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Then-Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis defends Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo during an Eastern Conference matchup. Golden State reportedly is making progress on a new deal with Porzingis after pivoting to acquire him following its unsuccessful pursuit of Antetokounmpo.

The Golden State Warriors‘ front office appears intent on keeping one of its biggest trade-deadline acquisitions in the Bay Area.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported Thursday in The Stein Line that the Warriors and veteran center Kristaps Porzingis are “indeed progressing” in negotiations on a new contract before free agency begins.

The NBA’s negotiating window for teams to discuss extensions with their own free agents and extension-eligible players opened Sunday and remains active until June 30. According to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks, Porzingis is eligible to sign an extension worth as much as three years and $116.2 million.

Whether the deal reaches that figure remains highly unlikely. The report nonetheless signals that both sides have mutual interest in continuing their partnership.

Porzingis Quickly Became Key Piece of Warriors’ Frontcourt

GettyKristaps Porzingis and the Golden State Warriors are progressing toward a new deal, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Golden State acquired Porzingis and his expiring contract worth nearly $31 million at the February trade deadline after its pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo failed to materialize.

The move cost the Warriors Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield but immediately addressed the team’s need for size and frontcourt scoring.

Porzingis showed flashes of why Golden State targeted him.

In 15 regular-season games with the Warriors, the 30-year-old averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks in 23.7 minutes per game. He also reached double figures in scoring in 13 of his 16 appearances with the franchise.

His best moment came in the Play-In Tournament against the Los Angeles Clippers, when he posted 20 points, five rebounds and five assists to help force overtime.

Even after the Warriors’ season ended in a play-in loss to the Phoenix Suns, Porzingis left the door open to returning.

“I do love my time here, honestly,” he told the California Post in April. “Not one bad thing I can say about the organization, the team, the teammates. I really love it here, I really do.

“As I said before, I haven’t had a good year. If I had a good year, I think I’d have a more clear picture of what I want to do. Because I’ve had an up-and-down year like this, this is an offseason in my career that I think I’m just going to take a step back, look at the whole picture and then see what’s the best direction for me.”

Health Remains Biggest Question in Negotiations

As productive as Porzingis can be, durability has remained the defining storyline of his career.

The former All-Star once again battled health issues last season and continues to manage Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, adding another layer of uncertainty to his market value.

Because of those concerns, league observers expect a shorter-term agreement.

The Athletic’s John Hollinger recently projected that Porzingis could command a one- or two-year deal in the range of $25 million to $30 million.

That type of contract would align with Golden State’s timeline around its veteran core while minimizing long-term risk.

Mike Dunleavy Jr. Makes Warriors’ Intentions Clear

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has publicly expressed his desire to retain Porzingis.

“I’ve had conversations with kind of all of our free agents,” Dunleavy said this week. “Their representatives. I think we’re in a good place with all of them.

“Then same thing with KP. Both guys, I think, we value, we want here, and we see them as a kind of piece of the puzzle next season.”

Golden State holds Porzingis’ Bird rights, giving the franchise significant flexibility to re-sign him even if it operates above the salary cap.

For a team still built around Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, continuity remains a priority. The progress reported by Stein suggests the Warriors and Porzingis increasingly believe their partnership is worth extending beyond a brief, late-season experiment.