Aside from landing Chris Paul in one of the offseason's bigger trades, the Golden State Warriors also beefed up their backcourt depth with the arrival of Cory Joseph. A veteran who has been a part of both contending and rebuilding teams through the years, Joseph will provide Golden State with a sense of stability in their second-unit, something they have been lacking through the years.
Before embarking on his journey with the Warriors for the 2023-24 season, though, Joseph was set to represent Team Canada in the FIBA World Cup at the end of August. This will no longer be the case though, as the 31-year-old guard has withdrawn to prepare for the upcoming NBA season with his new team, according to Doug Smith from the Toronto Star.
In addition to wanting to prepare for his time with the Warriors, Joseph also experienced an issue with his back during Team Canada's training camp. This ended up being another reason why he will no longer represent Canada at the World Cup.
The Warriors will be Joseph's sixth NBA franchise, as he has spent time with the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and most recently, the Detroit Pistons. In a total of 12 seasons, he has averaged 7.1 points and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 44.2 percent from the floor and 35.0 percent from three-point range.
Heading into his 13th NBA season, Joseph will be looking to prove that he is one of the missing pieces in the Warriors' championship equation. Recently, he revealed that one of the driving forces that led him to signing with Golden State was his relationship with fellow Canadian basketball player Andrew Wiggins.
“We played together with Team Canada and we've always been super close,” Joseph said of Wiggins. “His brother was just here at my wedding, so yeah, we've always been super close and I'm excited to play with him because obviously he's an amazing player. He brings a lot to the team, so I'm excited to have the chance to just be out there with him.”
While it is not necessarily good news that Joseph is dealing with back discomfort, Warriors fans should be relieved that their new veteran will be taking time to prepare for the upcoming season instead of playing in the FIBA World Cup.
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