Kristaps Porzingis
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The Golden State Warriors acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks.
The Golden State Warriors acquired Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline for a reason.
Golden State sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the 7-foot-2 center. The move addressed the Warriors’ most glaring weakness. Porzingis gives them size and versatility they have not had during Stephen Curry‘s tenure.
Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton made it clear why Porzingis matters. Speaking to The Athletic’s Nick Friedell, Melton compared Porzingis to San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.
Melton Explains the Porzingis Impact
Kristaps Porzingis
GettyThe Golden State Warriors acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks.
Melton did not hold back when discussing what Porzingis brings to Golden State.
“He’s a matchup nightmare for a lot of teams,” Melton said, according to Friedell. “You see with the Spurs, you have Wemby, who’s 7-a-lot, and the stuff he can do and the matchup nightmares he brings to the table.”
The comparison to Wembanyama is significant. The Spurs have built their entire identity around Wembanyama’s ability to dominate on both ends of the floor. Rim protection is his calling card. He shoots from the perimeter. He forces opposing teams to adjust their entire offensive and defensive schemes.
Porzingis offers a similar challenge. At 7-foot-2, he can shoot over smaller defenders. He can punish switches in the post. He can step out to the three-point line and space the floor. Defenses cannot account for all of that with traditional coverage.
“I think (Porzingis being) out there, it’s just going to give us a lot of size and a lot of mismatches that we need,” Melton continued. “Some teams he’s gonna kill just cause they can’t physically match up with him.”
That last line is the key. Porzingis creates matchup problems that most teams cannot solve. If they put a traditional center on him, he pulls them away from the basket and shoots threes. If they switch a smaller defender onto him, he posts them up. There is no clean answer.
NBACentral
De’Anthony Melton compares the Warriors adding Kristaps Porzingis to the Spurs having Wemby
“He’s a matchup nightmare for a lot of teams. You see with the Spurs, you have Wemby, who’s 7-a lot, and the stuff he can do and the matchup nightmares he brings to the table. So I think
Why Porzingis Matters for the Warriors
The Warriors have never had a player like Porzingis during Curry’s era.
Golden State has always built its offense around Curry’s perimeter shooting and the spacing it creates. That approach won four championships. But the Warriors have never had a legitimate interior scoring threat who could also stretch the floor. Porzingis gives them that dimension.
He averaged 17.1 points per game with the Hawks before the trade. His per-36-minute scoring average of 25.4 points ranked among the best in the league. More importantly, he provides the two-way impact Golden State has been searching for all season.
Porzingis has not made his Warriors debut yet. He has been sidelined since January 7 with Achilles tendinitis. Head coach Steve Kerr said Porzingis practiced Wednesday and looked good. A final decision on his availability for Thursday’s game against the Boston Celtics will come after Wednesday’s scrimmage.
When Porzingis does return, the Warriors will have a new weapon. Defenses already have to account for Curry’s shooting. Now they will have to deal with a 7-footer who can score from anywhere on the floor. That combination changes how teams approach Golden State.
The question has always been health. Porzingis is 30 years old and has dealt with various injuries over the last two seasons. The Warriors would not have traded for him unless they believed he could stay on the floor. Rick Celebrini, the director of sports medicine for the Warriors, reviewed Porzingis before the trade and felt confident about his ability to contribute.
Nick Friedell
Kerr says Porzingis practiced with the group tonight and “looked good.” Kerr says a final decision will be made after Wednesday’s scrimmage as to whether or not he will play on Thursday vs. Celtics.
What This Means for the Warriors
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
GettySteve Kerr, Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors sit at 29-26 and are in eighth place in the Western Conference.
That record puts them in the play-in tournament picture. Jimmy Butler is out for the season with a torn ACL. The championship hopes that existed at the start of the year are gone. But the Warriors can still make a playoff run if Curry and Porzingis stay healthy.
Porzingis gives Golden State a different look offensively. He can operate from the low block against smaller defenders. Stretching the floor against slower centers is another weapon. He can punish any switch with his post game or his perimeter shooting. That versatility is what Melton referenced when comparing him to Wembanyama.
The Spurs built their identity around Wembanyama’s ability to create matchup nightmares. The Warriors are hoping Porzingis can provide a similar effect. If he can stay healthy and integrate into Golden State’s system, the Warriors will have a size advantage they have never possessed during Curry’s tenure.
The next two months will determine whether the Porzingis trade was worth it. He has to prove he can stay on the floor and produce. If he does, the Warriors have a legitimate chance to make noise in the playoffs. If he does not, Golden State will enter the offseason with more questions than answers.