Mike Dunleavy Jr. has earned praise for squeezing real value out of the second round since taking over as general manager of the Golden State Warriors. But Quinten Post’s move to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday makes that reputation look a lot less airtight.
Golden State got plenty of credit for landing Trayce Jackson-Davis, Post and Will Richard in three straight drafts, especially after all three opened last season on the roster. Now, though, only Richard is still there.
Post’s new deal with Memphis is a $10 million annual contract, which only sharpens the irony. It confirms the Warriors identified talent correctly, but that doesn’t mean much if the player is no longer helping them on the floor.
Jackson-Davis and Post both flashed like real finds. Each big man made a strong early impression in his rookie year, with Jackson-Davis starting 16 games and Post starting 14, while both logged more than 16 minutes a night. For a while, it looked like Golden State had hit on two major rotation pieces.
That picture has changed quickly. Less than two years after those rookie seasons, both are gone. Jackson-Davis lost his place in Steve Kerr’s rotation in part because of Post’s rise, then was dealt to the Toronto Raptors in February for what became the 54th overall pick, Lajae Jones.
Post’s own exit was tied to the Warriors’ other moves. Golden State acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks, and that arrival cut into Post’s role down the stretch. The Warriors also had already brought Porzingis back on a two-year, $40 million deal, and that clearly played into the decision not to match Memphis’ offer for Post.
That leaves Richard as the lone survivor from the trio. He should have a better chance of sticking, since he signed a four-year rookie contract last year. The former 56th overall pick had a strong rookie season, averaging 20 minutes per game and making 21 starts.
Still, the lesson is the same one Jackson-Davis and Post already delivered: a promising rookie year is not the same thing as staying power in Golden State.
The Warriors deserve some credit for turning three straight late second-round picks into real rotation players right away. But the bigger picture is harder to ignore now. The early acclaim was probably a little too generous.
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