Golden State Warriors: Damian Jones will get his chance soon enough
Damian Jones is going to get his chance to play consistent center minutes for the Golden State Warriors soon enough if all falls correctly.
The Golden State Warriors have a deep roster and a lot of money tied into it. The luxury tax bill they’re going to be paying is insane and that might mean they are done adding pieces to the roster. After signing Zaza Pachulia to a second deal, the Warriors could have a tough time re-signing JaVale McGee.
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All the Warriors can currently offer now to players is the veteran minimum. Unless the main goal of the player is to end up with a ring, the desire to get paid will probably be the strongest factor for most. That means Golden State should and will turn to Damian Jones to play some center minutes.
Like most young players on the Warriors, they have been brought up through the Santa Cruz system and have gotten plenty of development there. The staff in the G-League is second to none and does one of the best jobs at getting players ready for when they’re called upon with the big squad.
Think about how many players have gotten the chance over the last few years to hone their skills with Santa Cruz and then come up and get some shine with the Warriors. With a team that has most of their money tied into their four superstars, some young guys are going to have to step up.
Jones spent most of his rookie year getting time with Santa Cruz and his development was really noticeable over the season. Now, he’s trying to make an impact early with the Las Vegas Summer League team in hopes of being able to earn a roster spot this season.
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The early returns have been good and he put up 13 points and looked like a real rim protector. It’s easy to say it’s the Summer League, but this matches his progression with Santa Cruz. Steve Kerr hasn’t been afraid to throw young guys into big situations and Jones is going to get his turn.
If they are able to get McGee back next season, Jones will be able to get more development. With the Warriors’ center situation currently just cheap deals, his time is coming and the team is going to be looking for an impact from him. It might be sooner rather than later.