Summer Warriors’ Cinderella run ends

Golden State’s plucky Summer League team lost in the final minute against the Miami Heat

In the end, the Golden State Warriors fell short at NBA Summer League for the same reason that the regular Warriors do: Too many turnovers.

Golden State took the lead on the Miami Heat with 53 seconds to play on a Yuri Collins layup, but a Josh Christopher three-point play followed by two Warriors turnovers sent the Dubs to their first loss of the summer. The Summer Warriors had won seven straight games across the California Classic and Las Vegas seasons, but the team’s 8-for-34 shooting from three-point range and 15 turnovers ultimately ended their improbable quest for Summer League rings, which are actual jewelry, not plastic trinkets with candy on top as you might assume.

Kevin Knox II led the way with 31 points and 11 rebounds. The former lottery pick came off the bench to make five of the Warriors’ eight three balls, block two shots, and avoid a single turnover in his 30 minutes. Knox also had six personal fouls, but that’s OK: In Summer League, you only foul out when you hit ten.

Knox has bounced around the league since the New York Knicks made him the No. 9 pick in the 2018 draft, but he’s still only 24 years old. Unfortunately, he has too much NBA experience to be eligible to sign a two-way contract, so Knox was merely showcasing himself for opportunities in the G League or overseas. The Warriors would certainly welcome him to the Santa Cruz Warriors, a place where many of their summer players are likely to end up.

The Sea Dubs are a four-time winner of the G League Franchise of the Year award, in part because the parent club invests in their cousin to the south. One reason Santa Cruz routinely leads the G League in ticket sales is the team’s continuity, beyond merely being a feeder program for the NBA team. Although it does that too, with Pat Spencer, Lester Quinones, and Gui Santos all graduating from Santa Cruz to the NBA.

That’s where Collins played last season. His ten points and eight assists showed why he’s an ideal Summer League and G League point guard, though he’s probably a little too small for the NBA. That’s also where Jackson Rowe (6 points, 4 steals in the semifinal) started 18 games last season. He’ll be coming to training camp and likely back to Santa Cruz after the Warriors signed him to an Exhibit 10 deal this week.

Pat Spencer does have a two-way deal with the Warriors, and he played well Sunday, delivering 14 points and seven assists. It was the former lacrosse superstar’s third straight game with seven dimes, which shouldn’t be a surprise since Spencer is the all-time Division 1 leader in assists. Granted, that’s for lacrosse, not basketball, but apparently the court vision translates.

Another two-way Warrior, Daekwon Plowden, saw his shooting stroke abandon him at the worst time. He shot 0-for-7 in the loss, including 0-for-5 from distance in a game where only Knox and Swedish rookie Pelle Larsson could make outside shots (Miami shot only 31% from deep). Plowden has a tenuous hold on his two-way deal, which essentially calls dibs on the defensive-minded swingman for training camp. But Golden State doesn’t make final decisions on two-way deals until the last minute.

Rookie big man Quinten Post might make that decision tougher. He scored ten points in both of his Summer League games, showing off some touch around the basket and delivering dunks. Plus, he committed an illegal screen in his first minute of summer action. It’s like he’s already on the big team!

So the ring chase ends for the ragtag group of Warriors Summer Leaguers who almost banded together and went all the way for a storybook ending. Instead, they’ll have to settle for two-way deals, camp invites, casino food vouchers, and the most important part of Las Vegas Summer League: The friends they made along the way.