Gui Santos, Draymond Green, Warriors
Getty
Gui Santos of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with Draymond Green during the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns.
The Golden State Warriors have had precious little to celebrate this season. Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in January. Stephen Curry has missed nine straight games. Kristaps Porzingis has played once since arriving at the deadline. It has been a season defined by setbacks.
Saturday brought something different. Something worth celebrating.
The Warriors announced they have signed Gui Santos to a contract extension, locking up one of the most compelling development stories in the NBA this season. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the deal is three years and $15 million with a player option for the 2028-29 season.
Shams Charania
Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos has signed a three-year, $15 million contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option in 2028-29.
Santos Opens Up on What the Extension Means
GettyGui Santos #15 of the Golden State Warriors.
The first call Santos made was to his parents in Brazil. He could not resist having a little fun with it first.
“I was kind of serious, like, ‘Dad, mom, I got something serious to talk about to you guys,'” Santos told reporters Saturday. “And they thought I got my fiancé pregnant.”
The relief that followed when he told them the real news was genuine. Santos knows better than anyone what this moment represents — not just for him, but for his family and for everyone watching from Brazil.
“It was a lot of work since I got here through the G League,” Santos said. “Even before, playing in Brazil. All the resources that we have there, it’s not much. Just to make it to the league is a big, big thing. But to get an extension with the best organization in the world, there’s no words that can describe this feeling.”
He is the only Brazilian-born player currently in the NBA. That is not lost on him. Every game he plays, every contract he signs, carries meaning beyond basketball.
“I’m the only one here, so I’m the biggest example when you look at basketball and the NBA,” Santos said. “For me, it’s just trying to be a great guy and show that the work ethic is the most important thing. That’s what got me here.”
The Numbers Behind the Deal
Golden State selected Santos 55th overall in the 2022 draft. He spent his entire first season in the G League with the Santa Cruz Warriors. A healthy DNP nine times this season before the calendar turned to 2026, he has not sat out since.
When Butler went down on January 19, Santos stepped into the void and has not looked back. Over his last 12 games he is averaging 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on 58.8 percent shooting from the field and 43.1 percent from three. He has scored in double figures in 11 of those 12 games. Santos is averaging 31 minutes per game this month.
Steve Kerr has not been subtle about what Santos has meant to this team.
“He’s been probably our best shot creator of late, just in terms of finding something out of nothing,” Kerr said Saturday. “Without Jimmy, Gui really has seized the opportunity.”
That kind of praise from a coach who has worked with some of the greatest players of this generation carries real weight. Santos earned it the hard way — through four years of development, patience, and relentless work.
What the Extension Means for the Warriors
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
GettySteve Kerr, Golden State Warriors.
At $5 million per year, the deal is a bargain by any measure. Santos would have entered restricted free agency this summer, which means other teams would have had the opportunity to make offers. Golden State moved quickly to make sure that conversation never happened.
The timing reflects how much the organization values what Santos has become. He has gone from an energy rebounder off the bench to a starting wing who can create off the dribble, defend multiple positions, and shoot efficiently from three. That kind of versatility is difficult to find and even harder to develop.
“You just appreciate when somebody is able to rise up from the bottom of the second round to where he is now,” Kerr said. “It only happens because of his fortitude, his work ethic and commitment.”
Final Word for the Warriors
This season has tested the Warriors in ways few could have anticipated. The injury list has been relentless and the playoff picture remains uncertain. But within all of it, Santos has emerged as something real — a player Golden State can build around and rely on regardless of who else is available.
The extension makes it official. Santos is not just filling a void left by injuries. He is part of the future.
Brazil is watching. The Warriors are glad they held on.