Santa Cruz Warriors Acquired Guard Miles Kelly
The team obtained the 23-year-old guard in a trade with the Texas Legends involving draft picks and player rights.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Basketball
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The Santa Cruz Warriors have acquired the returning player rights to 6-foot-4 guard Miles Kelly from the Texas Legends. In exchange, the Warriors sent a 2026 first-round draft pick along with the rights to players Charles Bassey and Ja'Vier Francis.
Why it matters
This trade reconfigures the roster in Santa Cruz by offloading two veteran contributors in favor of securing Kelly, who recently played in the NBA. Kelly brings high-level scoring experience to the G League affiliate ahead of the upcoming training camp.
Miles Kelly joins the roster after appearing in 14 games for the Dallas Mavericks and 33 games for the Texas Legends. The deal includes the departure of Charles Bassey, who averaged a double-double, and Ja'Vier Francis, who played in 47 games last year.
The players
Miles Kelly
He is a 23-year-old guard who played 14 games for the Dallas Mavericks and 33 games for the Texas Legends.
Santa Cruz Warriors
This organization is the G League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors.
Texas Legends
This professional basketball team plays in the NBA G League and is affiliated with the Dallas Mavericks.
Charles Bassey
He is a professional basketball player who averaged 20.4 points and 12.0 rebounds per game for Santa Cruz last season.
Ja'Vier Francis
He is a professional basketball player who appeared in 47 games for the Santa Cruz Warriors last season.
The details
The transaction leverages G League collective bargaining rules that designated the Texas Legends as the primary franchise for Kellys returning player rights. Kelly, who previously played collegiate basketball at Georgia Tech from 2021 to 2024 and Auburn from 2024 to 2025, remains a high-value prospect.
Timeline
Miles Kelly played at Georgia Tech from 2021 to 2024.
Kelly played for Auburn during the 2024-2025 season.
The Dallas Mavericks waived Miles Kelly in March 2026.
Santa Cruz acquired the player rights for Miles Kelly on September 22, 2026.
The Golden State Warriors are scheduled to open training camp in late September 2026.
Season Trajectory
This roster move signals a shift in the Santa Cruz Warriors' depth chart as they sacrifice reliable production for a high-ceiling guard recently tested in the NBA. By clearing veteran rights to acquire Kelly, the front office is clearly prioritizing backcourt development before camp.
The departure of Charles Bassey leaves a void in interior scoring and rebounding that must be filled by remaining frontcourt rotation members. Meanwhile, the addition of Kelly provides the team with a primary perimeter scoring threat who averaged 21.0 points per game last season.
The takeaway
This acquisition highlights the aggressive nature of G League roster management as teams trade established production for players with recent NBA experience. Fans should look for Kelly to potentially anchor the offense once training camp begins later this month.
What happens next
Miles Kelly is expected to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Golden State Warriors within one week, and the organization will open training camp in seven days.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments on the Basketball team page.
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