The Golden State Warriors have continually started Draymond Green as a small-ball center over the second-half of the season, but they'll undoubtedly have to make some decisions on their big man rotation come the summer.
Steve Kerr's best lineups have so often included Green as the five, yet it's also meant giving up size and rebounding which proved so problematic in the Warriors' first-round series victory over the Houston Rockets.
However, it's an under-valued Rockets forward who could prove the perfect complement to Green in the Golden State front court. Jabari Smith Jr. has taken a backseat (and a bench role) in the wake of Amen Thompson's ascension, having started just two of Houston's final 24 games to end their season.
The Warriors should consider pursuing a trade for Jabari Smith Jr.
Despite a lack of 3-point shooting on the roster, Smith averaged just 20.5 minutes in the first-round series -- ranked seventh on the team. The former third overall pick went 10-of-22 (45.5%) from deep across the series, while shooting 50% from the floor overall and adding nearly four rebounds per game.
Smith will now be extension-eligible heading into his fourth season, with James Piercey of Space City Scoop suggesting that those talks could get messy based on his place down the pecking order of the Houston offense.
"The Rockets won't reconfigure their offense to feature Smith Jr. in the mid-range area," Piercey wrote. "Whether they continue developing this core or trade for a star, he's going to be a play finisher in this offense. So, they can't afford to pay him as a shot creator with so much young talent on the roster.
Piercey believes a deal around $20 million per season could be fair for Smith, but there's also a legitimate chance he's involved in a blockbuster trade this summer if the Rockets go after Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo or another superstar.
Yet if there's even a small chance the Warriors could get in on trade discussions surrounding Smith, then they should take advantage assuming they're ready to move on from a young forward of their own in Jonathan Kuminga.
Smith would provide Golden State with the front court spacing they need next to Green, while providing more rebounding, defense and overall versatility than they currently get with Quinten Post. There's also the fact he was such a high pick and is still just 21-years-old, suggesting there's more to Smith's game that may currently be hidden behind the plethora of talent currently in Houston.
It might take multiple first-round picks to make it happen, but perhaps Smith could be available if the Rockets decided that he's the one young player they're happy not to pay going forward, having already given Jalen Green and Alperun Sengun big deals last October.