Kristaps Porzingis
Getty
Kristaps Porzingis will miss Friday's game with an illness.
The Golden State Warriors made a significant move at the trade deadline.
Golden State sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis.
The upside is there. The obvious concern is whether Porzingis can stay on the floor long enough for any of it to matter. His availability has been anything but reliable.
But Golden State is betting he can get back soon.
Team sources told ESPN’s Anthony Slater they expect Porzingis to return shortly after arriving in the Bay Area. Whether that happens, and whether he can avoid another breakdown once it does, will determine if this trade becomes the move that saves the Warriors’ season or a gamble that never pays off.
But if Porzingis stays healthy, and that remains a massive if, the version of him that showed up for stretches in Boston could transform what Golden State looks like.
Here’s what the best version of Kristaps Porzingis would bring to the Warriors.
The Offensive Weapon When He’s Available
When Kristaps Porzingis is on the court, he is an extremely efficient basketball player.
During the 2023-24 season with Boston, Porzingis led the league in post-up efficiency among players with significant volume. Part of what makes him so effective is his size. Standing 7’2″, Porzingis creates mismatches that are nearly impossible to defend when smaller players get switched onto him.
The Warriors’ offensive system thrives on hunting those switches. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have built their games around forcing defenses into uncomfortable matchups. Adding Porzingis gives them another weapon to exploit when teams try to switch everything.
But Porzingis isn’t just tall. He’s skilled in ways that go beyond simply being big. He stretches defenses to the three-point line in ways that few centers can. He shot over 41 percent from three during his first season in Boston and has knocked down better than 36 percent of his threes this season despite limited playing time. That shooting ability creates space for Curry to operate and opens driving lanes that have been clogged for much of the year.
That’s the offensive package when Porzingis is healthy and available. The problem is that version of Porzingis has barely existed recently.
Shams Charania
BREAKING: The Golden State Warriors are trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, sources tell ESPN.
The Defensive Presence and Championship Experience
Porzingis isn’t just an offensive threat when he’s on the floor. He changes games defensively.
Porzingis is a strong rim protector, averaging over one block per game with Atlanta and more than that during his first season in Boston. Opposing teams can’t attack him in the post the way they can smaller centers.
The Warriors have lacked that paint presence all season. Porzingis, when healthy, solves that problem. He did it in Boston during the 2024 championship run, even though he only played 11 games in the playoffs due to injury.
In Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, Porzingis returned from a calf injury that had sidelined him for more than five weeks and delivered a performance that set the tone for the entire series.
Porzingis scored 20 points, grabbed six rebounds, and blocked three shots in just 20 minutes off the bench. It was his most memorable and impactful performances in green. The Celtics won by 18, and went onto win the chip.
That version of Porzingis was everything the Warriors are hoping to get. He was a rim protector, a floor spacer, and a mismatch creator all in one package.
But that was nearly two years ago. And Porzingis hasn’t been that player since.
CelticsMuse
never forget when Porzingis came back for Game 1 of the Finals and torched the Mavs 🔥
How the Celtics Formula Could Work for the Warriors
The Warriors are betting on a proven blueprint.
Porzingis and Al Horford won a championship together in Boston during the 2023-24 season. The duo complemented each other and gave Boston the frontcourt versatility required to win a title.
Horford signed with Golden State in the offseason hoping to compete for another championship. He’s played 30 games this season, averaging nearly eight points and close to five rebounds per game.
The addition of Porzingis theoretically gives the Warriors the same frontcourt rotation that worked in Boston.
The fit with Curry also makes sense on paper. Curry operates in pick-and-roll and off-ball actions that create switches and mismatches. Porzingis thrives in those situations, either posting up smaller defenders or popping out for threes when the defense collapses. He doesn’t need plays called for him but can punish defenses when they leave him in one-on-one situations.
The blueprint exists. Boston proved it works. But both players are older and more injury-prone than they were during that championship run. Whether they can replicate that formula remains a big question for the Warriors.
Boston Celtics
GettyJayson Tatum #0, Al Horford #42, Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics celebrate after Boston’s 106-88 win against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals
Final Word for the Warriors
The Warriors could still decide to flip Porzingis before Thursday’s trade deadline if another opportunity emerges. His expiring contract makes him a tradable asset, and Golden State hasn’t closed the door on making additional moves.
If Porzingis stays, the Warriors know what they’re getting into. The upside is tantalizing. But the track record is concerning.
Porzingis has played more than 57 games just once in the last decade. He’s dealt with knee injuries, ankle injuries, back issues, and now Achilles problems and a nervous system disorder.
Last year’s playoffs were alarming. Porzingis averaged under eight points per game on poor shooting during the Celtics’ postseason run. He was a shell of the player who dominated in the 2024 Finals, with the illness clearly affecting him. The Warriors aren’t betting on that version showing up. They’re hoping for the 2024 Finals version. The one who scored 20 points in 20 minutes. The one who blocked shots, stretched the floor, and changed games on both ends.
The Warriors are 27-24 and sitting eighth in the Western Conference. Curry is getting older and doesn’t have many championship windows left. The front office made a move that addresses their biggest weakness without mortgaging the future.
But none of it matters if Porzingis can’t stay on the floor.
The Warriors are betting on the best-case scenario. They’re hoping Porzingis can return soon, stay healthy for the stretch run, and rediscover the form that made him a champion in Boston.
And if that happens, this trade could transform their season.