The Golden State Warriors entered the NBA trade deadline with ambitions of landing one of basketball’s most dominant superstars in Giannis Antetokounmpo. By the time the deadline had passed, they addressed their roster needs with a former All-Star signing that surprised many – but not Stephen Curry.

After extensive discussions centered around acquiring Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, the Warriors changed their focus and finalized a deal for former All-Star center Kristaps Porzingis.

Despite falling short of the blockbuster acquisition many expected, franchise leader Stephen Curry expressed optimism about the team’s newest addition.

Curry offered his first public reaction following the trade after Golden State secured a 101-97 comeback victory over the Phoenix Suns, a game Curry missed but closely monitored.

The veteran guard highlighted his enthusiasm about integrating Porzingis into the team’s system and culture.

“I’m excited with what KP can bring,” Curry said after the victory. “You saw the fight tonight. We’ll learn each other as we go.”

The move capped off a week of intense negotiations as the Warriors aggressively pursued Antetokounmpo, widely considered one of the league’s premier talents and a two-time MVP with the Bucks.

However, the organization eventually accepted that Milwaukee had no intention of parting with its franchise cornerstone during the season.

Per Shams Charania, the decision to pivot toward Porzingis came after internal evaluations and discussions over the final 24 hours leading into the deadline.

Porzingis brings size and championship experience

To complete the deal, the Warriors sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Porzingis.

The trade reflects the franchise’s efforts to add height, rim protection, and floor spacing – three attributes that Porziis has demonstrated when healthy.

Porzingis arrives in Golden State carrying both promise and uncertainty. The 7-foot-3 center missed 13 consecutive games before the trade and has appeared in only 17 contests this season after playing 42 games last year.

Despite those durability concerns, the Warriors accepted the risk after the opportunity to acquire Giannis disappeared.

Porzingis is also playing on an expiring $30.7 million contract, giving the Warriors some financial flexibility entering the offseason and allowing them to consider other moves in the offseason.

Curry also emphasized Porzingis‘ championship pedigree and familiarity with elite teammates, referencing his past title success alongside veteran forward Al Horford.

“I’m learning some Latvian,” Curry said. “I’m just hoping that he’s healthy, first and foremost, so that he can do what he can do on the floor.

“Him and Al Horford won a championship together. Different context, but there’s a familiarity and skill set and size and presence that we’ve been looking for a while.”

While some fans were surprised by the timing of the trade, it had been widely reported that they had monitored Porzingis for months as a contingency option.

Perkins questions Warriors’ business

Not everyone around the league viewed the move favorably. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins expressed skepticism about both the immediate impact and overall direction of the trade.

“I forgot he still plays basketball – I’m serious,” Perkins said. “I haven’t heard his name until tonight. It does absolutely nothing for me.

“When you talk about what we’ve been discussing the last two weeks, we were talking about pairing Steph with Giannis. Now all of a sudden, it’s just Kristaps Porzingis. That don’t move the needle for me.”

Perkins also suggested the move may be financially motivated rather than purely competitive: “This is just a move, probably to free up money and free up cap space to make a bigger move this offseason,” he said.

As the Warriors prepare to integrate Porzingis into their rotation, the team remains focused on maximizing its championship window around Curry.

Whether Porzingis becomes a pivotal contributor or a transitional piece toward a larger roster overhaul remains one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the remainder of the season.