Warriors sign guard Bazemore
Guard has maintained relationship with Curry through years
The Golden State Warriors are signing shooting guard Kent Bazemore to a one-year deal as they continue to add wing depth in the wake of Klay Thompson’s season- ending Achilles’ tendon tear, a league source confirmed with the Bay Area News Group.
Bazemore, 31, is a career 35.1% 3-point shooter who can defend multiple positions and play a reliable role off the bench. After beginning his career in Golden State in 2012, Bazemore emerged a key rotation player during a five-year stint with the Hawks (2014-19). He played last season in Portland and Sacramento, and averaged 10.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 25 games for the Kings.
According to a league source, Bazemore will be signed using a veteran minimum contract valued at $2.32 million that won’t take up the mid-level exception or potential disabled player exception, which the Warriors applied to the NBA for Saturday.
Although he will come off the bench as a backup to Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andrew Wiggins, Bazemore has made a career of being a consistent presence off the bench and spot starter. He’s an experienced player who should be able to contribute meaningful minutes to a Warriors team that intends to return to the playoffs and is already familiar with him.
Undrafted out of Old Dominion in 2012, Bazemore played 1½ seasons with the Warriors before he was traded to the Lakers during the 2014 season. He signed a two-year deal with the Hawks, where he re-signed to a four-year, $70 million contract in 2016. Bazemore has remained close with Stephen Curry through the years.