ESPN's latest mock draft ensures Quinten Post's Warriors exit with intriguing pick

The Golden State Warriors could, yet again, be left at square one at the center position this offseason.

Kristaps Porzingis, who they added at the trade deadline in exchange for their two prime trade chips, is a free agent. They'll likely hope to bring him back on a cheaper deal, but Porzingis has been publicly non-committal about his return. Al Horford has a player option this offseason. There's a real chance he declines it and decides to chase a championship with another organization as his career comes to a close. Very few would blame him.

Even Quinten Post, who struggled with injuries and inconsistent performance down the stretch of the regular season, will be a restricted free agent.

Out of these three, though, the only one whose future isn't currently in their own hands is Post. Post has struggled throughout his short career to make a real impact as a rebounder and a defender, and it was clear he fell out of Steve Kerr's good graces toward the end of the season.

There are a number of ways, therefore, that Post's departure could be guaranteed this offseason. ESPN's latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft enumerates one of them, with the Warriors selecting Tennessee center Felix Okpara at 54th overall.

Warriors could find their Quinten Post replacement in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft

Post, as a 7-footer and a capable perimeter shooter, still has intriguing theoretical upside. But the reality is that this upside hasn't yet been realized, and the Warriors aren't in a place to gamble on minutes at the five-spot. Across 67 games last season, Post's numbers took a major hit compared to his impressive rookie campaign. He averaged just 7.7 points, four rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 33.6% from beyond the arc.

Post took strides as a defender in his second season, but it's clear his value lies as a perimeter shooter. If the Warriors don't believe he can do that consistently, they'd quite likely be willing to move on from him this offseason.

Just for the sake of this exercise, let's imagine that Porzingis and Horford both return, resulting in Post's departure. With the health concerns surrounding both Horford and Porzingis, Golden State would likely want a reliable rim-protecting presence to complement that duo.

That's where Okpara comes in. Okpara's offensive upside isn't eye-popping— he averaged eight points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 44% shooting from the field in his senior season at Tennessee. But he has a full grasp on his role as a rim-runner and shot-blocker, and he's capable of guarding in space as well.

Given the Warriors' current set of needs at the center position, selecting Okpara (or one of the other shot-blocking centers like Ugonna Onyenso out of Virginia) in the second round certainly isn't out of the question. But if they do take that route, we'll quickly have some clarity on Post's future.

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