Warriors face tough Porziņģis trade call amid health concerns

The Golden State Warriors are exploring trades involving Kristaps Porziņģis, ESPN reported on Wednesday, but his health and contract make an immediate deal difficult. The centre is out indefinitely after dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) over the past two seasons and is considering stepping away from basketball.

Porziņģis is earning $20 million this season, while his deal includes a $3 million guarantee for 2027-28. A team acquiring him would have to account for that future payment despite the uncertainty over whether he will play again.

Why an immediate trade is difficult

Golden State are hard-capped at the NBA’s second apron after using the taxpayer mid-level exception on De’Anthony Melton. With only about $350,000 of room beneath that limit, the Warriors cannot simply take back a larger salary without including other players in a deal.

Porziņģis can be traded now, but most players who signed as free agents in 2026 cannot be moved until 15 December; a smaller group must wait until 15 January. Seven of his Warriors teammates are among those currently unavailable for trades, narrowing the combinations Golden State could put together.

The timing matters with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody also sidelined. The Warriors are beginning the season with almost $90 million in salary unavailable because of injuries that predated it, giving them a reason to seek players who can contribute sooner rather than wait for more trade options to open.

Three possible routes, none agreed

Milwaukee is one potential destination discussed in the source analysis, with Myles Turner proposed as a shooting centre for Golden State. Such a move would require Moody for salary matching, while Turner’s three remaining contract seasons would substantially reduce the Warriors’ potential cap space next offseason.

Charlotte offers a different possibility: exchanging Porziņģis’ salary for a playable veteran. Royce O’Neale, Grant Williams and Grayson Allen are among the Hornets players identified as possible options, though the source raises the question of whether Golden State’s three tradable second-round picks would be enough to secure a deal.

A more ambitious route could involve New Orleans and either Trey Murphy or Herb Jones, players to whom the Warriors have previously been linked. Jones is described as the worse fit because of his shooting, while Murphy’s scoring and team-friendly contract would make him cost far more. Golden State controls most of its own draft capital, leaving the question of how much it makes sense to give up in a win-now trade.

What Golden State must weigh next

For now, Golden State must decide how much of its future draft capital to risk to improve the roster while Stephen Curry remains a high-level player. Waiting could widen the pool of tradable players in December, but it would also delay help for a team starting the season without Porziņģis, Butler and Moody.