The Golden State Warriors may already be headed toward an exit with Kristaps Porzingis, less than a summer after bringing him in as a potential starter.
What looked like a swing for a veteran center with championship pedigree has quickly turned into a health question that now hangs over the entire move. Porzingis missed training camp because of a medical issue, and that issue was later identified as an autoimmune condition that could threaten his career.
The expectation at the time of the signing was that he would start and maybe rebuild his trade value. Instead, that plan has stalled before it really got going.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the team is now looking into trade options while Porzingis weighs his future.
“Golden State has started exploring trade routes for Kristaps Porzingis, who is now seriously contemplating his future in basketball as he deals with recurring symptoms from the autoimmune condition termed as POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), sources tell ESPN," ESPN's Shams Charania posted.
The outlook inside the organization sounds bleak. ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that team sources are highly doubtful Porzingis will ever play for Golden State again, though his deal could still matter for a different reason.
“Team sources continue to express an extreme level of pessimism that Porzingis will ever play for the Warriors again, but he could end up helping the organization in another way, because his contract, which is only guaranteed for $3 million next season, could still prove to be valuable in executing a trade,” ESPN’s Anthony Slater wrote.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley made a similar point, noting that the Warriors still need more around Stephen Curry and that Porzingis’ contract could be useful even if his on-court value is limited by the health concerns.
“They should still be probing for upgrades, though. They need to give Stephen Curry more help, and with Porziņģis once again stuck in a worrisome health situation, he seems incapable of providing it.
But his $20 million salary (and tiny $3 million guarantee for next season) could be a gear-greaser for that kind of get. He can't have much (if any) standalone value given the constant availability concerns, but teams with big plans for the loaded 2027 free agency class could want to get their hands on that contract,” Buckley wrote.
For now, the signs point in one direction. Golden State brought Porzingis in hoping he could be part of the solution, but the Warriors are now staring at the possibility that he never plays for them again. With Curry still at the center of everything, the team can’t afford to wait on a player whose health may keep him off the floor indefinitely.
In Other News...
Warriors Fans Had An Awkward Reaction To Golden States Latest Title Celebration
The Valkyries title run gave the Bay Area something new to celebrate, and the Warriors made sure to mark it the next day. During their home game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State hosted a recognition ceremony for the WNBA champs and brought out the trophy for fans to see after the expansion club had just finished off the Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the Finals.
It was a fitting nod to a team that made history as the fastest expansion club to win a championship in American major sports leagues, with Gabby Williams earning MVP honors after a 30-point effort in the clincher. But the moment also carried an awkward edge in the building, turning what should have been a straightforward celebration into something a little more complicated for Warriors fans to sort through. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors May Regret Letting This Preseason Standout Slip Away
Dalen Terrys preseason run with the Warriors gave the team a look at a 6-foot-6 wing who already has four NBA seasons behind him, but Golden State never turned that audition into a standard contract. After training camp and a notable preseason showing, Terry remained on the outside looking in as the Warriors kept their roster intact, leaving him available for a team willing to make room.
Oklahoma City was that team, with injuries creating a need and an open roster spot making the fit easy. Terry has now landed a two-year standard deal with the Thunder, a move that underscores how quickly a useful preseason contributor can slip away when a contender decides not to clear space. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Hot Start Comes With One Troubling Yaxel Lendeborg Sign
Yaxel Lendeborg has been one of the more eye-catching individual stories in the Warriors early surge, putting up strong numbers while Golden State has stacked wins. Through 255 minutes, he is averaging 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists with efficient shooting, production that would normally suggest a player helping drive success rather than merely riding along with it.
Still, the on-off picture has not matched the box score. Lendeborgs minus-21 plus-minus points to a few games dragging down his overall impact, and the film points to the next layer of growth: cleaner decisions with the ball, sharper defense and better discipline when it comes to fouls. For a team trying to turn a hot start into something sustainable, those details matter just as much as the scoring. [Read more 🡒]