Bazemore to return to Warriors; he’ll hold reserve role
The Warriors have agreed to sign shooting guard Kent Bazemore to a oneyear deal, a league source confirmed with The Chronicle.
Bazemore, 31, began his NBA career with Golden State in 2012. He provides the team muchneeded wing depth.
General manager Bob Myers already had planned to make adding another wing or two a priority, but that became even more important when Klay Thompson suffered a seasonending torn right Achilles tendon Wednesday during a pickup game in Los Angeles.
A “3andD” wing, Bazemore is a career 35.1% 3point shooter who can defend multiple positions, rebound at a high rate for his size and limit mistakes. After emerging as a key rotation player during a fiveyear stint ( 201419) for the Hawks, he split last season between the Trail Blazers and Kings, averaging 10.3 points and shooting
38.4% from 3point range in 25 games with Sacramento.
According to the Athletic, Bazemore fielded several offers in free agency before picking Golden State. Bazemore, who figures to come off the bench for the Warriors this season as a backup to Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andrew Wiggins, can be counted on to provide reliable minutes. Part of Golden State’s interest in him was rooted in the fact that it already knows what it’ll get from him.
Undrafted out of Old Dominion in 2012, Bazemore spent 11⁄ seasons with the
2 Warriors to open his career. Along the way, he became good friends with Stephen Curry.
Fans might know Bazemore best for reportedly playing a role in Curry’s decision to sign a sponsorship deal with Under Armour.
Curry and Bazemore have remained close over the years, bonding over a shared love for family and golf. In April, the two faced each other in a golf simulator.
Bazemore’s signing comes a day after the Warriors inked guard Brad Wanamaker to a oneyear, $ 2.25 million contract.
Golden State has 17 players on its roster. Before the Warriors must get down to 15 players for the regularseason opener on Dec. 22, they can carry up to 20 players on their roster.