Driftsprint

By Justin Grasso

Contributing Sports Writer

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The Golden State Warriors are navigating through January with a similar mindset as last season. They believe that another notable deal is necessary to place them back on the path of championship contention.

Last year, it was Jimmy Butler for Golden State. This year, it could be the veteran forward, Michael Porter Jr., who is thriving with a Brooklyn Nets team that isn’t going anywhere.

Porter is a hot player on the market right now, even with Anthony Davis and Ja Morant’s names floating around. The Nets’ sharpshooter might not have the All-Star resume that those guys have, but he’s one of the very few prominent trade candidates who has a higher value than he did over the offseason.

The Warriors seem willing to buy.

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What Could a Porter-Warriors Deal Cost?

In a roundup of trade ideas, The Athletic put together a mock deal, which includes Golden State, Brooklyn, and the Sacramento Kings.

In this scenario, the Warriors would land Porter on his own. They would have to part ways with several players and spend some draft capital.

Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, 2026 first-round pick, and a 2028 first-round swap would end up with the Nets. Jonathan Kuminga would land in Sacramento.

Trade Overview

Warriors: Michael Porter Jr.

Nets: DeMar DeRozan, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, Devin Carter, GSW 2026 1RP, GSW 2028 1RP Swap

Kings: Jonathan Kuminga, Haywood Highsmith, Ziaire Williams

Labeled as an “all-in move for one last ride,” the Warriors get hit with a price point that will surely sting. Their top veterans will inevitably hang it up much sooner than later.

The young and developing players waiting to take over haven’t shown enough promise to make the club feel like they’ll remain contenders through a transition to the post-Steph Curry era. Parting ways with a first-round pick shouldn’t be easy, but the Warriors understand they have to do what it takes to satisfy the veteran superstar, Steph Curry. They can’t waste his time.

In six seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Porter averaged 16.2 points per game, while shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc. He was a quality role player on a team that won a title in 2023.

While the Nets haven’t been competitive enough to tease a postseason run, Porter has excelled in more of a star role. He is averaging 25.9 points, hitting on 40 percent of his shots from beyond the arc in 30 games.

Beyond the acquisition of Porter, the Warriors need to move on from Kuminga. The veteran forward is out of the rotation and growing frustrated. While Kuminga has been praised for his professionalism throughout this difficult stage of riding the bench after desiring a bigger role than ever, that patience might have an expiration date.

Kuminga knew he couldn’t get traded until midway through January. When he’s eligible, he just might get antsy as he wants to get back out there and find consistent playing time. The Kings know that Kuminga’s market is small. Perhaps, this is the only logical way to get value out of Kuminga while the Warriors can.

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