A 7'2" shot-blocker who can step out and shoot over 40% from beyond the arc? Sounds like someone who would have perfectly suited the Golden State Warriors given their uncertainty at the center position.
Unfortunately that player -- Kristaps Porzingis -- is no longer available after the Atlanta Hawks swooped in to capitalize on the Boston Celtics' desire to shed further salary after dealing Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers less than 24 hours earlier.
The Warriors have missed out on Kristaps Porzingis
As reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, the Hawks are acquiring Porzingis and a second-round pick, sending Terrence Mann and their No. 22 pick to the Brooklyn Nets, while the Celtics obtain Georges Niang and a second-round pick.
It's a smart deal for the Nets who use cap space to obtain another first-round pick, while for the Hawks it's a cheap price to pay for the potential of what Porzingis can deliver. The Latvian big man averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks this season, shooting 48.3% from the floor and 41.2% from 3-point range.
BREAKING: Boston, Atlanta and Brooklyn are finalizing a three-team trade that sends Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Hawks, Terance Mann and Atlanta's No. 22 pick to the Nets, and Georges Niang and a second-rounder to the Celtics. pic.twitter.com/1fcbIslyVF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025
The issue with Porzingis has always been his health, having played 65 games just once in the past decade. He only appeared in 42 games for the Celtics during the regular season, then dealt with a mystery illness during the playoffs that saw him near on unplayable and limited to just 7.7 points per game.
It's those injury risks that may have turned the Warriors off from exploring significant interest in Porzingis, even if a healthy version of the 29-year-old would have solved many of the team's current issues in relation to size and shooting.
With Porzingis on a $30.7 million expiring contract, it would have been incredibly difficult for Golden State to even match salaries without waiting for a potential Jonathan Kuminga multi-team sign-and-trade scenario.
This is just the reality of where the Warriors find themselves after making their big splash for Jimmy Butler in February, with general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. stating on Monday that "it’s just almost impossible for us to add players in the salary range of guys we were looking at last summer."
It remains to be seen whether Golden State will pull off a move around this draft period, but any significant trade would seem unlikely given the uncertainty around Kuminga's situation.
Porzingis' move to the Hawks is the second big trade we've seen on Tuesday, with Washington Wizards guard and former Warrior champion Jordan Poole earlier dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans, along with Saddiq Bey and the 40th pick, for CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk and a second-round pick.