The Trade
When the Warriors’ pursuit of Giannis fell through at the deadline, they pivoted quickly, acquiring the 7’2″ Latvian from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for disgruntled forward Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield.
The move came after All-Star wingman Jimmy Butler went down with a season-ending ACL tear in January, forcing Golden State to adapt or fade in the brutal Western Conference.
Nash’s Assessment
Speaking on the “Mind the Game” podcast, Nash broke down why Porzingis is uniquely suited for the Warriors’ system.
“And that’s the tricky like it’s a roll of dice, right, for both teams because I think if he’s healthy, he doesn’t get traded from Atlanta, correct?”
The health caveat is significant. Porzingis has been hampered this season by postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and recently, Achilles soreness. But when he’s played.
The Fit
The Warriors haven’t had a legitimate 7-foot presence since JaVale McGee in 2017-18. And even then, McGee was primarily a lob threat. Porzingis brings a skill set McGee never possessed.
“When we throw him the ball in the post, we’re going to ask him to score quite a bit, but he’s such a dynamic player that you can also run pin downs for him,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
The Stakes
At 29-26, the Warriors are fighting to avoid the play-in tournament. Porzingis has already practiced with the team, though his status for Thursday’s game against Boston remains uncertain.
If he can stay on the court, Golden State suddenly has a frontcourt that complements Stephen Curry’s gravity in ways they haven’t had since Kevin Durant departed.
The Bottom Line
Nash sees the potential. Kerr sees the possibilities. The Warriors see a roll of the dice that could redefine their season.
“A perfect fit for the Warriors.”