Warriors Notes: Porzingis, Williams, Lendeborg
The Warriors still aren’t sure when Kristaps Porzingis will be able to make it back from his health issue, writes Nick Friedell of The Athletic. Head coach Steve Kerr said on Thursday that he doesn’t have any details on Porzingis’ condition and that there’s no timetable for his return.
“He’s not here today,” Kerr said following the team’s practice. “We’ve obviously been busy in Hawaii and Portland. … So, I’ll reach out to KP today and check in with him, but nothing new to report.”
As Fridell notes, Porzingis has been impacted during the past two seasons by postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), but there has been no confirmation one way or the other about whether the health issue currently sidelining him is related to that diagnosis. Warriors officials have consistently declined to discuss Porzingis’ health in specific terms since he was acquired from Atlanta at last season’s trade deadline.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter video link) hears that the Warriors are “bracing” for Porzingis to miss the start of the regular season.
Here are a few more notes related to the Warriors:
- With virtually all of their starters and rotation players inactive for Wednesday’s preseason game vs. Portland, the Warriors got an impressive outing from guard Brandon Williams, who is on a non-guaranteed contract and is vying for a roster spot. Williams racked up 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting in 18 minutes of action while also contributing four assists and three rebounds. The fifth-year guard is showing he’s capable of being a microwave scorer off the bench, writes Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area, and is making a case this preseason not just for a spot on the roster but potentially a place in the rotation as well.
- In an in-depth story for ESPN.com, Anthony Slater explores how Yaxel Lendeborg became a key piece of Golden State’s future and shares the early impression that the rookie forward has made on his teammates and coaches. “He’s going to play a ton,” Kerr said of Lendeborg. “Frankly, he deserves it. He’s one of our best players already.”
- As excited as the Warriors are about Lendeborg’s potential, they want to temper expectations to some extent for the sort of impact he’ll have as a rookie, Slater notes. “The nature of our league, social media and all the microscope is that they’ll expect him to be a 20-8-6 guy right out the gate or whatever number you put on him,” Stephen Curry said. “But his job is to block all that out. He will know if he’s impactful. He will know if he’s helping win games. The stats and the numbers will follow. It’s our job to protect him in that.”
- In case you missed it, the Warriors once again sit atop Sportico’s annual list of the NBA’s most valuable franchises, with the team’s estimated value soaring to $14.5 billion.
Pacific Notes: Porzingis, Horford, Miller, Brooks, Collins
With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined indefinitely by a health issue, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is looking at lineups with projected backup center Al Horford in a starting role. Alternatively, he’s looked at smaller lineups with Draymond Green in the middle.
However, Kerr would prefer to keep Horford on the second unit while also limiting Green’s minutes at center because of the wear and tear it puts on his body. The best-case scenario is that Porzingis is cleared to play in the near future.
“We want him back,” Kerr said, per Monte Poole of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “He’s a really talented player, and so we thought that he was in a pretty good place. So . . . definitely concerning. And so, as I said, all we’re going to do is support him, give him every bit of medical help he can get, and emotional support and hope that he’s back soon.”
Here’s more on the Pacific Division:
- Speaking of Horford, he was scratched from the Warriors’ preseason win over the Lakers on Tuesday. He’s dealing with a left knee contusion that is considered minor, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, who tweets that Horford’s absence on Tuesday was precautionary.
- The Clippers signed big man Baba Miller to a four-year, $9.61MM contract after selecting him with the No. 36 overall pick out of Cincinnati. Miller had nine points and six rebounds in 20 minutes against Golden State on Sunday. He’s looking to earn some steady minutes early in his career. “I feel like every day I’m taking steps in the right direction,” he told Janis Carr of the Orange County Register.
- Suns wing Dillon Brooks was whistled for a technical foul after an altercation with Pistons forward John Collins on Monday. Brooks claims that Collins tried to choke him and the only reason he received a tech was due to his reputation, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. The dust-up occurred after Collins grabbed an offensive rebound. Brooks reached around Collins, who reacted by putting his hand in Brooks’ face. “Then got the hit on me, and then I’m like, I’m not letting you go up,” Brooks said. “And then he turns around, and tries to choke me, and put his hands on me, and that’s why I don’t get why I got the technical foul. I mean, I didn’t start nothing. I’m playing within the game. I try to bet on myself, but I’m betting against the house.”
Warriors Notes: Horford, Williams, Niang, Preseason Opener
The health issue that has Kristaps Porzingis sidelined indefinitely helps to explain why the Warriors were so eager to bring back Al Horford for his 20th NBA season, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Horford agreed to a new two-year contract in June, and although he can’t be counted on for huge minutes at age 40, he’s the only other center on the roster with significant experience.
