Quinten Post's official departure to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday leaves the Golden State Warriors needing to find another big man, but that problem can be instantly solved if the front office pulls off a blockbuster trade for 10x All-Star Anthony Davis.
Davis continues to be linked to the Warriors amid their pursuit of his former Lakers championship teammate LeBron James, and now the 33-year-old can bring more than just star power to the roster entering next season.
Anthony Davis solves need for another big after Quinten Post departure
While Golden State have also re-signed veteran big men Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford in the past fortnight, they can't ignore the need for a third center option given the health and injury concerns, and general age, surrounding the former Boston Celtics championship duo.
The Warriors had hoped Post would be that third big man who could step in and play a similar role as a seven-foot floor spacer when required, having started 49 games with the team over his two seasons after being selected 52nd overall at the 2024 NBA Draft.
Golden State did extend the qualifying offer to Post to make him a restricted free agent, but Memphis thwarted their plans on Monday with a three-year, $30 million offer that the Warriors were never going to match given their payroll situation and ongoing interest in James.
Davis, of course, comes with his own injury risk given he's played just 29 games since the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade early last year, and he hasn't played at all as a member of the Washington Wizards since being acquired at February's mid-season deadline.
Warriors need stroke of injury luck with proposed big man rotation
A trio of Davis, Porzingis and Horford might be the most injury-prone big man rotation in the league, but it is incredibly talented and the hope would be that with a stroke of luck, and the magic of Rick Celebrini and the medical staff, that at least two of the three would be available at all times across the course of the regular season.
Perhaps having all three would help lessen the load on each player individually. If the Warriors are still concerned over the injury history and need to manage the trio, the fact they'd be trading Jimmy Butler for Davis means they may still have room to bring back Charles Bassey as the 15th player on the roster as an insurance measure.
Combine this with the inevitable Draymond Green small-ball five minutes, and the likelihood of using a two-way contract on a big like Graham Ike or Lachlan Olbrich, and Golden State could have enough depth to at least try and get all three of Davis, Porzingis and Horford available when it matters most.
This is all predicated on the Warriors actually being able to trade for Davis, and there's no signs yet that they're willing to meet the steep asking price of a Wizards team who'd prefer to keep their big man.
Add us as a preferred source on Google