It was far from pretty nor a memorable performance, but the Golden State Warriors eventually got the job done in a 114-103 victory over the Utah Jazz on a Tuesday night.
With Stephen Curry absent on the first night of a back-to-back, Steve Kerr started Dennis Schroder, Buddy Hield, Moses Moody, Andrew Wiggins and Trayce Jackson-Davis -- the 27th different starting lineup the Warriors have utilized so far this season.
The Warriors continue to have a problem with their big man rotation
Jackson-Davis has been one of the constants for Golden State, having started in 37 games this season including 18 of the team's last 19 appearances. However, that hasn't prevented the second-year big man from being one of Kerr's biggest issues, along with the center rotation in its entirety.
That was again reiterated against the Jazz, with Jackson-Davis playing just six first-half minutes before being benched for the entire second-half. Veteran Kevon Looney was at his old reliable best for Kerr on Tuesday, earning the start in the second-half and eventually finishing with six points, 11 rebounds (five offensive), two assists and two blocks while being a +23 in 24 minutes.
Looney's big impact against the Jazz also presents its own problem, with the 3x champion a potential trade candidate ahead of the February 6 deadline. Looney's $8 million expiring contract is likely to be useful to help match salaries, but the fact he was Golden State's best center option on Tuesday must cause some hesitation among the front office.
Then there's rookie center Quinten Post -- the Warriors' latest weapon who's provided a completely new look to their offense with his shooting ability. The 52nd overall pick hit two threes and had an impressive euro-step dunk as part of a 10-point, five-rebound performance, but also had some rough sequences that provided a reminder that he's still so inexperienced at the NBA level.
So who do the Warriors start moving forward? Kerr is clearly losing some faith in Jackson-Davis who's averaged just 10 minutes over the last three games. Does he go back to his most reliable option in Looney who may well be off the team in less than 10 days?
While Post has been impressive and deserves his rotation minutes, it's almost impossible to see Kerr throwing him out there as a starter against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.
This has been an ongoing problem that hasn't found a long-term resolution for quite some time, and therefore may be one that can only be addressed by the acquisition of another center option prior to the trade deadline.