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Golden State Warriors: Who will start at Center Next Season?

By Andrew Ites

HOUSTON, TX - MAY 28: Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors boxes out Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 28, 2018 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - MAY 28: Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors boxes out Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals during the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 28, 2018 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The starting center position is up for grabs as the Golden State Warriors prepare for the upcoming season. Who will start on opening night?

The Golden State Warriors made a blockbuster move when they signed DeMarcus Cousins to a one-year, $5.3 million deal this offseason.

The Warriors will likely have five All-Stars in the starting lineup when Cousins returns from his Achilles injury, but it’s possible that Boogie will be rehabbing that injury through next year’s All-Star break.

So who will start at center while Cousins continues his recovery?

JaVale McGee and Zaza Pachulia both signed elsewhere in free agency, and they have started a majority of Golden State’s games over the past couple of seasons.

There is also no guarantee that David West will return next year, which will usher in a youth movement at the center position.

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Draymond Green would be the Warriors’ best option as Steve Kerr could start the Super Death Lineup, but playing Draymond at the five would increase the wear and tear on his body during the regular season.

The most realistic option for Golden State is starting one of their young centers while Cousins is out.

Damian Jones has not looked like a starting caliber player over his first two seasons, so it will likely come down to a competition between Jordan Bell and Kevon Looney for that starting spot.

Bell showed potential on both ends of the floor during his rookie season, but Steve Kerr didn’t seem to trust him during the postseason.

One player who did earn Kerr’s trust was Kevon Looney, who started four games in the Western Conference Finals and game one of the NBA Finals.

Looney proved he could fit in the Warriors’ switching scheme on defense during last year’s playoff run, and that earned him a contract extension this offseason.

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If it were up to me, I would start Jordan Bell at center to begin the year because of his tremendous upside. However, I believe Kevon Looney will start on opening night because the coaching staff believes he is more reliable than Bell at this point in their respective careers.

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