SAN FRANCISCO _ The Warriors will sign Marquese Chriss to a two-way contract, a source confirmed with Bay Area News Group.
Chriss, who was waived by the Warriors on Jan. 6 in order to make room for Damion Lee on the 15-man roster, will have 23 days of eligibility under a prorated two-way contract.
During training camp, Chriss, 22, signed a non-guaranteed contract that would have become fully guaranteed on Jan. 10. By waiving him before that date, it allowed the Warriors to sign Damion Lee, who has emerged as the team's starting shooting guard, to a standard NBA contract.
Lee is expected to sign a multi-year deal before Wednesday, Jan. 15, the last day teams can sign players to two-way contracts. Once Lee signs his contract, the Warriors will be able to make the Chriss move official. The deals are expected to be finalized Tuesday.
By signing Chriss to a two-way contract, the Warriors will retain his restricted free-agent rights this summer, allowing them to match any offer sheet he receives from another team.
Waiving Chriss was not the preferred way to promote Lee. In Golden State, he emerged as a potential long-term piece as his passing and screen-setting abilities helped him earn a spot on the roster. Head coach Steve Kerr mentioned on several occasions that he'd like to see Chriss remain with the team.
In 37 games this season (three starts), Chriss averaged 7.4 points on 48.5% shooting, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 17.7 minutes per game.
