The Golden State Warriors shocked the NBA late last night, bowing out of the Giannis Antetokounmpo race and ultimately pulling the trigger on a deal for Kristaps Porzingis of the Atlanta Hawks.
The final package they exchanged for Porzingis included Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. If Porzingis were healthy, this is a relatively low price to pay.
However, Porzingis has played in just 17 games this season due to injury, and his track record doesn't look much better. Obviously, if this was a worthy desperation move for the Warriors to make a run at a championship, any price would be worth it.
Yet serious doubt remains as to whether Porzingis can truly move the needle. Only time will tell.
But almost immediately after news of the trade broke, NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported that an even better option, 10th-year center Ivica Zubac, was still generating major trade interest.
Sources: After trading James Harden to Cleveland earlier this week, the Clippers have still been receiving calls on starting center Ivica Zubac, with the Indiana Pacers prime among his suitors.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) February 5, 2026
More NBA here: https://t.co/xQGgEzSyLj
If Zubac is traded for a package within the Warriors' reach, the Porzingis trade could soon like a devastating missed opportunity.
Was Kristaps Porzingis really the Warriors' best choice?
It's undeniable that, over the past couple of season, Golden State's most desperate need has been for a rim-protecting center. Although Al Horford, Quinten Post, and Draymond Green each have their individual skill-sets, none has been sufficient to fill that role.
Porzingis, at 7'2", gives them a formidable presence on the interior. But health has been a major factor for the Latvian big man both in terms of his availability and his production. This season, he's averaging just 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 45.7% from the field.
He'll immediately become Golden State's second offensive option without Jimmy Butler, but there are certainly lots of questions that remain.
Zubac, meanwhile, has emerged as a premier defensive option at the position in recent seasons with a relatively minimal injury history. Through 43 games this season, he's averaging 14.4 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 61.3% from the field.
Porzingis, meanwhile, is on an expiring deal. Zubac has two years left on his deal worth roughly $20 million annually.
The trade deadline is all about timing. Perhaps Zubac wasn't truly available, or he only became available after the Warriors had pulled the trigger on the Porzingis trade. Perhaps the asking price for Zubac would have been too much.
But Golden State certainly had the draft capital to pull a deal off, and that would have been more than appealing to the Los Angeles Clippers. If Zubac is traded, and the return the Clippers get for him would have been within the Warriors' reach, the Porzingis trade could quickly represent a missed opportunity.