It feels like just yesterday, and yet it also feels like ages ago when Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford were manning the center position for the Celtics, helping lead them to their 18th championship in 2024.
The magic ran out for that duo last season as the Cs flamed out against the Knicks with KP barely able to contribute at all. But apparently the Warriors seem to think there is still some magic left in the aging combo, as they’ve reunited the former Celtics champions in Golden State for the stretch run.
On Wednesday night, the Warriors acquired Porzingis from the Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. KP was Atlanta’s big offseason addition, but he has played in just 17 games, and the Hawks have sputtered to a 25-27 start. After just a few months, the Hawks are giving up on the Porzingis experiment, and they’ve shipped him to The Bay for a reunion with Horford.
Al was signed in free agency. It seemed as if the Celtics were going to take a “gap year” and be out of contention, while the Warriors were trying to chase one last title with Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. But Butler now has a torn achilles, Horford has played in 30 games, and the Warriors are fighting to stay in the top eight in the West.
Warriors can’t rely on Porzingis/Horford combination
The sad fact of the matter is that this pairing is over the hill. Whether it’s lower-body injuries or a chronic illness, Porzingis can’t stay on the court. And Horford will be 40 years old by the time this year’s Finals are over. They had an amazing run together in Boston, but this ship has sailed, and this move reeks of desperation from the Warriors.
And that’s exactly what this is: a desperate last move for Golden State to try and salvage the Curry era. They botched the two timelines plan, missing on James Wiseman, Kuminga, and getting hit with the devastating Butler injury this season. They were just about out of moves, and finally surrendering Kuminga was the last play.
His value had plummeted so much that the best they could do was bring back an unreliable KP, who’s going to be thrust into far too big a role immediately as a second option on offense. This plan is asking for disaster, but I’m not sure what else they can do.
The Warriors have helped Curry become an all-time great, but they’ve also wasted these last few years of his prime. They owe it to him to do everything they possibly can to improve the team, but there just isn’t a move to be made that can turn this wreck around. Teaming up Porzingis and Hofrod in the year 2026 certainly isn’t going to get it done.