Warriors make one signing and one release! They sign a 2.06m former Thunder player on a two-way contract and waive 52nd pick Tookie.

On December 9th Beijing time, Warriors reporter Slater revealed that the team will sign 2.06-meter wing player Malevi Lyons on a two-way contract and waive this year’s 52nd pick Alex Tookie. The release is due to injury, with Tookie needing knee surgery and being ruled out for the season. Lyons currently plays for the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League, averaging 14.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

Lyons, originally from the Netherlands, previously appeared in 6 NBA regular season games for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He grew up in the Netherlands and made his professional debut in the Dutch Basketball League during the 2017-18 season. In 2020, Lyons moved to the U.S. and played at Mineral Area College in Missouri, where he was named NJCAA Division I Player of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

He then transferred to Bradley University, where he was named Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons. In his final college season, Lyons averaged 13.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 assists per game. Lyons went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft but joined the Thunder for the Summer League.

During the 2024-25 season, he split time between the Thunder and their G League affiliate. Before this season started, Lyons was waived by the Thunder.

Now, he has earned a new opportunity to play for the Warriors. Lyons has a 2.16-meter wingspan, which is a key factor in his defensive ability. The Warriors do not expect him to contribute on offense, but if he gets NBA playing time, his value will be on defense — a skill he has proven at every level he has competed.

Waived Tookie is 2.03 meters tall and has yet to appear in a regular season game since being drafted by the Warriors this season.