Veterans Center Kristaps Porzingis announced in a statement Friday that he was stepping away from basketball and would work with the Warriors to “find a solution that makes sense” for both parties (Twitter link).
“This season I was really looking forward to getting back with this group, but as I picked up the pace, my body didn’t respond the way I expected.“, Porzingis wrote. “I’m okay, but I know what it takes, and I’m not where I want to be to perform at the level I expect of myself.
“At this point, I made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love.
“In this situation, I want to show the Golden State Warriors the utmost respect and work with them to find a solution that makes sense.
“I thank my family and loved ones for always being there. Thank you all very much for your support.
“Ahead and above, Kristaps Porzingis.»
Porzingis missed much of the last two years due to non-injury-related health issues and spoke last fall about being diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Neither he nor the Warriors have given details about the illness that is currently keeping him from rejoining the team, but it’s serious enough that he felt compelled to release today’s statement.
The Latvian big man’s statement does not change his status as a trade candidate, a source told ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link). The Warriors have reportedly been looking to move Porzingis since the season started more than two weeks ago.
ESPN reported Wednesday that Golden State withheld payment of Porzingis’ salaries, saying he was not performing services required by his player contract. The fine for non-performance is equivalent to 1/91.6th of the player’s salary for each match missed. In Porzingis’ case, that works out to $218,341 per game, or 1/91.6th of his $20 million salary for the 2026/27 season.
Porzingis reportedly did not actively contest these missed payments, and is believed to have a “strong interest” in reaching a buyout deal that would allow him to keep part of his $20 million salary rather than fight for game-by-game fines.
Slater suggested last week that the Warriors expected Porzingis to visit their facilities more frequently during his recovery process, spending time with teammates and the club’s medical staff. Slater said at the time that the situation could “no longer be described as an excused absence” and observed that Porzingis’ designation on injury reports had been adjusted to “not with the team.” The 31-year-old has reportedly not been to the Warriors facilities since early October.
Porzingis, who signed a two-year, $40 million contract extension with Golden State over the summer, holds a $20 million player option for the 2027/28 season, but it is only partially guaranteed for $3 million. That means he’s on a pseudo-expiring deal, which could make him moveable before the Feb. 11 trade deadline. Because he extended his contract rather than signing as a free agent, Porzingis is now trade eligible and the club doesn’t necessarily need to wait until Dec. 15 to make a move.
Still, few teams are willing to shuffle their rosters this early in the season, so the Warriors may have to be patient. They would ideally like to finalize a Porzingis trade by Dec. 16, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, as that is the deadline to acquire a player whose contract could be bundled into a separate deal before the February deadline.
While the Warriors are understandably scrambling to find a suitable trade involving Porzingis’ $20 million cap hit, the former All-Star big man’s overall health is obviously more important from a big-picture standpoint. And today’s statement certainly seems like a potential precursor to retirement once his contract situation is finally resolved.
In addition to his recent health issues, Porzingis has also faced significant injury absences during his career, including missing the entire 2018/19 campaign with a torn ACL. The 7’2″ center, who was selected fourth overall in the 2015 draft, won a championship with Boston in 2024 and holds career averages of 19.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks in 30.3 minutes per game in 533 regular season appearances.
At his best, Porzingis was a nightmare, with a deep shooting range that extended well beyond the three-point line and the ability and footwork to shoot opponents in the post and cause fouls. The combination of his offensive skills and rim protection on defense has made him a valuable asset — his contracts were worth a total of around $236.9 million before this season, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
Gn sports
