The Golden State Warriors may have had their eye on Trey Muphy III from early in the offseason, but a potentially viable and more realistic alternative is quickly emerging from a familiar trade partner.
The Warriors and Brooklyn Nets executed a deal nearly 12 months ago centered on Dennis Schroder and De’Anthony Melton, but now an even bigger trade could be in store during this season involving championship-winning forward Michael Porter Jr.
Michael Porter Jr. could be a more realistic target than Trey Murphy III
Porter was already involved in a significant trade early in the offseason, having been sent to the Nets in exchange for another sharpshooter in Cam Johnson. The 27-year-old’s contract was seen as a poorly valued one from a team standpoint, yet he’s doing an excellent job to change that narrative so far this season.
Porter is averaging a career-high 24.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, shooting an efficient 48.6% from the floor and 37.5% from 3-point range. Those are incredibly impressive numbers, and they’re also on the way up given he’s posted 29.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assist over the last four games.
The idea of a Porter-to-Golden State trade was suddenly put on the agenda by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports on Saturday, with concerns growing at the franchise following a third-straight loss against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
https://twitter.com/KevinOConnor/status/1992347160097292507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Porter’s increased usage rate and playmaking has certainly been a notable development this season, having largely been a catch-and-shoot threat playing off 3x MVP Nikola Jokic and star guard Jamal Murray in Denver.
The more impressive aspect is that his 18 assists over the past four games have come with just five total turnovers, while he’s also led the otherwise young and tanking Nets to a pair of wins during that span.
In many ways Porter holds the same skillset as Murphy, while also holding a couple of extra inches as a 6’10” forward. The big issue is that Porter makes just over $13 million more, meaning the Warriors would likely have to give up Moses Moody, along with Jonathan Kuminga, as O’Connor suggests.
If he was making a similar $25 million salary as Murphy is, then Porter would likely be the biggest name on the radar given it’s more plausible that Brooklyn move him than it is New Orleans trading their young forward.
That contract situation means the Warriors should still try and prioritize Murphy if they can pry him from the Pelicans, but Porter is becoming an increasingly possible alternative based on his impressive form and a skillset that could provide a jolt to what is currently the 23rd ranked offense in the league.
