The Golden State Warriors are 0-3 to start the season. Kristaps Porzingis’ absence has hit the team hard, as they’re missing his rim protection and floor spacing.
Currently, its unclear whether Porzingis will play this season, as he continues to deal with health issues. As such, the Warriors could part ways with the veteran big man in search of someone who can make an immediate impact on the court.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley has proposed a trade that would land Myles Turner in the Bay Area. The trade would look like this:
Golden State Warriors get: Myles Turner and Ryan Rollins
Milwaukee Bucks get: Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody, a 2028 first-round pick, and a 2031 first-round pick.
“While Myles Turner has never hit the statistical highs of Porziņģis, the basic components of their skill sets are similar,” Buckley wrote. “Both fit the unicorn mold of shot-blocking, floor-spacing centers. Turner’s 6’11”, 250-pound frame alone would bulk up this collection of bigs. He’d arrive as both a two-time blocks champion and a 38.9 percent three-point shooter over the past two seasons.”
Buckley continued.
“He should be readily available, too, since the 30-year-old is clearly not a timeline fit for the post-Giannis Antetokounmpo Bucks. And they’d surely love to get out from underneath the $83.6 million he’s owed between now and 2029.”
Warriors Are Exploring Porzingis Trades
According to Sam Amick and Nick Friedell of The Athletic, Golden State has been exploring potential trade avenues due to Porzingis’ current health issues. The duo noted that Golden State has already contacted the Milwaukee Bucks over a potential trade. However, Milwaukee has not shown interest in acquiring Porzingis.
“The Milwaukee Bucks are among the teams Golden State has recently contacted about a potential Porziņģis deal, according to the source,” Amick and Friedell report. “Although the Bucks are not believed to be interested in Porziņģis, it’s as clear a sign as any that the Warriors are searching for a solution to the Porziņģis problem.”
Milwaukee is in the early stages of a rebuild. If Golden State were to float two draft picks, as Buckley suggests, then the Bucks may be willing to listen to offers for Turner.
Turner would be a strong fit for the Warriors and enjoyed a decent start to the season. In three games, he’s averaging 7.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, shooting 39.1% from the field.
Warriors’ Porzingis Could Retire
A recent report from ESPN’s Shams Charania has revealed that Porzingis is ‘seriously returning’ stepping away from basketball. He has struggled with his health for the past few seasons. Furthermore, he’s showing no signs of getting back to the version of himself that anchored the Boston Celtics during their 2024 championship run.
“He is seriously contemplating stepping away from basketball for good as his health continues to be a topic right now,” Charania reports. “Porzingis continues to deal with reoccurring symptoms of an autoimmune condition terms as POTS. He has not been feeling good, especially recently from my understanding. If there is no breakthrough, the Warriors are braced for having him potentially leave the game of basketball at 31 years old.”
Both Golden State and Porzingis are in a difficult position. For the Warriors, a trade would make the most sense. Finding a willing trade partner won’t prove to be an easy task, however.
Still, Turner would be an ideal ready-made replacement.
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