The Golden State Warriors officially trimmed their roster, waiving Dalen Terry, 26-year-old forward Tyler Burton, and their 2025 second-round pick, Australian Alex Toohey, confirming what felt like a foregone conclusion for these guys fighting for a spot. All three are now looking at potential G League stints with the Santa Cruz Warriors, which, let’s be real, was always the most likely outcome.
The Cuts Were Made: Big Game, No Dice
Dalen Terry was always a long shot to make the main squad, even after absolutely going off in a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He dropped a monster 23 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out nine assists, and nabbed four steals in a game where most of the Warriors’ regulars sat out. You’d think numbers like that would get some serious attention, right? But here’s the kicker: Terry has too much NBA experience to qualify for a two-way contract, effectively boxing him out of any remaining roster spots. It’s tough, man, you go out there, you ball out, and the rules just aren’t on your side.
Tyler Burton, who briefly saw 12 games at the end of last season with the injury-ravaged Memphis Grizzlies, and Alex Toohey, who only played two games for Santa Cruz before knee surgery in December (and is still recovering), were also part of the cuts. Their paths to the G League seem pretty clear, especially Toohey’s as he gets back to full strength.
Who’s Still Standing, And Why They’re Stuck
So, with those three gone, the final roster spots are looking like they belong to Georges Niang and Brandon Williams. Williams definitely made a strong case, scoring in double digits in his first four games before sitting out the final preseason game with back soreness. That hustle paid off, as his contract will be partially guaranteed when he’s on the opening night roster. Niang and Charles Bassey also have partially-guaranteed deals, but waiving them wouldn’t really open up much cap space for a replacement, meaning they’re pretty much locked in. Bassey, especially, is crucial for the rotation, particularly with Kristaps Porzingis still sidelined. The Warriors are hugging that salary cap apron super close, which is seriously limiting their options and means they’re just trying to stay afloat until Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler can get back from their own knee injuries. Talk about a tightrope walk!
Right now, their two-way contracts are held by Graham Ike, LJ Cryer, and Malevy Leons. Could there be some movement there? Maybe, depending on who shakes loose during league-wide roster cuts, but the Warriors usually lean into continuity. That favors Cryer and Leons sticking around. Ike might also get a lot of minutes purely out of necessity, given how fragile that center rotation is looking. It feels like the roster is finally set, at least for now. And hey, Santa Cruz is shaping up to have a pretty good squad, too!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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