Once again the Golden State Warriors will enter an offseason with a desperate need for more size and shooting, with Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office likely to look at alternative front court options after being eliminated in the second-round of the NBA playoffs.
Looking to revamp the roster and trying to build a championship contender around Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, it's likely the Warriors look at proven, experienced options in free agency or on the trade market.
However, the Warriors may already have an answer in-house if they're willing to invest more into their youth. After showing more impressive signs in his second NBA season, Gui Santos could be ready to take on a full-time, consistent rotation role.
Gui Santos could be ready for a big role with the Warriors
Santos' hustle, energy and relentless effort made him a favorite among fans and Steve Kerr later in the season, having appeared in 56 regular season games where he averaged 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 13.6 minutes.
The Brazilian forward will need more than hustle and energy to carve out a long career though, with his capacity to evolve into a consistent 3-and-D role likely to make or break his next few years. Shooting 33% from deep this season doesn't provide a whole lot of optimism, but a deeper look at the numbers could suggest otherwise.
In 12 games where Santos played more than 20 minutes this season, he shot an incredibly efficient 20-of-41 (48.8%) from 3-point range. The 22-year-old had a true shooting percentage of 69.7% in games where he played more than 20 minutes, while also recording a +20.1 net rating.
Those numbers raise an argument that instead of targeting veteran players with a bigger reputation, Golden State would be better investing time into Santos in a more prominent role. Standing at 6'8", he may already provide an answer to the need for a blend of size and shooting that the Warriors currently lack.
That's not to say the Warriors couldn't do with more 3-and-D wing options anyway, but moulding Santos into one should be a top priority that starts with a big offseason and a major impression during training camp.
Santos has a $2.2 million team option that won't become fully guaranteed until January 10, but the growth and impact in his second season would suggest his place at the Warriors will remain for the foreseeable future.