Rarely is there much value in defeat, but the Warriors have many reasons to be pleased with what they saw from their undermanned roster and makeshift rotations Friday night.
Every basketball voice on the payroll surely hopes a considerable collection of NBA scouts were in attendance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, watching closely, taking notes and loving what they saw from the Warriors in a 108-96 loss to the streaking Indiana Pacers.
The Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline is 27 days away, and Golden State’s front office is increasing its dealmaking aspirations. Those expressions of patience uttered a couple weeks ago, which were reasonable, have given way in the wake of poor performances, intensifying the hunt for roster upgrades.
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This game provided, at the very least, observers around the league with solid auditions from a few Golden State players who might not be on the roster on Feb. 7.
With three starters – Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins – unavailable and rotation players Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II and Brandin Podziemski also sidelined, Warriors coach Steve Kerr had no choice but to release his entire bench and hope for the best.
With Pat Spencer, Gui Santos, Moses Moody, Lindy Waters III each playing at least 23 minutes, they managed to approach victory before the succumbing to the talent gap over the final nine minutes.
“Great effort,” Kerr told reporters in Indianapolis. “Shorthanded, back-to-back, the guys did a great job of really hanging in there. We just needed to have a little stretch, make three or four 3s in a row and get over the hump. I think it was 86-81 and we were right there. But (the Pacers) took care of business, knocked down some shots and couldn't quite get there.”
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Winning was highly unlikely for the Warriors, but there was enough impressive activity to inspire encouragement or – considerably more beneficial – attract the curiosity or interest of potential trade partners.
Kerr’s postgame comments made it evident that he would welcome the addition of a floor-stretching big man. The Warriors have expressed interest in Chicago center Nikola Vučević, who fits that role as well as any big man in the league and considerably better than any known to be available in trade.
Kerr not only acknowledged that the topic has come up in discussions with the front office but then spent nearly a minute praising the potential of 7-foot rookie center Quinten Post, a second-round draft pick who is a project but has a nice touch from beyond the arc.
“It's something that (general manager) Mike Dunleavy and I talk about periodically,” Kerr said. “We've had guys who have helped in that regard, maybe not from the five spot (like) Otto Porter and Beli (Nemanja Bjelica) in 2022. Both guys really stretched the floor for us, and you could feel the difference.”
Post played only seven minutes, in the fourth quarter, but scored six points – including his first NBA 3-pointer.
“To see him come out there and space the floor, you see what the impact is (with) having a space big,” Kerr said. “You just go pick and pop, and all of a sudden, the whole lane opens up. That's a nice look for us. It’s something we don't normally have.
“We're generating a lot of our offense through our movement and split cuts and all that. If Quentin can develop, he could be a real threat for us and give us a totally different look offensively.”
It’s not a stretch to extrapolate four words within that reply – If Quentin can develop – as a plea to add for a big man who can shoot. Someone who can provide a dimension not accessible to primary centers Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney. Someone who can do, immediately, what Post might someday deliver.
Vučević, 34, is averaging 20.2 points a game for the Chicago Bulls. He’s shooting 55.3 percent from the field, including career-best 42.4 percent beyond the arc. He’s one of four centers in the league averaging more than 20 points and more than 10 rebounds while also shooting at least 40 percent from deep.
The other three: Denver’s Nikola Jokić, a three-time MFP, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns, a four-time All-Star and Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis, a three-time All-Star.
Adding a player who can make an immediate impact with the Warriors will require parting with some future draft capital and multiple players. Vučević is making $20 million this season and will rise to $21.5 million in 2025-26, the final season of his contract.
Kerr is visualizing the offensive benefit that comes with a center who can drain triples. It would make life easier for Curry and Green, two veterans that certain to be with the Warriors beyond the trade deadline.
The Warriors hope the players showcased against the Pacers were solid enough to become more attractive to potential trade partners. On a night built for defeat, at a time when they are actively shopping, that serves a purpose.
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