​PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 17: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) GettyLJ Cryer is averaging 24.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists on 44.4% shooting from the field, 41.4% from 3-point range on more than 12 attempts per night for the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors after appearing in four preseason games for Golden State. GettyMalevy Leons #33 of the Golden State Warriors GettyThe Golden State Warriors filled a real need Tuesday, agreeing to a one-year, $2.6 million deal with point guard Brandon Williams. Golden State had been without a true backup for Stephen Curry since losing Pat Spencer to the Suns in free agency, and Williams gives them exactly that.It’s a solid pickup on paper. Williams averaged 13.0 points and 3.9 assists in 66 games with the Dallas Mavericks last season, and his ball-handling and speed should take pressure off De’Anthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski, who’d been forced into more point guard duties than either was suited for.But the move creates a problem for someone else on the roster.Free agent guard Brandon Williams has agreed to a one-year, $2.6 million deal to sign with the Golden State Warriors, agents Derek Lafayette and Curtis Lawrence tell ESPN. Williams averaged 13 points, 3.9 assists and 22.2 minutes per night across 66 games for Dallas last season. pic.twitter.com/VcDytjCDKe — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 25, 2026What the Williams Deal Means for LJ CryerGettyLJ Cryer of the Golden State Warriors.LJ Cryeris on a two-way contract, so Williams’ signing won’t push him off the roster outright. It will, however, limit how much he actually plays. Golden State’s guard rotation now runs through Curry, Melton and Podziemski as the top three, with Williams, Will Richard and Gary Payton II filling in based on matchups. There isn’t an obvious opening left for Cryer in that picture.Had Golden State missed on Williams, Cryer likely would have been the favorite for the backup point guard job on a standard contract. Instead, that path is mostly closed. The Warriors already used their final standard roster spot on Georges Niang, signed to add shooting and size up front, which means the door for Cryer getting a bigger role this season has mostly shut.That’s a tough break for a player who held his own in 18 games last year, averaging 8.2 points on 39.4 percent shooting from three. Williams brings more athleticism and shot creation, but his shooting has been a real weakness. His career three-point percentage sits at 28.0 percent, and it dropped to just 23.2 percent last season. Some evaluators would argue C