The Warriors have gotten one answer at center, and now they need another.
Charles Bassey did enough Monday against the Phoenix Suns to make his case impossible to ignore, finishing with 19 points and eight rebounds off the bench for Golden State. For a team still sorting through its frontcourt options, that kind of night matters.
It gave Steve Kerr a clearer read on what Bassey can offer, even if he’s not built to be a consistent starting center. He can still give the Warriors useful minutes and energy alongside the starters when the situation calls for it.
That’s the kind of box Golden State needed him to check. In that sense, Bassey passed Steve Kerr’s test.
The bigger picture, though, still isn’t settled. The Warriors’ center group remains a work in progress, and the hope is that they can move the Porzingis contract to bring in a more dependable option before the trade deadline in Februray. Until then, Kerr needs to know exactly what he has in the three centers currently on hand, and that means the evaluation can’t stop with Bassey.
Graham Ike is next.
Ike, who joined the Warriors this season on a two-way contract, hasn’t really gotten the same chance to prove himself. Golden State needs to change that. The team may not be looking at a long-term answer at center from this group, but it still needs a full read on what Ike can do before the roster picture changes again.
There’s no hiding the limits here. A center rotation of Green, Horford, Bassey, and Ike doesn’t look like a championship-caliber group, and the Warriors clearly need another move before the season ends to strengthen that spot. But before they make that next addition, they have to answer a few basic questions: is the small-ball lineup their best option for the rest of the year, how much offense can they realistically expect from Horford as he ramps up, and what kind of role can Bassey and Ike fill if help doesn’t arrive until the trade deadline?
Ike’s preseason gave at least a small glimpse. Across five games, he averaged seven points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 44% from the field.
His game is more traditional than Bassey’s, and the offensive package is limited even around the rim, but he can rebound and defend at a level that makes him usable. He doesn’t bring the same burst or flash as Bassey, but the Warriors signed him to a two-way deal for a reason: he can be there when they need extra minutes at center.
The issue is trust, and Kerr usually takes his time with that. He wants to see players in different settings before giving them a real role.
Bassey showed enough against Phoenix to earn that kind of confidence. Ike hasn’t yet.
He has two starts this season, but he’s only reached double-digit minutes in three of the Warriors’ eight games. Even more telling, he’s logged just 15 minutes with Curry on the floor.
Golden State’s defensive rating in those minutes is 167.7.
Still, the Warriors need more than a snapshot. Kerr has to find spots over the next few weeks to see Ike against different lineups and different levels of NBA competition. The Miami Heat game may not offer much of that, but matchups with the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Clippers could.
For now, this early stretch is about figuring things out. Bassey has already given the Warriors one useful answer. Ike needs his turn.
In Other News...
Klay Thompson Just Gave Warriors Fans A First They Never Saw
Klay Thompson keeps finding new ways to add to a career that already had a long list of big moments, and this one came in a uniform Warriors fans never expected to see him wear. Playing for the Miami Heat, Thompson delivered his first career game-winning three-pointer in the final five seconds, lifting Miami to a 117-116 win over the Los Angeles Clippers and adding another late-game chapter to a rsum that was already packed with clutch shots and playoff memories from Golden State.
For Warriors fans, the odd part is how long they watched Thompson thrive in the biggest moments without ever getting this exact finish. He scored 30 points in the game and helped carry the Heat alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, but the lasting image was the shot at the buzzer-window, the kind of moment that somehow had never happened before for one of the leagues most familiar sharpshooters. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Rumor Could Reshape Steph Currys Final Title Chase
The Warriors are already being linked to one of the biggest names in the league, and the idea says plenty about how they view the next phase of Stephen Currys run. With injuries again testing the roster and the front office looking for ways to keep the team in the title mix, Golden State is reportedly keeping an eye on Nikola Jokic as a possible target next summer.
It is the kind of speculation that instantly changes the conversation around Currys final championship chase, because a player of Jokics caliber would reshape the ceiling of the roster in a major way. The uncertainty around Jokics long-term future in Denver, including delayed extension talks and the possibility of free agency, is what makes the rumor worth watching, even if the path to getting him is anything but simple. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face A Draymond Decision That Could Define Stephs Last Run
Yaxel Lendeborg has quickly become part of the reason the Warriors have looked sharper this season, giving Golden State a useful jolt as the roster tries to keep pace in a crowded West. The rookies impact has even drawn outside attention, with Bill Simmons going so far as to compare his play to mid-2010s LeBron James, a lofty nod that underscores how much buzz he has generated around the team.
At the same time, the bigger conversation around Golden State is still centered on the kind of roster move that could reshape everything around Stephen Currys final run. There is speculation about a deal that would send Draymond Green, Kristaps Porziis and a future draft pick to Sacramento for Domantas Sabonis, who reportedly wants out of the Kings, and the idea alone speaks to how high the stakes have become for a franchise balancing present urgency with long-term risk. [Read more 🡒]