Former Laker Nick Young agrees to a contract with the Golden State Warriors
Former Laker Nick Young has agreed to a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors that is worth $5.2 million.
That amount is half a million less than Young was set to make had he picked up the player option on his contract with the Lakers this summer. Young declined that option on June 21 and became a free agent.
Young’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said the Warriors’ style of play was a major part of Young’s desire to play there, as was the welcome he received from various players with the defending NBA champions. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant all contacted Young to help recruit him.
Young, a Los Angeles native who played at USC, originally signed with the Lakers in 2013. He played in 220 games for them and began last season as their starting shooting guard. Young played in and started 60 games for the Lakers, before Lakers Coach Luke Walton benched in him favor of developing young players on the Lakers’ roster.
After the season, Young made his desire to play on a playoff team clear.
“At my age, I don’t know if I kind of want to sit around and wait for another team to progress and grow,” Young said in April. “Kind of want to be on a playoff team and see what happens.”
Bartelstein said Young had a desire to play in big, meaningful games.
“There’s nothing bigger than these guys,” Bartelstein said.
Around the NBA
Casspi joins too
In addition to Young, forward Omri Casspi is joining the Warriors on a $2,106,470, one-year contract, a person with direct knowledge of the deal said Wednesday.
This will be the 29-year-old Casspi’s sixth team as he enters his ninth NBA season, including two separate stints with the Sacramento Kings. He played for Sacramento, New Orleans and Minnesota last season, averaging 5.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 17.9 minutes.
Porter has big offer
Following his best NBA season, Otto Porter Jr. has a big offer to join the Brooklyn Nets, but it appears he’ll be staying right where he is in Washington.
Porter has agreed to sign an offer sheet with the Nets, a person with knowledge of the details told the Associated Press on Wednesday. The Wizards plan to match the offer and keep Porter.
The Vertical first reported that Porter had agreed to sign a four-year, $106-million offer sheet with the Nets.
Porter finished fourth in voting for most improved player last season after averaging 13.4 points and shooting 43.4% from three-point range, fourth-best in the league.
Waiters staying in Miami
A person with knowledge of the situation says Dion Waiters is staying in Miami and has agreed on a new four-year, $52 million contract with the Heat.
Waiters averaged 15.8 points in 46 games last season for the Heat. He was a significant part of how Miami turned its season around after an 11-30 start, going 30-11 in the second half.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Follow Tania Ganguli on Twitter @taniaganguli
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