Veteran big man Kristaps Porzingis has begun to show in recent games why the Warriors traded for him ahead of last month’s deadline, writes Nick Friedell of The Athletic. After missing six consecutive games due to an illness, Porzingis has played five of the past seven contests, averaging 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.2 steals in just 22.8 minutes per game.
“Now I’m healthy, and now I’m actually feeling good,” Porzingis said. “I’m getting a real good feeling about basketball again, which is the most important. Because everything else kind of goes into second place when you’re not feeling perfect. It’s just natural I think to feel that way, and now when I’m actually getting my legs back, getting into good shape, it’s a good reminder why I love this. Just enjoying playing again.”
According to Friedell, Porzingis reiterated after Wednesday’s loss to Boston that he’s still working his way back into shape and is only at about 60 percent of his peak level of performance, but he has been consistently encouraged by the progress he’s made after each passing game.
“I think I’m already now where I can contribute decently,” Porzingis said. “But I think like four or five more games — I know I said that three games ago, but four or five more games, and then I feel like I’ll really be close and pretty good shape. Obviously, in the season it’s not ideal, but my overall feel, I see the trajectory now. So, for me, I’m kinda convinced that I’m headed in the right direction.”
For his part, head coach Steve Kerr could envision a scenario in which Porzingis stays with Golden State long term, per Dan Dempster of NBC Sports Bay Area. Kerr made the comments on 95.7 FM’s Willard and Dibs show on Tuesday.
“I think the whole point in trading for him a couple weeks back was that we get the end of this season to make a run to see what he can do, see what we can do with him and pair him with Steph (Curry),” Kerr explained. “And he’s an unrestricted free agent after this season, but he’s our guy, and we get to show him what we have to offer him. We get to know each other.
“I think ideally, for everybody, he would re-sign and come back healthy and be an important player for us for many years.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Porzingis also reiterated his desire to play with Curry, as Florito Maniego of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “Oh man, this is the GOAT, you know what I mean,” Porzingis said after Monday’s win over Washington. “To play with somebody like that, it’s going to be unbelievable. Obviously, from playing against him, I know what type of a player he is. And (with) the gravity he brings, it just opens everything up for everybody else. So, hopefully he will be back with us soon.” Curry continues to be sidelined by a right knee injury, though there’s reportedly “cautious optimism” that the two-time MVP will be able to return this month.
- De’Anthony Melton is another potential free agent — he holds a minimum-salary player option for next season. The 27-year-old guard said he tries to stay present in the moment, given the back and knee injuries he’s dealt with in recent years, but he recently expressed on Willard and Dibs that he could see himself re-signing with Golden State. “I mean, of course. Of course,” Melton said (story via Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area). “I feel like I’ve expressed countless times how much I love Golden State, from the medical staff to the actual staff to the front office to the players that have been here. So I think that love is definitely out there. But at the end of the day, I just take it day by day and see how it goes.”
- After the Warriors lost for the sixth time in seven games on Wednesday, Kerr acknowledged the team is essentially locked into the play-in tournament, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN. The Warriors have fallen to the No. 10 seed in the West, but they’re trying to get back up to No. 8 for an easier path to the playoffs. “We’ve had our eyes on six for a while,” Kerr said. “That’s out of the question now. We’re not getting there. If we can string together some wins, try to get to eighth, that’d be ideal. Get two cracks at (getting in the playoffs). But we’re not getting to seven. We know that.”
- Kerr previously expressed optimism that Moses Moody would return to action during the team’s ongoing road trip, but he sounded skeptical about that possibility on Wednesday, Friedell tweets. There’s no official timeline for Moody’s return — he has missed the last eight games due to a right wrist sprain.
They need a rim running center next season, and they will improve tremendously.
This guy + Porzingis would be a terror to score in the paint.
Curry and Porzingis would open the court tremendously, with this rim running threat, they have a very good option, and then you have Jimmy to drive to the basket with space.
Then, you can post up Porzingis when he has advantage.
