Warriors Land Porzingis In Deadline Trade With Hawks

The Golden State Warriors have made a bold move at the NBA trade deadline, shaking up their roster and the league’s landscape by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. This transaction, finalized on the evening of February 4, 2026, and widely reported by ESPN and The Bay Area News Group, marks a significant shift for all parties involved—ending Kuminga’s tumultuous five-season run in the Bay Area and ushering in a new era for both franchises.

For Warriors fans, the deal comes as both a surprise and a calculated risk. Porzingis, a 7-foot-2 center with a rare combination of rim protection and outside shooting, has long been on the Warriors’ radar. His ability to block shots and stretch the floor with his three-point shooting fits the Warriors’ offensive philosophy like a glove—at least on paper. According to ESPN, Porzingis is averaging 17.1 points per game this season, making 36% of his three-point attempts, and boasts an impressive 4.8% block rate, which ranks him in the 91st percentile among NBA big men. He’s also 11th in the league in Estimated Plus-Minus (EPM), a testament to his impact on both ends of the floor when healthy.

But there’s the rub: health. Porzingis has appeared in just 17 of Atlanta’s 58 games this season, largely due to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)—a nervous system disorder that causes rapid heart rate and dizziness—along with other injuries. He hasn’t played since January 7, 2026, but the Warriors are optimistic he’ll be back in action soon after joining the team. The hope is that Porzingis can bolster Golden State’s front court for the playoff push, especially as they currently sit eighth in the Western Conference with a 27-24 record.

Golden State’s pursuit of Porzingis comes after their ambitious, but ultimately unsuccessful, chase of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Team sources told ESPN that the Warriors made several offers for the Milwaukee Bucks superstar but pivoted once it became clear the Bucks wouldn’t move him at the deadline. With Antetokounmpo off the table, the Warriors redirected their attention to Porzingis, whom they’ve admired since his playoff runs with the Boston Celtics and whose expiring $30.7 million contract poses no long-term financial risk.

“Porzingis has a unique skill set as a 7’3 big man who can block shots and stroke three-pointers at an elite rate for his position,” wrote an analyst for The Bay Area News Group. “He’s been a low turnover player his entire career, but he’s about to enter an offensive system that requires its bigs to make quick passing reads.” It’s a tantalizing prospect for Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who has long sought a rim-protecting center to pair with Draymond Green—now expected to stay with the team despite being dangled in trade talks earlier this season.

On the flip side, the Hawks are taking a calculated swing on Jonathan Kuminga, a physically gifted forward who never quite found his footing in Golden State. Kuminga, who averaged 12.5 points on 50.3% shooting in 278 career games with the Warriors, often found himself in and out of Kerr’s rotation. After starting the first 12 games this season, his play dipped, and he was eventually relegated to the bench. The situation escalated when Kuminga demanded a trade on January 15, following a stretch of 16 consecutive games as a healthy scratch. A brief resurgence—highlighted by a 30-point outburst after Jimmy Butler’s ACL injury—was cut short by Kuminga’s own knee and ankle injuries.

Despite these ups and downs, Atlanta sees potential in Kuminga, especially after trading former star point guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards a few weeks prior. The Hawks, now focused on rebuilding and developing young talent, expect Kuminga to assume a featured offensive role—an opportunity he rarely received with the Warriors. As one local report put it, “Kuminga is expected to be one of the featured offensive stars for his new team, a role he has long craved but rarely received while with the Warriors.”

Kuminga’s contract situation also adds intrigue. He has a team option for $24.3 million next season, giving the Hawks flexibility as they evaluate his fit alongside emerging talents like Jalen Johnson. Buddy Hield, included in the trade, carries a less favorable financial outlook—two years remaining at $9.6 million for 2026-27 and $10 million for 2027-28—a contract some analysts have labeled as a “true bad contract.” Nevertheless, Atlanta was willing to absorb Hield’s deal to secure Kuminga’s upside.

Meanwhile, the Warriors continued to reshape their roster by sending backup center Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for a 2026 second-round pick originally owned by the Los Angeles Lakers. This move opens up roster space, allowing Golden State to convert two-way player Pat Spencer to a full-time contract. According to league sources, Spencer was just one game away from reaching the 50-game limit for two-way players, so the timing couldn’t have been better.

For Kuminga, the trade represents a much-needed fresh start. His tenure with Golden State was marked by flashes of brilliance and long stretches of frustration—oscillating between promising performances and extended periods on the bench. His agent, Aaron Turner, had gone on a public campaign to find his client a new home, and now Atlanta offers a clean slate and a chance to prove himself as a core piece of a team in transition.

As for Porzingis, the Warriors are rolling the dice on his health and hoping his unique skill set can help them make noise in the Western Conference. If he can stay on the court, his rim protection and shooting could be game-changers for a team looking to recapture its championship form. But if injuries persist, Golden State’s gamble could leave them shorthanded down the stretch.

One thing is certain: this trade has injected new energy, uncertainty, and excitement into the NBA’s midseason narrative. With Porzingis eyeing a return to the court and Kuminga eager to make his mark in Atlanta, all eyes will be on how these bold moves shape the fates of two franchises hungry for success. The action is just heating up as the league barrels toward the playoffs, and the ripple effects of this deal are sure to be felt for months to come.