The Golden State Warriors finished the preseason with a 124-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers for a 2-3 preseason record (1-3 against the Lakers) and then made quick work of trimming their roster to get it regular-season ready. The Warriors announced on Saturday that they have waived Andrew Harrison, Juan Toscano-Anderson and late training camp addition Kavion Pippen.
Each averaged no more than three points per game in no more than 10 minutes of action.
The biggest roster news of the weekend, though, was the announcement that the Warriors have waived Alfonzo McKinnie and signed Marquese Chriss to a non-guaranteed deal. The decision to part with a player so beloved by the organization was not an easy one.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said in an interview with ESPN’s Nick Friedell:
It’s a really, really difficult move to make because we have so much respect for Zo — not only his talent on the court, but his character off the court. He’s been fantastic and just a real pro. He’s the kind of person you want on your team … He helped us win a lot of games last year, helped us get to the Finals. He’s everything you want from a player in your locker room, in terms of being a great teammate, a great worker. Just a really high character human being. So this is just the way things have fallen out.
With injury bug following the franchise from the 2019 postseason to the 2019-20 preseason and regular season, mainly hitting the bigs, there was little choice but to take Chriss over McKinnie.
“The injuries at the center position have put us in this spot, along with the hard cap,” Kerr said. “And we tried to see if there were ways we could keep Marquese and Zo and we just couldn’t find any ways so we need Marquese, with the injuries, and the center spot and with our general lack of size anyway. And Chriss had a great camp — so the plan is for Marquese to make the roster.”
With McKinnie out, Glenn Robinson III has entered the starting lineup at small forward.
