Quinten Post was arguably the surprise piece of the Golden State Warriors season, emerging as a legitimate rotation player and occasional starter for Steve Kerr after starting in the G League on a two-way contract.
The 52nd overall pick wasn't just a surprise for the Warriors, but clearly took advantage of his relative anonymity as opposing teams often fatally left him open from beyond the arc. Post capitalized by shooting a team-leading 40.8% from 3-point range during the regular season, yet the effectiveness of his perimeter spacing is going to render far less valuable if he doesn't improve a key problem in his game.
Quinten Post has to improve his interior scoring heading into next season
Post told NBC Sports Bay Area in late January that he needed to work on his interior scoring, but it remained a problematic issue that stemmed into the playoffs. The 25-year-old finished the regular season shooting 51.2% from within 10 feet, while that then dropped to a paltry 38.5% during the playoffs.
To put that into context -- there was significant frustration from fans surrounding Trayce Jackson-Davis' inability to finish around the basket during the season, yet his 58.8% from within 10 feet was still better than what Post produced.
As teams lock into Post's 3-point shooting ability, it will become all the more important for him to develop a diverse skillset that allows him to put the ball on the floor, make the next pass to an open teammate, and/or finish effectively at the rim.
The Dutchman took 85% of his field-goal attempts without a dribble during the regular season, but that dropped to under 80% during the playoffs. There's no coincidence that Post's efficiency fell off a cliff as a result, and that his overall impact dropped to a point where his minutes reduced from 16.3 to 12.2 per game.
Golden State had Jackson-Davis stagnate or even regress during his second season, leaving them with uncertainty in their center rotation and forcing Draymond Green to play heavy minutes as a small-ball starting five.
The Warriors can't afford for Post's development to go backwards next season, particularly if they don't acquire a proven center via trade or free agency this summer. They need Post capable of eating heavy minutes during the regular season, but that won't be viable if he's simply a one-trick pony with his 3-point shooting.
This is why Summer League could be a hugely beneficial experience for Post to work on his weaknesses, but it remains to be seen whether he'll be part of the squad ahead of the California Classic opener on July 5.