“He wants to compete, and he wants to be out on the court,” Horford said of Porzingis. “It’s just for him to be patient at this point. He’s usually been able to overcome things, but patience is kind of like the name of the game right now. I don’t know if we saw this coming entirely. So, I just hope that he’s able to recover and be in a good place so he can roll with us.”
Poole notes that it’s possible that Horford could be the opening-night starter, just a few months after meeting with his family to decide if he should continue his NBA career. He shot 36.1% from three-point range last season, which makes him a good fit in coach Steve Kerr’s five-out offense where everyone can space the floor. Horford is eager for another season with the Warriors after the last one was disrupted by injuries.
“I felt like we didn’t really get a chance to show what we could do as a group, as a team, so I’m intrigued by that,” he said. “Returning here and being able to see what we can accomplish – and, also, just that desire to continue to compete, to just continue to compete and try to compete at a high level.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Former Dallas guard Brandon Williams brings an element of speed that the team didn’t have before, notes Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Williams, whose one-year contract is non-guaranteed, been impressive in training camp. “He’s the fastest guy we’ve ever had here,” Kerr said. “… Brandon is probably more of a high pick-and-roll speedster, and it changes the calculus. It gives you more options.”
- Georges Niang, another free agent addition, was used as a small-ball center in Thursday’s scrimmage, which may be his best chance for playing time, Johnson adds. The 33-year-old forward is trying to bounce back after missing all of last season with an injury he suffered in training camp. “I think at this point, if you’re on the court, you better feel comfortable,” Niang said. “That’s the biggest thing. You want playing time, you figure out where and how to be comfortable, and you find ways to implement things that you can do that can help your team.”
- Kerr plans to use Horford, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green for about 12 to 15 minutes in Sunday’s preseason opener against the Clippers, per Nick Friedell of The Athletic (Twitter link). Everyone else will play around 20 minutes.
Kristaps Porzingis Out Indefinitely With Health Issue
The Warriors will open training camp without Kristaps Porzingis, who is sidelined indefinitely with a health issue, per Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link).
The team didn’t offer any details about Porzingis’ condition, but general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. indicated that it may not be a long-term concern, Slater adds (Twitter link).
“I’m not marking him down as being out to start the season or anything like that,” Dunleavy said. “He’s just not available this week.”
Porzingis won’t accompany the team on its flight to Hawaii for camp, adds Evan Webeck of The New York Post.
Injuries and health concerns have surrounded Porzingis for most of his NBA career. He has dealt with a condition known as Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome or POTS for the past season and a half.
Porzingis was only available for 15 games after being traded from Atlanta to Golden State in February. He was effective when he was on the court, averaging 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 23.7 minutes per night, but his availability is a constant concern.
He signed a two-year, $40MM extension this summer, so the Warriors seem to have confidence in his ability to overcome his health problems, though his second-year player option is only partially guaranteed for $3MM.
Porzingis just turned 31 in August and can still provide mismatches on offense while protecting the rim on defense. Golden State is hoping to lean on him early in the season while Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody recover from injuries. Slater points out that an extended Porzingis absence would be unwelcome news regarding the team’s depth concerns.
Warriors Notes: Curry, Kerr, Green, Kuminga, More
Warriors guard Stephen Curry missed extended time last season due to patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee) in his right knee. On the Dubs Talk podcast (YouTube link), Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area said there’s still a level of concern about that ailment.
“There’s at least some lingering concern about the knee,” Poole said. “From what I’ve been told, it can be managed, but it has to be managed and that’s a new thing for Steph. People always say he is the most conditioned guy in the league, and now he has to manage a knee.
“I guess we’ll find out, but from what I understand, he and his trainers have devised ways to kind of work around that and sort of support that whole possibility of the knee not being as great as he wants it to be. So, I’m curious to see how it turns out, but Steph seems pretty confident that he’ll be able to go out there and put out 70-plus games.”
Curry, 38, recently became extension-eligible. While the two-time MVP reiterated his commitment to the only NBA team he’s ever known, he suggested a new deal may not be imminent, telling NBC Sports Bay Area, “We’ll figure that out at the right time.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Head coach Steve Kerr declined on Thursday to answer what a “satisfactory” season would look like for Golden State, according to Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area, but he expressed optimism about the 2026/27 campaign. “If we can really lock in on a great process, which I’m very confident we will, we can get off to a good start and build some momentum,” Kerr said. “That’s my main goal. To just kind of rebuild everything, get back to our roots and have a great camp, and see where it all takes us. But I’m very confident we can have a great year.”
