The Golden State Warriors are straight up withholding payments on Kristaps Porziņģis’ $20 million salary, and he’s been away from the team since late September. This is wild, considering he just signed a two-year, $40 million deal with them over the summer. There was even a $3 million guarantee for the 2027-28 season, but right now, he hasn’t been able to suit up for a single game.
The Mystery Illness and a Quiet Stance
Porziņģis has been dealing with undisclosed health problems, and honestly, it’s been a total head-scratcher. What’s even crazier? He’s reportedly considered stepping away from basketball entirely, but hasn’t made any public statements about it. And here’s the kicker: he doesn’t plan to challenge the Warriors on their decision to stop paying him. The National Basketball Players Association even declined to comment when asked. You gotta wonder what’s going on behind the scenes when a player just lets that kind of money get held up.
His health struggles aren’t new either. He’s reportedly had issues since his time with the Boston Celtics. There was even a previously disclosed diagnosis of POTS, or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, but even that’s apparently in dispute. Warriors coach Steve Kerr initially mentioned Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh saying “it’s not actually POTS,” then had to walk those comments back a few days later. Talk about a confusing situation for everyone involved. He did meet with general manager Mike Dunleavy and vice president of player health and performance Rick Celebrini in mid-October. After that, the Warriors put out a statement saying he’d be “around the team,” but publicly, that just hasn’t happened.
Porziņģis Speaks Out, Warriors Eye a Trade
Porziņģis himself released a statement in October, trying to clear the air a bit. He said, “Hello people, I’m working with doctors and experts to figure out how to be fully back to good health asap. Honestly, I’m getting better and better. I just have to stay patient, and I believe I’ll be feeling great again soon.” He acknowledged the frustration, adding, “It has definitely been frustrating dealing with some health stuff that you can’t exactly pinpoint, on top of injuries throughout my career, so it has added up for sure, but we will get through it. Health is wealth. Thank you for all the support.” He even specifically added that he does not have HIV or AIDS, which is a detail that just highlights how wild the speculation must have gotten.
Normally, NBA players get paid regardless of whether they’re healthy or not, but teams *can* withhold salary if they believe a player is in breach of contract. