Quinten Post got his payday this summer, but the move to Memphis comes with a catch that never really existed for him in Golden State.
The Dutch big man signed an incentive-based, far from guaranteed three-year, $30 million offer sheet with the Grizzlies, and the Warriors declined to match. On paper, it’s a fresh start. In practice, it may be a tougher road to steady minutes and a real foothold in the league.
At Golden State, Post would have been positioned as the third-string center behind Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. That still would have meant some nights on the bench, but it also would have opened the door to meaningful regular-season run. With Porzingis and Horford needing to be managed, Post likely would have picked up starts and real chances to show what he can do while the Warriors pushed for a playoff spot.
Memphis is a different setup. Post still looks like the third big on the depth chart, only now he’s behind Zach Edey and Isaiah Stewart. And while Edey - and, to a lesser extent, Stewart - have dealt with injuries, both are younger than Porzingis and Horford and should be more available over the course of the season.
That matters. If Edey and Stewart are healthy, they aren’t likely to sit out back-to-backs or be held to a 20-22 minute limit the way a 40-year/old Horford will be. That leaves Post with a real chance to see even less of the floor on a Grizzlies team still figuring out who belongs in its long-term picture.
Memphis also built the deal to keep itself protected. By structuring it in a way that avoided the second apron for a team expected to be in the Play-In Tournament again, the Grizzlies limited their risk. And by guaranteeing only the first year, they put the pressure squarely on Post.
The message is simple: produce immediately, or the door can close fast. If Memphis decides it doesn’t like what it sees in year one, it can walk away without paying him another cent and send the 26-year-old back into free agency, where another big contract is unlikely to be waiting.
That’s the challenge now. A handful of young players have left the Warriors in recent years and gone on to thrive - Jordan Poole, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Patrick Baldwin Jr etc. Post is trying to become the exception, but his role in Memphis is still unsettled as training camp and opening night approach.
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