The Golden State Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, a move that, in the first month after the trade deadline, didn’t look like it was the right decision as the center was mainly on the injury report, dealing with a ‘mystery illness’ that clouded his early tenure in the Bay Area.
However, Porzingis has since ramped up both his play and availability, and though he’s only made five appearances for the Warriors so far, he’s coming off his best game with the team, and arguably of the season, scoring 30 points while recording five rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals in a win over the Washington Wizards.
But regardless, Porzingis is in the last guaranteed year of his current contract, and Golden State faces the massive decision of whether to extend the Latvian and keep him in town after this season, a decision that only becomes more unknown amid his up-and-down performances and availability.
Warriors Face Major Kristaps Porzingis Free Agency Decision
Writing for Bleacher Report, Grant Hughes named Porzingis’ upcoming free agent status as the most pressing issue for the Warriors this summer.
While he’s currently making more than $30 million this season in the last year of his current contract, Porzingis will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and the question of whether Golden State will sign him to a new deal after this year could have a major impact on the team’s future.
“Kristaps Porzingis is an ideal frontcourt running mate for Draymond Green, but only if he, you know, actually plays,” he wrote. “No one seems to know what his long-term health outlook is, but it’s safe to assume that the uncertainty will make him retainable at far less than the $30 million he’s earning in the final year of his current deal.”
The assumption is that if the Warriors resign Porzingis next season, it wouldn’t be for anything close to his current contract. Still, committing money to a player that hasn’t played more than 65 games in a season in over a decade has a lot of risk, especially with the other injury concerns the team is currently facing.
“Still, how many years and dollars can Golden State afford to invest in a player defined by unavailability? A roster already built around a late-30s core is frail enough as it is,” Hughes added. “But KP’s floor-stretching shooting, rim protection, and mismatch-busting post-up skills are only valuable if he’s healthy enough to showcase them.”
Previously, general manager Mike Dunleavy said the franchise sees Porzingis as ‘more than a rental,’ signaling that they will offer him a new contract. Though he has been playing well, keeping the center after this season carries a risk that, at this point in the team’s history, might not be worth taking.
His future with the Warriors is still uncertain, but at least his latest performance gives the team a glimpse of what Porzingis looks like when he’s healthy and playing well.
Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga For Porzingis Trade Looks Better Than Before
At first, Golden State trading Kuminga and Buddy Hield for Porzingis at the deadline felt like the wrong move, despite the height of tensions the team had reached with the disgruntled young wing.
In his first few games with the Hawks, Kuminga looked like a brand new player, dropping 20-point-plus games off the bench and showcasing his true potential, all while Porzingis was out with the ‘mystery illness.’
But since then, Kuminga has been out for Atlanta, dealing with a knee injury. Both he and Porzingis have each played just five games for their new teams, but availability and health are still an overarching concern for both, despite what each has shown at their respective peaks.
In five games with Atlanta, Kuminga is averaging 14.8 points, eight rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 54.8% shooting, opposed to Porzingis’ 17.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and two blocks on 45.9% shooting. Porzingis fits better with what Golden State needs in the frontcourt, but seeing Kuminga’s true potential in the East is a tough pill to swallow for the team that traded him away.
However, Atlanta faces the same problem as the Warriors do: whether to grant Kuminga a new contract or not amid his injury concerns.
“What do numbers amassed in a handful of late-season games against mostly checked-out competition mean?” Hughes wrote on Kuminga. ” Will Atlanta pick up the team option and deal with Kuminga’s unrestricted free agency in 2027, or will it decide Kuminga is worth a new or extended deal?”
Mike Dunleavy was asked about Porzingis and started cooking Jonathan Kuminga FOR NO REASON
“With where he’s at right now… we feel good about it. On the other end of it, we’re sending out a player in a similar boat who struggled to stay on the floor.” pic.twitter.com/MhNgOVvqiV
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) February 8, 2026
For now, the full extent of the trade has yet to play out, and while both have shown strong potential on their new teams when healthy, both the Warriors and Hawks have upcoming decisions to make on their new additions.
Warriors played the Boston Celtics next, and Porzingis is not currently listed on the team’s injury report.
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