Former Golden State Warriors backup guard Quinn Cook shared an honest thought about trusting his agent too much and having it hurt his NBA career. Cook spent two years with the Warriors and won the 2018 NBA Championship as one of the reliable bench players. The Los Angeles Lakers added Cook and won the 2020 NBA Championship with him barely receiving time. No team gave him a guaranteed contract after that to see his NBA career ending quietly.
Cook shared the following comment on Threads about how he feels today:
“I was just here thinking… I went to three straight NBA finals. Was the leading scorer off the bench in my two years in Golden State and really contributed. Barely played with the Lakers, but won two rings in three years… I never was on a guaranteed contract after that lol….. My agent stunk lmaoooo.”
Most fans forget about Cook’s impact off the bench, but he is not lying. Cook was the fourth leading scorer for Golden State during their 2018 season. The following 2019 season featured him as the sixth leading scorer and top bench scorer for a Warriors squad that made the NBA Finals. Things falling apart so quickly after that run is truly shocking to look back on.
Why Quinn Cook Left Golden State
The Lakers signed Cook in the 2019 offseason due to multiple variables ending his Warriors tenure. Golden State actually offered a qualifying offer to Cook and wanted to keep him on the roster. However, they rescinded the offer before he could sign it to make him a free agent that summer.
Injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson prevented the Warriors from winning the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. Golden State knowing they’d lose Durant to free agency and lose Thompson the next season with an injury saw them taking a step back from adding salary.
The Warriors entered a gap year and let Cook walk instead of using the cap space on him in a losing season. Cook did win another title with the Lakers, but the lack of playing time with their deeper roster ultimately cost him his NBA career.
Why Quinn Cook Blames His Agent
Cook was waived by the Lakers just one season after signing him due to prioritizing their veterans and better overall players on the roster. NBA teams surprisingly didn’t give Cook much of a chance despite proving he could score off the bench for a championship team.
The Cleveland Cavaliers signed Cook to a ten-day contract, but he never got another fair shot in the league. Cook ended up bouncing around various international leagues to keep his professional career going outside of the United States.
The agent of Cook does deserve some blame since worse players than him have received multiple chances in the NBA after falling into obscurity. Cook only getting one ten-day contract opportunity after his guaranteed stints with the Warriors and Lakers is strange to look back on. At least the journeyman will always be able to say he contributed to a great NBA Championship run.
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