The Golden State Warriors shook up their roster at the buzzer, sending Jonathan Kuminga and sharpshooter Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks in a deadline deal for 7-foot-2 center Kristaps Porziņģis. The trade dropped yesterday as teams hustled to lock in moves before the today's cutoff, reshaping Golden State’s rotation and salary sheet in one swoop. In a related move, the Warriors also moved backup big man Trayce Jackson-Davis in a separate deal.
According to ESPN, Shams Charania first reported the Porziņģis swap and noted that Golden State sent Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for a 2026 second-round pick that originated with the Los Angeles Lakers. The news broke as front offices across the league scrambled to squeeze in their final bits of trade-deadline business.
The move also ends a long-running subplot around Kuminga. The San Francisco Chronicle reports the deal fulfills a formal request from the forward for a new opportunity and sends him to an Atlanta team that is actively retooling. The Chronicle also frames Porziņģis as the spacing, rim-protecting big the Warriors have been chasing for years to maximize Steph Curry’s offensive gravity.
Porziņģis Brings Size and Questions
Porziņģis arrives as a rare frontcourt piece who can both stretch the floor from three and protect the rim, a combination Bay Area outlets say could force opponents to rethink how they guard Golden State. SFGATE notes the Latvian big man gives the Warriors the interior length they have been missing. The upside comes with a catch, though: tracking reports and injury notes show Porziņģis has missed significant time this season while the Hawks evaluated an illness tied to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), per CBS Sports.
Why Golden State Made The Move
League observers have labeled the trade a calculated gamble by the Warriors. Porziņģis gives them immediate size and shooting without locking them into a long-term financial commitment, since his contract expires this summer. SBNation graded the deal as a net positive for Golden State, arguing that it turns a disgruntled young asset into a potentially high-impact piece for this season while still preserving future cap flexibility.
What’s Next For Kuminga And The Hawks
Kuminga heads to Atlanta, where team-focused coverage suggests he will finally get room to stretch out his game in a less crowded rotation as the Hawks continue their roster reshuffle. Atlanta News First reports that the front office is betting a change of scenery can unlock more of Kuminga’s upside. For the Warriors, the trade frees up minutes and financial breathing room while coach Steve Kerr works on the puzzle of fitting Porziņģis next to Curry and the rest of the reworked rotation.