In the past months, rumors have been swirling around Kristaps Porzingis and his future with the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks may have let the 2021 trade deadline pass with Porzingis still on their roster but if they suffer another early exit in the upcoming playoffs, the trade speculation surrounding the Latvian center is expected to heat up this summer.
Once he is available on the trading block, Porzingis would likely receive strong interests from teams that are in dire need of a frontcourt boost and additional star power on their roster.
Warriors A Potential Trade Destination For Kristaps Porzingis
One of the teams that could take a chance on Porzingis offseason is the Golden State Warriors. In a recent article, Brett Siegel of NBA Analysis Network came up with a blockbuster trade idea that would allow the Warriors to acquire Porzingis from the Mavericks this summer.
In the proposed trade scenario, the Warriors would send a package that includes Andrew Wiggins, Eric Paschall, and a top-10 protected 2023 first-round pick to the Mavericks in exchange for Porzingis and two future second-rounders.
Proposed Trade Should Be A No-Brainer For Warriors
Despite his injury history, trading Wiggins, Paschall, and a future first-rounder for Porzingis should be a no-brainer for the Warriors. When he’s healthy, Porzingis could be an incredible addition to the Warriors. He would provide a major frontcourt upgrade and bolster their performance on both ends of the floor.
In Porzingis, the Warriors would get a very reliable scoring option under the basket, a great rebounder, passer, rim protector, and floor-spacer. This season he’s averaging 20.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Warriors Finally Add Fourth All-Star
By successfully acquiring Porzingis from the Mavericks, the Warriors would finally fulfill their dream of adding a fourth superstar that would help Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green reclaim their throne and revive their dynasty in the 2021-22 NBA season. Porzingis would still need to make certain adjustments within his game to make himself fit with a team that already has three All-Star caliber players on their roster.
However, with his ability to play unselfish basketball and space the floor, he wouldn’t have a hard time familiarizing himself with Coach Steve Kerr’s system.
Will The Mavericks Make The Trade?
Siegel believes that if the proposed trade deal goes through this summer, it wouldn’t only be beneficial for the Warriors, but also for the Mavericks.
“Andrew Wiggins is still only 26-years-old and is still growing as a player and the same can be said about Eric Paschall, even though he has not played much this year due to numerous injuries. Getting a future first-round pick is also valuable for the Mavericks and gives them a chance to continue adding young talents around Luka Doncic in the future.”
However, to convince the Mavericks to trade Porzingis, the Warriors would likely need to part ways with more valuable assets. In the potential deal with the Warriors, the Mavericks are expected to demand the inclusion of James Wiseman or the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2021 first-round pick in the trade package.
