Warriors sign Alen Smailagic to a roster spot

The Golden State Warriors have officially signed second-round draft pick Alen Smailagic. On Thursday, the team announced the signing of Smailagic, as well as fellow rookies Jordan Poole and Eric Paschall.

There was initially some speculation that Smailagic would be signed to a two-way contract, rather than given a roster spot. He’s only 18-years old, and the Warriors likely want him to spend much of the year with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the G League.

Instead, the team gave him a guaranteed roster spot and contract.

For the Warriors, that means that they can keep Smailagic on the team as much as they would like, rather than having the 45-day limit. It also means that the rookie will be eligible for the playoffs.

And for the 6’10” Smailagic, a regular season contract means he’ll be making significantly more money than if he signed a two-way.

While still raw in certain areas, Smailagic has had a strong Summer League. His defense has been very good, and he’s had more than a few highlights plays, notably dunks and blocked shots.

With the signing of the rookies, the Warriors have now used 14 of their available 15 roster spots. But due to their financial situation, they cannot sign a 15th player. So, barring some trades, here’s the roster:

Alec Burks
Willie Cauley-Stein
Steph Curry
Jacob Evans III
Draymond Green
Kevon Looney
Alfonzo McKinnie
Eric Paschall
Jordan Poole
Glenn Robinson III
D’Angelo Russell
Alen Smailagic
Omari Spellman
Klay Thompson

The team also has Ky Bowman and Julian Washburn on two-way contracts, though those can easily be changed.