Kristaps Porzingis is walking into a situation with the Golden State Warriors that could finally force the offense through him in a way Boston never really did.
That opportunity comes with a catch. The Warriors are putting a heavy load on Porzingis to stay on the floor this season, and that becomes even more important with six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler sidelined by injury. Butler’s absence, though, also opens the door for Porzingis to step into a much bigger scoring role.
In Boston, that kind of usage was never fully there on a consistent basis. The Celtics simply had too much talent around him during his two seasons, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown handling so much of the offensive weight.
Porzingis averaged 19.8 points across those two years, a modest dip from the career-best 23.2 points he put up in 2022-23 with the Washington Wizards. The difference came with fewer shot attempts, and that fit the hierarchy in Boston.
Golden State is a different story. With Butler out until the new year, Porzingis should sit behind Stephen Curry, but not buried the way he often was with the Celtics. The Warriors need him to be a real offensive force.
That’s why his late-season run with Golden State matters, even if the raw numbers weren’t pretty. He averaged 16.1 points over 15 games to close last season, but that was tied to a minutes restriction. On a per-36 basis, he took 18 field-goal attempts, more than he did in Boston, though the shot never fully came back as he worked his way into shape.
The challenge now is obvious: Porzingis has to ramp up into a larger role without losing efficiency. His finish with Golden State was rough, with just 43.3% shooting from the floor and 31.1% from 3-point range. Those are ugly numbers for a 7'2" scorer.
Still, if the Warriors can keep him relatively healthy, a 20-point average should be the baseline expectation. Porzingis has too much scoring skill at all three levels, and Golden State needs that production too badly, for anything less to feel like enough.
There’s even a path to something closer to the version he showed in Washington. If his shooting climbs back toward the 49.8% from the floor and 38.5% from deep he posted in 2022-23, then the ceiling looks a lot more interesting.
In Boston, Porzingis was more of a luxury piece than a necessity. Last season was wrecked by injury and illness. Now, at 31, he has a chance to find his best form again in a role that finally asks him to do more.
In Other News...
Warriors Just Sent A Telling Message About Gui Santos
Gui Santos has become one of those developmental players the Warriors seem intent on protecting, and this latest bit of team business says plenty about how Golden State views him heading into the new NBA season. Santos has played a meaningful role for Brazil in recent years, but he also finished last season on a strong note for the Warriors, which appears to have raised his standing inside the organization.
The issue now is availability, not ability. Brazil has World Cup qualifier games coming up against the Dominican Republic and Mexico, and Golden State reportedly was not very open to releasing Santos for that window. For a player trying to carve out a larger role in Steve Kerrs rotation, the message is pretty clear: the Warriors want him close by, even if that means asking him to skip national team duty for now. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Still Have A Real Shot At A Frontcourt Gamble
Jonathan Kumingas free agency remains one of the more interesting holdouts on the board, and the Warriors still have a reason to watch closely as the market sorts itself out. The Lakers have identified him as a top target for their power forward spot, but the process is still very much open, with Kuminga weighing his options while teams continue to circle.
For Golden State, the intrigue is less about where he ends up than how long this drags on and which suitors stay engaged. Cleveland and Minnesota remain in the mix, and the uncertainty around the final landing spot keeps the situation fluid for a Warriors team that knows Kumingas future could still shape the wider offseason picture. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Dynasty Shift Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Golden State spent its 2022 offseason trying to bridge two timelines at once, locking up Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins as part of a plan to keep the title core relevant while adding younger legs around Stephen Curry. Instead, those decisions quickly became part of a broader recalibration once Mike Dunleavy Jr. took over as general manager, with the front office later moving Poole for Chris Paul as the franchise tried to balance present-day competitiveness with a salary structure that has grown increasingly restrictive.
Pooles regression made that shift easier to justify, but it also underscored how little room the Warriors have created for error with so many expensive contracts already on the books. Pauls arrival helped as a roster move and as a trade asset, yet the bigger question hanging over the organization is whether this is a one-off adjustment or the start of a harder, messier transition away from the dynastys most familiar shape. [Read more 🡒]