SAN FRANCISCO _ The Warriors will sign forward Dragan Bender to a second 10-day contract, a league source confirmed to Bay Area News Group.
Bender, whose first 10-day contract expired Wednesday, impressed enough to warrant a league-minimum second 10-day contract. The Warriors like his ability to stretch the floor and pass from a frontcourt position.
Players can sign up to two 10-day deals with an NBA team in a season, after which they can either become a free agent or sign a prorated minimum contract for the rest of the season.
In six games (three starts), Bender, the No. 4 pick in the 2016 NBA draft, averaged 7.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 23.3 minutes per game. The Warriors signed Bender after he was waived by the Bucks last month. Bender, 22, spent his first three seasons with the Suns.
"I think he's shown in the 10 days that if you give him a chance to play and he can gain some confidence, he can do a lot of good things out there," head coach Steve Kerr said after Bender had 14 points, five rebounds and two assists in Tuesday's win against the Nuggets. "He's helped us win two games in a season when we haven't won a lot of games."
