SAN FRANCISCO – Lester Quinones has appeared in four NBA games for a total of 18 minutes, yet he already has seen every facet involved in the business side of the basketball world over the last year.
In a year’s span, Quinones has gone undrafted, agreed to a two-way contract with the Warriors, saw that deal given to others, responded by breaking Santa Cruz Warriors records while stacking accolades in the G League, earned a two-way contract from Golden State as a reward late in the regular season and saw one of his best friends traded days after general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said he expects Jordan Poole to remain in San Francisco for at least four more years.
Quinones’ progress has continued to impress the Warriors, and on Thursday the team extended a qualifying offer to the 22-year-old. The Warriors own the rights to match any offer Quinones signs elsewhere, and he’s a likely candidate for one of their three two-way contracts to start the regular season this year.
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He’s grateful the Warriors are showing trust in him, and now Quinones’ main objective is doing anything in his power to earn Steve Kerr’s trust.
“I've just got to get in the gym more to solidify my spot on the roster I would say,” Quinones said Thursday at Chase Center. “Getting the extra work in, watching more film, doing all the other little things to where I can get to a point where Steve can trust me out there on the court and he can trust putting me on and know that there wouldn't be anything mentally that could just show that he can't trust me.
“Like I said, just growing my mental part of the game, I feel like that's just the next step for me because everything else will kind of just fall into itself with the work.”
There was one constant around the Warriors once Quinones joined the big squad in March, first on a 10-day contract and then signing his two-way contract. Wherever Poole was, Quinones was close by smiling and laughing. The two sat on opposite sides of the locker room, but their energy couldn’t be missed. A dance move, a dap and hyping each other up continued on the court.
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Poole was in Europe when shocking news spread that he was a major part of a trade that sent him to the Washington Wizards for Chris Paul. Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins, the Warriors’ top two picks in last year’s draft, also were moved to D.C. and Quinones was hurt to see his Santa Cruz teammates go after building chemistry with the two of them. This is all the reality of the business Quinones is learning, and he was sure to call Poole right away.
“Huge opportunity for him,” Quinones said. “He kind of gets to go over there in Washington and really be a leader out there. It's kind of his team I would say. He has a huge opportunity for himself. I'm excited for him. I feel like he's definitely going to perform down there.
“Yeah, nothing but love and the best of luck to him, but I'm actually excited to kind of see how he hoops down there and having his own team and really being a leader. I feel like, yeah, it's going to go really good for him down there.”
The Wizards are now Poole’s team, as are the summer league Warriors for Quinones. He’s the lone player on the Warriors’ summer league roster that has NBA experience, and is competing in the summer circuit for the second straight year, this time hoping he has a better showing than last year. His main objective isn’t stats right now, it’s showing the way to everybody else as he too continues to develop.
That means being a constant example of what coach Jacob Rubin is teaching in practice. It means coming in first every time during sprints. It means winning shooting competitions, but more importantly setting the tone – pushing himself and his teammates, never taking shortcuts and keeping spirits alive, whatever the circumstances might be.
Quinones averaged 20.2 points in 49 games for Santa Cruz between the regular season and G League showcase, shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 37.5 percent on 3-point attempts. He was named G League Player of the Week ahead of signing his 10-day contract, leading all G League scorers with 31.0 points per game for the week of Feb. 13 through Feb. 26 and put up 42 points in his final game of the month. Quinones after the season was named to the G League’s All-Rookie Team and was awarded the G League’s Most Improved Player.
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While he’s proud of his accomplishments and recently, finally, took time to reflect on his standout season, Quinones also is tossing those numbers to the back of his mind. What have you done for me lately? Of all the lessons Quinones has learned, that’s the biggest of them all.
"I feel like it's 100 percent a what-are-you-doing-for-me-now type of business, I would say,” Quinones said. “So obviously injuries and other things, the way people play inconsistently, all of that goes into it. Yeah, that's just the main thing I can say. It's a what-are-you-doing-for-me-now business.
“When your name is hot and when you have the hype, everybody is going to ride your train, but then them lows that come there, that's just tough to kind of overcome those and then that's when I feel like that hits people.”
Trust is the word Quinones is circling this summer. Mentally is where he wants it to count most, believing his skills will take care of the rest, leading the way every single day. He has received a crash course in what really goes into the game, and should be better for it in the long run.