As the Golden State Warriors flirted with and eventually signed veteran center Al Horford this offseason to a multi-year contract, it quickly became clear that the team did not consider Quinten Post ready to take over the starting job full-time.
Yet, this does not mean that Post's role will be unimportant this season, and, according to ESPN's Anthony Slater, his ability to shoot the three and space the floor for the bench unit will give the team an additional dimension that could be vital for their ability to compete.
Therefore, although Post will almost certainly see a reduction in minutes this season, it could be the ideal role to allow the second-year player to develop his game and still serve as an integral piece to the rotation.
Quinten Post's perimeter shooting could make the bench unit exceedingly dangerous
Last season, as Post ascended from the G-League and into Golden State's rotation, it was his 3-point shot that allowed him to carve out a role at the NBA level. Through 42 games, Post averaged 8.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting an astounding 40.8% from beyond the arc.
Yet, his general slowfootedness and his thin frame largely prevented him from being effective on defense, limiting his viability as a starter and ultimately leading head coach Steve Kerr to slash his minutes heading into the playoffs.
Accordingly, Slater believes that Post will primarily be used as a bench player this season: "They're going to have [Post] in some of the second-unit lineup because they're trying to finally get into the modern era of basketball where your center can shoot... He'll be there to help unlock lineups..."
Although Post, as a seven-footer and a viable 3-point shooter, is a bit of a unicorn in the league, combining him with Horford provides Golden State with two stretch centers: a wrinkle that could be the key to unlocking their offense.
While Horford is by far the more reliable and experienced player, Post will still get his opportunity as a result of the need for shooting across the rotation. On the second unit, which projects to involve some combination of Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and De'Anthony Melton, Post's ability to shoot the three could open up a dynamic, fast-paced offensive approach.
Although the Warriors were third in the NBA in bench scoring last season, they were missing a second unit that could reliable come out and burn the opposition, and Post's new, adjusted role will be vital in their ability to cobble that together this season.