With all the excitement around the possible addition of Al Horford and continued optimism about Quinten Post’s development, it’s easy to overlook the fact that Trayce Jackson-Davis finished the playoffs as the Warriors’ starting center.
Some have already written Jackson-Davis out of next season’s rotation, but his rare combination of size and athleticism—traits not found elsewhere on the roster—still give him a potential path forward. To seize that opportunity, though, the third-year big man must fix a glaring issue in his game.
Jackson-Davis must improve his finishing at the rim
During his rookie campaign, Jackson-Davis electrified fans with high-profile plays like a monster dunk over Victor Wembanyama and a block on Giannis Antetokounmpo. He narrowly missed out on making the All-Rookie Team.
However, his sophomore year exposed a serious flaw: he struggled to convert anything near the basket that wasn’t a dunk. He hit just 40.9% of his layups and only 34.6% of his non-restricted area paint shots. Those inefficient numbers played a major role in his slide from starting center to completely out of Steve Kerr’s regular rotation.
For context, Draymond Green—far from elite in this area himself—shot 53.3% on layups and 44.7% in the paint. Jackson-Davis’ struggles became a source of fan frustration as the season wore on. While his ability as a lob target offers something different for Golden State’s offense, it’s negated if he can’t be relied upon to finish under the rim.
With little indication he’ll ever add a reliable jump shot, developing touch around the basket is absolutely essential if he hopes to earn a consistent role. Without progress there, the former second-round pick risks seeing his NBA career cut short—something that seemed unthinkable after his promising rookie year.
The Warriors hold a team option for the final year of his contract, making this a critical “prove-it” season for Jackson-Davis. His athleticism and rim protection still offer unique value, but he’ll need a strong training camp and preseason to earn a spot in Kerr’s plans moving forward.