Kristaps Porzingis has offered a reason to watch the Golden State Warriors in an otherwise dark period for the franchise in recent weeks, but fans will finally get their long-awaited wish of seeing the veteran center alongside Stephen Curry for the first time.
Curry hasn't played since January 30 against the Detroit Pistons -- a week before the Warriors traded for Porzingis -- but the superstar guard is set to return on Sunday against the Houston Rockets at Chase Center.
Warriors finally get to see Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porzingis play together
Curry's return comes just in the nick of time with only five games left in the regular season, with his combination with Porzingis an exciting element that fans have anticipated not just since February's trade, but for years considering the 2x MVP has seldom played with a giant offensive weapon at the center position.
Golden State have often prioritized defense at the five across the past decade, meaning Curry's excited to share the floor with the Latvian while sending a warning to rival teams during a press conference on Saturday.
"I don't know how people are going to guard our pick and roll," Curry said. "Anytime you have a talent like that and two guys that can demand attention, it's always a good thing to create good offensse and help elevate whoever we're out there with. I'm sure it's going to be a feeling out process like it always is, but I'm excited about it."
“I don’t know how people are going to guard our pick and roll.”
— Joseph Dycus (@joseph_dycus) April 4, 2026
Steph Curry is excited to play with Kristaps Porzingis. Warriors face the Rockets tmrw. pic.twitter.com/OWjChjKWbG
After appearing in just one of the first 11 games following the trade from Atlanta, Porzingis has been a positive for the Warriors in recent weeks despite their continued struggles as a team.
The former All-Star big man has averaged 18.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks in his last 10 appearances, producing those numbers in less than 24 minutes while shooting 37% from 3-point range.
Stephen Curry's return could impact Kristaps Porzingis' free agency
Not only will Curry's return significantly help Golden State on the floor, but actually seeing his pairing with Porzingis could go a long way in determining how far the front office is willing to go to re-sign the latter in free agency this summer.
If Curry and Porzingis really click over the next few games -- even if the Warriors don't make the playoffs -- it will be hard to turn around and tell the 11x All-Star that his new teammate has walked almost immediately in free agency.
It's unlikely Porzingis will command the $30.7 million salary he's on this season, but some strong performances alongside Curry on the back of his already good recent form may force the Warriors into giving him over $20 million annually.