For the Golden State Warriors, few things could be better than seeing Kristaps Porzingis back on the court.
He didn't have the most remarkable game on Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, posting just nine points in nearly 23 minutes and shooting just 3-of-10 from the field. But before that matchup, he'd played just 17 minutes for the Warriors since the trade deadline. He was sidelined with an illness for six games in between his two appearances.
Now, he will begin his bid to stay healthy and perhaps prove himself to Golden State over the remainder of the regular season. With his contract expiring, the Warriors will need to use this time to determine whether Porzingis is worth bringing back this offseason.
But Porzingis' presence has a ripple effect across the rotation, and no player feels this more acutely than second-year center Quinten Post. If Porzingis remains healthy over the remainder of the season and is ultimately brought back this offseason, Post's Warriors career could be in serious jeopardy.
Does Quinten Post have a place on the team if Kristaps Porzingis proves to be reliable?
Post just passed the 100-game threshold at the NBA level. But he's already had a number of ups and downs in his short career.
He burst onto the scene last season after lighting up the G-League as a rookie, shooting 40.8% from 3-point range through his first 42 NBA games. But even at 7'0", his slow-footedness and lack of defensive acumen limited his playing time severely in the playoffs.
This season, he's taken large strides on that end of the court, showing an agility and an understanding of defensive positioning that simply wasn't there during his rookie season. He's averaged 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on a diet of 17.2 minutes per night through 61 games this season.
If you're doing the math, that's every game in which Porzingis has not suited up for the Warriors.
Even with Post looking relatively productive in Porzingis' six-game absence, he still went straight back to the bench upon Porzingis' return. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Porzingis and Al Horford combined for nearly 51 minutes on the court.
Because of the way he entered the league, Post is not on a standard rookie contract. He will be a restricted free agent this offseason. Of course, this does not guarantee his departure, or even make it likely.
But if the Warriors want to bring Porzingis back on another contract, they must seriously consider what Post's long-term role on the team is. Perhaps a more dependable, defensive center would be a better fit behind Porzingis and Horford in the rotation.
No matter how you spin it, two DNPs for Post in the two games Porzingis has appeared in is not a good sign.