SAN FRANCISCO — With a mixture of old and young, the future of the Warriors is anybody’s guess.
The Warriors (31-28) made it clear, however, that Gui Santos would be part of the solution, announcing a multi-year contract extension to the Brazilian born forward in advance of their game Saturday night at Chase Center against the Los Angeles Lakers (34-24).
Coach Steve Kerr also announced that Kristaps Porzingis would not face the Lakers due to an extended illness and that his availability will be revisited when the Warriors host the Los Angeles Clippers Monday night.
Draymond Green (back) is returning to the starting lineup against the Lakers while guard Stephen Curry (knee) remains out.
The Santos deal, according to ESPN, was for three years and $15 million and includes a player option for 2028-29.
“I’m happy for Gui and happy for us,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He has been such an important player for us but also just an incredible development story. You just appreciate when somebody is able to rise up from the bottom of the second round to where he is now as a crucial player for us. But it only happens because of his fortitude, his work ethic and commitment.”
A second-round pick (No. 55 overall) in 2022, Santos has played in 48 games with 13 starts this season and has participated in the developmental G-League. In the last 12 games, Santos has been in double figures 11 times, averaging 15.0 points on 58.8 percent shooting with coach Kerr calling him one of their top “shot creators,” even if his style is a little unorthodox. He’s also shot 43.1 percent from 3-point range with 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 28.8 minutes during that span.
Kerr said he and general manager Mike Dunleavy had discussed getting Santos locked up for some time but wasn’t sure if his recent run of success accelerated the process.
Asked about his ascension Friday following practice, Santos cited patience.
“When I got here, I was a point guard playing in Brazil, playing like a point guard, having the ball in my hand,” Santos said. “Then I spent the whole year in the G-League just learning how to fit in the system here because my goal was always playing in the NBA and playing for the Warriors.”
At first, that was easy enough since his instructions were basically to play hard on defense, crash the boards, and as Santos put it “get the ball to Steph.”
Yet Santos has given a good enough version of himself with Curry out of the lineup to merit an extension.
“Right now they give me the option or the opportunity to show a little bit more after we lost Jimmy (Butler),” Santos said. “With Draymond (back) out it’s given me more space to show a little bit more of what I can do. I’m glad they’re trusting me.”
Butler’s absence for the season with a torn ACL on Jan. 19 coincided with Santos first getting more meaningful minutes.
“I think with Jimmy out, there has been a void in terms of having someone capable of getting into the paint and either scoring or distributing,” Kerr said. “And he’s pretty good at that. He’s probably been our best shot creator of late, just in terms of finding something out of nothing. And he does it in multiple ways. He can do it in a one-on-one situation or off the dribble. Without Jimmy he has really seized the opportunity.”
Porzingis illness
Kerr gave up what he considered to be a few unnecessary and inaccurate deals in an interview with 95.7 The Game Friday regarding Porzingis. He said Porzingis was merely sick and that it wasn’t postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, something the 7-foot-2 center told The Athletic before the season he was dealing with.
Porzingis has missed the last four games.
“It was a stupid mistake by me to talk about something I’m not qualified to talk about,” Kerr said. “I regretted even trying to discuss the diagnosis, and I need to leave that to the professionals.”
Porzingis arrived on Feb. 5 from Atlanta in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. In his only appearance with the Warriors, he scored 12 points on Feb. 19 in 17:15 of playing time. Kuminga, meanwhile, is averaging 22.0 points, coming off the bench in his first game and starting in his second game for Atlanta.
Saturday’s starters
Kerr’s starting lineup Saturday against the Lakers featured Green at center, Santos and Moses Moody at forward and guards De’Anthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski.
