Photo: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press Photo: Stephen Lam / Special To The Chronicle Photo: Willie J. Allen Jr. / Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After he bounced between three teams in two years, Marquese Chriss arrived at Warriors training camp in October hoping to find a long-term home in the NBA.

He impressed enough in preseason to earn a 15-man roster spot. But as the Warriors’ only player on a non-guaranteed deal, Chriss, 22, recognizes that his future is far from secure. With two-way contract player Ky Bowman making a strong case to stay with Golden State the rest of the season, Chriss has until his deal becomes guaranteed Jan. 10 to prove he belongs.

Because if the Warriors decide they need to keep Bowman through the spring, and all indications are they will, they must clear a place for him on the 15-man roster. Golden State, which is only about $375,000 under the hard cap, can’t waive anyone on a guaranteed contract. That leaves cutting Chriss as the easiest way to keep Bowman the rest of the season.

Chriss could be waived anytime before Jan. 10 without his salary counting against the hard cap, which can’t be exceeded under any circumstances. Bowman, who has spent 30 days with the NBA club this season, is expected to hit the 45-day limit allotted under his two-way contract sometime in early January.

“I try not to think about it, honestly,” Chriss said of possibly getting waived to free up a spot for Bowman, who is averaging nine points on 44.8% shooting (40% from 3-point range), 2.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 23.6 minutes per game. “It’s not about the money. I just want to have some type of job security and have somewhere where I can call home.”

In the two months since he joined Golden State as a non-guaranteed training-camp invitee, Chriss has eased the concerns about his attitude and work ethic that nearly derailed his career. A former lottery pick with the Suns, he has some in the Warriors’ organization believing he could be a key role player for a 2020-21 team expected to return to contention.

After taking the first few weeks of the season to adjust to a new team and a position, center, that he had only played sparingly, Chriss began to make considerable strides. In his past nine games before Wednesday’s loss, when he managed two points and four rebounds, he was averaging 9.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

Though Chriss still tends to find himself in the wrong spot defensively, he has shown the timing and instincts to become a helpful shot-blocker, swatting multiple shots in five of the past nine games. The question is whether Golden State is willing to part with a promising 22-year-old whose passing ability makes him an intriguing big man in head coach Steve Kerr’s motion offense.

The Warriors are likely to consider trade scenarios to clear up a spot for Bowman instead of having to waive Chriss, according to a league source. Given its hard cap, Golden State could deal one of its two minimum-contract players other than Chriss — Alec Burks or Glenn Robinson III — to a team for a future asset.

“All of this experience is great for him, just like it is for our other young players,” Kerr said of Chriss. “Marquese is a tremendous prospect; we’re lucky to have him.”

Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.