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The Warriors should’ve been prepared for a big man shortage

By Nathan Beighle

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: Marquese Chriss #32 of the Golden State Warriors looks on in the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Chase Center on March 07, 2020 in San Francisco, California. 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. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: Marquese Chriss #32 of the Golden State Warriors looks on in the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Chase Center on March 07, 2020 in San Francisco, California. 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. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors had too many guards, and they should’ve been more prepared for a big-man shortage as they entered the 2020-2021 season.

Entering the season, the Golden State Warriors had one traditional center. Now, the Warriors did have four power forwards on their roster, two of which they knew they were planning to play at the five.

With Marquese Chriss out for the remainder of the season with a broken leg, the Warriors are now down to just James Wiseman and Kevon Looney. Both are out for the next few weeks, and the Warriors have now been sentenced to small-ball lineups.

The only alternative for them is adding a center and having to put them through Covid-19 protocols just to get them on the roster. They’d also have to go through waiving a player. Who knows if that player could even make an impact till Looney and Wiseman return.

Golden State will likely roll with their small-ball lineups until they get their big men back, but this should’ve been a situation they were able to avoid.

Given that Kevon Looney spent most of last season sidelined and Wiseman is a rookie, the Warriors needed to have additional big men on their roster, especially if they had a gut feeling that Alen Smailagić wasn’t going to play many minutes with Golden State.

This was something that management should’ve thought of before loading up with Mychal Mulder, Jordan Poole, Damion Lee, and Kent Bazemore in their backcourt.

Players like center Aron Baynes could’ve been a mid-level exception target, and adding a shooter in their frontcourt could’ve been a move that paid dividends. It didn’t have to be Baynes though; there were a plethora of options that the Warriors should’ve looked into this past offseason.

The saving grace for the team is that Draymond Green does have experience in the small-ball lineups, and he is a good enough rebounder and defender to get them through.

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That said, even considering Eric Paschall, Looney, and Chriss together, Golden State still would’ve been far undersized. Altogether, the Warriors had a roster that needed more size. They didn’t address the issue, and it may haunt them till the end of the season.

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