Cons:
Lest we forget, Andrew Bogut is still really good at his job. He was All NBA Defensive Second Team just last season. In 2014-2015 the Australian big man averaged 2.6 blocks per 36 minutes; was second only to Kawhi Leonard (a human shark on the court) in Defensive Rating; and was number one in the league in Defensive Box Plus/Minus, a stat that measures an individual player’s defensive points contribution per 100 possessions above league average. This is a lot of basketball nerd-speak to say AB was probably the best defensive center last year (despite the protestations you might here from Doc Rivers). Even with expected age-related decline, it would be hard for Ezeli, in his first year as a starter, to improve on Bogut’s numbers.
I’m not convinced Festus has real hands or real fingers. Have the Warriors new training staff checked? I hear they can do amazing things with 3D printers these days. Ezeli has improved his ability to catch the ball but still lacks the consistency needed from a low post threat.
Could part of Klay Thompson’s slow start to this season be attributed to Bogut’s absence? When Klay starts a game cold, I think it helps him to get an easy bucket to find his offensive rhythm. On the telecast, Jim Barnett says it all the time: players need to see the ball go in the rim to get themselves going. There’s an action the Warriors run where Bogut, while holding the ball above his head on the left elbow, will allow Klay (or Steph) to curl around his screen, wait for him to cut toward the basket, and if the man guarding Klay is a step slow to recover, will slip a pocket pass between the two defenders for an easy Thompson layup. For a player that can be streaky like Klay, I think those easy buckets help with his confidence. I don’t think Ezeli can play this role (and the Dubs don’t ask him to) because his passing acumen isn’t as sharp as Bogut’s.
Festus claims he graduated from high school at the age of 14. This is clearly impossible and a lie, and liars don’t deserve to experience nice things like starting for the reigning NBA champions. I kid, I kid.