Usman Garuba, who finished the season with the Warriors, is returning to Europe to join Real Madrid on a multiyear contract, according to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.net.
Garuba played for the Real Madrid organization from 2017-21. He was drafted in the first round by the Rockets in 2021 but has only seen modest playing time in his NBA career.
The 22-year-old power forward was traded twice during the 2023 offseason, then was waived by the Thunder. He signed a two-way deal with the Warriors in September and spent most of the season in the G League. He was promoted to the 15-man roster just before the start of the postseason but Golden State was eliminated during the play-in tournament.
Garuba, touted as a strong defender, barely played for the Warriors. In six games and just 18 minutes, he totaled three points, seven rebounds and three blocks this year. Across his three seasons in the NBA, Garuba holds averages of 2.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 104 games (three starts).
This season with Santa Cruz in the G League, he averaged 12.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks in 35 regular season and Showcase Cup games.
Real Madrid is expected to lose another former NBA big man, Vincent Poirier, whose contract is expiring.
I said why have this guy when you can have a center but a couple people went at me.
Chris Paul, Guruba and Jerome Robinson replaced by a good veteran(early 30s) center starter, young PG prospect and a young C to develop was what the Warriors did wrong, plus Kerr not saying anything to Draymond. I can understand doing that to Rodman in the day but Kerr is older and Draymond is assaulting people at random. Rodman was just being Rodman. Kerr had excuses.
Let me hear the excuses
Draymond shouldn’t play again.
When is Smiley (aka the “Next Dirk”) returning to the Dubs?