Warriors coach Steve Kerr
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Steve Kerr is the head coach of the Golden State Warriors.
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The Golden State Warriors are running out of time to fix their offense.
At 20-18 and stuck in the middle of the Western Conference, the Warriors desperately need another scoring option to take pressure off Steph Curry. Their offense has been near the bottom of the league for most of the season. Curry continues to perform at an elite level, but he cannot carry the entire load by himself.
That is where Michael Porter Jr. enters the conversation.
The Brooklyn Nets forward is putting up career-best numbers this season. He is averaging 25.9 points per game while shooting 40.8% from three-point range on high volume (9.1 attempts per game). Porter has championship experience from his time with the Denver Nuggets. After years of injury concerns early in his career, he has proven relatively durable over the last two seasons.
Brooklyn is not playing for the postseason. They are developing young talent and building for the future. That makes Porter a prime trade candidate. Bleacher Report recently listed the Warriors as one of his realistic landing spots before the February 6 trade deadline.
The challenge is making the money work.
Why a Simple Warriors-Nets Trade Won’t Work
Jonathan Kuminga trade rumors, Golden State Warriors trade, Steph Curry injury update
GettyJonathan Kuminga is expected to be traded from the Golden State Warriors before the deadline.
The biggest obstacle to any Porter deal is Jonathan Kuminga.
According to The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer, the Nets have “not shown much interest in acquiring Jonathan Kuminga dating to last summer.” That kills the most obvious trade pathway for Golden State—a straightforward Kuminga-for-Porter swap.
Instead, the Warriors need to find a third team that wants Kuminga and has something Brooklyn would actually accept in return.
Kuminga has been linked to several teams in recent months. The Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, and Indiana Pacers have all shown interest. But not all of those teams have assets that would entice Brooklyn.
Joe Akeley of Sports Illustrated recently floated two three-team trade scenarios that could work for all parties involved.
Trade Pitch No. 1: Bulls Facilitate the Deal
Warriors Get: Michael Porter Jr., Dalen Terry
Bulls Get: Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Knicks‘ 2027 first-round pick (via Bulls)
Nets Get: Coby White, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, 2026 unprotected first-round pick (via Warriors), 2028 unprotected first-round pick (via Warriors)
This trade hinges on Coby White‘s contract situation.
White is in the final year of his deal, making $12.9 million. Over the last three years, he has averaged 19.6 points and 4.8 assists. At only 25 years old, he is entering his prime. Chicago would love to extend him, but they can only legally offer approximately $89 million over four years. White wants more than that.
That puts the Bulls in a tough spot. They either trade him now and get value in return, or risk losing him for nothing in free agency this summer.
Brooklyn would be betting that White chooses to re-sign with them after three months. It is a gamble, but the Nets have cap space and a need at guard. They also get Moses Moody, a 23-year-old three-and-D wing on a cheap three-year contract. The real prize is the Warriors’ 2028 unprotected first-round pick, which could land in the lottery if Golden State falls off after Curry retires or declines.
Chicago gets Kuminga, who would immediately slot into their rotation as a young wing with upside. They also add Trayce Jackson-Davis and a late first-round pick from the Knicks in 2027.
For the Warriors, this is a clean win. They get Porter’s elite scoring and shooting without gutting their entire roster.
Trade Pitch No. 2: Pelicans Buy Low on Zion
Warriors Get: Michael Porter Jr., Jordan Hawkins
Nets Get: Zion Williamson, 2026 unprotected first-round pick (via Warriors), 2028 unprotected first-round pick (via Warriors)
Pelicans Get: Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield
This trade is inspired by the recent Trae Young deal, where the Atlanta Hawks received no draft capital.
Trading Zion Williamson for no picks might sound outrageous, but his contract makes it understandable. He is owed $42.2 million next season and $44.9 million in 2027-28. His injury history has been a constant concern. With the Pelicans striking gold on Derik Queen in the 2025 draft, the fit between Williamson and Queen does not seem sustainable long-term.
New Orleans gets younger with Kuminga and Moody. Only $3 million of Buddy Hield‘s contract is guaranteed next year. Even if Kuminga does not fit, the Pelicans can decline his team option and create massive cap space to build around their young core.
Brooklyn takes on Williamson to see if they can rehabilitate his value, just like they did with Porter. They have cap space and nothing to lose. If Williamson plays well over the next year, they could flip him at next year’s deadline for another haul of picks.
Golden State gets Porter and Jordan Hawkins, a young shooter who could develop into a rotation piece.
Why Michael Porter Jr. Makes Sense for the Warriors
Michael Porter Jr.
GettyMichael Porter Jr. is in his first season with the Brooklyn Nets.
Porter is not just a scorer. He is the exact type of scorer the Warriors need.
At 6’10”, he can play both forward spots and provides the kind of size and length that Golden State has lacked for years. Porter spaces the floor at an elite level, taking over nine threes per game and knocking them down at a 40% clip. That means defenses cannot help off him, which opens up driving lanes for Curry and creates better offensive flow.
Porter also has championship experience. He was a key contributor on the 2023 Nuggets title team, so he understands what it takes to win in the playoffs.
The biggest concern is durability. Porter missed significant time early in his career due to back injuries. However, he has played 70-plus games in each of the last two seasons. If that trend continues, Golden State would be getting a legitimate second scoring option who can take pressure off Curry every single night.
What Golden State Must Decide
The trade deadline is February 6. The clock is ticking.
Golden State has been linked to countless names over the last few months. Porter might be the most realistic high-level scorer available. He is on a team that wants to move him. He fits the Warriors’ timeline. There are plausible trade pathways that do not require Golden State to gut their entire roster.
The question is whether the Warriors are willing to part with two unprotected first-round picks and key role players like Moses Moody. Those picks could be valuable down the line, especially if the Warriors fall off after Curry retires. But if Golden State is serious about competing now, those future picks do not matter as much as giving Curry one more real chance at a championship.
Kuminga is gone either way. The relationship with Steve Kerr is beyond repair, and he becomes trade-eligible on January 15. The Warriors have to flip him for something that helps them win now. Porter is exactly that.
Final Word for the Warriors
Michael Porter Jr. is exactly what the Warriors need right now.
He can score at a high volume. He spaces the floor. Porter has championship experience. And he is available at a time when the Warriors desperately need to make a move.
Both of these trade scenarios, floated by Joe Akeley of Sports Illustrated, make sense for all parties involved. The Bulls version is cleaner and less risky. The Pelicans version is bolder.
Either way, the Warriors get what they came for—a legitimate second scoring option who can help Steph Curry carry the offensive load.
The deadline is approaching fast. If Golden State is serious about contending, this is the type of move they need to make.