The Golden State Warriors head into the All-Star break at 29-26, firmly in the Western Conference play-in race after dropping seven of their last 11 games. The season has been inconsistent at the NBA level — Jimmy Butler is out for the rest of 2025-26 (and part of next year) with a torn ACL, and Stephen Curry has missed the last five games (appearing in just two of the past eight), though the team hopes he returns post-break to stabilize things for a late push.
While the main roster has struggled to find rhythm, a quieter but growing source of optimism is developing in the G League with the Santa Cruz Warriors.
On Thursday, Santa Cruz beat the Memphis Hustle 134-116 to improve to 10-9. The real story, however, is recent acquisition Deivon Smith, an undrafted 23-year-old rookie who has exploded in his first two games with the team.
- Vs. Memphis (Thursday): Career-high 32 points in 30 minutes off the bench (9-17 FG, 4-? 3P, 5-7 FT), plus a career-best 9 rebounds and 7 assists — narrowly missing a triple-double.
- Vs. Memphis (Wednesday debut): Then career-high 26 points in 31 minutes (9-18 FG, 2-? 3P), 5 rebounds, 7 assists, plus defensive flashes (1 steal, 2 blocks).
In just two appearances since being acquired from the College Park Skyhawks (in exchange for 2026 G League first- and second-round picks), Smith has made a serious early impression — showing scoring burst, playmaking vision, rebounding tenacity, and defensive upside.
Smith’s Path to Santa Cruz
Smith signed a training camp deal with the Atlanta Hawks before the season but saw limited Summer League action before being waived. He then joined College Park (Hawks’ G League affiliate), where he averaged 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists across 20 games (46.4% FG, 25% 3P). Only three were starts, but in those he jumped to 16.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.7 steals in 25.9 minutes — a clear pattern of production when given opportunity and a defined role.
Before turning pro, Smith had a five-year college career (Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, Utah, St. John’s), appearing in 139 games (65 starts). His standout season came at Utah in 2023-24: 12.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 40.8% 3P.
Why This Matters for Golden State
The Warriors have long used the G League as a valuable evaluation and development pipeline. Smith is on a standard G League contract (short-term), but his early returns are promising enough to warrant close monitoring. At 6’2″–6’3″ with guard skills, burst, and two-way flashes, he fits the mold of an overlooked prospect who could unlock more in the right system.
If the trajectory continues, Santa Cruz could be quietly developing another under-the-radar contributor worth a potential two-way or Exhibit 10 look next season — especially if injuries or roster turnover create openings.
For now, the Warriors hope Curry returns healthy post-break to steady the ship. But the G League buzz around Deivon Smith offers a small but meaningful silver lining — proof that talent can still emerge even when the main roster is battling inconsistency.
Warriors fans, how excited are you about Deivon Smith’s early G League explosion? Do you see him earning a two-way or NBA look next season if he keeps this up? And how confident are you in a late-season push once Curry returns?