- Kerr told Poole that the Warriors are high on No. 11 overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg and suggested the rookie forward is in the conversation for a spot in the starting lineup ahead of training camp later this month. “We’ve added some good players with Yaxel, Georges Niang, and believe Brandon Williams can help us,” Kerr said. “Our young guys obviously had a great summer, winning Summer League and really putting in a lot of work. The biggest things are figuring out who’s going to start, and what’s the rotation going to look like? Can Yaxel play the three with Draymond (Green) at the four, with Kristaps (Porzingis) or Al (Horford) at the five? What would that look like? We’ll have a lot of time to determine that.”
- Green took issue with some of the recent comments from Jonathan Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, relays Nick Avila of NBC Sports Bay Area. Turner has given multiple interviews of late where he’s defended his handling of Kuminga’s free agency and the decision to decline a three-year, $75MM contract offer last year from the Warriors that included a third-year team option, instead accepting a two-year, $46.8MM deal with a second-year team option. Kuminga finalized a two-year, $12.4MM contract with Minnesota on Thursday. “You trying to get the people off your back,” Green said on his podcast. “You do that by going and get great deals. Just go do that. Put the focus on that. Go and get a great deal. Not fighting off because you’re fighting this off so that the next potential clients see it and you’re explaining it. This ain’t really about JK. It’s about the next potential client. That’s the problem in this is you ain’t explaining that for JK’s sake. … That ain’t cool at all. That’s very self-serving. Let me look out for myself for my next client so he know what happened. I’m speaking to them.”
Warriors Notes: Payton, Cap Space, Curry, ‘Chase South’
Gary Payton II had a reason to celebrate as he donated backpacks and other supplies during a back-to-school giveaway Saturday afternoon, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Payton’s one-year, $3.9MM contract was finalized, meaning the 33-year-old guard will be returning to the Warriors for another season.
“Let’s go get it,” Payton said. “We’ve said enough, man. Let’s go.”
Poole notes that Payton is working to become a reliable three-point shooter again after his percentage from beyond the arc has declined in each of the last three years, reaching an uncharacteristically low 29.1% last season. On the bright side, improved health permitted him to play in a career-high 73 games.
“I’m (feeling) great,” he told Poole. “Everything’s good. I’m ready to go. Last couple months before camp, so let’s wind it up and get ready. Let’s please stay healthy. Not just me, but all of us. We definitely need that.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Golden State currently projects to have $120MM in cap space next summer, but potential extensions could lower that number significantly, observes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron. Stephen Curry will become extension-eligible on August 29, Brandin Podziemski is up for an extension on his rookie scale contract, and Jimmy Butler will be able to negotiate an extension from February 6 through June 30. Gozlan also speculates that the Warriors may focus on the future if the upcoming season doesn’t turn out well and suggests they could be willing to arrange trades involving Butler, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis prior to the deadline if those players believe they can earn more money with other teams on their next contracts.
- The Warriors have never considered trading Curry, and he won’t ask to be dealt, team sources told Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. The front office is willing to present Curry with a maximum offer for either one or two years and let him decide what he wants, Siegel adds. Siegel also hears that both Curry and the team are motivated to get an extension in place before next season begins.
- Nick Friedell of The Athletic takes a look inside “Chase South,” a former go-kart track in Las Vegas that has been turned into a smaller version of the team’s home arena. The Warriors believe it gives them an advantage in offseason training and contributed to their championship at last month’s Las Vegas Summer League.
Contract Details: Ellis, Porzingis, R. Williams
Keon Ellis‘ new two-year, $18MM contract with the Nets will include both a player option and a team option, according to reporting from Fred Katz and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic (Twitter link).
As Katz and Vorkunov explain, after earning $9MM in 2026/27, Ellis will have the ability to pick up a $9MM player option for 2027/28, while the Nets will also have the opportunity to exercise an identical team option. If both Ellis and the Nets pass on their respective options, the guard will reach free agency in 2027. But if either side opts in, he would earn a guaranteed $9MM salary in ’27/28.
This isn’t something we’ve seen before, as far as I can recall. In fact, Larry Coon wrote in his invaluable CBA FAQ that a contract may not contain more than one option in the same year. But Katz notes that the language in the Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn’t seem to expressly prohibit it, and I had the same takeaway after reading the section on option clauses.
Ellis’ deal can’t be officially finalized until at least July 6, so we’ll see if the NBA allows that double/mutual option on the second year once the contract is signed. That CBA language also may be relevant for Isaiah Hartenstein‘s new deal with the Thunder, which Shams Charania of ESPN reported would include a “unique” mutual option ahead of the third year in 2028/29.
