The Golden State Warriors may have resisted a move for All-Star big man Anthony Davis during the summer, but ongoing uncertainty surrounding Kristaps Porzingis could force them to change that view as the regular season progresses.
Porzingis will miss the start of the season due to his latest illness, putting a major question over Golden State's big man rotation which may well need to be answered by a trade for Davis or an alternative option.
Kristaps Porzingis uncertainty could push Warriors toward Anthony Davis trade
The Warriors would, in an ideal world, have Porzingis in the kind of 3-and-D center role he's more than capable of playing, rather than giving up draft assets and likely Jimmy Butler's contract in a deal for Davis.
But that's an ideal world that doesn't currently exist. The reality is that Porzingis is out again with a mysterious illness that no one, including the Latvian and the team, know when he'll return from. Golden State can't go the season with Porzingis out for long stretches, and with a center rotation headlined by a 40-year-old Al Horford and small-ball options in Draymond Green and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
The Warriors took the risk with Porzingis by extending him on a two-year, $40 million contract just prior to free agency, but his deal may be moveable at the deadline considering only $3 million is guaranteed for the second year.
The good news for Golden State is that their may be notable big men available on the trade market come the deadline, starting with Davis who, in conjunction with the Washington Wizards, have put contract talks on hold.
Anthony Davis unlikely to stick with Wizards accoring to Tim MacMahon
Speaking recently on The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN's Tim MacMahon outlined his belief that Washington will trade Davis by the deadline despite their desire to spike into being at least a Play-In team this season.
“The AD situation, I am an extreme skeptic on. This, hey, we'll talk about it after the season, contractual situation, my BS detector is blaring. AD without an extension, when you just gave Trae (Young) $213 million is not a great situation. That thing stinks to me. I will be surprised if Anthony Davis is still in Washington after the trade deadline," MacMahon said.
Davis obviously comes with his own health concerns, but at least that relates to more traditional injuries that you can put on a timeline on, rather than the complete uncertainty and speculation surrounding Porzingis.
The 33-year-old appeared in three preseason games for the Wizards, averaging 13.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 blocks in only 22 minutes per game.
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