Stephen Curry, Kristaps Porzingis , Warriors
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Kristaps Porzingis of the Boston Celtics and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors go for the ball.
The Golden State Warriors’ abrupt pivot from Giannis Antetokounmpo to Kristaps Porziņģis sent shockwaves through the NBA landscape — and landed with a thud among a fan base hoping for one last championship swing in the Stephen Curry era.
That deflation was echoed publicly by ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins, who questioned both the basketball upside and the timing of Golden State’s move.
“I forgot he still plays basketball — I’m serious,” Perkins said Wednesday night on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “I haven’t heard his name until tonight. It does absolutely nothing for me. When you talk about what we’ve been discussing the last two weeks, we were talking about pairing Steph with Giannis. Now all of a sudden, it’s just Kristaps Porziņģis. That don’t move the needle for me, and it damn sure don’t move the needle for the Warriors and Steph Curry.”
Warriors Concluded Giannis Wasn’t Moving
After a week-long pursuit of Antetokounmpo, Golden State pivoted late Wednesday, sending Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta to acquire Porziņģis, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.
Charania reported that the Warriors’ shift was driven by conviction rather than indecision, crystallizing in the final 24 hours of talks with Milwaukee.
“The Warriors’ pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo after a week is over,” Charania said. “My understanding is the Warriors made a pick-heavy offer last week and continued to have conversations going into this week with the Bucks, but over the last 24 hours, they came to the belief that the Bucks were not going to move their two-time MVP at this trade deadline.”
Rather than risk standing pat, Golden State elected to act.
Warriors Choose Financial Flexibility vs. Championship Urgency
To Perkins, the decision had little to do with on-court impact and far more to do with future maneuverability.
“This is just a move, probably to free up money and free up cap space to make a bigger move this offseason,” he said.
Porziņģis is on an expiring $30.7 million contract, preserving Golden State’s flexibility beyond this season. The Warriors accepted significant medical risk in the process. The Latvian center missed 13 consecutive games prior to the trade — 12 due to left Achilles tendinitis — and has appeared in just 17 games this season after playing 42 last year.
Still, Charania reported that Golden State believes Porziņģis offers upside if healthy, particularly as a stretch big alongside Curry and Draymond Green.
“They get a high-upside big man if Kristaps Porziņģis can be on the floor,” Charania said, adding that the Warriors had monitored him for months.
Jonathan Kuminga Seen as Major Winner in Deal
Perkins argued that the biggest beneficiary of the trade was Kuminga, whose tenure in Golden State ended after four-plus uneven seasons.
“But the bigger winner in this picture is Jonathan Kuminga heading to the Hawks,” Perkins said. “They might just have the most athletic team in the NBA. He’s going to thrive under Quin Snyder, playing alongside Jalen Johnson, and you’ve got a vet like CJ McCollum embracing his role.”
Kuminga was the centerpiece of Golden State’s Giannis framework and a necessary inclusion in any serious offer. His departure effectively ended the Warriors’ pursuit of Antetokounmpo at this year’s deadline.
Giannis Door Closed — For Now
While Golden State’s midseason chase is over, the pursuit may not be finished.
According toThe Athletic, the Warriors intend to revisit Antetokounmpo in the offseason if he remains in Milwaukee.
For now, the Warriors are left balancing flexibility against frustration — a calculated pivot that may set up a larger summer swing, but one that did little to satisfy a fan base bracing for the closing chapters of the Curry era.