Some fans thought the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis last month was a salary dump for the Golden State Warriors, but recent reports of his impending free agency suggests that's far from the case.
The Porzingis for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield exchange was always going to take some time to fully evaluate, and it could take a major twist if the Warriors can bring the Latvian center back on a team-friendly contract in free agency.
Kristaps Porzingis already reportedly keen to remain with Warriors
According to Warriors insider Monte Poole on Friday, Porzingis already has his eye on re-signing with the Warriors thanks to the fit with the team and medical staff that's been built in his less than two months with the franchise to date.
"Though Porziņģis, 30, is not publicly campaigning for a chance to re-sign with the Warriors, early impressions indicate he’s already considering it. He’s attracted to the opportunity to play alongside Curry, and he is a believer in the team’s medical and training staff, led by Dr. Rick Celebrini," Poole wrote.
After missing nine of his first 10 games, Porzingis has started to build a rhythm with Golden State over the past few weeks, appearing in nine of the past 12 games where he's averaged 23.3 minutes.
Porzingis scored 11 points in the first three minutes of Friday's win over the Washington Wizards, eventually finishing with a game-high 28 points in what was his fourth 20+ point performance in his last seven games.
The 30-year-old is averaging 17.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 blocks in his 10 games with Golden State, though his 43.4% shooting from the floor and 31.5% from 3-point range shows there's still room for improvement.
Warriors could get a steal with Kristaps Porzingis depending on contract
While the 30-year-old's injury and health concerns prove he's not worth his current $30.7 million deal, a more team-friendly contract will shift the perception of not only him, but so too the trade which was criticized by many when it went down.
Porzingis will first look to get through the final eight games of the regular season and at least one Play-In Tournament game, then start to assess what free agency may look like for him once the campaign officially comes to an end.
The Warriors may still need to pay in excess of $20+ million annually to retain the former All-Star, but that could prove more than worthwhile if they can have him healthy for 55-60+ games next season.