Warriors in no rush to move Kristaps Porziņģis as trade market takes shape

The Golden State Warriors are open to trading Kristaps Porziņģis, but they won't force a deal. ESPN's Anthony Slater reported Wednesday, citing league sources, that the front office is willing to wait on the center's contract and let a market form. NBC Sports Bay Area also picked up the report.

Porziņģis hasn't been with the team all season. He has been out indefinitely with a health-related issue since he called out the day before training camp. On opening night, ESPN reported that Golden State had started looking into trade options. In his latest piece for ESPN, Slater writes that team sources remain extremely pessimistic Porziņģis will ever play for the Warriors again. Only general manager Mike Dunleavy and medical lead Rick Celebrini have been in contact with him, and Steve Kerr has been told to plan as if Porziņģis won't be there.

What Golden State still has is the contract. Porziņģis re-signed this summer on a two-year, $40 million deal. He makes $20 million this season, and ESPN reports that only $3 million of next year is guaranteed. That makes the deal useful as salary filler, and Slater notes it would look even better to a trade partner if Porziņģis agreed to give back a large share of the money in a buyout. Waiting gives the Warriors time to see which teams want cap relief and which have a big man to offer in return.

The Warriors need that big man badly. Draymond Green started at center on opening night, and Al Horford can't handle heavy minutes in his 20th season. Two-way rookie Graham Ike and Charles Bassey have also played there. The Lakers' Walker Kessler dunked 10 times in the opener. In the Memphis loss, the Warriors gave up a 12-point lead, and Zach Edey's size wore down Green in the fourth quarter. Stephen Curry told ESPN the situation was "a hard one for all reasons," and he stressed sympathy for Porziņģis.

What it means for Minnesota

None of this changes Wednesday's lineup. Golden State plays at Minnesota with the same group of centers that has carried it to a 1-3 start. The losses came by 22 to the Lakers, by three to Memphis and by nine at Phoenix. Monday's 134-114 win at Denver was the first sign of life, with Yaxel Lendeborg putting up 31 points and 12 rebounds, according to ESPN.

The Timberwolves have their own problem. ESPN reported that Anthony Edwards will have an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee Thursday and could miss up to two months. His status for Wednesday's game hasn't been reported.

Minnesota is still favored on the board for the game, which covers 12 venues. Novig has the Timberwolves at -156 and the Warriors at +153. Novig's spread is Minnesota -4.5, with Golden State +4.5 at -111. The best Timberwolves spread price anywhere is BetRivers at -3.5 for -112, so the venues are a full point apart. The total is also a point apart: 227.5 on Novig and 228.5 at BetRivers, where the under is -110. Sportsbook hold runs from about 2.4% to 5.2% across the markets.