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Quinn Cook - Milwaukee Bucks v Golden State Warriors

Source: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty

Steph Curry’s MCL injury will surely affect the playoff plans for the Golden State Warriors, and everyone is wondering if they can win a championship if he’s not at 100 percent.

And with him out for (at least) the first round, the Warriors have reportedly agreed to a multi-year deal with Quinn Cook, who was promoted to a starter in Curry’s place. The 25-year-old baller has been playing on a two-way contract, but he’s proved he deserves a spot in the league. He’s been averaging almost 10 points, three assists and 44.8 from the three-point line, but has stepped that up over the past 12 games where he’s been a starter. He averages 18.2 points, 5.3 assists,  4.1 rebounds and 52.3 from beyond the arc.

A graduate of Duke, he’s bounced around a bit, playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks.

According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, the deal will last two years, but the salary has yet to be announced. Cook has proved himself to be a formidable replacement for two-time MVP Curry, and he will be a strong bench player when the Chef returns.

But signing Cook to a longer deal came with a price—the team cut Omri Casspi. The 10-year veteran and former Sacramento King was just days away from making his first playoff appearance. But being plagued with injuries since getting dealt to the Kings with Boogie Cousins after the 2017 All-Star break hasn’t helped. The Warriors signed him during the off-season with a $2.1 million minimum, but the hits kept coming with “a sprained left ankle in the regular-season opener, a low back strain that lingered for weeks and the right ankle injury.”

“It was difficult to sit with him and tell him we were going to do this. But it was the only decision we could make under the circumstances,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters Sunday. Casspi says he understands that it’s a business decision, and it’s what the Warriors have to do to hopefully repeat last year’s success.