Warriors decline to give Toscano-Anderson qualifying offer, making him unrestricted free agent
© Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group/TNS
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 20: Golden State Warriors' Juan Toscano-Anderson (95) interacts with fans during the Championship Parade on Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 20, 2022. The Warriors won their fourth NBA Championship in eight seasons after defeating the Boston Celtics in the Game 6.
The Warriors have been chock-full of feel-good stories over the past several years. One of the best, though, may be reaching its conclusion with the team.
Golden State did not extend a qualifying offer to Oakland native Juan Toscano-Anderson before a Wednesday deadline to do so, sources confirmed to the Bay Area News Group. The Warriors also did not give guard Chris Chiozza a qualifying offer, making both him unrestricted free agents beginning Thursday afternoon.
The Warriors’ would have needed to offer Toscano-Anderson $2.1 million to make him a restricted free agent. That figure is slightly above the approximately $1.8 million he would receive if he signed for the minimum salary.
Toscano-Anderson grew up a Warriors fan and went to games at Oracle Arena. After years of working his way through international leagues, including stops in Mexico and Venezueala and the G League, Toscano-Anderson joined the Warriors roster in February 2020 and wore No. 95 in honor of his Oakland upbringing, which included living on 95th Street.
As a two-way player for most of the 2020-21 season, Toscano-Anderson emerged as an effective role player, averaging 20.9 minutes per game across 53 games played and 16 starts. The Warriors converted his two-way deal into a full-time contract on May 13, 2021, with a 2021-22 roster spot guaranteed — a moment that sparked an emotional phone call with his mother.
In the 2021-22 title-winning season, Toscano-Anderson’s role decreased as the season went along, from being an active member of the rotation early to only playing in end-of-quarter defensive possessions or in garbage time by the playoffs.
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The decision not to give Toscano-Anderson a qualifying offer doesn’t necessarily mean the Warriors won’t bring him back, but it is an indication that they are prioritizing their younger wing players — particularly Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and potentially Patrick Baldwin Jr. — over the veteran.
By declining to make him a qualifying offer, the Warriors also allow Toscano-Anderson to seek out a new NBA team that could offer him a larger role and more playing time than he may get in Golden State next year.
And under Bob Myers and Steve Kerr, the Warriors have brought back players for a second stint with the team before — think Andrew Bogut, Kent Bazemore and Andre Iguodala. So even if Toscano-Anderson is playing for another team next season, he could always return again.
But no matter what, Toscano-Anderson will forever have been a part of a championship with his childhood team. If that’s the final chapter of his time with the Warriors, then what a finish it was.
Madeline Kenney contributed to this report.
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