The Golden State Warriors weren't able to put together a trade to land Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks before the deadline, but they did make a notable move heading into the second half of the season.
Golden State traded Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for stretch big Kristaps Porzingis, who will now join the frontcourt alongside veteran Draymond Green - who had been rumored as a potential trade candidate leading up to the deadline.
After staying put, Green reacted to the news following Golden State's comeback win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.
"I like it. Add more size, more rim protection, more shooting," Green said. "He was the missing piece to the Boston championship."
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Currently, the Warriors sit at 28–24, eighth in the Western Conference, heading into Saturday's showdown on ABC against the Los Angeles Lakers, where Porzingis could make his debut, but would need the medical green light first, which head coach Steve Kerr sounded “skeptical” about according o ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
Porzingis' career has been an interesting one. While he has been very productive on the court, he battled injuries throughout his career. He hasn't played with the Hawks since Jan. 7 due to an Achilles injury and an ongoing illness that has troubled him for several months.
As Green mentioned, Porzingis played a key role in the Celtics' 2024 NBA Championship. This season, in 17 games, he averages 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game when on the court.
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