The Golden State Warriors need to move Kristaps Porzingis by December 15, that’s clear. But what’s even clearer? They are NOT about to sacrifice draft capital to get it done, especially if it means taking on a monster long-term deal for someone like Myles Turner. The Warriors are drawing a hard line here, refusing to give up picks to trade Porzingis for another long-term contract.
The Porzingis Situation is Wild, But Cost-Effective
Seriously, this Porzingis situation is next-level weird. He’s reportedly “stepping away” from basketball, which he supposedly loves, and because of it, the Warriors aren’t paying him. That’s saving Joe Lacob a cool $250K *per game*. The NBA Players Association isn’t even challenging it, so while Porzingis might not play for anyone this season, his contract isn’t the albatross you might think. Still, the Warriors have been talking to the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, and Milwaukee Bucks about him. The Bulls are reportedly eyeing 26-year-old center Jalen Smith, who’s on the last year of his $9.4M contract. The Pelicans’ interest is less clear, but with the Bucks, it’s all about Myles Turner.
The Bucks’ Rebuild Limbo and Turner’s Tanking Season
And this is where it gets spicy. The Bucks want draft picks from the Warriors to take Turner, who’s signed through 2029 for a hefty $82.6M. The Warriors are like, “Uh, no. We’re taking on that much salary, *we* should be getting a draft pick.” And honestly, you can see their point. Turner, at 30, is having a straight-up wretched season for the Bucks, averaging only 7.1 points and 5.7 rebounds. Yeah, he’s blocking 2.5 shots per game, which is solid, but his effort? It seems to be lacking, like in that blowout loss to the Boston Celtics. The Bucks are a dismal 1-9 right now, caught in this super weird rebuild limbo ever since they traded Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer. They got four players back from the Heat, drafted two lottery picks, and have vets like Tyler Herro, Kyle Kuzma, and Caris Levert on expiring deals. They don’t even have their own first-round pick until 2031, so there’s literally no incentive for them to avoid the lottery penalty. It’s a mess over there.
What Turner Could *Actually* Bring, if He Tries
So, why even consider a player having a “wretched” season on a bad team with a massive contract? Well, assuming Turner actually *tries*, he brings a rare combo of rim protection and outside shooting. He’s a career 36.4% three-point shooter and averages 2.1 blocks per game over his career. This dude was the pivot man on an Indiana Pacers team that was an Achilles injury away from winning a title. It’s easy to see how he’s a logical replacement for Porzingis, with the bonus that he’s played at least 71 games in the past. The talent is there, but the current production, yikes.
The clock is ticking for the Warriors to make a move by December 15. Whether they can pull off a deal for Turner, or pivot to someone like Jalen Smith, without giving up precious picks, will tell us a lot about their plan for this season. This team needs answers, and they need them fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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