At 20-18 and eighth place in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors don’t look like a legitimate championship contender.
Even so, they still have one of the greatest players of all time in Steph Curry, and they might be just one move away from turning things around. For weeks, the Warriors have been tied to a move for Michael Porter Jr., who’s thriving for the struggling Brooklyn Nets.
Then again, even though the Nets are playing for draft positioning and will need some time to get back to the playoffs, that doesn’t mean they want to part ways with the former Denver Nuggets star.
Brooklyn Nets will demand a high asking price for Michael Porter Jr.
According to NBC Sports insider Dalton Johnson, the Nets have set a steep asking price for Porter Jr.
“One source speculated that Michael Porter Jr. could be two-first round picks, plus Jonathan Kuminga, plus others to match that salary,” Johnson said on NBC Sports Bay Area.
That makes perfect sense, given the way he’s played. Now that he’s the primary scoring option, the Missouri product is finally living up to the elite draft pedigree that made him the No. 1 prospect in his class at some point.
Per Basketball Reference, he’s averaging 26.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.9 three-pointers per game on 49/41/82 shooting splits.
While not much of a defensive presence or a playmaker, Porter Jr. is an elite three-level scorer who can take plenty of pressure off Curry while also stretching the floor. That’s something neither Draymond Green nor Jimmy Butler can do.
The Warriors will most likely look to offload Kuminga in any trade. They can also use Buddy Hield as a salary filler and maybe even include Moses Moody or Brandin Podziemski.
They’ve been reluctant to give up assets, knowing that their draft picks from the post-Curry era will probably be in the top 10.
Then again, if they want to make one final run at a championship while the greatest player in franchise history is still there, they will just have to take some risks.
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