Warriors Rumors: Alfonzo McKinnie Waived, Marquese Chriss Expected to Make Team

The Golden State Warriors have waived forward Alfonzo McKinnie and are expected to use the now-open roster spot on forward Marquese Chriss, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Golden State signed Chriss on Oct. 1 as the 2016 eighth-overall pick remained on the open market as training camps got underway.

Taken eighth overall in 2016, Chriss spent the first two seasons of his career with the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game during his two years in the desert.

In August 2018, he was traded along with Brandon Knight to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Ryan Anderson and De'Anthony Melton. He made just 16 appearances in a Rockets uniform, though, as he was dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the trade deadline in February.

He averaged 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game overall in 43 appearances in 2018-19.

Now with his fourth organization since 2018, the 22-year-old Chriss has impressed during the preseason. He has averaged 9.5 points on 60.9 percent shooting, 8.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.

Three-time All-Star Draymond Green recently defended Chriss' tough start to his career, noting that the former first-round pick has not been put in a position to succeed:

With Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala no longer in the Bay Area and Klay Thompson expected to be out until the All-Star break, the Warriors will be looking for rotation players to step up to help Green, Stephen Curry and D'Angelo Russell. That provides Chriss with a golden opportunity to show what he can do.

McKinnie spent one season with Golden State. He averaged 4.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while playing in 72 games, including five starts, in 2018-19. He made 22 appearances during the postseason, including one start, and averaged 3.0 points in 10.7 minutes per game.