Warriors to sign Brazilian forward Santos to 3-year deal

DETROIT— The Warriors are signing 2022 draft pick Gui Santos to a three-year contract, league sources confirmed. The terms of the deal haven’t been released.

Santos is expected to fill the Warriors’ vacant 14th roster spot, which needed to be filled by Thursday under the rules of the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

The Warriors selected the 21-year-old forward out of Minas in Brazil 55th overall in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.

Santos spent his first season with the G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, where he averaged 12.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26 minutes per game. He has not played for the Warriors at the NBA level and was unsigned after last season.

At 6-foot-7, Santos adds some frontcourt depth to the Warriors bench, though he isn’t expected to be at the front of the bench with much playing time. The Warriors already have Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Gary Payton and Brandin Podziemski ahead of him on the bench at the wing position.

The Warriors reduced their roster to 13 players and saved some money by releasing veterans Rudy Gay and Rodney McGruder after training camp, and Santos’ signing will bring them to compliance with the CBA rules.