Warriors Waive Miles Kelly After Strong Preseason Showing, Sign Tyler Burton
Despite leading the team in scoring in a preseason loss, guard Miles Kelly was released as Golden State prioritizes wing depth.
The Golden State Warriors have waived guard Miles Kelly, who led the team in scoring during a recent preseason game, and signed wing Tyler Burton. The move appears to prioritize roster depth at the wing position for the upcoming season.
Kelly, a second-year player out of Auburn, scored 28 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, hitting six three-pointers. Despite his offensive output and a team-high plus-14 rating in the game, the Warriors ultimately decided to move in a different direction. He was released on Sunday.
Golden State filled Kelly's spot by signing Tyler Burton to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract. Burton, a 6-foot-7 wing who played at Villanova, averaged 10.8 points and 4.2 rebounds over 10 games with the Memphis Grizzlies last season. His addition is intended to bolster the Warriors' wing depth, particularly as key players Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are expected to miss time early in the season.
Kelly had shown flashes in the preseason, scoring six points in limited minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers the night before his standout performance against the Trail Blazers. Over three preseason games, he shot 8-for-15 from beyond the arc. However, he did not play in the Warriors' subsequent exhibition win against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, and the team moved to release him the following day.
The Warriors' decision highlights the competitive nature of NBA rosters, where even strong individual performances can be overshadowed by team needs and strategic roster decisions.