The Golden State Warriors had one of the most impressive and surprising runs in the NBA playoffs last season after upsetting the Denver Nuggets in the first round and so far this offseason they have done a good job despite losing out on Dwight Howard, bringing in Andre Iguodala on a contract and now they have added another solid name.
According to ESPN.com the Warriors have signed Marreese Speights to multiyear contract after losing out on Dwight Howard, signing the center away from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Speights is the first big signing since the team brought in Andre Iguodala from the Denver Nuggets and now the Warriors have another solid scorer in the fold to go along with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The Warriors had a void to fill after Carl Landry and Jarrett Jack left for the Kings and Cavs respectively and now they have put themselves right in the thick of it in the West.
Landry signed a four-year deal with the Kings worth $26 million after playing well for the Warriors in the playoffs and now Speights will step in to add some size and rebounding for the team. Last year he played for the Cavaliers and Grizzlies and sources said that his deal is for two years and includes a team option for the third season. Speights was originally drafted 16th overall in 2008 by the Sixers out of Florida and he averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 39 games after being traded to Cleveland from the Grizzlies.
The Warriors will use the 25-year-old as a bench player and backup for David Lee, who will be back to full strength after being injured at the end of last season. For his career in five seasons, Speights has averaged 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds and he showed solid improvement over the second half of last season with the Cavs. The Warriors feel that they can challenge in the West after signing Iguodala and the team could be making more moves in free agency as the summer goes on. The Cavaliers have been going after Andrew Bynum and now that Speights has signed with the Warriors, the team will be looking for another big body to bring into the fold.
