Usman Garuba has signed a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors that will see him split time between the G-League’s Santa Cruz Warriors and the NBA’s Warriors for up to 50 games.

After being released by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Garuba, the first Spanish player to join with the Warriors, was a free agent who caught the attention of Real Madrid.

Spanish-born musician making his way in the Bay Area. The California team announced on social media that they had signed Garuba to a two-way contract.

The luminaries that Usman Garuba will join on the Warriors’ roster

The Spanish center Usman Garuba will join the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Chris Paul, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green on Steve Kerr’s Golden State Warriors.

For how long does Garuba have a two-way deal with the Warriors?

In the 2017–18 NBA season, dual contracts were established, and Garuba will be the first player from Spain to receive one.

In MARCA, Javier Molero defined a dual contract as an arrangement that allows an NBA player to also play for his or her G League affiliate (the Santa Cruz Warriors in this example) for up to 50 games each season (a change from the previous 45-game limit).

In the NBA, a team’s roster size cannot exceed 15 players, however they are allowed to have two players under dual contracts.

These contracts are available at any time during the season to players with three years or less of experience in the league at most.

Usman Garuba was acquired by the Thunder from the Atlanta Hawks in a five-team transaction on July 8. He has never played for the Thunder or the Hawks.

Last year, before being traded to the Hawks by the Rockets on July 1, 2023, Garuba played in 75 games and averaged 3.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 12.9 minutes per game as a top defensive specialist.

From 2021 to 2022, he played 99 games in the NBA after being selected 23rd overall out of Real Madrid. He averaged 2.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per contest.