In what could be their final roster move of the season, the Warriors are adding some depth to the frontcourt that could make things interesting down the stretch. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, they are signing 27-year-old Omer Yurtseven to a 10-day contract after a recent standout performance for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
“The Golden State Warriors are signing former Heat and Jazz center Omer Yurtseven to a 10-day contract,” reported Shams on Saturday. “Yurtseven spent the season in the Euroleague before joining the G League last week, posting 36 points and 12 rebounds Friday night.”
The Warriors are looking for a spark to close out the season, especially as they consider Stephen Curry’s availability. At ninth in the West (32-34), they’ve already fallen behind some of the top teams, but it’s not too late to climb into the top six and avoid the play-in. At the very least, they can move up to seventh or eighth and ensure they only need one win to advance to the first round.
At 27 years old, Omer Yurtseven wasn’t just signed for what he could provide in the future. As a skilled, glass-cleaning big man with elite shooting range, he’s someone who can contribute now if he’s given the right opportunity. He brings solid court vision and can also stretch the floor as a capable shooter.
The Turkish big man initially played for the Heat in 2021-22, where he averaged 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 52.6% shooting from the field. He went on to play one more season for the Heat, and then one season for the Jazz, before taking his talents overseas. He had been playing in the Euroleague for a while before making the jump to the G-League, where the Warriors finally picked him up.
As a versatile scoring big man, he’s someone who has always been on their radar, but it was a recent game against the Salt Lake City Stars that convinced them to give him another chance. He went off for 36 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, zero steals, and three blocks on 15-21 shooting (0-1 from three) to lead his team to victory.
While the Warriors recently added Kristaps Porzingis to their frontcourt, this kind of addition can only help their rotation, even if he doesn’t end up sticking around. He’s a low-risk, high-reward signing that sends a message to Curry: they are still aiming to win now. While he alone won’t be enough to make the difference, the Warriors can still make a run if enough things go their way.