Porzingis backup is already there with Post (post defender -thoufh not necessarily shot blocker- + three opoint shooting 5)
Strong analysis, Julian. Giannis once again is their missing piece to the title.
Thanks Dave
Thanks Dave. I think Giannis would make them a contender. I’d like to keep Draymond/Jimmy/Porzingis (at least one or two of them), I don’t know how, and a player rooted player with the team (GPII would be the best to me), as a rotation piece that also contributes in team continuity
Porzingis is great but he makes Anthony Davis look like Mikal Bridges.
Both of these things are facts.
Naz Reid perhaps?
They have big Al in the midst.
I would love for GSW to pursue Naz Reid, he is exactly who they need. Great system fit.
I thought he’d do well in GS or Lakers, however they seem to be getting good hoops from Ayton.
Why do so many people think the Warriors are cooked? Pure cope, not based in any type of reality. Its like people who watched 2020 happen and said “GSW WILL be in last place every year from here on out, and thank god, I am such a crybaby loser about Steph destroying my fave team!” but then 2022 happened, and Steph will NEVER be on a rebuilding team, so you go cope some more, you weak-minded losers whos fave team has never won a chip. You will ALWAYS be just food for Steph – cope and seethe, you clowns.
Oh but I thought they’re never going anywhere with Kerr right? All those 4 guard lineups right?
and then Steph Curry bails out Steve’s idiotic coaching choices, yes, that is how this team has won every title? Do you not watch any basketball ever?
@ Davey…maybe because the Warriors are a play in team with a aging injured roster has something to do with it.
Here’s March 1, 2026 claim from the King of Dopey, Davey J. regarding the next 5 ” nothingburger” games the Warriors were about to play:
“Next 5 games btw
Clippers
Rockets
Thunder
Jazz
Bulls
They can easily win 2+ of those. This is a nothingburger overall.”
The Warriors managed 1 win. Delusional?
Steph turned 38 March 14. I admire your dedication to the team Davey. Nobody beats father time. Steph needs young guns around him. To help keep him fresh for playoffs. Guards all lose their legs first. You need your legs to shoot. I am not a hater. The time is coming. A healthy KP helps a lot lol. Cause he can shoot. I just don’t trust he will play 70 plus games.
Like I said before. You gotta hit on that pick. And Raynaud would have helped here also. Even as a trade asset. I like Steph
Steph on 1 leg playing a strict playmaking PG is better than like 75% of players. No one is arguing Steph is going to be running off-ball marathons til he is 50, but if his responsibilities changed to fit whatever his physicality is like, he certainly can keep going. KD today said Lebron could play 5 more years and he is right. Steph could play 10 more years if he plays less and runs less. His shooting isn’t going to go bad. These are not normal human beings.
I got nothing against him. I hope he plays as long as he wants. But he still needs help. So he don’t get burned during season. You watch Michigan lol.
Lendenborg, Johnson is nice too. Big PF who cannplay on perimeter. New age bruh
Yeah ok “Chef Boyardee” …. too many “ifs” spoil the meal lol.
warriors need to get younger and more athletic. maybe they can use podz in a trade for another 1st round pick. celtics destroyed the warriors on teh boards last night. Last thing they need is another potential player that is a few years away. draft soembody that is young athletic and can be ready to take Draymond Green’s place.
They need to get longer and get more SF/PF wings and less SG-only undersized guys. Melton is actually a poor fit here with Steph, he would be better off as the smallest guy on his team.
melton looked horrible last night. Sio did Podz playing against more athletic and talented players.
Podz is such a terrible shooter, scorer and defender. Why does he get more minutes than Will Richard?
richards has not been very good on offense lately.
Classic Steve coaching him and telling him not to score. His +/- has been good though, comparatively to Spencer.
Yaxel Lendenborg — 6’ 9”- 6’ 10” PF who can guard and play on perimeter. 23 yrs old. Does it all and a great team player. He is ready to help Day 1 lol. Seriously. The most ready talent in draft. He might not last to Warriors. If he does they BETTER take him.
