongside two-time NBA All-Star Luol Deng, is now GB's general manager and has stayed in contact with Newcastle-born Evbuomwan and Williams, awaiting the opportunity to be able to call on the duo.

"It's not just a 'this window' thing, it has taken years," explains Steutel.

"Tosan is someone who I've known for a long time and I've followed his journey. He's someone who has communicated really well with us and Amari likewise. Dan Clark has been communicating with Amari for years.

"We're able to get the timing right now and get them in a GB jersey. It's great for the team, but I think it's great for British basketball on the whole."

'To have our debuts at the same time is special'

While the journeys of Williams and Evbuomwan from English upbringings to reaching the NBA have differed in some ways, the crux of their stories is the same.

A school year apart, Evbuomwan moved to Princeton University in New Jersey in 2019. A year later, Williams made a similar move to attend Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Both were starting their basketball journeys that would ultimately tee up their senior international debuts.

"It was something I've been trying to do since I moved away to America seven years ago," said the Nottingham-born Williams, who was drafted by Orlando Magic in 2025 and traded to the Celtics.

"To have the opportunity to do it this summer is something I've been looking forward to."

Evbuomwan added: "It's exciting. All of us being able to commit to this window.

"Me and Amari talk a lot and it is something we have talked about for a while. For us to have both our debuts at the same time in the same window is special."

There is an added homecoming for Evbuomwan when GB face Slovakia on Sunday. It is being played at the Vertu Arena in Newcastle, the home venue of the Eagles, for whom he previously played at youth level.

Evbuomwan added: "Very meaningful. Being able to represent your country is one thing. Being able to represent your country in front of your family and friends is a bonus."

'We'd love to see Anunoby in a GB jersey' - Steutel

Across the three international windows in August, November and March, Great Britain, Slovakia and Switzerland will each get a window each of playing two matches.

GB have theirs this week and will want to take advantage of the star power available to them before the domestic season restarts.

But moving forward, there is another name Steutel and his supporting cast would love to add in OG Anunoby.

The 29-year-old was a key man for the New York Knicks as they won their first NBA title in more than half a century in June.

A two-time NBA winner, Anunoby is also eligible for the United States and Nigeria, having yet to play international basketball for any nation at senior level.

Great Britain remain hopeful of one day getting the London-born forward in their ranks.

"Our general manager is in communication with OG and his team," said Steutel.

"His season went way into the summer, winning the championship and playing a lot of basketball. Unfortunately, the timing is not right on this window - but we hope so.

"Our qualification now is for EuroBasket 2029 and we hope we can get there. It is a long way away. But he's someone else we'd definitely love to see in a GB jersey."