Mac McClung’s quest to find a long-term NBA home will continue this fall in San Francisco. The 23-year-old signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Golden State Warriors in July after impressing at Las Vegas summer league, and will compete for one of the team’s final roster spots at training camp beginning Sept. 24.
McClung, a former college standout at Georgetown and Texas Tech, went undrafted in 2021. He’s appeared in just two NBA games so far as a pro — one with the Los Angeles Lakers and another with the Chicago Bulls — but averaged 21.7 points, 7.7 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals last season for the South Bay Lakers on his way to earning G League Rookie of the Year honors.
After suiting up for the Lakers during the California Classic at Chase Center, the Warriors added McClung to their Las Vegas roster to bolster their depth at point guard, with second-round pick Ryan Rollins sidelined because of injury. And McClung produced, averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 45.6% from the field and 50% from 3-point range.
In Las Vegas, McClung showcased creative, athletic finishes around the rim, an improved stroke from deep and, most notably, the ability to run a team from the point guard position. Despite being just 6-foot-2 — undersized for a point guard by league standards — his all-around game intrigued Golden State enough to give him a shot.
Could McClung, once a viral dunking sensation in high school, be a reliable reserve option for the defending champions? At training camp, he’ll have another opportunity to prove his game is more than just a gimmick.
Training camp outlook: McClung’s path to a spot on the 15-man roster will be an uphill battle. The Warriors already have 13 guaranteed contracts on the books — that includes Rollins and first-round pick Patrick Baldwin Jr. — and the 14th spot is currently reserved for veteran forward Andre Iguodala, who continues to mull over his playing future.
If Iguodala does return, McClung’s chances of making the team becomes slimmer. That would leave just one spot, which Golden State could ultimately choose not to fill to avoid going deeper into the luxury tax.
McClung’s biggest issue is that Rollins, the 44th pick in this year’s draft, has the No. 3 point guard spot and a guaranteed contract. So he’ll have to outplay Rollins at camp to take his minutes, or prove to the Warriors that he’s worth carrying a fourth point guard on the roster.
It’s not an impossible situation for McClung to overcome. If he can replicate his summer league success at camp, he’ll have a chance.
C.J. Holmes covers the Warriors for The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: cj.holmes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @CjHolmes22
