Golden State Warriors: Ranking every member of the team’s bench

5. Marquese Chriss

The surprise of the preseason has to be none other than Marquese Chriss, who found his way onto the roster despite very, very little space to fit.

The expectation going into pre-season was the Chriss was just getting a chance because of his high draft pedigree. We saw the Warriors take chances on several nice little stories over the summer and into the pre-season.

But did anyone really honestly believe he would have made the roster?

Whether Golden State had serious plans or were planning to eventually brush him aside ala Jimmer Fredette, Chriss forced his way onto the roster by reviving some hope of all the potential he displayed when he first came into the league.

Selected 8th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, Chriss was highly sought after. Many believed that the 6-foot-10 power forward might go as high as being a top-three pick.

The Phoenix Suns immediately traded for him that night, hoping to tap into some of the promise he showed during his year-long collegiate career. Unfortunately, that never came to fully flesh out.

Since he came into the league, the potential never fully panned out. He’s looked like another one of those players where his skillset just hasn’t translated to the professional league. At times, he looks completely lost on the floor.

With frustrations mounting, there was pushback between he and the Phoenix coaching staff, which led to him being unceremoniously shipped out of town.

The draft foresight of franchises like the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns in years past might not be the most inspiring when it comes to confidence of potential, but the teams weren’t wrong about Chriss’ athleticism.

Warriors fans have seen, first-hand, that Marquese Chriss can be a serious threat working alongside guys like Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell.

He’s aggressive on the boards and should get his fair share of rebounds this season, especially considering the limited verticality of the team. He’s got a long frame that allows him to get to more rebounds than anyone else on the team.

Chriss is another gamble by the Warriors front office — and possibly the biggest this season.

In order to make room for Chriss on the roster, the front office had to bring themselves to waiving Alfonzo McKinnie, who was nearly penciled in as the starting small forward this season.

That gives a sense both the questions that remain at small forward and the current state of the center position.

It was a worst-case scenario for the Warriors this preseason when it came to the health of their big men — Kevon Looney, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Alen Smailagic were all out with various injuries.

Inadvertently, it unveiled an opportunity for Chriss, which, to his credit, he took and ran with.

At just 22-years-old, Chriss still has plenty of time to realize some of that potential. It might not be the perfect comparison, but he gives off similar vibes to the Warriors JaVale McGee experiment.

He’s a high-energy guy that seems like he’s really fit into the coaching staff. He’s got Draymond Green not only taking him under his ring but defending him publicly. Those are both good signs.

There is still work to be done, especially on the defensive end, when it comes to the faster-paced offenses.

But faith should be put into the defensive masterminds of Ron Adams, Jarron Collins, and Draymond Green. They have a positive track record of completely overhauling the defensive ability of their bigs.

Chriss will get the starting nod several times this season because of the injury troubles plaguing the Warriors to begin the season. But he might find a way to play well enough to get serious minutes this year and next.

Expect to see Chriss continue improving with the Warriors as he receives more chances. He could get significant playing time at center or even power forward to begin the season.

There will always be the fear that he’ll revert back to what we’ve seen in years past, but he’s worth the gamble and he’s worth the frustration that comes with his growing pains.