Golden State Warriors need to have a greater interior presence

The Golden State Warriors have a long list of needs for next season but having a greater interior presence is near the top of their priorities.

It’s time for the Golden State Warriors to focus on building a championship-caliber roster. It’s unclear if the old trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are strong enough to win a title on their own. Rounding out this lineup is a must.

The front office did a phenomenal job of recovering from the loss of Kevin Durant. A last-second trade secured D’Angelo Russell who last later flipped for Andrew Wiggins and a pair of draft picks. Wiggins will serve as the Dubs third scoring option and can find great success if he applies himself.

Meanwhile, rookie Eric Paschall has had a surprising breakout season. The same can be said for Marquese Chriss who is likely to start at center next year. However, the Dubs will need to find a stronger interior player to anchor the defense.

Sure, Draymond Green is still one of the most versatile defenders of all-time but he has never been a force around the rim. He has never averaged more than 8 rebounds and averages less than 1 block per game for his career.

In previous years, the Dubs had gigantic centers such as Andrew Bogut, JaVale McGee and DeMarcus Cousins to hold down the paint. Next season, Kevon Looney stands as the only true center on the roster. Looney played in 20 games last season and didn’t have much of an impact.

Overall, the Warriors had close to zero presence in the paint last year. They ranked in the bottom 10 for blocks and second-chance points while giving up the 11th most points in the paint.

Chriss has shown improvements as a shot blocker but is still undersized. In fact, the Warriors as a whole are undersized, with Dragan Bender being the only player above 7-feet.

The Warriors will have options in the offseason to buff their frontcourt. NBA Draft prospects like James Wiseman and Onyeka Okongwu have piqued their interest while free agents such as Dwight Howard, Serge Ibaka and Aron Baynes could be acquired with their mid-level exception.