Stephen Curry may return to the court this season and help the Warriors to make a push to get out of the play-in and into a seven-game series, but for some Warriors fans, their eyes are already on next season.
Golden State is going to make a push to re-sign big man Kristaps Porzingis — to a more team friendly contract — and take a big swing on a star player to put next to Curry and Draymond Green to make one more all-in run with that core, at least according to Marcus Thompson of The Athletic and Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast (hat tip HoopsHype).
Porzingis seems the one thing most likely to happen even with all the questions about Porzingis’ health, Thompson said.
“Can he stay healthy? And I absolutely, as we’re sitting here right now, believe that Porzingis and the Warriors will work something out where we will see him again next season in a Warriors jersey.”
Since being traded to Golden State from Atlanta at the deadline (part of the Jonathan Kuminga deal), Porzingis has played in 10 games and averaged 17.1 points, plus 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per game. On paper, he is a great fit with Curry and Draymond Green, but we have not yet seen that trio on the court.
The Warriors also would need more than those three to make a run in a West with the young Thunder and Spurs teams, not to mention a host of other strong teams like the Lakers and Nuggets. Thompson said people around the league expect the Warriors to make a bold move.
“The league, I think, isn’t concerned that they’re going to go win another title, but they are concerned that they are going to load up like crazy going into next season.”
Kawakami was more specific, mentioning potential targets for the Warriors.
“I’m saying Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James. There’s complications with both. But you’ve heard it, I’ve heard it. I’ve been aggregated for just speculating it. There is conversation. I’m not saying from the league. I’m just saying, Kawhi’s contract gonna get voided, theoretically. We don’t know. That seems to be the number one thing you hear with some other obviously punishment for the Clippers. He could be a free agent. Can you do a sign and trade with a voided contract? I don’t. He might not be able to get a max salary is what I’m saying.”
The investigation into the Clippers’ allegedly funneling money to Kawhi Leonard through former team sponsor Aspiration is ongoing, but the expectation in league circles is that the Clippers and Leonard will face some kind of punishment. Voiding Leonard’s contract would be one of the harsher penalties, and it’s fair to ask how serious a punishment that is if he can just resign with another team (even if it is for less money) and the Clippers get him off their books, but it is one option rumored to be out there.
LeBron James is a free agent after this season and his future is up in the air. While the expectation around the league is that the 41-year-old will play one more season, LeBron himself has said he will not decide his future until after this season. Also, the Warriors were in the mix at the deadline to try and land Giannis Antetokounmpo, with Golden State reportedly offering four first-round picks, but at the time the Bucks appeared to be guaging the market more than seriously engaging in trade discussions, according to league sources. The Warriors could re-enter the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes this summer.
One way or another, expect a wild summer in the Bay Area.
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