Warriors Get Positive Update on Kristaps Porzingis' Health

Kristaps Porzingis has missed the Golden State Warriors' last five games with an illness, but it appears he'll be returning to the court soon.

ESPN's Anthony Slater reported that Porzingis will join the Warriors on their three-game road trip that starts Thursday in Houston. They will also play the Thunder on Saturday and the Jazz on Monday.

Slater made it clear that there hasn't been any confirmation on when he'll play, but the fact that he's making the trip at all suggests he's feeling better.

Porzingis has played just 18 games this season due to Achilles tendinitis and various battles with illnesses.

Warriors Desperate for Offense Porzingis Can Provide

Stephen Curry has missed Golden State's last 11 games with runner's knee. The Warriors have won just four of them.

Their offensive rating in that stretch is just 111.5, per NBA.com. If that was their season-long O rating, it would rank 25th.

De'Anthony Melton and Moses Moody have done all they can trying to make up for such a big scoring void, but they aren't supposed to be top options, and having to carry that load might already be catching up to them.

Melton is 6-of-26 in his last two games. Moody shot 4-of-12 and suffered shoulder and wrist injuries against the Clippers.

Even if Porzingis plays just 20 minutes per game, he'll give the Warriors a huge scoring punch that will take pressure off everyone else.

Warriors Need to See Green-Porzingis Tandem in Action

In his last nine games, Draymond Green has posted a negative plus-minus in seven of them. Steve Kerr has talked about needing to help Green when Curry is absent.

“I’ve got to do a better job of helping Draymond,” Kerr said on Feb. 20. “The game is so different without Steph. Those two guys have built such a rapport for 14 years now. They’ve been playing together, and for sure, in my 12 (years), the two-man game with those two guys has been our bread and butter. When Steph goes out, it really changes everything in terms of how defenses guard us, and it impacts Draymond probably more than anybody.”

In theory, playing with a 7'2" shotmaking center would help Green, but that tandem has only had the chance to play nine possessions together.

How the Green-Porzingis minutes go could have a big impact on offseason contract negotiations with both players.

Porzingis is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, while Green has a $27.7 million player option.