New Golden State Warriors big man Kristaps Porzingis is finding out what it’s like to be on the same team with controversial forward Draymond Green. So far, the Latvian star is loving the experience.
Ahead of his debut in a Warriors uniform in Thursday’s meeting with his former team, the Boston Celtics, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., Porzingis shared a comment about Green after practicing with him on Wednesday.
“I love Draymond, man,” Porzingis said, via Anthony Slate of ESPN. “I can see how important he is to this group.”
Porzingis and Green have to get along, as Golden State looks to rely on its frontcourt more, especially with Steph Curry still sidelined with a knee injury.
The Warriors acquired Porzingis on Feb. 4 via a trade with the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, but an Achilles tendinitis has prevented him from suiting up for a game for Golden State. In fact, he has not seen action since Jan. 7 because of the same lower-body issue.
Staying healthy has always been a challenge for Porzingis, but the Warriors clearly trust him enough to trade for him.
In the 17 games he played with the Hawks in the 2025-26 season, the 39-year-old Porzingis averaged 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 45.7 percent from the floor.
