Golden State Warriors Champion Could Become Free Agent
It was reported on Wednesday by Tony Jones of The Athletic that Utah Jazz forward Otto Porter Jr. is away from the team as he evaluates his NBA future. With the Jazz committed to developing their youth, Porter is a potential buyout candidate, which would allow him to hit free agency and sign with a championship contender.
An NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors in 2022, Porter has been unable to stay healthy since, playing just 23 games in two seasons with the Raptors before being dealt to Utah. Health has almost always been an issue for Porter, even prior to joining the Warriors, but his 63 regular season games and 19 playoff games in 2022 were crucial to Golden State's title run.
Now potentially set to hit free agency, Porter could be a solid fit for Golden State's final roster spot. The Warriors recently converted Lester Quinones from a two-way contract to a standard deal, occupying their 14th roster spot, but they still have one remaining.
The NBA's new CBA prohibits teams above the first luxury tax apron from signing buyout players who make more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. The Warriors are of course above that threshold, but Porter's $6.3M salary this season is below the $12,405,000 non-taxpayer mid-level exception, making him an option for Golden State should both sides be interested in a reunion.
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