Here are more noteworthy details on a pair of extensions signed on Tuesday:
- Kristaps Porzingis‘ two-year, $40MM extension with the Warriors only has a $3MM partial guarantee on each season, according to reporting from Anthony Slater of ESPN and Katz (Twitter links). Porzingis’ $20MM salary for 2026/27 will become fully guaranteed on July 7 (ie. next Tuesday). A year from now, if Porzingis picks up his $20MM player option, Golden State will have a window to waive him by July 7, 2027 and only pay a $3MM partial guarantee. This is the kind of “mutual” option that has been more common in the NBA in recent years — James Harden‘s two-year deal with the Clippers last season was one contract that had a similar structure.
- Porzingis will also remain trade-eligible throughout the offseason because the terms of his new contract don’t exceed the extend-and-trade restrictions, Slater notes.
- Robert Williams‘ three-year, $44MM extension with the Trail Blazers is only fully guaranteed for the first year, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). The second year is currently partially guaranteed for $5MM, but would become fully guaranteed if Williams plays at least 50 games in 2026/27. The third year is non-guaranteed, but would become fully guaranteed if the big man plays at least 50 games in ’27/28.
Warriors Sign Kristaps Porzingis To Two-Year Extension
June 30: The Warriors have officially signed Porzingis to a two-year veteran extension rather than waiting until free agency to complete the deal. The team confirmed the move in a press release (Twitter link).
[Update: Porzingis’ extension isn’t fully guaranteed. We have more details here.]
June 29: Kristaps Porzingis will return to the Warriors on a two-year, $40MM contract, agent Jeff Schwartz tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The deal will feature a player option on the second year.
It’s a pretty significant pay cut for the Latvian big man, who has made between $27-36MM each of the past seven seasons. But there’s a reason he accepted less money — his availability has been very limited over the past two years, appearing in just 42 and 32 games, respectively.
Porzingis, who battled a series of injuries earlier in his career, and has dealt with an illness – diagnosed as POTS – for the past season and a half. He was still highly effective last season when he played — the Warriors were 6.4 points per 100 possessions better when he was on the court, and that number was even higher (7.8 points per 100 possessions) during his time with Atlanta. But again, he only played 32 games.
Porzingis turns 31 in August and provides an enticing combination of being able to score at all three levels — including from well beyond the three-point line — and being able to protect the rim on defense. At 7’2″, he’s a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses when he’s active.
In his 32 games with the Hawks and Warriors last season, Porzingis averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks on .446/.338/.842 shooting in just 24.0 minutes per contest. Golden State acquired Porzingis in February in the trade that sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta.
The Warriors are reportedly pursuing both Anthony Davis (via trade) and LeBron James (via the full mid-level exception). According to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter links), it’s technically still possible for the Warriors to acquire both of those longtime stars, but it would require trading Jimmy Butler (and draft assets) for Davis, salary-dumping Moses Moody‘s contract, and Draymond Green re-signing on new deal that features an identical (or lower) cap hit to Porzingis.
If Golden State is unable to shed Moody’s salary, the team likely wouldn’t be able to use more than the taxpayer MLE, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). That projects to be worth $6.1MM next season, vs. $15MM for the full MLE. The Warriors will be hard-capped at the first tax apron if they use more than the taxpayer portion of the MLE.
Re-signing Porzingis was long viewed as a priority for the Warriors, and multiple reports indicated that a deal was expected to come together before he could reach the open market on Tuesday. He’s technically signing an extension, which he was eligible for through June 30, not a new contract.
Porzingis was No. 22 on our list of 2026’s top 50 free agents.
More On Warriors’ Interest In Anthony Davis, LeBron James
Word of the Warriors‘ apparent interest in Wizards big man Anthony Davis first surfaced on Sunday night and was advanced on Monday when Draymond Green declined his $27.7MM player option for 2026/27, signaling that the team is looking into finding a way to acquire both Davis and star forward LeBron James.
According to Anthony Slater of ESPN, Warriors team sources have said for weeks that they expect James to remain in Los Angeles, but with LeBron having not yet engaged seriously in contract discussions with the Lakers, Golden State believes that door may have opened a crack.
Whether or not their pursuit of Davis goes anywhere, the Warriors have the flexibility to offer James the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is expected to start at just above $15MM. However, according to Slater’s sources, the Warriors believe the prospect of acquiring Davis, James’ former Lakers teammate and good friend, would significantly strengthen their pitch to the four-time MVP.
