SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors waived forwards Rudy Gay and Rodney McGruder following the team’s final preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, the team announced.
The roster stands at 13 players, but Golden State has two weeks from Friday night to add a mandatory 14th player to the roster, according to the CBA. Golden State can still technically re-sign either Gay or McGruder as that 14th guy.
Teams are obligated to carry at least 14 players, with a maximum of 15, and can carry 13 for two weeks only twice during the year. Carrying 13 for those two weeks shaves a few dollars off the total luxury tax bill, which the Warriors are projected to be paying well over $167 million.
The Warriors brought in Gay, aged 37 entering his 18th NBA season, hoping he could add front court depth at the end of the bench along with a strong veteran presence.
Gay played in two of the Warriors’ five preseason games — both against the Los Angeles Lakers — for an average 7.5 minutes per game. He scored four points in the preseason opener on Oct. 7 with four rebounds and went scoreless in the second game with three rebounds.
McGruder, 32, made his Warriors debut in the preseason finale on Friday having missed most of preseason with a concussion. McGruder scored eight points with five rebounds in 20 minutes in the Warriors’ lone preseason loss.