NBA Summer League was off to a disappointing start for many Golden State Warriors fans before play had even got underway, with the franchise leaving young center Quinten Post out of the squad to compete at the California Classic and then Las Vegas.
Many were left frustrated at Post's omission from the squad, particularly when Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis had played last year despite even better rookie seasons. A number of notable second and third-year players have been playing in summer league this time around, only adding to the controversy surrounding Post's non-participation.
Quinten Post was held out of summer league due to injury
It turns out that Post's absence hasn't been controversial at all, with Danny Emerman of the San Francisco Standard providing some clarity in a report on Thursday. Post's exclusion from the summer league squad stems from an ankle injury he dealt with over the second-half of the NBA season, leaving the seven-footer to watch on from the sidelines, workout in Golden State's facility, and even win a chess tournament that included beating his former and perhaps future teammate in De'Anthony Melton.
The injury news allows Warrior fans to cool down from potential frustration over Post's absence, and turn that more into disappointment that he wasn't able to make on-court strides and provide more interest surrounding the summer league squad.
Without Post's presence on the floor, many Golden State fans have set their focus on young duo Alex Toohey and Will Richard -- the 52nd and 56th picks respectively in the second-round of last month's NBA draft.
Australian two-way contracted guard Taran Armstrong has also been an intriguing player for fans to watch, though the 23-year-old missed Tuesday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies and then came off the bench against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday.
Post's role is set to be fascinating entering his sophomore year in the NBA, having emerged as a real rotation piece for Steve Kerr over the second-half of his rookie season. The 25-year-old quickly became the stretch five that the Warriors had long needed, finishing the season at a team-high 40.8% from 3-point range.
Post could be projected for a starting role based on the current roster, but that's expected to change if Golden State finally land veteran center Al Horford in free agency. Regardless of whether he's a starter or backup, it will be important for Post to return as a stronger presence in the paint on both ends to complement his already elite ability to space the floor.