Kristaps Porzingis' current absence from the Golden State Warriors not only has the team playing without their starting center, but it also means they can't showcase the veteran center to rival teams as a potential trade candidate.
ESPN's Anthony Slater reported on Tuesday that there's no major update on Porzingis, with the Latvian still out indefinitely with another illness that's already derailing his start to the season after missing training camp and the opening preseason games.
Warriors may be stuck with Kristaps Porzingis this season
Porzingis has remained trade eligible ever since signing a two-year, $40 million extension prior to free agency. As much as the Warriors would like Porzingis on the floor and playing well as they look for a return to the playoffs, they'd also like him out there to retain his value as a trade candidate after making only $3 million of his 2027-28 salary guaranteed.
That contract situation might make Porzingis tradable come February's deadline, but by that point Golden State could be out of the playoff picture if they're not careful and depending on when Jimmy Butler returns from injury.
It's difficult to see a rival team taking Porzingis on less than halfway through the season, unless the Warriors are willing to play significantly overs by including their valuable future draft capital -- which they're unlikely to do.
It means Golden State could be left with little choice but to stick with Porzingis and hope that his illness can somehow be managed effectively. Can the Warriors still prove able to get 50-55+ games from the 31-year-old? There's already debate and concern around that given the start of his season is in jeopardy.
Warriors might need to go hunting for another center mid-season
Should Porzingis' availability continue to be a problem, the front office will have little choice but to look at other starting-calibre center options on the trade market. They've already declared their unwillingness to start 40-year-old Al Horford as they look to manage his minutes in year 20, while Charles Bassey and the two-way contracted Graham Ike are completely unproven as starting options.
Perhaps Golden State can find a way to manage during the regular season with a combination of Horford, Bassey and their small-ball options, but any playoff hopes would surely require an upgrade if Porzingis can't be what they envision.
There's still time for things to turn around and for Porzingis to get healthy, but this is a clear indicator to not only fans but rival teams that the former All-Star is far from over this ongoing issue.
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