As RealGM relays, ESPN’s Shams Charania suggested during an appearance on SportsCenter that Davis and James might have to be a “package deal” to end up in Golden State — in other words, the Warriors may be unlikely to acquire one if they can’t get the other.
There’s also said to be some league-wide skepticism about whether the Warriors actually have a serious chance to land Davis and James to team up with Green and Stephen Curry or whether Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul – who represents all three players – is just looking to get all of them paid by their current teams.
“The people in the league that I’m talking to today are giving me the side-eye, and they’re going, ‘This is going to end up with Draymond Green getting a new contract in Golden State, LeBron getting a new contract in Los Angeles, and Anthony Davis getting a new contract in Washington,'” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on The Rich Eisen Show (Twitter video link). “… So, I’m not saying I know, but part of this could be creating leverage for AD and LeBron in both Washington and L.A. And then everybody gets paid on a contract. Or they could all end up in Golden State. I’m not sure which it’s going to be.”
Here’s more on AD and LeBron:
- With the Warriors emerging as a real threat for James, the Lakers are expected to engage with the 41-year-old forward in conversations about his future sooner rather than later, says NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
- According to RealGM, Windhorst said during Monday’s episode of Get Up on ESPN that Paul met with the Wizards on Sunday to discuss Davis’ future. “I’m sure that Anthony Davis could be given a contract that would make him very happy to be in Washington,” Windhorst said, pointing out the Wizards have already committed to Trae Young on a four-year, $212MM contract. “Maybe the Wizards are prepared to do that. The Wizards want to win immediately.”
- John Hollinger of The Athletic examines the cap machinations that would be necessary for the Warriors to acquire Davis and James, suggesting that there may not be a path for Kristaps Porzingis to re-sign with Golden State if the team were to pull off landing the former Lakers stars.
- If Davis were traded to Golden State, Jimmy Butler would have to be the outgoing piece for salary-matching purposes. Asked about that possibility, Butler’s agent Bernie Lee told Slater (Twitter link) that the Warriors have maintained they’re not looking to trade his client. “I don’t want to get into a constant cycle of responding to this stuff,” Lee said. “But I will say the Warriors — from ownership to the front office to the coaches and medical staff — have been resolute in their plan to support Jimmy through his rehab. … That remains true today as I respond to you.”
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Warriors, Collins, Triano, Harden
The Warriors appear to be on the verge of finalizing a deal to keep free agent big man Kristaps Porzingis in the organization, report Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscriber link). Like Trae Young, Al Horford, and others, Porzingis is likely to reach an agreement with his team during the exclusive negotiating window before Tuesday’s official start to free agency.
Golden State is also still expected to pursue Lakers free agent LeBron James, who, as of Friday, reportedly had yet to engage in serious discussions with L.A. on a new deal. Previous reporting had indicated that the Warriors were expecting James to stay with the Lakers, but his plans remain unclear. The Warriors are banking on a pitch that includes the fact that their team would be the closest James could be to his home base in L.A. without going to the Clippers.
Golden State is limited by what they can offer the 22-time All-Star, though. They are expected to have the $15MM mid-level exception available, but the final amount will be determined by what happens with Draymond Green and Porzingis.
The Warriors are also expected to explore other free agent alternatives while they wait to see what James decides to do. Reserve big man Jock Landale, and guards Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton are considered targets, with the latter two reflecting Golden State’s interest in acquiring another scoring ball-handler to insert in the backcourt rotation.
On that note, Kevin Porter Jr. would have likely been a target for them had he not picked up his player option with Milwaukee, Stein and Fischer say.
We have more news from around the NBA, courtesy of The Stein Line:
- The Timberwolves have interest in free agent John Collins as they continue to look for a power forward to replace Julius Randle, but it’s unlikely they’ll be able to afford him, Stein and Fischer report. The Magic, Spurs, and Sixers are all expected to pursue Collins, with Stein and Fischer noting that San Antonio and Philadelphia continue to be linked to the top forward options in free agency.
- Mavericks assistant coach Jay Triano is drawing interest from the Trail Blazers to join newly hired Micah Nori‘s coaching staff, the Stein Line reports. Nori worked under Triano when the latter was head coach of the Raptors. Triano is a very experienced coach, having spent over 20 years as an assistant in the NBA, with multiple head coaching stints both in the NBA and with the Canadian national team.
- Besides Porzingis, another free agent expected to come to a pre-Tuesday agreement with his current team is Cavaliers guard James Harden. Stein and Fischer previously reported the expectation that a deal would get done soon, and they now say an agreement could “come to fruition any minute.”