Golden State Warriors: Marquese Chriss deserves to start at center

Marquese Chriss has done everything he can to prove he deserves to be in the Golden State Warriors’ starting lineup next season.

It has been a winding road for Marquese Chriss. Only 22 years old, he has seen his career take sharp turns in each direction. After years of turbulence, he has potentially found a permanent home with the Golden State Warriors.

The Dubs squeezed Chriss into their training camp last September despite already having 14 players on the roster. The former No. 8 pick would have to really shine in order to earn a regular contract and remain on the team.

He must have shown something valuable during training camp because the franchise elected to waive Alfonzo McKinnie in order to make room for Chriss. This was a huge step forward for Chriss who had recently experienced failed stints in Phoenix, Houston and Cleveland. This could really have been his last shot at making an NBA roster.

As injuries continued to open up a path for Chriss to shine, he steadily increased his role with the team. By late January, Chriss was starting in every game he appeared in. This was due to his growth as a two-way player. Chriss finally began rebounding and running the floor at a high rate, capitalizing on his athleticism.

In his final 17 games of the season, Chriss averaged 13.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks on nearly 60 percent shooting from the floor. This was easily the best stretch of his career and made a huge impression on the Dubs’ staff who is now open to allowing Chriss to be the starting center next season.

Of course, the proposed bubble in Chicago will give Chriss even more of an opportunity to display his growth. Continued improvement from Chriss will solidify his spot in the starting lineup. He has a real chance to make a big impact on this team next year.