With training camp approaching and many of the proven veteran free agents already signed, teams are filling out their rosters with younger players ready to compete and hold on to an NBA roster spot.
One of those players is rookie guard Aaron Craft, who signed with the Golden State Warriors Wednesday, the team announced.
Excited to have officially signed a contract with @warriors today... Time to work even harder to make it last! #Blessed
— Aaron Craft (@ACraft4) September 3, 2014
Along with Craft, the Warriors also signed James Michael McAdoo and Mitchell Watts to contracts. All three of them competed on the Warriors summer league team in Las Vegas.
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Craft played four seasons at Ohio State, where he averaged 8.9 points, 4.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 148 games (second most in school history) and was named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team in each of his four seasons.
During summer league with the Warriors, he averaged 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.6 steals in 22.2 minutes off the bench over five games.
Craft, who led the summer league squad in assists and steals, will at the very least help intensify the competition at Golden State’s training camp.
He does stand a real chance of making the team, however. The Warriors have 12 “locks” to make the roster (Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Stephen Curry, Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, David Lee, Shaun Livingston, Nemanja Nedovic, Marreese Speights, Brandon Rush and Klay Thompson), leaving three open spots for grabs.
Teams can carry up to 20 players for training camp but are allowed a maximum of 15 for the regular-season roster. Competing with Craft for the final openings will be center Ognjen Kuzmic, Watt, McAdoo and any other free agents the Warriors signs between now and training camp.
A big problem with the Warriors’ second unit last season was consistency of offense, lead by the erratic Jordan Crawford at point guard. With Crawford gone and Livingston in, the Dubs bench is much better suited to life without starters. Craft could help solidify the depth at the position.
Craft isn’t a standout offensive player like the stars of the Warriors’ back court, but new head coach Steve Kerr should be able to help in that department. Craft is a hustle player who will provide tough perimeter defense and is used to having the ball in hands and leading an offense.