The Golden State Warriors have struggled to find the right starting lineup combination all throughout the 2023-24 season. They have shuffled through a few lineups amid Draymond Green's battle with on-court troubles, Klay Thompson's inconsistency, and the up-and-down play of the Dubs' veteran big men (Kevon Looney and Dario Saric). Even Andrew Wiggins has been subpar for most of the season.

But as of late, the Warriors have relied upon Trayce Jackson-Davis to fill in plenty of minutes at center, a move that head coach Steve Kerr described as something that changed the team's outlook, particularly on the defensive end, in a drastic manner.

“Trayce and Draymond together have changed our team. It’s pretty dramatic, the rim protection and rebounding that Trayce gives us and what that allows Draymond to do,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Trayce Jackson-Davis has started the past five games for the Warriors, and the Dubs have won each and every one of them — including huge wins against three above .500 teams in the Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets. Over his past five games, Jackson-Davis has put up an average plus-minus of +7.6, including an impressive +20 in their latest win over the Rockets.

Jackson-Davis has unlocked quite a strong lineup for the Dubs; the Warriors' five-man unit of Jackson-Davis, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins has an elite net rating of +28.4 in 49 minutes together, a figure that should only motivate Steve Kerr to give this lineup more minutes together.

Trayce Jackson-Davis, the steal of the 2023 NBA Draft

Trayce Jackson-Davis was widely mocked as a late first-round or an early second-round pick, but he fell so far in the 2023 NBA Draft that the Warriors were able to pick him up with the 57th overall pick. Jackson-Davis swore to make the teams that passed up on him pay, and it looks like that's exactly what he's doing.

Jackson-Davis might be an older rookie, but his experience has allowed him to become an impactful defender in his rookie season. He bites on fakes and is out of position at times, but he makes up for it with his timing and athleticism. And then on the offensive end, he gives the Warriors a lob threat and a crasher of the boards, giving their team a different dimension than when Draymond Green was playing center on a full-time basis.

The Warriors have a tough lineup decision to make when Jonathan Kuminga recovers from his injury. Steve Kerr isn't exactly someone who messes with a lineup that's working, so Jackson-Davis should have a bit of a long leash moving forward.

Warriors' young core is taking shape

The Warriors' core as we know it is reaching the end of its rope. Klay Thompson is in the middle of a decline, although he's been staving it off with some nice games as of late. Stephen Curry is approaching his late 30s, and Draymond Green is always a danger both to himself and to his team with his propensity for questionable on-court actions. This is even without mentioning Chris Paul, who is nearing 40 years of age.

But Trayce Jackson-Davis' emergence gives the Warriors another young, quality piece that could at least help extend their competitive window. Jackson-Davis joins Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski as young players who give the Warriors quality minutes on a nightly basis.