Georges Niang is still on the NBA free agency market, and the latest move by the Golden State Warriors did not change that. The Warriors signed Brandon Williams on Tuesday, leaving Niang available while one roster spot was said to remain open for him.
That matters now because Niang had already been linked to the Golden State Warriors in early August, making him one of the names to watch as the team sorted out its roster. Marc Stein said there is a clear role available for the veteran sharpshooter, and that one roster spot remains open for Niang.
The timing is also part of the story. The Warriors had been holding off on moves while working on trying to lure in LeBron James, then re-signed Draymond Green after LeBron James decided to take the Sixers route. That left Niang on the outside looking in, even with a fit that was being discussed around the team.
Brandon Williams spent the previous few seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, and his arrival suggests Golden State chose to address a different part of the roster first. For Niang, the only clear path left is to wait and see whether the Warriors use that remaining opening on him or move in another direction.
Niang does not make too much sense for the Sixers at this stage, which narrows the field even more. The Sixers needed a power forward to compete with Dominick Barlow for Dean Wade's backup, and with LeBron James in the mix, Dean Wade becomes the primary backup. Dominick Barlow will have to show plenty of improvement to garner minutes throughout the year when the team is healthy.
So for now, Niang remains in the same place he was before Tuesday: still available, still discussed, and still waiting on the decision that will tell him whether that open roster spot is his.
