The Golden State Warriors enter this offseason knowing their roster needs work. Steve Kerr is back on a two-year deal. Stephen Curry is staying. But the organization has been open about the need to get younger and healthier after a season marred by injuries and inconsistent availability.
That said, getting younger does not necessarily mean parting ways with everyone. Kerr made that clear when speaking about Kristaps Porzingis this week. “I know he enjoyed it here, and he’s a really talented player,” Kerr said. “I thought he showed an awful lot for our team.”
Porzingis and Al Horford both joined the Warriors this past season and are very much in the organization’s plans heading into the summer.
Warriors Want Porzingis and Horford Back
GettyAl Horford of the Golden State Warriors during an NBA play-in game.
General manager Mike Dunleavy made the organization’s position clear when speaking to reporters last week. “Those are guys that we definitely would love to have back,” Dunleavy said, pointing to what both Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford brought to the roster this season. He highlighted Horford’s size, shooting, and leadership as qualities the Warriors have not always had, and described Porzingis as a unique talent on both ends of the floor.
Dunleavy also acknowledged the different contract situations each player faces. Horford holds a player option for next season worth just under $6 million, meaning the decision ultimately rests with him. Porzingis is an unrestricted free agent, and the Warriors will need to negotiate a new deal to bring him back.
Kerr echoed that sentiment. “I’d love to have them both back,” Kerr said, adding that the situation will need to play out over the coming weeks.
The Questions That Remain
GettyKristaps Porzingis of the Golden State Warriors.
The desire is genuine on Golden State’s side. The complications are equally real.
Horford will be 40 years old by the start of next season and has been candid about the possibility of retirement. Kerr said he met with Horford in an exit meeting shortly after the season ended and came away encouraged. Horford’s family enjoys life in the Bay Area, and there is belief within the organization that he will pick up his option and return. But nothing is guaranteed when a 19-year veteran is weighing whether to continue playing.
Porzingis presents a different kind of question. His injury history is well documented. He and Porzingis combined to play just 77 games last season, a number that fits a concerning pattern for a roster that has struggled with availability in recent years. The talent is undeniable. The durability is the variable that nobody can fully account for.
Dunleavy noted that next season could be a healthier and more productive one for Porzingis if things break right. That optimism is reasonable. It is also a projection, not a guarantee.
What It Means for the Warriors
Both Porzingis and Horford address a genuine need. Golden State has lacked size and versatility in its frontcourt for years, and this past season offered a glimpse of what the roster could look like with legitimate big men around Curry.
Retaining both would give Kerr options he has not always had. It would also come with the understanding that health cannot be assumed. The Warriors know that better than anyone at this point.
The pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard will dominate the headlines this summer. But keeping Porzingis and Horford would give Golden State a much stronger foundation heading into next season regardless of what else happens.
Final Word for the Warriors
The Warriors want them back. The feeling, by all accounts, appears mutual.
Whether the contracts get done and the bodies hold up is another matter. But the foundation for both returns is there.
Golden State needs size. These two provide it. The rest is details.
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