The Golden State Warriors lost one of the unsung heroes of their run to an NBA title in the early hours of Friday morning when it was announced that Gary Payton II is headed to the Portland Trail Blazers. Right around midday on Friday, it was reported that another important piece of the puzzle is leaving the team to pursue a new opportunity.
According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Otto Porter has made the decision to head back to the Eastern Conference, where he is slated to join the Toronto Raptors. Haynes reports that Porter will receive a 2-year deal from Toronto, the team in his wife’s hometown, that includes a player option on the second year.
Free agent Otto Porter Jr. — vital member of Golden State Warriors championship team — reached an agreement with the Toronto Raptors on a two-year deal with a player option, league sources tell @YahooSports. https://t.co/ck81fptKZh
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2022
Aside from joining one of the best well-ran franchises, what made committing to Raptors even more enticing for Otto Porter Jr. is that his wife is from Toronto. https://t.co/mC6vefRrb3
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2022
A former third overall pick by the Washington Wizards, Porter has spent time the last few years with the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, and the Warriors. He carved out a nice role in San Francisco as someone who can hit shots, play pesky defense, and keep the ball moving in the team’s ultra-egalitarian offensive structure. He earned Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s trust in a big way, as he got inserted into the team’s starting lineup for the final three games of their NBA Finals campaign against the Boston Celtics.
Porter averaged 8.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game on 46.4/37.0/80.3 shooting splits in 63 games with the Warriors last season.