The Golden State Warriors understandably extended Kristaps Porzingis on a new deal prior to free agency, but the franchise's recent moves in bringing back the rest of last season's roster makes their gamble on the Latvian center even scarier.
Paying Porzingis $20 million is a risk based on his extensive injury and health history. Yet it's the reliance now placed on the former All-Star that would have fans and those within the organization even more concerned over his availability.
Kristaps Porzingis gamble looks even scarier for Warriors
Porzingis isn't a luxury on this team, nor is he the sort of icing on the cake that he was during two years at the Boston Celtics where the team was so talented they could afford for him to miss some games.
With Jimmy Butler sidelined by injury, and after missing out on LeBron James and every other free agency/trade target they may been interested in, the Warriors are left with Porzingis as clearly their second offensive option come opening night.
That's a dangerous spot to be with a player who appeared in 32 combined games with Golden State and the Atlanta Hawks last season, and who hasn't played more than 65 games in a year since his sophomore campaign with the New York Knicks all the way back in 2016-17.
The Warriors' hopes of being not even a good team, but a .500 team until Butler returns is largely reliant on Porzingis and a 38-year-old Stephen Curry. That's why there's so much skepticism over Golden State's offseason to date, and why there's a world in which this goes horribly wrong and the team doesn't even make the Play-In Tournament.
Kristaps Porzingis also has incredible opportunity entering next season
While the reliance on Porzingis may be seen as a scary proposition for fans, the 31-year-old should be looking at it as an incredible opportunity to have one of the best season's of his career, and to restore some of the negative reputation that's build as a result of his unavailibility.
There's no questioning his offensive skillset when he's on the floor. Even while building chemistry with new teammates and struggling to find his shot consistently, Porzingis still averaged 16.1 points in less than 24 minutes in his 15 games with Golden State after February's trade from Atlanta.
It feels like this situation will go one way or the other. Either Porzingis will capitalize on the opportunity in front of him and play a key role in the Warriors' keeping their head above water until Butler returns, or his injury/health concerns will continue and the team may be out of the playoff picture by the time the six-time All-Star is back on the floor.
Add us as a preferred source on Google