Kristaps Porzingis Health Issue Should Have Warriors Making New Trade Plan

Kristaps Porzingis is out for training camp with a health issue, which reinforces that illness-related absences are essentially impossible to control.

Even if he returns for the Golden State Warriors' regular-season opener on Oct. 21, it's a bad sign that Porzingis is already dealing with something after playing just 74 games over the last two seasons.

Porzingis is making $20 million this season, and he's guaranteed just $3 million of his $20 million salary for next season. He's essentially on an expiring contract, which should make him easier to trade.

For most of their potential trade pursuits, the Warriors will need at least $20 million in outgoing salary. That makes Porzingis the player they should be looking to deal, even if it leaves some doubt about their center depth.

Porzingis Trade Frameworks That Make Sense

The Warriors have shown interest in Trey Murphy III in the past, and they will likely continue to do so until the Pelicans deal him.

Murphy makes $27 million this season.

The most obvious trade framework is giving up Porzingis ($20 million), Moses Moody ($12.9 million) and draft capital for Murphy.

It would be a dream if the Warriors could get 22-year-old center Yves Missi ($3.5 million) as well, but that would cost even more draft capital (not to mention the Pels likely wouldn't make him available at all).

Murphy is the type of lengthy scoring wing who could transform Golden State's offense.

Another trade framework if the Magic are struggling by midseason is trading Porzingis, Moody and draft capital for Jalen Suggs ($32.4 million).

Suggs is one of the best defensive guards in the league. He wouldn't be as costly as Murphy from a draft capital perspective, mostly because he's far behind on offense.

Getting Suggs or Murphy could leave the Warriors with a center rotation of Al Horford, Charles Bassey and Graham Ike. Sure, they can go small and play Draymond Green or Yaxel Lendeborg at center, but still, it's a concerning depth chart that could get exposed in the playoffs.

So the other option the Warriors have is trading Porzingis directly for a center. A framework of Porzingis and two players on minimum contracts (likely two of Bassey, Georges Niang, Brandon Williams and Will Richard) for Bulls center Nic Claxton ($23.3 million) would work.

Claxton doesn't have a three-point shot, which doesn't make him a perfect fit for a team that often has Green at the 4 and wants to play more five-out offense.

But his ability to defend, rebound and pass would otherwise make him a good fit.

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