The Golden State Warriors have made a series of expected moves in the lead up to NBA free agency, with the franchise picking up the team options on Gui Santos and Quinten Post, while also extending qualifying offers to Jonathan Kuminga and Taran Armstrong.
While Kuminga's restricted free agency is the biggest topic surrounding the Warriors right now, the short-term future of Post is also rather fascinating. Will Golden State sign a veteran big man like a Brook Lopez in the coming days, or will they signal that Post is their likely starting center entering next season by not making a move?
Either way, there's a high likelihood that the Warriors just made a big mistake by picking up Post's $2 million team option after an impressive rookie season. That's great value for next season no doubt, but what happens beyond that when he becomes a restricted free agent next year?
Quinten Post could be in for a massive raise next year
Seven-footers who can shoot 40% from three are incredibly valuable in the league, with Post having averaged 8.1 points and 3.5 rebounds despite only playing himself into a role over the secod half of his rookie season.
If Post can increase those numbers through natural development and what's seemingly going to become a bigger role, then his next NBA deal could easily reach at least $10-12 million per season.
That could become problematic for the Warriors next year, particularly when they'll have to also account for a possible Brandin Podziemski rookie extension (though that wouldn't kick in till the following season).
Golden State should have trying to get Post on a multi-year deal, even if it meant giving him a slight raise on next year's contract. Perhaps they did and Post and his camp declined knowing that a much bigger payday could be on offer in 12 months.
The reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder -- who have become the gold standard for roster building in recent years -- made their own signing on Sunday that provides the perfect example of what the Warriors should have done with Post.
Just like Post, Ajay Mitchell was a second-round pick in last year's draft who started out on a two-way contract. Just like Post, the 6'5" guard was converted to a standard two-year contract in February after impressing in limited minutes for the league's best team.
Yet instead of picking up the second-year team option, the Thunder have declined it and re-signed Mitchell on a three-year, $9 million deal. The champions now have a young promising guard on a cheap contract for the next three seasons, with huge potential upside if he blossoms and very little downside if his development stagnates.
Declining Post's team option and giving him a three-year $9-15 million contract could have saved the Warriors a lot in the long run, but now the jubilation of any significant improvement from the 25-year-old next season will be attached with the threat of how much they'll have to pay to retain him in 2026.