Can Porzingis stay healthy for Warriors?
Noah Rubin talks about the Warriors acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Hawks for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, detailing how Porzingis can help Golden State if healthy and why Kuminga is a weird fit in Atlanta.
Video Transcript
The Kristaps Porziis era in Atlanta was a very, very short era, as he'll now find a new home in Golden State.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported that he was dealt to the Warriors in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield.
Porziis is an incredibly talented player, one of the best shooting big men of all time, and is a really fun fit next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
He'll be the best shooting big man that Steph Curry has ever played with, but there's the obvious concern of how healthy is Porziis.
He's already missed a ton of time this season dealing with illnesses, as well as an Achilles injury recently.
But the main thing here is that if he is healthy for the playoffs, the Warriors become that much more dangerous.
They have to be seen as a serious contender, maybe not the favorite out west or one of the favorites, but going up against Steph Curry and a healthy Kristaps Porziis in the postseason is not a matchup that any team is gonna wanna be looking for.
Jonathan Kuminga is gonna be getting a fresh start in Atlanta.
He's been asking for this for years.
There's been so much drama surrounding it, and now it's finally happened, getting a fresh start in Atlanta, which isn't the best fit.
It's a clunky fit next to Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels, a team that lacks a lot of really high-quality elite shooters in the starting lineup, and Kuminga does not fit that mold either.
So he'll likely be in a reserve role, just as he was in Golden State for the most part.
The former top ten pick is a high-level scorer, and it's worth taking a chance on for the Hawks.
We'll see that if he's able to take advantage of this opportunity and this fresh start.
He does have a team option entering this off-season, so Atlanta could cut their losses quickly if they feel it doesn't work out.
But it's worth the risk, 'cause he's incredibly talented, and it could end up being a nice addition for them just by giving up Porziis, who was on an expiring deal.
Buddy Hield will provide some shooting depth.
They just traded Luke Kennard away, so he'll help make up for that loss.
But we'll see if Kuminga is able to take advantage of the fresh opportunity and if Porziis can help the Warriors become true contenders.
