Why are the Warriors avoiding Michael Porter Jr?
The Golden State Warriors have had a relatively quiet offseason as they wait for LeBron James to make a decision on where he will play next season.
The Warriors re-signed Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and De'Anthony Melton. They lost Quinten Post to the Memphis Grizzlies, who signed an offer sheet with the team as a restricted free agent. The Warriors opted not to match the offer sheet, which was worth $26 million across three years.
Draymond Green is still an unrestricted free agent after declining his player option, though most expect him to return to the Warriors.
The team has been attempting to make moves to remain competitive in the twilight years of Steph Curry in recent seasons, acquiring Jimmy Butler and being involved in trade talks for Paul George before he joined the Philadelphia 76ers, Kawhi Leonard at the most recent NBA trade deadline, and Kevin Durant at the 2025 trade deadline.
Turning Down An Offensive Star?
According to Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports, the Warriors don't have an interest in Michael Porter Jr of the Brooklyn Nets.
O'Connor wrote, "Sources say that Steve Kerr didn't want MPJ in February, and there is little reason to believe he would want him now."
It is unclear why Kerr didn't want Porter Jr on the team. There were rumors that the Nets would try to trade Porter Jr at the deadline after his breakout season, but either they weren't pleased with the offers or simply decided to hold onto him for other reasons.
The article implies the Warriors would've been interested in acquiring Porter Jr. at the trade deadline, which means Jonathan Kuminga likely would've been involved. Kuminga was moved to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis at the deadline.
Why Not MPJ?
As fa as offensive talent goes, MPJ looks to be a good fit for the Warriors. He was a key piece of the Denver Nuggets' championship run in 2023; he's a proven outside shooter and rebounder, and he can create his own shot.
Maybe Kerr saw too much of Kuminga in him, viewing him as a player who wanted more control of the offense than Kerr wanted to give him, but he's a much more talented offensive player than Kuminga. He's not on the level of Kuminga defensively, but the Warriors were struggling to do much of anything in February with Curry and Butler sidelined.
For now, the Warriors just continue to wait for LeBron to make a decision before moving forward with their offseason plans.
