Michael Porter Jr., Stephen Curry, Warriors
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Michael Porter Jr. of the Brooklyn Nets and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors reach for the ball.
The Golden State Warriors’ interest in Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. remains active, but multiple reports suggest that executing such a trade would require significant structural complexity rather than a straightforward two-team agreement.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Golden State’s pursuit of Porter is constrained by Brooklyn’s lack of interest in the assets the Warriors would most naturally offer in return — particularly Jonathan Kuminga — making a three-team framework the most realistic path forward.
“He’s definitely someone that Golden State is looking at,” Fischer said Tuesday on Bleacher Report’s NBA Insider Notebook. “But if the Warriors are going to try to get MPJ from Brooklyn, they’re probably going to need a three-team deal that sends Jonathan Kuminga elsewhere.”
Fischer explained that Brooklyn’s front office has not shown meaningful interest in Kuminga, which has limited the possibility of a direct swap between the two teams.
“Brooklyn does not like Jonathan Kuminga,” Fischer said. “If they did, they would have thrown him an offer sheet this summer or gotten involved and tried to sign-and-trade for him.”
As a result, any deal involving Porter would likely require another team willing to absorb Kuminga and send Brooklyn a different form of value in return.
Porter Remains a Priority Target for Warriors
Despite the complications, Porter continues to rank high on the Warriors’ internal list of potential trade targets.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported that Porter remains “at the top” of Golden State’s wish list ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, though the team has been cautious about how much it is willing to give up.
“Early signals from the Warriors are that they do not want to trade more than one first-round pick for Porter,” Siegel wrote, noting that any such deal would likely also include both Kuminga and Moses Moody.
Part of that caution is strategic rather than reactive. Golden State is mindful of preserving future draft capital in case a true franchise-altering opportunity emerges in the offseason — most notably the possibility that Giannis Antetokounmpo could become available if Milwaukee shifts direction.
Maintaining flexibility for a potential Antetokounmpo sweepstakes has made the Warriors reluctant to exhaust their draft chest for a move that, while helpful, may not fundamentally reshape their championship ceiling.
Golden State technically has access to four future first-round picks — in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032 — though the 2030 pick is top-20 protected and tied to Washington from the Jordan Poole–Chris Paul trade.
That flexibility gives the Warriors options, but it does not eliminate the need to find a trade structure that satisfies all parties involved.
Brooklyn’s Direction Remains Unclear
Brooklyn’s stance on Porter has been inconsistent, further complicating the situation.
The Athletic’s John Hollinger reported that one league source believes Porter is “a lock” to be moved before the deadline so the Nets can maximize his value during a career season.
However, Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto reported that Brooklyn is not necessarily operating with a sell-off mindset.
“The Nets, looking ahead toward next season, are going to want to take a step forward,” Scotto told Yes Network. “Michael Porter Jr. could very well be a part of that with the way he’s playing.”
Those conflicting signals suggest Brooklyn is evaluating whether its long-term plan is better served by cashing in on Porter’s value now or building around him moving forward.
Why Porter’s Value Is So High
Porter is in the middle of the most productive season of his career, averaging 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 40.4 percent from three and 49.1 percent overall.
At 27 years old and under contract, he fits both a short-term competitive window and a longer-term roster timeline, which helps explain why he has drawn interest from multiple contending teams across the league.
That level of performance makes him attractive to Golden State but also gives Brooklyn little incentive to rush into a deal that does not clearly improve its position.
What It Means for Warriors
For Golden State, the situation underscores that interest alone does not create a market.
The Warriors must balance their desire to upgrade the roster around Stephen Curry with their reluctance to sacrifice significant draft capital or young players without a clear return.
Until a third team emerges that values Kuminga and can provide Brooklyn with assets it prefers, the structural challenges around a Porter trade are likely to remain in place.
As the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches, the Warriors’ front office will continue monitoring the market, but any movement involving Porter appears more dependent on alignment across multiple teams than on a simple negotiation between Golden State and Brooklyn.