The Golden State Warriors suffered a 118-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on Saturday night, thanks in large part to a dominant 36-point 13-rebound performance from Anthony Davis.
The contrast between Davis and Golden State's big men was stark from the opening tip, subsequently shining a greater light on a big problem that's facing Steve Kerr and the franchise ahead of the February 6 trade deadline.
What are the Warriors doing with their center rotation?
In one of the biggest surprises of the season and perhaps a reflection of where the Warriors are at currently, rookie big man Quinten Post has quickly surpassed Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney as the team's number one center over the past two games.
After playing less than 13 total minutes in his NBA career prior to Monday's game against the Boston Celtics, Post has now played 42 minutes over Golden State's last two games where he's tallied 28 points and made seven 3-pointers as a real revelation in Steve Kerr's rotation.
In comparison, Looney's played just 29 minutes, while Jackson-Davis continues to see his minutes diminish with just 24 over the past two games. The significant offensive limitations of Looney and Jackson-Davis are becoming overwhelming, particularly in regard to the latter who missed multiple makable layups and both his free-throws against the Lakers on Saturday night.
So, with 37 games still remaining in the season and the trade deadline less than a fortnight away, what is Kerr's plans for the center rotation? Based on the last two games Post should accelerate into a starting role, yet that also seems incredibly premature for someone who's still so inexperienced and unproven.
It's that factor alone that suggests that Golden State may still need to make a trade for a starting-calibre big man before the deadline, even if Post's rise has somewhat alleviated the need for a shooting center.
The Warriors continue to be linked to Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic -- someone who would give them a more experienced skilled big in a similar vain to Post. Looney and his expiring contract would likely have to be involved in a trade, while it might even eliminate Jackson-Davis from the rotation entirely.
Whatever happens with the roster over the next two weeks, it's clear that Kerr needs some clarity on his big man rotation. Post is clearly solidifying himself into a genuine role, but whether he's ready to take a starting role is a major gamble the Warriors may not be ready to take.