Entering the off-season, the Golden State Warriors have made clear that they intend to add either a rim-protecting center or a playmaking wing to their veteran core, and Steve Kerr's recent comments have shed even more light on the type of player they might be searching for.
In an extensive interview on the Tom Tolbert show, Kerr, speaking about the team's approach to 3-point shooting in the context of the league's shift toward perimeter play, said, "There's definitely been this evolution and awareness over the last 15 years... It's one of the reasons we shot 40 [3-pointers] per game this year. We just looked at it [and] were like 'We can't win at a high level unless we shoot a ton of threes'."
Now, as the Warriors hunt for a center that can relieve some of Draymond Green's current physical and defensive burden, these comments have made it clear that they will not only need a defensive-minded big man but one that can also effectively space the floor.
The Warriors need a shooting big man to complete their roster
Against the Houston Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs, Golden State often seemed under-sized and outmatched physically, conceding second chance opportunities and countless defensive rebounds to players such as Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams, Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle.
Therefore, their top priority this offseason should be acquiring a player of size that can contend with opposing big men in the paint, grabbing rebounds and deterring opposing players from crashing the boards.
However, given their approach to winning, centered around superstar Stephen Curry, they cannot afford to have another non-shooter on the floor.
Quinten Post, who had an excellent rookie season for the Warriors this year, played significant minutes precisely as a result of his ability to space the floor with his 3-point shot. Across 42 games, Post shot 40.8% from beyond the arc.
However, his slow-footedness resulted in a major defensive liability when he was on the floor, and this caused his minutes in the playoffs to be limited.
Within their starting line-up, Golden State already has Draymond Green, a career 32% 3-point shooter, and Jimmy Butler, a career 32.8% shooter.
Therefore, any big man that they pursue this summer will likely need to be an effective perimeter shooter as well as a solid defensive presence. While the market for big men is relatively thin, players such as Brook Lopez, who went 37.3% from deep last season, and Myles Turner, who went 39.6%, will both be free agents this offseason.
However, as a result of Lopez's age and Turner's price tag, neither is an ideal solution for the Warriors. Yet, in order to continue down the path they have laid for themselves, they will likely need to pursue one of these players or get creative on the market.