Kristaps Porzingis’ health situation has already nudged the Warriors toward a different kind of trade conversation.
With Porzingis out for training camp because of a health issue, the reminder is blunt: illness-related absences are hard to predict and even harder to manage. And even if he’s back in time for Golden State’s regular-season opener on Oct. 21, it doesn’t help that he’s now dealing with another issue after appearing in just 74 games over the last two seasons.
That reality matters because Porzingis is also one of the more movable pieces on the roster. He’s making $20 million this season, and only $3 million of his $20 million salary for next season is guaranteed. In practice, that gives him the feel of an expiring contract, which should make him easier to include in trade talks.
For the Warriors, that’s the key. Most of the trade targets they could pursue would require at least $20 million in outgoing salary, and Porzingis fits that number better than almost anyone else. The downside, of course, is that dealing him would leave questions behind at center.
Golden State has long had interest in Trey Murphy III, and that won’t change until the Pelicans move him. One straightforward framework would send Porzingis, Moses Moody and draft capital to New Orleans for Murphy.
There’s also the dreamier version of that deal: adding 22-year-old center Yves Missi, who makes $3.5 million. That would cost even more draft capital, and the Pelicans probably wouldn’t make him available anyway.
Murphy is the kind of long, scoring wing who could change the shape of Golden State’s offense.
If the Magic are slipping by midseason, another path would be a Porzingis-based package for Jalen Suggs. That framework would send Porzingis, Moody and draft capital to Orlando for Suggs, who is making $32.4 million.
Suggs brings a different kind of value. He’s one of the league’s best defensive guards, and he would likely cost less in draft capital than Murphy because his offense is still behind.
Still, getting either Suggs or Murphy would leave Golden State staring at a center group of Al Horford, Charles Bassey and Graham Ike. The Warriors could go small with Draymond Green or Yaxel Lendeborg at the five, but that’s still a thin depth chart that could be vulnerable in the playoffs.
That’s why another route exists: using Porzingis to get a center back directly.
One workable idea would send Porzingis and two minimum-salary players - likely two from Bassey, Georges Niang, Brandon Williams and Will Richard - to the Bulls for Nic Claxton, who makes $23.3 million.
Claxton doesn’t stretch the floor with a three-point shot, so he wouldn’t be a perfect fit for a team that often plays Green at the 4 and wants more five-out spacing. But his defense, rebounding and passing would still make him a strong fit in other ways.
In Other News...
Warriors Enter Camp With A Steph Curry Concern They Can't Ignore
As the Warriors settle into training camp in Oahu, the familiar routine around Stephen Curry comes with a new layer of caution. The 17-year veteran is entering his 18th NBA camp while managing an aging right knee, and this offseason he changed up his preparation to help keep himself fresh for another long season. Golden State has Curry focused on building back toward game shape ahead of its upcoming meeting with the Clippers, a reminder that even for a player who has seen it all, the opening weeks still matter.
Kristaps Porzingis status adds another point of uncertainty for a team trying to get its footing early. He did not travel with the club to Hawaii because of an undisclosed health issue, and Steve Kerr said there is no current timeline for his return. For a Warriors group that already has enough to monitor with Currys workload, the absence leaves another important front to watch as camp moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face A Brandin Podziemski Decision With Big Roster Consequences
Brandin Podziemski is at the center of one of the Warriors more delicate offseason conversations, with a three-week window now open to work out a contract extension before the Oct. 19 deadline. The timing matters because Golden State has already committed to Stephen Curry on a two-year extension, and the front office is clearly trying to balance keeping its young guard in the fold with preserving enough flexibility for the bigger-picture roster.
Podziemski gave the Warriors plenty to think about after the All-Star break last season, when his role and production both took a noticeable step forward. He has said he wants to keep the focus on his play rather than on public commentary, but the stakes around this negotiation are obvious: the team wants him long term, just not at a number that could squeeze the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Already Have A Center Problem Steve Kerr Must Solve
The Warriors frontcourt picture got thinner when they chose not to match Quinten Posts three-year, $30 million offer sheet from Memphis, sending the center away and leaving Steve Kerr with another lineup question to answer. Post had looked like a potentially useful fit as the sort of big man who could help stabilize the rotation, especially with the team still sorting out how it wants to play up front.
Now the attention turns to the center spot in the coming games, including the preseason meeting with the L.A. Clippers, where Golden State figures to keep testing different looks. Kristaps Porzingis is also dealing with an early illness concern that could complicate the picture even more, making the next few days a useful preview of how the Warriors plan to handle a position that suddenly feels a little less settled. [Read more 🡒]