When you win an NBA championship with mostly homegrown talent, expect the rest of the league to circle you like vultures for talent. The Oklahoma City Thunder have experienced that firsthand over the years. The latest example happened with their G League affiliate.
The Golden State Warriors signed Malevy Leons to a two-way contract. He's spent the last two years with OKC after he went undrafted in 2024. He spent time overseas and at Bradley before that.
In his two years in OKC, Leons has mostly spent time with the OKC Blue. He's also had a couple of Summer League and preseason stints. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault was excited to see the 26-year-old return to the NBA. He had a cup of coffee with the reigning NBA champion last year with six appearances.
"It couldn't have happened to a better guy. He's such a great person. So easy to root for," Daigneault said. "He's a great program guy for us."
Daigneault said that he reminisced with Blue head coach Daniel Dixon about Leons. He recalled his first Summer League trip, where he didn't touch the floor until the last few games of the multi-week extravaganza. By that point, most folks had left Las Vegas as the top draft picks sat out.
"If you've ever been to Vegas all the way to the end, it's like when the lights come on at the bar. It's not a great environment," Daigneault said. "He was going. Then he played a couple of Blue seasons with us. He was on and off our roster and our training camps. He's a guy that's gotten a lot better here."
Not all two-way spots are equal. Some teams desperately need young depth more than others. Count the Warriors on that boat. Perhaps Leons could bring some energy off the bench. He has the right physical tools to help that small roster.
"We couldn't be happier for him," Daigneault said. "He's a great program guy."
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: OKC Thunder happy to see Malevy Leons get Warriors' two-way spot
