Kerr explains why Warriors waived Weatherspoon, Quinones originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Letting go of players at any point is never easy, as Warriors coach Steve Kerr can attest to.
Speaking with reporters Thursday after practice, Kerr explained how difficult it was for Golden State to release Quinndary Weatherspoon and Lester Quiñones.
“Quinndary helped us win a championship last year,” Kerr said of the 26-year-old guard. “He was here all summer, he’s a great, great teammate, he’s a hell of a player.”
Regarding Quiñones, the Warriors coach explained that the 21-year-old did “a great job over the last couple months”, but the decision to drop both players was made from a positional standpoint.
Although Kerr did not further expand, he told reporters that the Warriors are going in a different direction. Furthermore, when asked how the Warriors plan on filling the now-vacated two-way spots, Kerr says that the team will be looking at all options.
“There are other players as well out there who will be on the waiver wire, that we could consider so nothing has been decided, nothing has been set in stone,” Kerr continued. “We really like the guys who are here right now in camp, so we’ll make that decision in the next 48 hours.”
After spending the first two seasons of his career with the San Antonio Spurs, Weatherspoon appeared in 11 games with the Warriors, averaging 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 6.6 minutes per game.
Meanwhile, the undrafted Quiñones signed a two-way deal with Golden State on July 5 and averaged 5.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 10.0 minutes per game in two preseason games.
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With Weatherspoon and Quiñones now looking for roster spots elsewhere, it remains to be seen what the Warriors ultimately will do with their open roster spots.
But if recent history is to be believed, whoever they choose will play an integral part in the Warriors’ championship defense in some way this season.