Brandin Podziemski was much more comfortable on both ends in his second Summer League outing, and Gui Santos showed off the versatile scoring chops that makes him an intriguing potential part of this franchise's long-term trajectory. The biggest takeaway from the Golden State Warriors' dominant 98-83 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday at the California Classic, though, is Lester Quiñones' strong continued push for one of two remaining full-time roster spots come 2023-24.

Two days after dropping 26 points on 16 shots in the Dubs' summer opener, Quiñones picked up right where he left off at Golden 1 Center, once again looking too good for second-tier NBA competition. This is a game's worth of highlights for most Summer Leaguers; Quiñones put them together in the first three minutes and 10 seconds of Wednesday's action.

Quiñones finished with a game-high 21 points, two rebounds and three assists, shooting 8-of-16 from the field. He served as the primary defender on Brandon Miller for most of the game, too, helping hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft to six points on just four field goal attempts, exposing the rookie's lack of burst and wiggle with dogged pressure on and off the ball.

The Hornets just never got much when trying to attack Quiñones in isolation, his thick shoulders, solid feet and 6'10 wingspan thwarting all comers—at least when his overt physicality didn't yield a foul call.

Engaged as he was defensively, it's Quiñones' play on the the other side of the ball that really opened eyes once again—and might soon lead to a standard NBA contract.

How many players on Golden State's current roster other than Stephen Curry can handle, pass and shoot out of a dribble hand-off with the creative ease Quiñones does below?

 

The Warriors won’t find a better blend of shot-making dynamism and comfort in Steve Kerr’s system on the minimum market than Quiñones. Nearly a full week into free agency, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office aren’t naive enough to be seeking surefire playoff-ready contributors anyway.

No gettable free agent guard projects as a rotation player for Golden State, and certainly can’t match Quinones’ long-term upside as a multi-level scorer, secondary playmaker and workable defender off the bench. Every contender could use extra depth on the wing, obviously, but what remaining free agent forward could actually make a difference for the Dubs if forced into action? Keep your fingers crossed for Dario Saric to fill the void in the frontcourt.

It’s no secret that Kerr and the veterans prefer experience over youth. Quiñones is cut from a different cloth than this team’s second-time lottery picks, though, a grinder who went from largely anonymous, undrafted former college roommate of James Wiseman to the G League’s reigning Most Improved Player. He won’t ruffle locker room feathers for more playing time in 2023-24, let alone touches and field goal attempts.

Quiñones would only add to Golden State's glut of players 6'4 and shorter, also failing to address the desire for another battle-tested wing defender. He'd be limited to garbage-time minutes when the Dubs are fully healthy, and could even play behind Cory Joseph and Podziemski in the backcourt during games Curry, Klay Thompson or Chris Paul is unavailable. But the juice and energy he provides offensively could be a situational boon for the aging Warriors across the 82-game grind regardless, making next season a hopeful launch pad toward an expanded role down the line.

It'd be surprising if Golden State rewarded Quiñones with a roster slot before Summer League concludes. He could be forced to win one in training camp. If his play in Sacramento is a harbinger of what's to come in Las Vegas, though, don't be surprised when Quiñones is suited up for opening night of 2023-24.