Who is Ryan Arcidiacono? + free agency updates

Ex-Villanova pg fits Kerr system

(Photo: NBAE/Getty)

UPDATE: Jason Dumas of KRON-4 reports it’s a “multi-day” workout:

Jason Dumas @JDumasReports

Source: Ryan Arcidiacono is currently here in the Bay in the midst of a multi-day workout with the Dubs. Both Ryan and GSW are getting a feel for one another. Ryan spent the last four seasons in Chicago. GSW still needs backup point guard help. Could be a fit for both sides.

So the Golden State Warriors either worked out or are planning to work out former Villanova and Chicago Bulls backup point guard Ryan Arcidiacono, per a tweet from The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, which was congruent with our report Monday morning [published at 6am with information acquired a few days earlier; for now our report will stay behind the paywall as it still contains exclusive details].

There are also two other point guards that went “off the board”, so to speak, whom we mentioned under the “gross speculation” category in the previous article: Frank Ntilikina and Dante Exum.

Ntilikina yesterday signed with the Dallas Mavericks, ironically the same destination as JaQuori McLaughlin’s — we also had a scouting report on him in the previous article [here’s that link again]:

Marc Stein @TheSteinLine

The Mavericks have emerged as the likely next destination for former Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina, league sources say.

Meanwhile, literally a couple of hours after the Ntilikina news, Exum was expected to sign with the Houston Rockets:

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania

Free agent guard Dante Exum is nearing a deal to return to the Houston Rockets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Exum played in only 24 games last season, but has returned to full health and averaged 9 points and 2.8 assists in Australia’s Bronze medal run in Tokyo Olympics.

With McLaughlin and Ntilikina, it kind of feels like Mavs 2, Dubs 0, but we don’t know the other side of the equation: did “Frank Nitty” or Exum even want to be Stephen Curry’s backup, buried probably as a third-stringer with limited minutes on the depth chart behind a second unit that will likely be helmed by Jordan Poole?

Finally, we also found out Isaiah Thomas has been working out on his own in Seattle. For now, I’ll chalk that up as not working out for the Warriors. And still no word on how the Darren Collison workout went, but his Instagram account seems to still be heavily focused on his work as a trainer. By contrast, one look at Arcidiacono’s IG account and you’d think he was the starting pg for the Bulls.

Friendly reminder: this is for the 15th spot. Usually that player doesn’t factor into wins and losses, unless his team has been decimated by injuries (knock on wood). But there’s not a whole lot to talk about with training camp still another week-and-a-half away, so I get it that people want to dissect this and criticize. I was asked by a subscriber literally last night who I think they should sign. My answer? Whomever general manager Bob Myers decides they should sign.

— Poor Man’s Commish

Arcidiacono, 27, last played for the Chicago Bulls and has four years of NBA experience. Stylistically, he has some traits that might play well with the Warriors motion-heavy offense.

The former Villanova Wildcat was nicknamed the “Arch of Dimes” and that is indicative of what he is as a player: a ball-mover who consistently tries to get better teammates involved. In fact, he is most famous for having the assist on Villanova’s 2016 NCAA championship game-winning buzzer-beater by Kris Jenkins:

While being scrappy, Arcidiacono has some solid abilities that have kept him on the NBA radar. His 37% shooting on threes and pesky, try-hard defense are why he has lasted this long in the NBA.

The 6’3” Arcidiacono cut his teeth in the San Antonio Spurs’ developmental system at their G League affiliate in Austin, which employs very similar schemes to the Warriors.

As Golden State’s search for potential 15th roster spot players goes on from now on through the end of training camp, they may want someone who can handle and run the offense. On paper, Arcidacono might be that player as he fits into what Kerr wants offensively.

— Dulow Twist