The Golden State Warriors contacted the Milwaukee Bucks about a possible Kristaps Porziņģis trade, Sam Amick and Nick Friedell of The Athletic reported, confirming that the Warriors are exploring the trade market in the hopes of making a deal involving Porziņģis. Milwaukee is not believed to be interested, according to Amick and Friedell. Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard noted that Milwaukee’s centers include Myles Turner, Kel’el Ware and Jericho Sims.
The financial mechanics make a deal difficult. Porziņģis is in the first season of a two-year, $40 million contract, and only $3 million of his $20 million salary for the 2027-28 season is guaranteed, which leaves $23 million in guaranteed money and makes the contract function as an expiring deal a rebuilding team could use to shed future money. Milwaukee is rebuilding after Giannis Antetokounmpo’s departure to the Miami Heat, and most teams reportedly view Porziņģis as a negative asset.
The situation has since escalated. The Warriors are withholding the regular semimonthly payments on Porziņģis’ $20 million salary for the 2026-27 season because the team has determined he is no longer fulfilling his contractual obligations, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater. The penalty works out to $218,341 for each game he misses, or one 91.6th of the salary.
Porziņģis has been away from the team since calling the front office about a health issue the day before training camp, and he is ruled out indefinitely. He spoke last fall about being diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Neither he nor the team has given specifics about the current ailment.
The Warriors Built This Exit Ramp on Purpose
Golden State structured the extension with only $3 million guaranteed in year two specifically to preserve trade flexibility. It is now trying to use that same contract for two purposes at once: as a trade chip, and as leverage to avoid paying him while he is away.
The problem is that the market hasn’t cooperated. Milwaukee, the obvious fit given its post-Giannis rebuild, is not believed to be interested, and the broader league view of Porziņģis as a negative asset narrows the pool further. The Warriors are holding an asset they built to be moveable in a market that currently won’t move it.
The February Deadline Looms as the Real Backstop
The Warriors are reportedly preparing for the possibility that the situation could remain unresolved until February’s trade deadline. Several Golden State players signed as free agents this offseason are not trade-eligible until Dec. 15, which could widen the pool of possible matches once that window opens.
Sources: Sam Amick and Nick Friedell of The Athletic; Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard; Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of ESPN
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