Sources: Warriors sign Summer League standout to final two-way contract

It pays to win a Summer League championship.

After a strong showing this past summer, the Golden State Warriors are signing big man Graham Ike to a two-year, two-way contract, league sources told ClutchPoints.

The big man from Gonzaga averaged 10.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks on 21.2 minutes across 10 games this past summer league, helping Yaxel Lendeborg and the Summer League Warriors to a championship in Las Vegas, doing precisely what he wanted to show the NBA after going undrafted.

“Winning basketball is at its highest level, especially early on in this summer league, just showing that I can win,” Ike said in June at Golden State's summer league media day, expressing belief that this ragtag group put together on short notice could come together and win. “Just playing good basketball, structured basketball, good space, and great energy on both sides of the floor, and just winning.”

Ike will occupy Golden State's final two-way spot alongside LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons, with the fate of 2026 second-round pick Lajae Jones to be determined.

Regardless, Ike has a real chance of getting some real run given the advanced age of the Warriors' roster, as coach Steve Kerr has a strong track record of playing two-way players.

Most recently, point guard Pat Spencer had his two-way contract converted to a standard contract last season, taking full advantage of the opportunity provided by key players being out due to injury. And going further back, Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Ty Jerome got his start in Golden State during the 2022-2023 season before getting his break with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Projecting Graham Ike's fit with the Warriors

With bigs like Draymond Green, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis, Ike injects youth and athleticism into the arm of a rather old and non-athletic frontcourt rotation. A strong rebounder who has good touch and a high IQ when it comes to playing within motion-heavy offenses, Ike saw the Warriors as an ideal team for his play style.

“This was the first option, and when I heard it, my agent and I — we made a mutual agreement that this was the best decision for me based off just the way that they play, the culture here, and just the organization that is whole, and such good people that are in this organization,” Ike said back in June. “This spacing, a lot of continuity, a lot of free flow within the set. It's not necessarily like predetermined actions, just playing off of each other.”

But beyond the X's and O's, Ike's mentality matches his muscle. At the Dubs' Summer League media day, a reporter asked Ike if his Gonzaga coach, Mark Few, had any words of wisdom for him.

“Don't tiptoe into a bar fight,” Ike said without skipping a beat, repeating the advice Few gave him as he was setting off on his NBA career. “Just to be ready for the opportunity and be prepared when opportunity meets. It's going to be a tougher road; that's what I was told from Coach Few. So just enjoy the grind and literally not to tiptoe into it.”

The Warriors will have need of that competitive spirit as they look to get back to the postseason this upcoming season.