Jonas Jerebko is the perfect bench player for the Warriors

The veteran is providing outstanding shooting and smart play, complementing the Warriors’ stars nicely.

The Utah Jazz cut Jonas Jerebko this offseason, telling him there wouldn’t be minutes for him in the rotation. The Warriors snagged him for the minimum, and he’s been nothing short of remarkable already.

The Warriors’ bench was great in 2015 and 2016, but due to aging and departures in free agency, it’s been a little lacking recently. Notably, the Warriors don’t have great shooters: last year, the team’s bench unit combined for the fewest number of threes in the league.

Jerebko’s greatest asset is his outside shot, which he shoots with high volume and efficiency. For the first time, the Warriors have a true stretch-four who opens the paint up for the stars. Unlike Omri Casspi last year, Jerebko is willing to shoot threes despite the star talent around him, and so far, his 50% rate from long range on decent volume is indispensable. The team has a 132 offensive rating when he plays, which is absolutely wild.

Furthermore, Jerebko plays smart and with energy. He had the game-winning tip-in against the Jazz earlier in the season, and is one of the better rebounders on the team. He’s held up fine in minutes at center so far this season.

At this point, it’s safe to say Jerebko will probably be in the playoff rotation. His defense is decent, and is such an important piece of the puzzle offensively. He’s a steal for the minimum, and we’re lucky to have him.