Warriors Rumors: Nico Mannion Signs 2-Way Contract After 2020 NBA Draft

The Golden State Warriors and former Arizona point guard Nico Mannion, the 48th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, reportedly reached an agreement Friday on a two-way contract.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported the news.

Mannion enjoyed a mostly strong freshman campaign with the Wildcats. He averaged 14.0 points, 5.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 32 games during his only college season. His shooting efficiency was cause for concern, however, after he connected on just 39.2 percent of his shots, including 32.7 percent on threes.

After getting drafted, the 2019 McDonald's All-American said he's confident he can an impact as a rookie in Golden State.

"I think my answer to that question would have been my IQ," Mannion said about his strengths on KNBR Radio (via Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area) "... I don't think I shot the ball great in college percentage-wise, but I think I've tweaked a couple things in my shot and I'm shooting it better than I ever have right now."

He was one of three players selected by the Dubs in last week's draft. They also added center James Wiseman (No. 2 overall) and shooting guard Justinian Jessup (No. 51).

His chances of making an immediate impact would have been minimal if not for an Achilles injury suffered by Klay Thompson on the day of the draft, which will force him to miss the 2020-21 season.

Although it's a major setback for the Warriors, it could allow Mannion to earn occasional playing time in the backcourt and wing rotations behind Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr.

The two-way contract means he'll likely split time between Golden State and the Santa Cruz Warriors, the team's G League affiliate, throughout his debut season.

Mannion may eventually develop into a second-round steal for the Warriors if spending time around Curry, Thompson and Co. makes him a more reliable shooter, especially from beyond the arc.