The Warriors understood the risks when they traded for Kristaps Porziņģis.
Golden State conducted “due diligence” on Porziņģis’ medical history before trading for him and still believes the move made sense, general manager Mike Dunleavy told ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Ramona Shelburne.
Dunleavy admitted he relied heavily on the team’s medical staff while evaluating Porziņģis before completing the deal.
“I heavily rely and trust our medical group,” Dunleavy told ESPN. “So when they look at the stuff and they say, ‘We’re good, we feel comfortable with what we’re dealing with,’ then I’m on to the next thing from a basketball standpoint. So for that reason, we collectively are good with the decision and will go from there.”
Golden State acquired Porziņģis ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline in a deal that sent Jonathan Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks.
The move came with clear upside. At 7-foot-2, Porziņģis provides the floor spacing and rim protection the Warriors have lacked in recent seasons. But it also carried risk due to the 30-year-old’s injury history and ongoing health concerns.
So far, Golden State has seen only a brief glimpse of that potential.
Porziņģis has appeared in just one game for the Warriors since the trade, making his debut Feb. 19 against the Boston Celtics before missing multiple games with an illness.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said earlier this week the team still is searching for clarity surrounding the situation.
“It’s a little mysterious,” Kerr told reporters earlier this week. “We’re obviously working with him and hoping that he can get some clarity, and he can break through and get to a point where he’s consistently healthy. That’s something that the medical staff is working hard on with him.”
Despite missing recent games, Porziņģis did travel with the team on its current road trip after previously staying behind during an earlier trip while recovering from the illness.
Before joining Golden State, Porziņģis showed how impactful he can be when healthy. He averaged 17.1 points in 24.1 minutes across 17 games with Atlanta earlier this season, and the Hawks posted a team-best 5.8 net rating during his 413 minutes on the court, according to ESPN.
Even with the uncertainty surrounding his health, the Warriors believe the move could benefit them beyond just the remainder of this season.
“We see him as more than a rental,” Dunleavy told ESPN. “We feel he can help our team this year, better our playoff position, and then moving forward fits what we are looking for.”
For now, the team will continue waiting for Porziņģis to regain his health and prove the gamble worthwhile.
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