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During training camp, I mused about the Warriors’ options at third point guard. One of the possibilities I mentioned was the signing of a young point guard using the NBA’s new two-way contract system. A few days later, the Warriors signed Quinn Cook to fulfill the bench point guard role.
Cook, at age 24, already has some NBA experience under his belt. He’s played games with the Mavericks and Pelicans, and spent his 2017 training camp with the Hawks. He’s also played a ton in the NBA G-League over the past two years.
Cook played four years at Duke, eventually going undrafted. Coming out of college, his best skill was shooting, but he also is a strong decision-maker and willing defender, according to DraftExpress. His lack of size and athleticism were likely the reasons he wasn’t drafted.
As a G-Leaguer, Cook compiled some impressive statistics. He’s averaged 22.6 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per 36 minutes, and shot at a 58.8% True Shooting and hit 37.7% of his threes. That’s some well-rounded, efficient output for a point guard.
I think he’ll be ready offensively: he’s smart, can space the floor, and involve his teammates. I’m worried about his defense: at six-foot-two with only a six-foot-four wingspan, he’ll be undersized. He’s not very athletic at the NBA level either.
But the Warriors already have enough good individual defenders that Cook should be fine. He gives it his all on that end, even if his ceiling isn’t as high.
Graham Chapple of Peachtree Hoops wrote an excellent breakdown of Cook when he was signed to the Hawks in the offseason. Earlier, in February, Dakota Schmidt argued that Cook should be in the NBA for Limited Upside. I recommend giving them both a look.
Cook is already 24, so the clock is ticking on his NBA career. He likely won’t play much for Golden State this year because of their massive depth. But it would be nice for Cook to get a few minutes here and there, get some open shots up and run a little pick and roll. He could turn out to be an asset in the future as a smart leader of the second unit.