A Dub Nation fan favorite reportedly is in the mix for a roster spot.
Juan Toscano-Anderson is one of six players who will work out for the Warriors in the coming weeks, according to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Former Golden State guard Kent Bazemore is also invited, along with Dion Waiters, Tony Snell, Harry Giles and Trey Burke.
No name on that list is creating more buzz than JTA, who played with the Warriors for three seasons and helped win the 2022 NBA Finals. Most recently, the East Oakland native was spotted at the A’s-Giants game this weekend and received a kelly green SELL shirt from the Oakland 68s fan supporter group.
Mission accomplished ✅ @juanonjuan10 @Oakland68s pic.twitter.com/n0ppLafrpH
— Cassandra (@cassmoni_) August 6, 2023
The Warriors currently have two full-time roster spots open heading into training camp, which begins on Oct. 2. From the crop of players listed by The Athletic, you can tell they’re going for help on the perimeter, as Giles is the only one taller than 6-foot-6.
Toscano-Anderson made his name as a sparkplug off the bench during his time with the Warriors, when he worked into a guaranteed contract from a two-way situation. Fans loved Toscano-Anderson’s loyalty to The Bay, while he was a favorite of his teammates for his fun personality and die-hard attitude on the floor. JTA is close friends with players like Gary Payton II and would be a seamless addition back to the locker room.
Toscano-Anderson, 30, spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers (30 games) and the Utah Jazz (22 games), averaging 13.5 minutes, 3.0 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.
Kent Bazemore
Height/Weight: 6-4, 195 pounds
Age: 34
Bazemore played with the Warriors from 2012-14 before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. The energetic role player returned for 67 more games with Golden State in 2020-21 but wasn’t on an NBA roster last season.
Harry Giles
Height/Weight: 6-11, 240 pounds
Age: 25
Giles is something of an outlier in this group of free agents, as he is the youngest player and the only big man of the bunch. Giles was regarded as the top player of his high school class in 2016 and went to the NBA after one season with Duke, but fizzled out after two seasons with the Sacramento Kings and one more with the Portland Trail Blazers. Despite his potential, Giles has been hampered by knee injuries that have dated back to his high school days.
Dion Waiters
Height/Weight: 6-3, 215 pounds
Age: 31
Waiters hasn’t been on an NBA roster since 2019-20, as the No. 4 overall pick from 2012 admittedly had been dealing with depression and anxiety. The shooting guard recently spoke to Bleacher Report about how his poor attitude led to his exit from the league, but now he’s trying to make a comeback after holding a private workout in July. Throughout his eight-year career, Waiters has averaged 13.1 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game while shooting 41.2 percent from the floor and 34.6 percent from 3-point land.
Tony Snell
Height/Weight: 6-6, 213 pounds
Age: 31
Like the other candidates, Snell is an NBA journeyman who didn’t appear in an NBA game last season. In June, Snell spoke to The TODAY Show about his recent autism diagnosis and how it has changed his approach to life. The 31-year-old has never been much of a scorer but is known for his 3-point shooting, as he sports a 39.4 percent clip from distance his career.
Trey Burke
Height/Weight: 6-0, 185 pounds
Age: 30
The veteran point guard has bounced around the league after starting out his career strong with the Utah Jazz with three solid seasons from 2013-16. Burke last played in the NBA in 2021-22, while spending last season with the Stockton Kings of the G League.
