The Golden State Warriors To Sign Their Own Josh Giddey

The Golden State Warriors To Sign Their Own Josh Giddey

As the Warriors get further into the 2025 off seasonason without making any strategic moves outside of formalizing Jonathan Kaminga’s entry into free agency, things are starting to shape up for the franchise. While Golden State is carefully straddling the First Apron, their offseason moves go through Jonathan Kaminga. So, they do face some limitations until they finalize their obvious decision to retain him on a cheap contract. A couple of small moves earlier in free agency flew somewhat under the radar, but among them was a key move to secure a player that fits perfectly into Steve Kerr’s offense. So, what were these small moves the Warriors made? And what was that one key move? Firstly, they’ve exercised their secondyear option on Quinton Post. Post originally signed a two-way contract with the Dubs as a rookie. However, his performance, putting up eight points and three and a half rebounds while shooting 40% from three in 16 minutes, puts him in a unique position as a floor spacing big man. This led to the Warriors converting his two-way deal into a two-year deal. When his contract was converted at the deadline, the first year was guaranteed with a team option on year two for just under two million. The Warriors also exercised their third-year team option on Ge Santos. Santos has shown some small improvement in year two. And although his three-point shooting took a hit, falling below league average at 33%, he fills in the gaps playing off of Curry, Draymond, and Jimmy. The three-point percentage is a figure to watch, however, as that could determine where the Warriors go with Santos after next season. Santos originally signed a three-year $5 million contract, and this upcoming season will see him get paid 2.2 million, an amount which becomes fully guaranteed on January 10th of 2026. Finally, the Warriors made a key move in offering this young player a qualifying offer to head into restricted free agency. While it might not be readily apparent, he will play a significant role off the Warriors bench this upcoming season. Watch the entire video to find out why he could be such an impactful player as well as who he replaced in the Warriors rotation. You’re about to get [Applause] the Golden State Warriors just extended a qualifying offer to 23-year-old Tran Armstrong, a 6’6 point guard from Tasmania, Australia, who initially signed a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors in February of this year. Armstrong appeared seemingly out of nowhere at the trade deadline to sign this two-way contract with the Warriors. So, how did that happen? After two seasons in the NBL, the Warriors, with the expert advice of Andrew Bogat, decided to bring Armstrong’s skill sets to the NBA. Armstrong’s talent emerged early, earning him a scholarship to the NBA Global Academy in 2018 at Basketball Australia’s Center of Excellence. There, he trained alongside future NBA players such as Josh Giddy and Dyson Daniels. He represented Australia on the U17 national team, won gold at the 2019 FIA Oenya tournament and and competed in the FIA19 World Cup. Armstrong then played two seasons 2021 to 23 at California Baptist University, averaging 11 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. As a freshman, he led all NCAA freshman in assists with 6.3 per game and became the first Cal Baptist player to earn Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors. He also reached 300 career assists, faster than nearly any active NCAA player at the time. After finishing up his sophomore season, Tran then foregoed the remainder of his college career, opting to go pro and transitioning to the NBL in 2023. In his rookie season with the Karen Titans, he averaged 7.7 points, four rebounds, and 2.7 assists across 23 games. Though his three-point shooting struggled at 25.7% on one and a half attempts per game. Despite significant growth, he still went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft. Armstrong remained focused and in his second season with the Kair Typins had a breakout year with averages of 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 46% field goal shooting. and 35% from three on five attempts in 19 games. This leap showcased improved scoring and shooting efficiency, two of the major weaknesses to his game. A standout moment came in February of this year when Armstrong recorded a triple double, 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win over Brisbane. His head coach, Adam Ford, praised it as a testament to his evolution, highlighting his ability to control games. Armstrong’s 4.7 assists ranked sixth in the NBL, and he earned nominations for the next generation and most improved player awards. His nearly one steal per game and improved shooting drew attention from multiple NBA teams, which set the stage for his Warriors signing. So, what current NBA players share a similar game? Armstrong’s game draws comparisons to Josh Giddy, his former Global Academy teammate. Both are jumbosized point guards with Giddy measuring in at 6’8. Both have exceptional court vision and playmaking while excelling in transition and pick and roll situations. Like Giddy, Armstrong uses his size to see over defenses and deliver creative passes. However, Giddy was drafted sixth overall in 2021 after one NBL season, while Armstrong’s undrafted path through two NBL seasons reflects a longer grind. Armstrong sees himself a little different, however, citing Tyresese Hallebertton is a closer comparison. Like Hallebertton, he combines high basketball IQ and precise passing. His shooting still has a ways to go to fully embody a Hallebertton comp. However, his college coach Rick Croy initially likened him to Ricky Rubio for his passing and competitiveness, but that scoring surge in his last season aligns him more with Hallebertton’s playmaking shooting balance. While less explosive than Giddy or Hallebertton, Armstrong’s feel for the game makes him a versatile playmaker. Tran Armstrong’s signing came at a peculiar timing. The Warriors were in the midst of a playoff push bolstered by the mid-season acquisition of Jimmy Butler. That particular signing overshadowed the team acquiring Armstrong, but that doesn’t mean it was without recognition. Andrew Bogot, a former Warrior and 2015 NBA champion, played a key role in spotlighting Armstrong. As a fellow Australian and NBA ambassador, Bogot praised Armstrong’s