"That's just how I was raised. I feel like Northwood, the basketball gym felt like my home since I'm there so much, before, during and after school... I just wanted to help out. That was really it."
The Golden State Warriors are signing two-way guard Pat Spencer to a contract for the rest of the season, Spencer's agency told ESPN's Shams Charania on Saturday. This is the second consecutive season Spencer has seen his contract converted to a full roster spot. Last April, the Warriors promoted him before the playoffs and Spencer ended up contributing, scoring 36 points in 63 postseason minutes. That didn't lead to enough league-wide interest to get Spencer a guaranteed roster spot this past summer, so he returned to the Warriors on another two-way contract the day before training camp.
It's like asking a bunch of kids, who are just learning how to swim, to make sure the other one doesn't drown. That's the tightrope Jordi Fernández has walked as the Nets push through the final stretch of a season that has gone sideways in the standings, even as the organization stays committed to a development plan built for patience.
The jumper gives Brooklyn spacing, and it gives Démin a base to build on. But the next step is the one that changes how defenses treat him. It's not another layer of shot-making. It's learning how to consistently get into the paint and get to where he wants to go on the floor, on his terms, against NBA bodies and NBA game plans.