After witnessing his market dry up this offseason, former 76ers forward Georges Niang managed to land a new contract in free agency, signing a one-year deal to jump ship to the Warriors. The veteran effectively filled up Golden State's final roster spot, arming their battle-tested squad with another proven three-point shooter who will be expected to fight for minutes in Steve Kerr's usually deep rotation.
On paper, Niang seems to be precisely what the doctor ordered for the Warriors as they ventured out to improve their bench, especially with regard to their depth at the forward position. However, for the veteran, the decision to go to Golden State seems poised to fail for the simple reason that he is an iffy fit for his new ball club. As such, his role will most likely be marginal at best.
Former 76ers sharpshooter Georges Niang had no choice but to settle for an iffy fit with the Warriors
To be fair, Niang did not exactly have the luxury of having real options out in the open market. The fact that the Warriors were the only team linked to him this offseason is pretty telling of his current stock as a free agent, so signing a deal with Golden State is simply the logical culmination of his summer situation.
That inevitability, however, does not erase the fact that his on-court fit with the Dubs is not that ideal. Sure, he might be a career 40 percent three-point shooter who will feast on Golden State's system predicated on whipping the ball around and chasing open spaces, but aside from that, he offers nothing elsewhere at this point in his career.
Niang is not even a secondary playmaker or a rim runner, which limits his offensive profile to being a catch-and-shoot threat. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but it will simply limit his ability to get more minutes given that Steve Kerr will have to play him only next to specific kind of players who can do the things he is incapable of.
The bigger problem for him is when it comes to defense. The Warriors like to switch everything –– that has been their M.O. for more than a decade now. Niang, however, is exactly the kind of player who will struggle in that kind of defensive scheme. After all, he simply lacks the foot speed to constantly move around and eat the opposing team's room to operate. The fact that he is coming off a one-year absence due to a foot injury will not do him any favors.
While it is nice to see a former 76ers fan favorite in Georges Niang get another opportunity to stay in the NBA, the Warriors appear to be a desperation heave for him. For now, the fit looks far from ideal, but hopefully, he can prove this author wrong and show everyone that he can still be a serviceable role player.
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