It's been a while since the Golden State Warriors have had a true two-way presence at the center position, with the front office often overlooking the need despite the hindrance it's placed on head coach Steve Kerr.
In recent years Kerr has almost always had to lean into defensive or offensive-minded lineups, yet that could all be about to change with the expected addition of Al Horford giving the Warriors the luxury of balance and versatility.
Warriors won't have to lean offense or defense heavy this offseason
Horford's skillset makes for an excellent fit at Golden State, particularly when compared to the sort of centers Kerr has had to utilize in recent times. Of the centers that the Warriors have had in the last 3-4 years, essentially all of them have been a liability on one end of the floor.
Kevon Looney is a 3x champion and a legend of the franchise, but there's a reason Golden State were happy to let him walk to the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-year, $16 million deal at the start of free agency.
Looney's role under Kerr had become more limited in the past two seasons because of his offensive deficiencies, having never consistently built a jump-shot and with his lack of athleticism making it tough at times for him to finish around the rim.
He was still helpful in defense-heavy lineups, but that meant sacrificing offensively. Similar can be said of Trayce Jackson-Davis who lost his starting role last season because of his offensive limitations beyond being an athletic lob threat.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Warriors unearthed Quinten Post as a seven-foot sniper who led the team in 3-point percetage as a rookie. Unfortunately his defensive limitations meant Kerr was unable to plug him in regularly as a starting center, leaving Draymond Green in the role as a small-ball option for the second-half of last season.
Golden State have had other floor spacing big men in recent years including Dario Saric, JaMychal Green and Nemanja Bjelica, but Kerr was always giving up something defensively with those guys at the five.
Horford will now bring the balance that the Warriors desperately crave, having been an excellent floor spacer at the Boston Celtics in recent years while retaining his defensive prowess which Danny Emerman of The San Fransisco Standard outlined this week.
"Even at his advanced age, Horford remains a strong defender, both at the rim and on the perimeter in switches. He hardly ever fouls and is almost always in the right place to contest shots. Especially in short bursts, he can be a real defensive difference-maker," Emerman wrote.
Horford's addition should bring Kerr a new range of lineup combinations and possibilities, giving him flexibility in a way that won't have to sacrifice one end of the floor to prioritize the other.
It's perhaps the most exciting new aspect to the Warriors this season, even if that's drowned to a degree by the frustration in Jonathan Kuminga's free agency stalemate which has subsequently delayed Horford's official signing.