The Golden State Warriors, needless to say, are going to miss Kristaps Porzingis if he's forced to miss time at the start of the season.
We still don't have a concrete update on Porzingis' status, which is certainly concerning. We were told that he was ruled out of the first week of camp with an undisclosed issue, and it's unclear whether that's linked to the chronic POTS he's suffered since his time with the Boston Celtics. But with the Warriors' first preseason game behind them and still no sight of Porzingis, it's time to start thinking about what the start of the campaign can look like without him in the fold.
Without Jimmy Butler in the fold, Golden State is going to depend on Porzingis as a second offensive option behind Stephen Curry. If he's at full strength, there's no reason to presume he can't average close to 20 points per game as the Warriors' starting center. On the defensive end, Frank Vogel's scheme is going to depend, moreover, on Porzingis' rim protecting abilities to help anchor the perimeter-focused attack.
There's no one in the Warriors' rotation who can replace that pairing of skill sets if Porzingis is out. But if he's going to be forced to miss time, Golden State is going to need consistent, energetic play from the rest of their center rotation to remain afloat.
Charles Bassey brought that on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, and he looks to be a true option behind Al Horford in Golden State's rotation.
Charles Bassey isn't Kristaps Porzingis—but the Warriors need everything they can get from their rotational centers
Again, neither Bassey nor Horford can come close to replicating what Porzingis can theoretically be for this rotation, and they shouldn't be expected to. Bassey was brought back because of the energetic play and rebounding ability he brought to the team over his five regular-season appearances in 2025-26, and Golden State is counting on him to provide that no matter how extensive his opportunities are this season.
If Al Horford is going to step into the starting lineup with Porzingis out, Bassey, at the very least, needs to help hold down the bench unit on a diet of, say, 18-22 minutes per game.
Bassey played just over 16 minutes against Los Angeles, and he was highly effective, posting 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and tacking on eight total rebounds (six of which were offensive), one assist, and two steals. He was rolling hard to the basket consistently over the course of the game, and he actually showed some mobility on defense that wasn't fully there during his stint with Golden State last season.
The Warriors will be limited offensively no matter what when Bassey is on the court. He can't truly function away from the basket, and he doesn't have a varied enough bag to hope for much more than a few layups or putbacks on a game-to-game basis.
But what Bassey provided against the Clippers is exactly what the Warriors should be hoping for from him. He needs to make his shots effectively, move quickly up and down the court to help keep the bench offense flowing, and rebound at a high rate to help earn extra possessions for his team.
Check, check, and check.
Two-way signing Graham Ike looked effective as well over the course of the matchup, posting 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field and tacking on five rebounds and two assists.
If Horford can successfully hold down the starting center spot with Porzingis away, then this level of performance from Bassey and Ike combined should go a long way toward easing the burden on the rest of the Warriors' rotation.
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