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Per ESPN's Marc Stein, the Warriors have signed veteran guard Leandro Barbosa:
Barbosa has also drawn interest from Miami, of course, but Warriors have won the race for Brazil's PG even before this FIBA World Cup starts
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 28, 2014
Golden State, I'm told, is closing in on a deal to sign Brazilian star guard Leandro Barbosa— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 28, 2014
According to front-office sources, Barbosa has signed a one-year deal at the veteran's minimum. While Miami also kicked the tires on Barbosa, per Stein, the Warriors got there first.
Golden State's new coaching staff now has the entire FIBA World Cup and preseason to gauge how Barbosa will fit in Steve Kerr's offense. Likely, Barbosa will come off the bench, providing scoring and a veteran, stabilizing presence. In 20 contests last season, Barbosa averaged 7.5 points per game in 18.4 minutes per game for a Phoenix Suns team that won 49 games.
Durability could be an issue for Barbosa, who since the 2011-12 season has missed significant time -- at least 17 games -- in every year.
Both Barbosa and the Warriors hope that this year will be more productive than recent years, and that the former Sixth Man of the Year can once again provide points and energy off the bench. A low-cost signing that has the potential to make some dividends.