Quinten Post had a surprising and impressive rookie season with the Golden State Warriors, rising from late second-round pick and the G League to become a regular rotation member over the second-half of the season.
Post’s 3-point shooting from the center position was a god-send to a Warrior team in desperate need of exactly that, having astonishingly shot a team-high 40.8% by the end of the regular season. The playoffs were a slightly different story though, leaving the seven-footer with an immediate question to face early in his second year.
Quinten Post needs to reaffirm his standing as a long-term NBA player
The 3-point shooting fell away to just 31.3% during the postseason, while Post’s 33.3% field-goal percentage underlined the need to get better finishing around the rim. He was manhandled at times by Steven Adams and Alperun Sengun in the first-round, not that it’s completely unexpected for a young player coming up against quality big men who can be physically imposing.
What the playoffs did show was just how much Post can improve, specifically as a finisher, rebounder and rim protector. That’s certainly a positive given how much of an impact he had even with those question marks, but the negative was that we didn’t get to see that progression during summer league.
There was much anticipation surrounding what Post could do in summer league, only for the 25-year-old to be ruled out as he recovered from an ankle injury. It immediately brought a rather disappointing feel to the summer campaign, leaving much of the focus on fellow late second-round picks Will Richard and Alex Toohey.
Post now finds himself in a good position entering his second year. He’s likely going to be able to play backup to veteran center Al Horford, yet should still see the opportunity for more minutes, starts and the overall ability to expand his game.
There are still some concerns though which are clearly held by the franchise given just how aggressively they’ve pursued Horford since the start of free agency. Given the underwhelming form in the playoffs and the absence in summer league, Post faces the challenge of having to reaffirm his status as a long-term NBA player early next season.
Golden State fans were certainly impressed by Post’s rookie year, but you could say the same about Trayce Jackson-Davis who then quickly fell from starter to outside the rotation in year two. That will provide some cause for hesitation among fans who won’t want Post to burn them with disappointment in a way that Jackson-Davis did at times last season.
With Horford 39-years-old and potentially entering his final season (if he eventually signs), the Warriors will want to know they still have a legitimate center for the future. That’s exactly what Post should be aiming to solidify himself as, particularly when he’ll also be a restricted free agent next offseason.