The Golden State Warriors are reportedly looking into a Kristaps Porzingis deal, and that puts the front office in a tough spot right away. Porzingis is carrying a $20 million salary for the 2026-27 season, along with a $3 million partial guarantee for 2027-28, and the reporting notes that he is seriously thinking about his basketball future while dealing with recurring symptoms from the autoimmune condition termed as POTS.
That kind of contract situation changes the market fast. Any team taking Porzingis would likely need either major draft capital coming back or relief from a multiyear contract it no longer wants on its books.
One name that could make sense is Stewart. He is due $15 million this season and has a $15 million team option for next season, which makes him close to an expiring contract.
The Grizzlies already have Cameron Boozer at power forward and Zach Edey at center, so there isn’t an obvious long-term role for Stewart there. Even so, the bigger issue is what Memphis would demand to absorb Porzingis.
Golden State only has one tradable second-round pick, and that may not be enough. Stewart brings useful rebounding and shot-blocking, but he is not the kind of player who should cost a first-round pick.
Claxton is another possibility, and his contract is more manageable than it first appears. He is owed $44.4 million over the next two seasons, which lines up fairly well with his production.
The Bulls could be willing to move him if the fit is off early in the season, especially since he was brought in through cap space. If they can turn that into a first-round pick, that would be a win for them.
A deal could involve another player from each side to make the money work, but the basic shape would be Porzingis for Claxton and a first. Claxton’s defense and passing would fit nicely in Golden State.
Murphy is the swing-for-the-fences option, and it would take a massive package to pull it off. The Warriors haven’t sent out multiple first-round picks for a player since 2013, when they got Andre Iguodala, so this would mean stepping outside their usual approach.
Murphy, 26, averaged 21.5 points per game and has a career three-point percentage of 38.2. At 6'9", he also brings real positional size, the kind that once helped the Warriors when they were at their best with big wings at the 2, 3 and 4 spots, giving Draymond Green support in small-ball lineups.
A group featuring Murphy, Jimmy Butler and Yaxel Lendeborg would fit that mold.
The framework there would be Murphy for Porzingis, Moses Moody and a package of three first-round picks. One of those picks could be a swap, and another might be lightly protected.
No matter how it’s sliced, the price would be steep. That’s the reality when a prime wing on a team-friendly contract, owed $87 million over the next three seasons, becomes available.
If Golden State wants to chase that type of player, the opportunity is there.
In Other News...
Warriors May Be Forced Into A Frontcourt Move Sooner Than Expected
Kristaps Porzingis being sidelined by an illness and Charles Bassey dealing with knee tendinitis has left the Warriors with a thinner center rotation than they likely expected this early. For now, Golden State is leaning on Al Horford, whose minutes will be managed, and two-way big man Graham Ike as it tries to keep the middle of the floor covered.
The situation has put a spotlight on a frontcourt group that already looked like a potential pressure point, and it may force the Warriors to move sooner than planned if the shortage lingers. With the season moving along, the team is expected to weigh whether adding more center depth, or even a better option, becomes necessary to stabilize the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Kerrs Jimmy Butler Update Says A Lot About Warriors Ceiling
The Warriors are heading into their 2026-27 opener against the Lakers without Jimmy Butler, and that alone puts an early spotlight on how they navigate the first stretch of the season. Butler is still working back from the torn ACL he suffered a year ago, but Steve Kerrs latest update suggested the veteran wing is moving in the right direction, with Kerr noting that Butler has been doing well and was recently spotted getting in work in the teams weight room.
Kerr also made clear that Butler remains a different kind of presence when he is around the group, which matters for a Warriors team trying to keep its ceiling intact while waiting on his return. The bigger question now is not just when Butler gets back on the floor, but how much his mentality and two-way edge can eventually raise the standard for a team that will be measured from the start by how it handles these early games without him. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Injury Crunch Puts Steve Kerr In A Tough Lakers Decision
Brandin Podziemski has been ruled out for the Warriors game against the Lakers, adding another layer to a rotation that is already being stretched by injuries. Golden State has been dealing with a long list of unavailable or uncertain bodies, with Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody and Charles Bassey all either sidelined or questionable as Steve Kerr tries to patch together a workable lineup.
Will Richard, meanwhile, is suddenly in the conversation again after being out of the mix recently. With so many pieces in flux, the Warriors may need to lean on depth they have not had to trust much lately, and that makes the pregame decisions even more important against a Lakers team that can punish any shortage of available defenders or ball handlers. [Read more 🡒]