Warriors predicted to cut ties with Kristaps Porzingis, acquire $112 million future All-Star

Warriors predicted to cut ties with Kristaps Porzingis, acquire $112 million future All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There’s only one question the Golden State Warriors should be asking themselves after a miserable 2025-26 season: how bad do they want to win another championship in the Stephen Curry era?

If the Dubs are content with winning four championships with Curry as the heart and soul of the franchise’s offense, they probably won’t feel inclined to field the most competitive roster possible moving forward.

If Golden State wants to contend for another title in the late stages of Curry’s career, though, it’ll do what it takes to surround the future Hall of Famer with an elite supporting cast.

Blue Man Hoop’s Peter O’Keefe believes the Warriors will choose the latter by swapping Kristaps Porzingis for a 6-foot-8 future All-Star during the 2026-27 campaign.

“Warriors could try and send Kristaps Porzingis in a Trey Murphy III package,” O’Keefe wrote Wednesday.

“In an ideal world, this might happen in a sign-and-trade during the offseason. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to see New Orleans giving the injury-prone Porzingis a minimum three-year contract to make a sign-and-trade feasible.”

“Instead, the Warriors could sign Porzingis at a slightly inflated short-term salary to make him a perfect trade candidate to include in a deal for a player like Murphy mid-season.”

Murphy was an enticing trade target for the Warriors during this year’s trade season. The Virginia product has elevated his three-and-D play to new heights over the past two years, becoming a more aggressive off-the-dribble and three-point scoring threat and using his physical gifts to muck things up on the defensive end.

Murphy averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game with the 26-56 Pelicans this season, connecting on 47.0% from the field and 37.9% from three-point land.

Although Murray doesn’t have the accolades that some of the Warriors' other trade targets possess, it’s only a matter of time before he begins routinely receiving All-Star and/or All-Defensive team nods.

The goal would obviously be to trade for Murphy before the 2026-27 season begins, but a midseason deal centered on injury-prone Porzingis wouldn’t be the end of the world (assuming they remain afloat).

More NBA news:

• Lakers urged to trade $165 million ex-Mavericks superstar after recent injury concerns
• Warriors-Nuggets trade pitch sends $207 million All-Star, NBA champion to Golden State
• Lakers-Wizards trade pitch sends $186 million 10-time All-Star, NBA champion back to Los Angeles