development on social media, noting his elite vision and improved shooting as a perfect fit for the Warriors system. I mean, Taran, I think, will will have an opportunity. I don’t know how much of an opportunity early on, but even just at a 2A level, I think it’s just just sitting there. And there’s going to be injuries at some point. There’s going to be um I think Golden State doesn’t really have a pure point at the moment. You know, Steph’s a a gunner shooter point guard um scoring point guard, whereas I think Taran can definitely come in there sometimes towards the end of end of the season when they got some injuries and and really create for them off the pick and roll, which is something they probably don’t have. Bulgot’s endorsement combined with Armstrong’s NBL breakout caught Golden Seat’s attention. Armstrong’s agent, Daniel Moldivan, highlighted the Warriors success with two-way players such as Pat Spencer and Quinton Post, making them an ideal landing spot. Ironically, the Warriors declined to extend an offer to Spencer, making him an unrestricted free agent this off season. With Armstrong being the superior passer and his recent surge as a scorer, there just isn’t enough room for both he and Spencer on the roster. Armstrong debuted for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G-League a month after being signed, dropping seven dimes before going on to average 11 and a half points, six rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game, tying Tai Tai Washington for fifth most while shooting 36% from three. His poor free throw shooting in his first G-League season, while a reason to give pause is rather similar to Josh Giddy and could just be an anomaly. Armstrong’s qualifying offer is a two-way slot. However, it gives the Warriors the right to match any offer he receives in free agency. With Spencer out of the mix, he will likely see minutes as the Warriors third string point guard behind Stephen Curry and Brandon Pajki. With Will Richard in the mix, however, it’s likely that he shares that spot depending on lineups. If the team needs defense, they’ll go with Richard. And if they need someone to dish, they’ll lean on Armstrong. Jackson Ro, who’s been primarily developing in the G-League, provides shooting. And with things looking like P will be playing heavy minutes at the two guard spot next season, plus the old age of the Warriors core three of Curry, Jimmy, and Green, don’t be surprised if all three are able to get on the floor together at some point in the regular season. In his first five Santa Cruz games, Armstrong averaged eight points, 6.2 assists, five rebounds, and one steal, shooting 48.4% from the field, and 36.4% from three with a team leading plus 75 plus minus and 25.6 net rating. These stats suggest he can impact winning in limited roles. Being a much better playmaker than Spencer and even pods, it’s likely that he sees a much more prominent role than Spencer ever did and that Kerr will trust him in lineups immediately behind Curry. His size allows him to pair with Pajky in dual guard lineups, leveraging his passing to create for shooters or cutters. He’s not an immediate lock, but again, older players will need rest, and if injuries prevail, he’ll have an opportunity. Now, while Tran is a natural fit in Kur’s motion offense, his weaknesses won’t help the Warriors lack of diversity. He’s not very explosive, which limits his ability to get separation, although his scoring explosion last season might be hinting at some development in that area. He’s not a lock down defender as he’ll struggle against quicker guards, but he’s scrappy and will put out the effort. Since he’s coming off the bench, however, this is less of an issue. It’s true that his elite passing and reads enhances the Warriors attack. This is mostly effective when Steph Curry is on the floor. The problem is when Steph Curry is off the floor and there is no elite shooting, the Warriors are left with a slow-footed, unathletic team that no longer has a trump card. These players aren’t exactly trusted to take the shot with all the spacing that Steph Curry creates due to his offball gravity. Buddy Steph Curry. Steph Buddy Heel. I want you guys to meet each other. Say hello to Steph. He’s the greatest shooter in the history of the world. Wide open. I love you, buddy. I love you. but then are asked to shoot with zero spacing when Curry is out of the game or off the floor. Despite having Jimmy, the Warriors still have a hard time staying net positive when Steph is on the bench or worse out with injury. It’s not so much that players can’t shoot as it is the rewiring when they play without Steph Curry. It didn’t help that the team didn’t really have a second or backup point guard. Well, except for when they had Dennis Shooter. While Shooter was more than capable of leading a second unit for the Warriors, his desire was to start and Steve Kerr tried to use him much in the same way as he had DeAnthony Melton. So now the only real backup point guard was in the starting lineup. That didn’t work out for a myriad of reasons with the main one being that while Melton can thrive off ball, Dennis Shruder liked to play on ball. That lose-lose situation was only improved with the addition of Jimmy Butler who became the team’s primary onball playmaker with Teran Armstrong. However, this allows Kerr the flexibility he wants in the starting lineup while having competent ball handling and facilitating off the bench. That’s elite passing and court vision, high basketball IQ, tough defender who likes to fight for rebounds as praised by Steve Kerr, and has some switchability as well. Armstrong will fill a bunch of holes for the Warriors off the bench. However, he’ll have to maintain his three-point shooting in order to maintain his minutes. If he follows in the mold of the Warriors other late round draftes, the bench for this upcoming season would be even more potent than last. Regardless, I expect his usage to get an uptick, especially in the early going due to how well he fits into the motion offense. But let me know if you guys agree. Can Tyran Armstrong lead the Warrior second unit? And what players do you envision playing alongside him to maximize his abilities? Post your thoughts in the comments below. Before that, be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and turn on all your notifications so you don’t miss any of my latest uploads. Thanks for watching. Till next time. [Music]

They want Giddey… but they already have Giddey