Heading into the offseason, no position seemed more uncertain for the Golden State Warriors than the five-spot.
As the NBA Draft approached, Golden State did not have a single center guaranteed to be on the roster next season. Kristaps Porzingis is set to enter unrestricted free agency. Al Horford had a player option, and there was ample room for him to decline it and test his fate on the open market. Quinten Post is entering restricted free agency after a disappointing second season with the team.
Of course, things quickly solidifed. It was reported by multiple outlets that the Warriors had momentum toward a contract extension with Porzingis, who can likely be brought back at or around the non-taxpayer midlevel exception. Then, one day after the Draft, Horford ripped up his player option and opted to return to Golden State on a two-year, $14 million deal.
The only piece left to the puzzle is Post. But even with the returns of Horford and Porzingis seemingly set in stone, the second-year center also gained a major victory this week.
Golden State didn't add a center in the second round of the NBA Draft. This leaves a clear path for him to return on a new deal in 2026-27.
Quinten Post's return is seeming more likely as flurry of offseason developments continues
Although it wasn't likely that the Warriors would spring for Aday Mara out of Michigan at 11th overall, it was always a possibility. Targeting a center in the second round, even at 54th overall, made more sense. But both Felix Okpara out of Tennessee came off the board early in the second round. Then Henri Veesaar's surprising drop was ended when the Atlanta Hawks jumped both the Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers to grab the floor-spacing big man. Finally, Ugonna Onyensu was selected by the Houston Rockets just one pick before Golden State was slated to select.
It remains unclear whether the Warriors had true interest in any of these prospects, although they did host both Okpara and Onyensu for pre-draft workouts. But it would not have been surprising in the least if they had taken a swing on any one of these prospects had they been available at 54th overall.
Ultimately, Golden State selected Lajae Jones out of Florida State, a wing with high defensive-upside and a severe need to polish his offensive game. Jones will likely be a two-way or a draft-and-stash candidate in 2026-27.
That move, as opposed to the potential addition of one of the listed center prospects, greatly increases the chance of Post returning this offseason.
Post didn't have the most inspiring sophomore campaign, averaging just 7.7 points, four rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting just 33.6% from beyond the arc. Although he took strides on the defensive end of the floor, his slow-footedness and lack of rebounding acumen continued to hurt his chances at consistent rotational opportunities. He also dealt with injuries at the end of the season that limited his availability.
But both Porzingis and Horford have their own availability concerns. If that is going to be Golden State's primary center duo, the Warriors have no choice but to carry a third player at the position.
If they had added one in the Draft, even that late in the second round, it could have represented the end of Post's time with the team. But things broke differently, and now Post has some additional leverage in his RFA negotiations.
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