It would be worse than passing on Raynaud.
Actually i read the warriors are looking at him. His high on court IQ makes him one of the players that warriors are looking at.
He is high IQ. Dra can mentor him. Michigan won tonight. He is a total team player. He can shoot. I see him as a double double guy easy. With solid defense. Excellent 2way potential. Watch Michigan they ranked as a one seed.
Jimmy is proving to be a better mentor than Dray ever has been.
Dray is washed man, GSW need to rid themselves of him altogether.
That’s why this is a good pick.
I believe Dra has another year. Can learn a lot in a year.
link to basketball-reference.com
VORP tells his career best. Up until last year, he was a starter in this league, but this season he slowed down due to age and is barely a benchwarmer anymore. Green’s career is nuanced though, as age 24-27 Draymond was elite and top 20ish players in the league, according to VORP.
This is only the 3rd season he has a negative Box Plus Minus. He is healthy. Age 35. Says it all. Cooked. Happens to most players at age 35. Time to move on from him.
That’s what happens to small 4s. When you protect them with real centers. Dra is dtill productive. His ast are still high gor a 4. His reb is only slightly down. Even his scoring is down a bit (9). His strength has always been running the team D. He is the glue and brains of the team D. That he can still do. He is signed for next year. So it makes perfect sense to bring in A guy like Ledenborg. You should show more respect for Green. He is as big part of Warriors success as any player. Team Sport.
At this point, I would take GSW cleaning house this offseason and getting rid of: Kerr, Dray, Podz, Spencer, GP2 and Melton over wanting any single player here, getting rid of all that would definitely make me more happy than Giannis coming lol
I get it Davey . None of us, we don’t have to diss Dra or Klay. Or JK, Wiseman. We just turn the page. You’d be surprised lol. Dra still has value in a trade. Pistons could use him. Sixers could use him. A young playoff team or contender can use him. Plus you know Curry loves him. One yr is nothing
Packaging Dray and a first round pick to bring in a healthy, younger player making $25.8M or less is their best move to get him out of here. You are right, Dray still has value as a veteran bench option on a contender who can close out big games still. Not the worst player, just a guy who doesn’t fit GSW’s system anymore. The way Jimmy has helped the youngsters more than Draymond proves Dray’s head is in his media career more these days, so it’s not like he is helping off court either. On the current Pistons he’s a perfect match in that 6th man role. Love him on pretty much any contender as a 6th or 7th guy. Draymond should also ring chase right now that it’s proving he isn’t helping this Warriors team like he used to. He could help GSW’s chances by leaving and improve his own ones by going to the Pistons.
GSW is old and getting older – I get they are in win now only mode but end up battling stay in a play in game.
Curry needs youth help, maybe its best they miss that play in game and get lottery to get a young player although they have misfired in recent drafts where they had to move those players.
“GSW is old and getting older”
Melton, Moody, Podz, Post, Richard and Santos are all under 27 years old. They have just as many under-27’s as they do over-33’s.
To those of us know what we’re talking about that’s exactly what’s happening right now.
They’re locked into the number 11 draft pick and the play in game inthe west. That’s a given, but they need to lose and Chicago and Milwaukee need to win some games in the east. The ninth pick is within sight if they do it right.
The Warriors are NOT in win now only mode.
It’s over.
They WERE in win now only mode and then lost to the Lakers and Clippers, which should’ve shine light on their current situation, then also lost last week to the jazz and the bulls.
It’s over.
its also impossible for them to miss the play in, they are locked into the 10 seed minimum. but lets not have facts stop you
The warriors should consider hiring a new coach and gm during the offseason.
I often ask anyone who offers that suggestion to also come up with their solution.
Who would you hire as coach and who would you hire as GM?
Malone, Jenkins. Not sure they’d take the job at this point. Would probably rather other coaching opportunities with input of building their own roster over riding coattails towards the end of a run.