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Durant is still a fan of American school and suggests that European guys learned from his compatriots: "Basketball is played all over the world. That's the goal, to develop basketball everywhere. It was also time for the internationals to be the best in the league. They've been coming since the 80s, it's natural that some of them became the best. The real question is who influenced them?" Durant asked. "It's the Americans who had an influence on them. It's cool that some of them won MVP awards, but who did they look up to. Jokic, Porzingis, Shai, they all wore Iverson's jerseys and imitated his crossovers. They try to play like us and they succeeded in their own way."
Kevin Durant on international players taking over NBA: It’s about time. They been coming into the league since the 80s… The real arguments should be who are they influenced by? Most of these dudes are influenced by who? Americans. It’s cool getting MVPs and stuff but who did you watch? You see Jokic, Porzingis, Shai, all these dudes with Iverson jerseys coming up…. They trynna play like us too. You look at Shai, is he an international player? His pipeline for being a NBA player came from the American system. Where’d he go to college? Where’d he go to high school?
Keith Smith: Kristaps Porzingis' contract with the Golden State Warriors becomes fully guaranteed for $20 million today. This is a quirk of Porzingis' extension. In order for the 2027-28 season to be partially guaranteed with a July 7, 2027 guarantee date, this season had to mirror it.
Keith Smith: In order for Kristaps Porzingis to have a partial guarantee with an early trigger date for the 2027-28 season, the 2026-27 season has to be partially guaranteed with an early trigger date too. I get why it’s frustrating, but the Trade Machine is functioning as it’s supposed to.
Fred Katz: Funky contracts all around the league now. Adding to @anthonyVslater’s report on Kristaps Porzingis contract details: Porzingis is guaranteed for only $3M in 2026-27 and the Warriors have until July 7 to waive him. Extra flexibility for them.
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Anthony Slater: Pair of relevant notes on Kristaps Porzingis' new contract, per sources. 1. Only $3 million is guaranteed for the second season. 2. He's immediately trade eligible because of the structure of the two-year, $40 million extension (no more than 5% raise between yrs 1 and 2).
Keith Smith: Note on Kristaps Porzingis' new contract with the Warriors: This is an extension (and it's already official) vs a new deal. The deal also didn't include greater than a 5% raise from Year 1 to Year 2. That means that Porzingis is immediately trade-eligible. No restrictions.
Brian Windhorst: I like actions over words. The actions were that Draymond Green opted out of his contract. That gives the Warriors flexibility, but I don't think the Warriors think they're getting Anthony Davis. Do you want to know why I think they will? Because they signed Kristaps Porzingis. And this contract and Porzingis did not play a lot of games last year for anybody, much less for the Warriors. But you've got to have big men to compete in the Western Conference. They had to handle this business.
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Nick Friedell: Porzingis is headed back to the Warriors on a two year deal worth around $40 mil, according to league source. Second year is a player option. Warriors have thought all along that Porzingis fits what they want to do. Porzingis said repeatedly how much he loves Rick Celebrini.
Shams Charania: The Warriors were eligible to reach an extension with Porzingis ahead of the veteran center hitting the open market on Tuesday night. The deal, according to @BobbyMarks42 , likely prohibits Golden State from using the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Yossi Gozlan: Warriors cap situation after extending Kristaps Porzingis and De'Anthony Melton presumably opting out. The LeBron James-Anthony Davis pipedream is still alive. They would presumably swap Jimmy Butler and picks for Davis. Then they could fit James with $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level under the first apron hard cap IF Draymond Green takes the same contract as Porzingis, and IF they also find a taker for Moses Moody.
Shams Charania: Free agent center Kristaps Porzingis has agreed to a two-year, $40 million contract extension to return to the Golden State Warriors through 2027-28, with a player option in the second season, agent Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management tells ESPN.