The Golden State Warriors, of course, are going to be on the market for a center this season. That is the reality they've faced since Kristaps Porzingis' timeline to return to action first became indefinite on the eve of training camp.
But as time has gone on, that picture has both clouded and crystallized a bit. On the one hand, the Warriors know they won't be getting Porzingis back now—they've officially started withholding payments on his contract, and that's a line that likely can't be crossed again. At the same time, though, they've also found some consistency with Draymond Green starting at the five, and the emergence of Charles Bassey as a real rotational contributor lessens the urgency on an in-season trade to help fill out the position.
It's a question the Warriors will need to continually ask themselves on a game-to-game basis—how comfortable are they keeping Green at center for the remainder of the season, and what does that mean for the types of trade targets they should be pursuing?
With Jake Fischer's reporting, via The Stein Line, that the Warriors have already registered interest in a trade with the Chicago Bulls for Jalen Smith, those questions suddenly become more pressing. But barring a massive drop in defensive viability, it feels as though Golden State has found a balance that could allow Green to stay in his current role even after that sort of deal.
Jalen Smith would be a solid fit for the Warriors—and it wouldn't necessarily mean a role change for Draymond Green
Of course, having Green at the center spot consistently isn't the ideal outcome at this point in the veteran's career. He's still one of the smartest defensive players in the game, but he's lost a step athletically, and it's hard to see him matching up well with some of the league's best centers in a playoff setting.
Still, though, it's worth commending how Golden State has played so far with him at the position. They've now rattled off five straight wins, four of which have come with Green as the starting center. He's largely managed to limit opposing centers with his strength and intensity, and on the offensive end, he's been able to acclimate to the new playmaking-centric role the Warriors coaching staff outlined for him.
As of right now, Golden State is fourth in the league in offensive rating and 22nd in defensive rating. If you isolate that to the last five games, they're first and 13th in those categories, respectively. Something about Green playing that position is paying dividends for the Warriors, and unless they're able to require a true, starting-caliber center before the end of the season, that likely remains their best look on a night-to-night basis.
Acquiring a player like Smith would simply multiply their flexibility at the position. He's not necessarily a full-time starter either, but he's done a solid job for the Bulls with Nic Claxton out since the start of the season, averaging 11 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while converting 47.2% from the field across eight games. The Bulls' defense has been horrendous this season, but that's been just as much a result of the players around him as it has of Smith's deficits as a traditional rim protector.
Of course, Smith's floor-spacing abilities could make him the right choice over Green in certain matchups. But the Warriors' best look also involves having both Yaxel Lendeborg and Gui Santos (or later, hopefully, Jimmy Butler) making up the frontcourt, and bringing Smith in as a starter would likely push one of those two players out of the starting five.
Instead, Smith is skilled enough to operate as a starter when Green needs rest, but he also has enough offensive juice to provide consistent minutes off the bench, and perhaps even close games when necessary, for Golden State.
That might not be the ideal return for a Porzingis contract, but it's one the Warriors should consider—as long as they can count on Green to hold this role down for the remainder of the season.
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