Kristaps Porzingis is exactly the type of player the Warriors have wanted to add to their frontcourt for years, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who says Golden State views the big man as a no-risk, potentially high-reward addition. Still, sending Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta for Porzingis was something of a fall-back option for the Warriors, who pursued Giannis Antetokounmpo and several other impact players leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline.
The Warriors’ interest in Trey Murphy III has been well chronicled, and Siegel suggests Golden State was prepared to offer Kuminga, an unprotected 2026 first-round pick, and a lightly protected 2028 first-rounder for the Pelicans wing. However, sources tell ClutchPoints that New Orleans had set an asking price of at least three first-round picks for Murphy and wasn’t enthusiastic about Kuminga as a long-term building block.
The Warriors also spoke to the Grizzlies about Jaren Jackson Jr., Siegel confirms, and would’ve done a package that included Kuminga, Hield, two first-round picks, and “some sort of swap.” But Siegel hears that Golden State was reluctant to include Moses Moody or far-off draft picks which Memphis would’ve valued more highly (since they’d likely land after Stephen Curry‘s retirement), so Utah was able to beat Golden State’s package for Jackson.
While Porzingis may not have been atop the Warriors’ wish list, the team is looking forward to seeing what he’ll bring to the table and there’s optimism that he’ll be ready to play in the first game after the All-Star break, head coach Steve Kerr confirmed today (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of The Athletic). Kerr told reporters that Porzingis did some three-on-three work on Tuesday and will play in short bursts once he’s activated.
For his part, Porzingis – who has been limited to 17 outings this season for injury/illness reasons – is optimistic about what the rest of the season holds for him and the Warriors.
“I think it’s a great, great opportunity to turn a new page,” Porziņgis said over the weekend, per Friedell. “From what I’ve seen, and the conversations I’ve had so far with the medical staff here, and the people that work here, I have to say I’m very surprised and very optimistic. I’m in really, really good hands, if not some of the best hands, and I think that will also add to what I already have in my mind. So, I look forward to really having a surprisingly good post All-Star break.”
We have more on the Warriors:
- Interestingly, during his post-deadline media session, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. strongly pushed back against the idea that the team discussed Draymond Green in trade talks. “His name was not in conversations other than the ones where teams called me to ask about him,” Dunleavy said, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater. “The idea that he ‘stayed with the Warriors past the deadline’ was greatly exaggerated. It was never a possibility of him not being here or remotely close.” Multiple reporters – and Green himself – have suggested that the longtime Warrior would’ve almost certainly been included in a package for Antetokounmpo, so perhaps Dunleavy’s comments reflect a belief that the Giannis scenario never gained any traction.
- Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area passes along several more of Dunleavy’s remarks from Saturday’s media session, including the GM’s assertion that the Warriors remain well positioned to trade for an impact player going forward. “We’ve got the goods to make deals,” Dunleavy said. “I think the only way we wouldn’t be in the mix is if we gave out assets, young players, all the things you need to get a great player. We still have all that. I think that’s one of the reasons the KP trade is really good for us, similar to Jimmy last year. We don’t feel like we gave up a ton. We still have the kind of firepower to move forward and do more deals.”
- Checking in on Kerr’s future in Golden State, Siegel reports that the Warriors would like to keep the veteran head coach in his role as long as he wants and that the hope has always been that he and Curry will retire together. While a January report indicated that Kerr’s assistants have been operating as if 2025/26 will be his last year, Siegel doesn’t get the sense that the coaching staff is expecting that outcome.
- Hield was one of Green’s “favorite teammates of all time” and “left a mark” on the franchise, the former Defensive Player of the Year said on Saturday’s episode of The Draymond Green Show (hat tip to Will Simonds of NBC Sports Bay Area). “To see him go, you feel the gap, you feel the hole, you feel it,” Green said. “It’s like I said before, it’s the s–ttiest part of the business.”
“Curry beat Lebron”
“Curry had too much help”
“Who was the help?”
“Klay, Dray and Iggy”
“So you admit Draymond was elite for 4 years”
“Draymond is a Euroleaguer who rode Curry and would not get a job on any other team.”
“But he was also part of “too much help?”
“Yeah”
These idiotic haters never cease to amaze me.
The problem is, Draymond’s career is not a black and white thing, he literally was putting up elite, “top 20 guys in the league” numbers from age 24-27 aka his best offensive years. He settled into an “above average player” most of his other years, as his offense tanked for some reason. Is that a HOFer? Sure. Is it “he wouldn’t make a bench on any other team”? No, that is bs. He also would have proven he was a playmaker and eased into that point-center role on any other team. The funniest thing about Draymond’s career is that it would look identical in any other era of the NBA. A rare one. I hate him for the punch, but Kerr caused that punch. Otherwise it’s been really fun having him on my team.
Davey arguing with the voices in his head again.
Classic. So Kerr did a mind meld and forced Draymond to throw the punch huh? Tell me more.
“Kerr caused that punch”
Ok, I’ll bite. Care to expound?
Kerr demanded Poole to say something wild to Draymond.
Not a great presser by Dunleavy by any stretch.
Possible trades for Warriors:
Jimmy Butler – $56,832,773 and a 2027 1st rounder (lottery protected) to Clippers for Kawhi Leonard – $50,300,000
Moses Moody – $12,500,000 and Draymond Green – $27,678,571 for Bam Adebayo – $51,935,268 with 2029 1st round pick and 2032 1st round pick
Next year’s lineup:
PG – Stephen Curry – $62,587,158M
SG – Target a SG in the 1st round
SF – Kawhi Leonard – $50,300,000
PF – Bam Adebayo – $51,935,268
C – Kristaps Porzingis – $25,000,000 (estimated)
Bench: Spencer, Melton, Post, Richard, Pods, rest can be bench fillers
Objective: This allows Warriors to get a quality player in Kawhi who has the same contract length as Steph (neither will retire obviously), along with Bam who is a quality 4 and will help anchor the defense (Draymond role with more offense), then you resign KP as a moderate rate.
Warriors would have to sacrifice two picks in Kawhi and Bam, but you allocate them instead of going all in for Giannis or someone else. It resets the cap as well for the loaded 2027 free agency class.
Just something outside the box I thought off.
Sillivan lives
Good for Warriors to accept as facf not a single other team in the nba views kuminga as a potential star (bc he most definitely is no he’s a future Role player at hest ) and got what they Could for him ! Even actually belive KP will be a pleasant surprise for Them an plzy like like he did in 24 if managed properly
They wouldn’t add Moody to potential JJJ trade? Look he’s a nice role player but come on…..that’s crazy
Moody has been starting the last 2 years, he’s a bit better than a “nice role player” he is more leaning towards “potential all-star”. When those 3’s go in, there’s almost no difference between him and prime Klay Thompson. Moody is a perfect fit for this system.
There is war on logic and reality when it almost anything Warriors is reported or commented on
You’re absolutely correct. They would’ve parted with all combos of everyone excluding Steph for him.
“the hope has always been that he and Curry will retire together.” but why? literally who cares?? kerr isnt good at his very important job. theres better options out there.