The Golden State Warriors are searching the trade market for a new big man this season to replace Kristaps Porzingis, who is out indefinitely and has stepped back from basketball due to health concerns.
Recently, a ton of names have been mentioned in Warriors trade rumors as potential targets to take Porzingis’ spot on the team, and one name in particular stands out, as Naz Reid of the Charlotte Hornets could be an ideal fit in Golden State to play alongside Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler when both return from their respective injuries.
Reid has seen a tumultuous start to his career with the Hornets, and while he isn’t the only potential Warriors trade target available, he might be the best player the front office could go after to capitalize on the team’s hot start to the season as a replacement for the still-absent Porzingis.
Warriors Trade Rumors: Naz Reid Mentioned As Porzingis’ Replacement
Speaking on the latest episode of his Clutch Scoops show, NBA insider Brett Siegel tabbed Reid as a top target for the Warriors this season as the team hopes to continue its strong start to the year.
Reid, a former Sixth Man of the Year with the Minnesota Timberwolves, is having another strong season, putting up 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists through 12 games.
However, he’s gotten into a public spat with head coach Charles Lee and has constantly been named a trade candidate this season. With that, Siegel deemed him a top Warriors trade target, as his spacing and shooting prowess are exactly what Golden State needs with Porzingis not playing.
“Naz Reid with the Charlotte Hornets,” Siegel said, as an ideal name for the Warriors to replace Porzingis with. “He was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Charlotte Hornets this past offseason. “He’s had a ton of suitors between the Warriors, the Portland Trail Blazers, a few other teams mixed out there.”
Reid is in the middle of a five-year, $125 million contract, meaning if the Warriors couldn’t include Porzingis in a trade, Draymond Green or another player making mid-level money might have to be moved. Siegel didn’t discuss the exact framework of a Warriors trade for Reid, but with his current deal, it likely wouldn’t be as easy as swapping him for Porzingis.
Along with the Warriors and Trail Blazers, the Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to Reid as a top trade target. However, as Siegel mentioned, with Golden State still eager to move Porzingis, if the Hornets would take his contract, Reid moving to the Bay Area, it’s likely that would be a better return package compared to what other teams could put on the table, as his contract would basically turn into free money for whichever team makes a move for the Latvian.
Golden State Linked To Other Big Man Trade Targets
Along with mentioning Reid, Siegel proposed Wendell Carter Jr. of the Orlando Magic as another potential Porzingis replacement for the Warriors to add in a trade.
“The two names that we’re paying attention to for the Warriors, that we have been paying attention to for months in terms of frontcourt talent, [are] Wendell Carter Jr., like we mentioned last week, for the Orlando Magic, a possible guy that they could look to salary dump to free up some cap space on their end,” Siegel said while also mentioning Reid.
Carter is in the first season of a three-year, $59 million deal, making roughly $18 million in 2026-27. However, with the Magic potentially looking to move salary to have a chance at keeping its young talent around, Carter has been mentioned as a trade target this season, with a team like the Warriors primed to add his services.
In 12 games this season, he is averaging 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on 60.4% shooting. The spacing isn’t as great as someone like Reid, but in terms of Carter as a Warriors big man trade target, his defensive upside, contract, and fit alongside Golden State’s other stars make him a top candidate for the front office to go after.
While Siegel specifically mentioned both Reid and Carter as Warriors trade targets to replace Porzingis, NBA analyst and podcaster Bill Simmons threw out a few other names who could be in the mix for Golden State ahead of the deadline.
Along with also naming Carter, he mentioned Nic Claxton, Jalen Smith, Lauri Markkanen, Myles Turner, and even Mitchell Robinson as targets the Warriors could go after, as it’s become clear Golden State needs to add frontcourt depth while going through the season without Porzingis.
Norman Powell of the Chicago Bulls is another name mentioned in trade rumors, but according to Siegel, the Warriors aren’t expected to go after him. From all accounts, it looks like Golden State is eyeing a big man to replace Porzingis instead of adding another wing, which is why all of the previously mentioned names are frontcourt players, as that’s what the Bay Area franchise is lacking right now, but could significantly use to raise the ceiling of this year’s roster.
For now, the Warriors have yet to make a move. The team doesn’t have a ton of assets available to move in a deal, but if Reid, Carter, or anyone else is available, expect the front office to make a big push for one more trade splash to round out the final chapter of the Curry era in Northern California.
Warriors Trade Rumors: $125M Big Man Tops List Of Porzinigs Replacement Targets