Veteran center Kristaps Porzingis will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign an extension before then. As Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes, the Warriors have been using the past several weeks to evaluate the Latvian big man, while Porzingis has been considering whether he’d like to remain with the team beyond this season.
According to Poole, early indications suggest Porzingis has enjoyed his time with the organization, particularly singling out Rick Celebrini, Golden State’s director of sports medicine and performance. That’s noteworthy, given all of Porzingis health issues the past couple years and throughout his career.
“Rick’s amazing,” Porzingis said Thursday after practice. “Rick is the GOAT, man. Really. I’m very happy with these guys, and I’m sure they will keep me on the same path.”
Porzingis has appeared in seven of the Warriors’ last nine games and thinks he’s trending toward being able to play in back-to-backs, Poole notes. The team has two back-to-backs (April 1 and 2 and April 9 and 10) remaining this season.
“I think it’s a conversation,” Porzingis said. “I don’t know yet if I will get the chance, but maybe. Maybe. Doing pretty good and recovering well. I’m still not playing super-high minutes, obviously, but the better I feel, the better I start to look. I’ll probably earn more minutes and then probably after that, the next step is to get a chance on a back-to-back. That’s what I’m working towards.”
Porzingis has also spoken glowingly about the chance to play with Stephen Curry, Poole adds, but that has yet to come to fruition due to the 12-time All-Star guard’s ongoing knee injury, which has kept him sidelined since late January.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- De’Anthony Melton is another potential free agent — he holds a $3.5MM player option for next season. The 27-year-old combo guard suggested on Thursday that he’s likely to turn down that option, as Nick Avila of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “I’ve been in this league a decent amount of time,” Melton said on 95.7 The Game’s Steiny and Guru show. “So, eight years is a lot of time. I’ve put in a lot of time and effort and work into this. I think that should be rewarded and I think, for anybody, you put in that much time, effort, work and you’ve seen the results and you’ve seen how impactful you are and what you have done, like I said, you want to be rewarded for that. So, whatever comes with it, comes with it, but end of the day you want to get rewarded for your services.” The Warriors will only have Melton’s Non-Bird rights, which could make it difficult for the team to re-sign him.
- Gui Santos‘ importance to the Warriors increased when Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL in January. The Brazilian forward has become even more vital in the wake of Moses Moody‘s torn patellar tendon, as Santos is the only real wing left on Golden State’s roster, observes Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Chronicle. The 23-year-old scored a career-high 31 points in Wednesday’s win over Brooklyn is looking like a bargain on the three-year, $15MM extension he signed at the end of February, says Emerman.
- Getting to the free throw line more often will be important down the stretch with the Warriors shorthanded, and Porzingis can help in that area with his ability to post up smaller defenders, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “It does slow the game down. But sometimes that’s what we need, especially with me on the floor,” Porzingis said. “I feel like that’s an advantage we can get, we can generate.”
No one in this article makes the team anything but a late lotto, early R1 exit team and a healthy Curry next year doesn’t change any of that.
Sign KP and if Butler and Moody comes back close to full strength plus add on a ready rookie like the guy at Michigan with the 11th pick and they will be doing good. This year they most likely don’t make it out of play in but next year could be a big up lift for the team. No team can lose their 3 best players and still be considered a good team.
The guy at Michigan? Please. They need a big man. He’s too small. I’m tired of 6-8 power forwards like Ike Diogu. And isn’t he like 24 years old? He won’t be improving or growing. He’s everything he is as you see him today in college.
Definite, no on that guy.
Warriors are picking 11th most likely i doubt there will be any good centers left unless they are projects and a few years away. Warriors will probably go for a guy they can insert into the roster now not a guy with raw ability.
Big from Houston looks a likely high ceiling guy. Not sure of he’ll go in the lottery. Maybe more around pick 17-18.
Nrg82 yeah he has potential. He’s a runner, young, has a nice little jumpshot that will improve.
You ever say anything positive or is life just a grey cloud over there ?
aircastle we’re hoping the roster looks totally different next year.
Melton will get paid, so will Porziņģis. He’ll get offers higher than the Warriors want to go with him.
Santos and Podowski are bench guys. Hopefully Horford is back because he’s decent.
But Golden State needs several key guys. I wouldn’t be surprised if they traded that number 11 pick.
Melton is good but i don’t see him as a starter on a good team. How teh NBA is somebody will probably over pay him starter wage.
I feel starter on good team is valid it’s just the inj concerns that would keep me from paying that full sticker price
2/25 would be my upper limit on him
Not even the MLE? Seems like someone will offer him that.