NBA Trade Rumor: Michael Porter Jr. Lands with Warriors in Proposed Huge Deal

The Golden State Warriors remain mired in the Play-In in the Western Conference, fighting to stay around the .500 mark. Landing another elite scorer would make a lot of sense for the Dubs, and we have a proposed trade that could get it done.

Former NBA champion Michael Porter Jr., after spending the first six years of his career getting used to winning, with the Denver Nuggets, is stuck in Brooklyn with the Nets. Yes, they've been winning more of late, but at 10-19, their chances of a playoff berth are slim and none. Let's face it, the team should continue to concentrate on their rebuild rather than chase a postseason spot.

Porter's career-high 25.8 points per game is doing two things: hurting the Nets' lottery odds, but also helping his trade value immensely.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report has proposed the following trade, which would land Porter Jr. in San Francisco, to help Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler & Co. step up to a new level.

Golden State Warriors receive:

Michael Porter Jr.
Haywood Highsmith

Brooklyn Nets receive:

Jonathan Kuminga
Moses Moody
Buddy Hield
2028 first-round pick (top-five protected)
2030 first-round pick swap (21-30 protected)

For the Dubs, this hypothetical deal strikes a balance of a nice package, without going too overboard.

"The Warriors clearly need to get Stephen Curry more scoring support, but they also have to be careful about forking over their entire future when they might be more than one trade away from title contention," writes Buckley. "This feels like the right tight rope to traverse."

Imagine the extra spacing that Porter Jr. could afford Curry and Butler, with the 40% shooting mark from three that he puts up most every year. It could be deadly for opponents to defend.

The Nets would receive the oft-mentioned trade package from the Warriors—two young promising players in Kuminga and Moody, plus a first-rounder and a pick swap, along with an extra piece in Hield.

"After loading up on playmakers at the draft, Brooklyn could squeeze plenty of juice out of play-finishers like Kuminga, Moody and even Hield," writes Buckley.

Additionally, Hield, normally a sniper from long distance as well, who is having his worst season from beyond the arc, at 32.6%, has improved to 37% in eight December games going into Sunday's play. If that continues, the Nets just might be able to flip him to a contender at the deadline for another small asset.