With Draymond Green and Al Horford occupying two spots in the Golden State Warriors starting lineup, Quinten Post could have foreseeably expected that he’d be the first big off the bench for Steve Kerr heading into this season.
However, that may not necessarily be the case based on Sunday’s preseason opener, with the second-year big man shunted back in the rotation following Kerr’s controversial starting lineup decision.
Quinten Post could be impacted by Steve Kerr’s starting lineup choice
Kerr chose to remain with the starting lineup that proved so effective following last season’s All-Star break, opening with a five of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Green. That left Horford coming in as the sixth man, something the veteran center could adapt to rather easily after doing it previously for the Boston Celtics over the past two years.
Whether he’s starting or coming off the bench, Horford is going to play a major role for the Warriors whenever he’s available. The same can’t be neccesarily said about Post whose opportunity will be determined by what other combinations Kerr puts on the floor.
The former 52nd overall pick didn’t see court time until over halfway through the second-quarter, by which point Kerr had already used 10 players through the first 18 minutes. Perhaps this should be taken with a grain of salt given it’s the first preseason game, but it’s still notable and suggests Post could be in for less minutes than first expected.
The 25-year-old will have to stay ready at all times though, with a sudden spike in minutes likely to happen regularly throughout the season whenever Green and/or Horford rest or find themselves in foul trouble.
Post was solid during his nearly 16 minutes on Sunday, recording seven points, three rebounds and a steal while finishing as a +20 — second on Golden State behind Moses Moody’s +21. His combination with Horford in a double big lineup was notable to end the first-half, helping to turn a three-point deficit into a seven-point lead.
Even with his role likely to fluctuate during the season, there should be confidence in Post’s long-term potential given he’s now got Horford as an ideal mentor. The pair spoke about each other on Tuesday, with Horford stating that his young teammate has what it takes to be successful.
“He is consistent with his work and he has the right tools to be successful because he listens, he works hard and you can already see some flashes on the floor,” Horford said (via ESPN’s Anthony Slater).
Post was a revelation during the second half of his rookie season, having averaged 8.1 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting a team-high 40.8% from 3-point range.
