New Update on Kristaps Porzingis' Situation With Warriors Makes Things Interesting

The Golden State Warriors have won five games in a row to climb to 5-3, but the biggest story around the team this week has nothing to do with what happens on the court.

Golden State is not delivering payments to center Kristaps Porzingis on his $20 million salary, ruling that he is not rendering services, ESPN's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported on Wednesday.

According to the same report, the Warriors can still move his contract at any point before the Feb. 11 trade deadline, and they will keep looking for trades as Porzingis leans toward ending his NBA career.

Porzingis signed a two-year, $40 million extension with Golden State this summer, with only $3 million guaranteed in the second season, according to ESPN.

He stepped away from the team on the eve of training camp while dealing with a health issue, and the team has since changed his official status from out with general illness to not with team, which ESPN reported was a purposeful change.

ESPN's Bobby Marks pointed out that the missed payments are costing Porzingis $218,341 per game even though his full salary still counts against the cap, the tax and the apron.

Charania also reported that a rival team could take on his deal, save money and clear a roster spot through a buyout, which explains why the Warriors see value in the contract even with Porzingis away.

When guard Stephen Curry was asked about the situation, he made sure to bring up the human side of it, which is the right way to look at it.

"It's hard to talk about without keeping the humanity of it in mind. But it is a tough one to figure out," Curry said, according to ESPN.

Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line that the Warriors hope to trade the contract for a useful frontcourt player on an expiring deal, ideally by Dec. 16, so that player can be packaged in another trade before the deadline.

The team took that same path with Dennis Schröder two seasons ago on the way to landing Jimmy Butler, and I think it could work again.

Golden State has also played well without him, with forward Draymond Green starting six of the eight games and center Charles Bassey giving the team good minutes in the middle, and Curry has talked about how this group is different from the one that started 0-3.

Rookie forward Yaxel Lendeborg has also changed how the Warriors play, which takes some pressure off the front office.

The Warriors host the Miami Heat on Thursday night, and Curry has seemed relieved by the way this team is winning lately.

I expect Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office to stay patient and wait for the right deal, because the contract is more useful as a trade piece than as a sunk cost.

I hope Porzingis gets whatever help he needs, and a clean break looks best for both sides.

Turning this contract into a reliable big man before Dec. 16 would be a smart move.