Kristaps Porziņģis has played five games for the Golden State Warriors so far. While Porziņģis is a versatile big man who can both protect the rim and score the ball efficiently, many are questioning why the Warriors acquired him.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr broke his silence on the acquisition of Porziņģis and has set the record straight once and for all.
Steve Kerr Expects a Lengthy Partnership With Kristaps Porziņģis
Porziņģis has been in the league for 10 years now. Throughout the course of his career, he managed to receive one All-Star selection. While it doesn’t seem impressive, his numbers as a role player are undoubtedly efficient compared to many other role players in the league.
It mainly has a lot to do with his recent absence since the early goings of the 2025-26 season. Porziņģis has had quite a few injury woes this season, including unidentified illnesses that have forced him to sit on the sidelines for a prolonged period.
Looking at his numbers this season, Porziņģis is averaging 17.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. As part of the Warriors, he’s already proven to be a versatile big man in only a span of five games, averaging 17.6 points and 2.0 blocks.
While his numbers are nothing short of remarkable, many have doubts about the Latvian big man. This is mainly due to his injury woes and bizarre illnesses this season. Warriors fans are worried that Porziņģis might become a liability, especially now that we’re nearing the postseason.
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Warriors head coach Kerr cleared the air and explained the team’s thought process when they acquired Porziņģis before the trade deadline. Kerr believes Porziņģis will be a good combo for Stephen Curry and already sees a future with the big man beyond this season.
“I think the whole point in trading for (Kristaps Porziņģis) was that we get the end of this season to make a run to see what he can do, to see what we could do with him, and pair him with Steph,” Kerr said. “He’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. But he’s our guy. … I think ideally for everybody, he would re-sign and come back healthy and be an important player for us for many years.”
“The whole point in trading for [Kristaps Porzingis]…see what we can do with him and pair him with Steph…but he’s our our guy and we get to show him what we have to offer.”
– Steve Kerr on Porzingis’ future in Golden State (via @WillardAndDibs). pic.twitter.com/mVWBsn7dWC
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) March 18, 2026
In the Warriors’ last game against the Washington Wizards on Monday, Porziņģis proved his value to the team. Porziņģis led the Warriors to a 125-117 victory, adding 30 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals.
Hopefully, when Curry comes back to the lineup, the Warriors will pose as a bigger threat in the Western Conference, increasing their chances of success in the postseason.
