For the Golden State Warriors, this final set of regular-season games is about process and comfort, not results.
A 118-124 loss to the tanking Sacramento Kings is still painful. But as they prepare for the Play-In Tournament, the priority must be getting their active stars healthy and ready to go. We can, therefore, largely ignore the implications of the loss itself.
But Devin Carter's night deserves to be acknowledged. Through 34 minutes on the court, Carter posted a career-high 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the field, tacking on nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block. It was easily the most impressive performance of Carter's young career.
Although the Jonathan Kuminga saga has come to an end, Warriors fans might remember the Kings' sign-and-trade offer from this past summer, which included Devin Carter, Dario Saric, and a pair of second-round picks. It did not meet Golden State's asking price at the time.
As Kuminga's trade value fell, it seemed as though the Warriors may have overplayed their hand. But despite Carter's career night, it's clear they ultimately made the right decision. Kristaps Porzingis could soon become the difference-making piece Golden State has long craved.
Devin Carter had a special night, but Porzingis can salvage some of the Warriors' mistakes
Carter, who was selected 13th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, would have been an excellent pickup for the Warriors. He's a pesky on-ball defender, and he fits the exact archetype Steve Kerr tends to seek out in his role players.
But across 73 career NBA games, he's averaged just 6.4 points on 40.7% shooting from the field. No trade centered around Carter was ever going to blow Golden State out of the water.
Yet for a period of time after the Kuminga trade, it seemed as though the Warriors had truly left themselves in a dismal position. Porzingis played just 17 games for the Atlanta Hawks this season before the trade dealing with POTS symptoms, and he was quickly sidelined again after the trade. Through his first month with Golden State, he saw just 17 minutes on the court.
Had it ended there, and Carter's performance on Friday night been representative of his overall offensive abilities, the Porzingis trade would have been a grave mistake. Instead, Porzingis has found his footing with the Warriors.
He's appeared in 13 of their last 19 games, averaging 16.8 points and knocking down 42.9% of his field-goal attempts in that span. His floor-spacing and rim-protecting abilities make him the perfect theoretical pairing for Stephen Curry.
The enduring success of the trade depends both on Golden State's ability to re-sign Porzingis to a cheaper contract this offseason and Porzingis' ability to stay relatively healthy.
Criticize what you want about how the Warriors handled the Jonathan Kuminga situation. There's plenty of things to target. But even with Carter's career night, it's clear the Warriors came out on top, at least within the context of the box they forced themselves into.