Warriors Sign Donte DiVincenzo to Two-Year Deal
Donte DiVincenzo, the six-foot four guard out of Villanova, has agreed to a two year 9.3-million-dollar contract with the Warriors. The news broke after fans saw Gary Payton II leave for Portland and Otto Porter Jr. signed with the Raptors, so it couldn’t have come at a better time.
For those unfamiliar with his playstyle, I would point to the 2018 Villanova Wildcats where he along with former Warriors Eric Paschall and Omari Spellman, and future NBA players, Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson all won a National Championship together. In that Championship game Donte scored 31 points off the bench to lift the Wildcats to victory.
Later that year he would be drafted to the Bucks where he would see an increase in points per game and play time every year. His stint with the Bucks lasted four years until 2021 where in the playoffs he suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Then promptly afterwards he was traded to the Kings where he saw limited action that was believed to have been because of his injury. In classic Warrior's fashion they are taking a chance on an injury prone player because they believe the upside out ways the downside.
In many ways this could be true as DiVincenzo can fill the hole that Otto Porter Jr. left, a 3&D guard that will thrive in the Warriors’ system. He has proven on the biggest stage in college basketball that he can score as well as on an NBA level with the Bucks and Kings. It is just about staying healthy throughout the season just as Porter Jr had seemed to figure out in his short stint with the Warriors. And while he doesn’t have the tenacity on defense that GPII had, he certainly can be a gritty player that can help get stops when need be.
With his contract only being worth 9.3 million over two years it gives the Warriors some breathing room to sign other low-level contracts that they see fit. As well as leave some money to offer Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins new extensions when that time comes in a few days. Many fans are rightfully upset with the losses of GPII, Otto Porter Jr, JTA, Chiozza, and Bjelica but this is one of the best possible moves that the Dubs could have made in the offseason.
Having already signed Looney to a three year $25.1 million dollar deal, next up is the aforementioned Poole and Wiggins. But after they secure those two, there are a handful of players that they could take for the vet minimum and make work just as they did the year prior. Due to Steph and the team’s unselfishness, any player that joins the team in free agency is sure to flourish just as the Warriors believe Divincenzo will this upcoming season.
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