The Golden State Warriors may soon be unveiling a very familiar face in a very different color. As the Boston Celtics arrive in San Francisco, Kristaps Porzingis could be on the verge of making his debut with the Golden State Warriors after a mid-season trade that quietly reshaped the Warriors' frontcourt.
Porzingis has not played in a game since Jan. 7 as he is still recovering from postural tachycardia syndrome and left Achilles tendonitis. His playing time remains uncertain, but Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said the big man's return is getting closer.
“Kristaps has been here the last few days,” Kerr said. “Worked out with the team on Tuesday. Looked good. He's feeling good. We won't make a decision until after practice (Wednesday) afternoon. We'll be walking up and down the field and scrimmaging.”
Although Porzingis has only played in 17 games this season, Kerr believes the adjustment will be seamless.
“You don’t have to change a lot,” Kerr said. “His biggest difference is his post game. He's a pretty good post player, especially against switches. You throw the ball to the free throw line, to the elbow, even in the post, and he can score in those places.
“That's one of the things we do [Wednesday]we looked at spacing. A little different spacing around jimmy [Butler]. Jimmy is a guy that attacks the rim, gets to the rim and kicks out of that area, whereas Kristaps is more of a scorer, shooter from the single point, but the concepts are similar for everyone else. We have to understand when a mismatch occurs. “
Steve Kerr said the Warriors made adjustments on Kristaps Porzingis' post tonight: “It's a little different than the spacing we have around Jimmy… Kristaps is more of a scorer, a shooter from the isolation.” pic.twitter.com/iVP5llTQsp
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 18, 2026
Veteran forward Al Horford, who played alongside Porzingis in Boston, also expressed cautious optimism in an interview with The Mirror.
“You can always tap into potential,” Horford said. “But, I think the most important thing for us is making sure we play the right way and we want to get better as the season goes on and I believe we have a good chance to do that over the next few days.”
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