The Golden State Warriors may have one frontrunner to take Kristaps Porzingis’ $40 million contract off their hands. The only catch: the Warriors would have to compromise a key building block for their post-Curry future. The team is reportedly in trade talks with a few NBA teams. But general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. is maintaining a strict line when it comes to giving up future assets.

According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Milwaukee Bucks recently expressed willingness to trade center Myles Turner to the Warriors in exchange for Porzingis’ contract, which is essentially an expiring deal. But the offer hit a standstill over Milwaukee’s demand for draft compensation.

The Warriors promptly rejected the proposal, refusing to attach draft picks to a trade package simply to move off Porzingis contract or absorb long-term money.

“While willing to give up Myles Turner for Porzingis’ contract, the Bucks have wanted draft compensation from the Warriors, something that isn’t on the table, sources said,” Siegel wrote for ClutchPoints. “Golden State has held firm that if it were to absorb Turner’s contract for Porzingis and another player, presumably Moses Moody, the team would need extra compensation from Milwaukee, and there really is no interest in trading Moody.”

After being unable to play this season due to undisclosed health reasons, Kristaps Porzingis announced he’d be stepping away from basketball indefinitely. Out of his two-year, $40 million contract, only $3 million is guaranteed for the next season.

The Warriors view Porzingis’ $20 million salary for 2026-27 not as a burden, but as a unique trade asset. Because the 31-year-old center has been away from the team since training camp due to health issues and is reportedly not receiving his salary for now, the Warriors hold significant leverage.

Per Siegel, Porzingis is also reportedly willing to take a substantial buyout, forfeiting over 60% of his salary, once traded. It adds an attractive relief valve for rival franchises looking to clear immediate cap space.

It would be a few more weeks before players become trade-eligible and they can weigh their options. Until then, the Warriors front office feels no pressure to attach draft assets to facilitate a deal.

The Warriors to use Kristaps Porzingis’ contract to protect draft capital

This is a continuation of a longstanding pattern that Steve Kerr cemented recently. The Warriors have shown extreme reluctance to give Stephen Curry win-now championship pieces to use their massive draft chest for when he eventually retires.

They seem to be viewing Porzingis’ contract as an opportunity to get a viable rotation piece without having to lose any future draft picks.

Seigel revealed that the Warriors are in talks with the Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and New Orleans Pelicans. The Bucks may be the first team who has thrown a player’s name into the pool. While rebuilding their post-Giannis roster and given Myles Turner’s recent offensive struggles, a trade package for draft assets is logical.

However, the Warriors’ reluctance to part with draft capital for Turner aligns with their broader opportunistic approach. Turner has a hefty four-year, $108.9 million fully guaranteed contract. The Warriors would not be willing to subsidize a long-term financial commitment with draft picks.

Further, Turner has endured a slow start to his 2026–27 campaign, averaging just 7.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting a modest 34.6 percent from the field.

Instead, the Warriors are eyeing specific dates next month. Dec. 15 marks the threshold when multiple players become trade-eligible across the league. By executing a Porzingis trade mid-December, the Warriors retain the option to re-aggregate any incoming player contract in a larger transaction prior to the Feb. 11 trade deadline. They’ve done this successfully before when they flipped Dennis Schroder during the 2024–25 season.

Mike Dunleavy’s team is keeping its options open, including testing the waters to get Jalen Smith from the Bulls. Rival executives are also closely monitoring the Orlando Magic, where center Wendell Carter Jr. could emerge as a target if Orlando seeks financial flexibility ahead of Anthony Black’s restricted free agency.

Riding an eight-game winning streak and sitting at 8–3 on the season behind Stephen Curry’s historic production, the Warriors feel zero urgency to rush a deal. Dunleavy’s vision for Porzingis’ contract is a transaction that strictly enhances the roster without draining future draft capital.