Warriors Center Kristaps Porziņģis Steps Away From Basketball for Health Reasons

Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porziņģis is stepping away from basketball to focus on his health. He announced the decision on Friday in a social media post on his X account, and he did not say what the health issue is.

The 31-year-old has not made clear whether he will play again. He said he intends to work with the Warriors to find a solution that makes sense for everyone. Guardian

His time in Golden State has been mostly spent on the sideline. The Warriors acquired him in a trade with Atlanta, and he missed significant time last season. Golden State then signed him to a two-year, $40 million contract in late June.

This fall, the health problem kept him away from the team. In late September, the Warriors said he would be out indefinitely. He did not travel with the club to Hawaii for training camp, the preseason stretch where teams practice before the regular season begins. On October 14, the team said he would spend time with staff and teammates in some capacity while he was still out. A week later, the Warriors said he would not be with the team for the immediate future.

Money has also become part of the story. CBS Sports reported this week that Golden State is withholding payments on his $20 million salary while he remains away from the team. The Warriors have not said how long that will last.

Porziņģis has been a traveler around the league. The New York Knicks made him the fourth pick in the 2015 draft, and this is his sixth team in 11 NBA seasons. Before the October update, he met with general manager Mike Dunleavy and Dr. Rick Celebrini, the team's vice-president of player health and performance, to talk through his situation.

For Warriors fans, the immediate question is simple: when, or whether, their big man will be back on the floor. For now, the answer is not clear. Porziņģis has said he wants to work toward a plan with the team, and that is the only timeline anyone has put on the table.