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Warriors' Steve Kerr Defends Kristaps Porzingis Trade

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Reign Amurao | Last updated Mar 17, 2026 8:53 PM ET

There have been some concerns over Kristaps Porzingis' health with the Golden State Warriors. The franchise traded for him at the deadline, but he's only played through five games. Since arriving in the Bay Area, the big man has had issues with his health and has dealt with illness.

His presence is needed since the Warriors have faced challenges with their star players' health. Two-time MVP Stephen Curry has missed 18 straight games due to a knee issue. According to reports, Curry and the team expect him to return before the end of March. Also, star forward Jimmy Butler is out for the rest of the 2025-26 season, after he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee.

With Porzingis, the Warriors expected him to be a factor on offense. This has resulted in the team being criticized for trading for the one-time champion amid his health issues.

Steve Kerr Hopes to Give Stephen Curry More Help With Kristaps Porzingis

Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis (7)Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

Warriors coach Steve Kerr appeared on 95.7 The Game's "Willard & Dibs" on Tuesday to talk about Porzingis.

“The whole point in trading for him a couple of weeks back was we get the end of this season to make a run to see what he can do, see what we can do with him. And pair him with Steph,” Kerr said.

"The whole point in trading for [Kristaps Porzingis]...see what we can do with him and pair him with Steph...but he's our our guy and we get to show him what we have to offer."

- Steve Kerr on Porzingis' future in Golden State (via @WillardAndDibs). pic.twitter.com/mVWBsn7dWC
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) March 18, 2026

Porzingis' two-year, $60 million contract expires after the 2025-26 season. Kerr hopes to have the Latvian center back over the summer and recover from his health issues.

“He’s our guy and we get to show him what we have ot offer him, and we get to know each other. I think, ideally, for everybody, he would re-sign and come back healthy and be an important player for us for many years.”

Through the five games he played for the Warriors, Porzingis has averaged 17.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. The versatility of the NBA star's offensive skills has been beneficial for Golden State. Additionally, the interior defense that he possesses has answered one of the team's biggest issues.

With him on the floor, Draymond Green can revert to playing the power forward and not deal with the physicality of the inside game for an entire game. Porzingis is gradually finding his groove with the Warriors. On Monday, the one-time All-Star led the team with 30 points on 13-for-14 from the free throw line, leading to a 125-117 win.

The Warriors are looking forward to seeing Porzingis play with Curry. But for that to happen, both players need to be healthy.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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