With the Golden State Warriors underperforming to begin the 2025-2026 NBA season, one has to assume that their front office will do its due diligence in the trade market.
Of course, Golden State is expected to make a call to the Milwaukee Bucks to inquire about Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they don’t seem to be a realistic landing spot for the multi-time MVP at this time.
Anthony Davis is another big name who is expected to garner plenty of attention on the trade market. If the Dallas Mavericks need help from Golden State, there is an avenue the Warriors could explore to pick up another front-court player in Kristaps Porzingis.
A recent mock trade from ESPN showed how the Warriors could gain a productive front-court player by being participants in a multi-team trade scenario.
The Case for Kristaps Porzingis to go out West
In the hypothetical deal between the Warriors, Hawks, Mavericks, Kings, and the Pistons, the Warriors land Porzingis on his own from Atlanta. Going out, the Warriors would send Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta, while distributing a 2026 top-14 protected pick to the Mavericks.
“Golden State finally moves on from Kuminga to get the kind of stretch 5 option the team has long sought, repairing Porzingis with former Celtics teammate Al Horford at the cost of a pick that extinguishes if the Warriors miss the playoffs,” ESPN’s Kevin Pelton wrote
Similar to Al Horford, Porzingis just wrapped up a tenure with the Celtics. Last year, he appeared in 42 games with Boston, averaging 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks.
From three, Porzingis attempted 6.0 shots per game, averaging 41 percent from deep. The 10-year veteran carries four years of playoff experience and a successful title run on his resume.
Porzingis would fit the bill in Golden State, and could be an option to extend long-term after he closes out his $60 million deal this year. However, his health has been a concern.
The veteran hasn’t played in more than 60 games since 2023-2024. Last year, he was plagued by an illness as the Celtics reached the most critical point of the season.
This year, Porzingis has missed scattered games for the Hawks and is expected to be out for multiple weeks due to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, according to ESPN.
Porzingis would be a gamble for the Warriors, but they seem almost certain to part ways with a package centered around Jonathan Kuminga. If the veteran stretch-five is their best bet, then they should be open to making the key roster change to avoid slipping out of the playoff picture.
As for Golden State’s homegrown player, Jonathan Kuminga, he would land in a situation with a younger core, getting an opportunity to move up the pecking order while potentially landing a long-term deal.
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