The Golden State Warriors have added veterans Chris Paul, Dario Saric, and Cory Joseph who each possess the important elements — intelligence, passing, and rapid decision-making — that are pivotal in a system managed by Steve Kerr. This demonstrates the clear focus that the Warriors have placed on prioritizing their preferred method of playing basketball during this offseason.
However, the Warriors did not simply place this emphasis on their trade and free agency signings; rather, they also used it to analyze talent when they participated in the NBA Draft in June. Because of this, they decided to draft Brandin Podziemski (19th overall) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (57th overall), two players who they believe will suit the profile of a Golden State Warriors player.
It is possible that the Golden State Warriors will look to Trayce Jackson-Davis as a viable option for the center position as early as this season.In spite of the fact that Podziemski might have a greater potential for long-term growth, Jackson-Davis, who is only 23 years old but has already played four years of college ball at Indiana, might have a greater impact on the game in the near future.
The head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr, gave an interview to the media on Monday, and he gushed about Jackson-Davis’ performance and how his 6’10”, 245-pound size may fit into the dynamic of the team.
“What I enjoy best about Trayce is that he plays the game the way we do. Kerr referred to him as a “dribble hand-off guy at the top of the key and a good screener.” He also noted that “he is a good passer.” “He provides us with a lob that we would not otherwise have, which is a really wonderful complement to our team. I get the impression that he’s the kind of man who has a good feel for the game. He has a fantastic sense for passing and cutting action, and a lot of the stuff that we already run, he runs it pretty effectively. ”
Jackson-Davis was only able to play in the final two games of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas since he was sidelined for a short time after the draft by a minor hamstring ailment. The athletic center played only 22.3 minutes a game, but still managed to put up 16 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks on average. He hardly seemed to skip.
Jackson-Davis was regarded as one of the steals of the Draft following an excellent senior year in which he averaged 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, and four assists. Jackson-Davis was acquired by the Sacramento Kings in a transaction in which Washington Wizards guard Patrick Baldwin Jr. was sent to the Sacramento Kings.
Mike Dunleavy Jr., the general manager of the Warriors, was a guest on a recent episode of The Athletic NBA Show. In that appearance, he alluded to the fact that the team has refrained from acquiring an experienced center because “we have five guys who can give us minutes at the five position.”
The fact that Golden State and Mike Dunleavy are satisfied with their big man rotation demonstrates plainly that they have some faith in Jackson-Davis, and Steve Kerr’s comments have just added to the hype around the second-round choice as the rookie season approaches.