Nets demand multiple first-round picks for Porter Jr., a price the Warriors find too steep, complicating Golden State's star pursuit.
The Brooklyn Nets' trade deadline plans remain up for interpretation prior to Feb. 5, though it would take a lot less than an educated guess to deduce that Michael Porter Jr. is still a major target for a few contending teams.
Even aside from contenders, a few teams desperate to remain in that realm could become players in talks for the fringe All-Star forward, especially a franchise like the Golden State Warriors in their continued quest to give Stephen Curry a real chance to nab title No. 5.
With that being said, dialogue between Brooklyn and Golden State remains ongoing on the Porter Jr. front, though these talks have not come free of complications.
According to a recent update from Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, the Nets' asking price for the scoring wing is an apparent hurdle that the Warriors' front office refuses to jump over to this point.
"He's a hot commodity for teams before this trade deadline, and right now, the Brooklyn Nets' asking price is pretty high," Mannix revealed.
"I'm told they're looking for multiple first-round picks in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. That's a price that's just too high for Golden State to pay at the moment."
Though it might appear that the Warriors are fairly hesitant to pull off a deal for Porter Jr. that involves parting ways with multiple first-round draft selections, the days leading up to the deadline could tell a different story as the immediate future of disgruntled Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is still very much in question.
The Warriors have been lumped into the short list of four teams with the best chance to land the 2-time MVP, but if they're unable to land the franchise-altering talent and one of the game's greatest players, a monumental pivot would be their next step.
In that case, paying an increased price for a 25.6-point scorer like Porter Jr. would be one of the Warriors' only legitimate paths forward to support their aging superstar, giving the Nets plenty of leverage in future discussions.
For Brooklyn to capitalize as much as possible on Porter Jr.'s career season, it all comes down to Antetokounmpo and the Bucks' next move.
It's understandable why the Warriors do not wish to spend more than one first-round pick on a talent like Porter Jr. if they can help it, but the pressure of needing to surround Curry, Draymond Green and others with win-now, difference-making pieces in order to not let their season go to waste will impact their front office sooner rather than later.
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