On February 4, 2026, the Golden State Warriors made a big move at the NBA trade deadline. They traded Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for center Kristaps Porziņģis. The Warriors get bigger and better at center, and they also get rid of Kuminga’s and Hield’s contracts. ESPN’s Shams Charania got confirmation of the trade from sources, which ends Kuminga’s rocky time with the Golden State Warriors.
Porziņģis has a high-risk, high-reward profile for the Warriors. He averaged about 17–19 points early this season and shot 36% from three-point range before health problems kept him out of games. He is 7 feet 3 inches tall, which helps Golden State protect the paint and space out the floor, especially since they couldn’t get Giannis Antetokounmpo. His $30.7 million contract is about to end, which means he won’t be a long-term risk. Getting rid of Hield’s last few years gives you more options.
Analysts give the move a B because they like the low-risk upside if Porziņģis stays healthy, even though he has had problems in the past like POTS. Some places give it an A just for the salary cut.
Atlanta gets Jonathan Kuminga, a forward who was the seventh pick in the 2021 draft. He has shown he can score and play defense, but he and coach Steve Kerr have had problems over playing time. The Hawks get a boost in energy and morale in the locker room when they team up with Buddy Hield, one of the best deep shooters in the league. Kuminga’s two-year, $24 million deal (with a team option) fits their evaluation window with Jalen Johnson.
The Hawks also get a B grade because they didn’t plan to keep Porziņģis after trading for him from Boston. This trade adds toughness without taking up cap space.
Porziņģis could return soon after being sick, which would help Golden State’s title push with his scoring at all levels. Kuminga gets a fresh start in Atlanta, where he could do well in a new system. The deal shows how teams trade players at the last minute, but the league still needs to approve it.
