The writing has been on the wall for quite a while. As the playoffs approached for the Golden State Warriors, Zaza Pachulia and David West started to see their minutes dwindle. In the NBA Finals, West played a mere 28 minutes; Pachulia played only six.
Then came the offseason. We knew the Warriors were going all in on young bigs Jordan Bell and Damian Jones, the only two center options under contract. We didn’t know how else they would shape out the frontcourt on their roster, and whether they’d return to Pachulia or West for veteran leadership and depth.