Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis was recently traded to the Golden State Warriors ahead of the NBA trade deadline. In exchange, the Hawks received Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield.
Porzingis has appeared in just 17 games for the Hawks this season while dealing with an illness and an Achilles injury. However, he could be set to make his debut for the Warriors this Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
What Is Kristaps Porziņģis’ Contract and Salary Worth?
Following the trade that sent Porzingis to the Golden State Warriors, the former Boston Celtics star is set to enter the final year of his contract. Porzingis signed a two-year deal with the Celtics before being traded to the Hawks. He is set to be a free agent next year.
“Kristaps Porzingis is on an expiring $30.7 million contract, which will create instant cap flexibility for the Warriors to make moves in the offseason,” revealed NBA insider Brett Siegel. This trade came just hours before the NBA trade deadline, with the Warriors expected to make no further significant trades.
Porzingis is set to make $30.7 million this season in the final year of a two-year, $60 million contract he signed in Boston. This summer, as it looked to cut salary, the Celtics traded the former All-Star to the Hawks in a three-team deal with the Brooklyn Nets.
At the start of the season, Boston, Atlanta, and Brooklyn finalized a three-team trade that sends Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Hawks, Terance Mann and Atlanta’s No. 22 pick to the Nets, and Georges Niang and a second-round pick to the Celtics.
Meanwhile, with Jonathan Kuminga going in the other direction, the Warriors may have saved money with this trade. Kuminga agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million contract at the start of the season.
Additionally, this contract included a team option in the second year, designed for the Hawks to rip up and sign a fresh contract after the 2025-26 campaign.
Porziņģis has suffered from injuries this year. Appearing in just 17 games for the Hawks this season while dealing with an illness and an Achilles injury. However, the new Warriors’ center Porzingis was recently upgraded to available. Meaning he may make his debut on Saturday.
“The Warriors hope to get Kristaps Porzingis back healthy and productive for the stretch run. He hasn’t played since Jan. 7, but team sources said they anticipate Porzingis will make his return soon after joining Golden State. The Warriors are 27-24 and currently eighth in the Western Conference,” revealed Warriors’ insider Anthony Slater.
The Hawks’ center has averaged 17.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this year. Following reports, he is most likely the final significant trade the Warriors will make before the NBA Trade Deadline, ruling them out of the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
“Kuminga was central to any in-season Giannis trade offer all but confirming Golden State is out of contention for Antetokounmpo before Thursday’s 3 PM ET trade buzzer.” NBA insider Marc Stein revealed the following trade.
The NBA Trade Deadline is set to close in under twenty-four hours, at 3PM Eastern Time. However, the Golden State Warriors will most likely not be heavily involved with it.
