The Golden State Warriors brought back Kristaps Porzingis this offseason on a two-year, $40 million deal with a player option.
On the surface, that might seem like too much flexibility was granted to a player with a highly questionable bill of health. But the Warriors ultimately had no choice. The offseason center market was beyond slim, and they had already sacrificed tradeable assets to bring Porzingis into the organization at the deadline.
In many ways, it was Porzingis or bust this offseason for Golden State, and that's not an enviable position to be in.
But Porzingis' contract is only fully guaranteed through 2026-27, making a trade a real option next offseason if the Warriors decide to go all-in one more time around Stephen Curry. The Warriors have provided Porzingis with a lifeline, but he needs to prove this season that he can meet the challenge Golden State has set for him,
Kristaps Porzingis needs a major season in 2026-27 to preserve his Warriors lifeline
Given what the markets ultimately were for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, the trade for Porzingis was a justifiable move. That doesn't mean it wasn't underwhelming, though.
Porzingis had played in just 17 games with the Atlanta Hawks prior to the trade, and there was no real certainty that his health would improve upon his arrival in Golden State. Porzingis ultimately dealt with some minor injuries after the trade, appearing in 15 games and averaging 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting just 31.1% from beyond the arc. Combined with Curry's lengthy absence towards the end of the season, he and Porzingis appeared on the court together for only 51 minutes.
In theory, though, Porzingis is exactly the type of center the Warriors have been trying to pair Curry with for years. He's an apt rim protector, and he's the type of floor spacer at his best that can help unlock Curry's off-ball movement in the halfcourt.
The Warriors evidently have a plan for managing Porzingis' workload and keeping him on the court as often as possible. With Al Horford and Charles Bassey filling out the rest of their center rotation, Porzingis' availability will be an absolute necessity for Golden State this season. That leaves room for him to prove his value on a major stage.
But as it's constructed, Porzingis' new contract is essentially a one-year deal. Even if he picks up his player option next offseason, the lack of guarantees on his deal will make him a viable a trade candidate, and his $20 million salary could help buoy those efforts.
As it stands, the Warriors are expected to be a cap space team next offseason, leaving room for another max contract if Golden State is looking to build one final contending team around Curry. If Porzingis proves expendable, perhaps his salary becomes an important trade chip in building that roster. But if he's able to prove himself as a complementary piece next to Curry, perhaps the Warriors are willing to take on the full second year of his contract.
His Warriors lifeline, therefore, will ultimately be determined by his performance next to Curry this season.
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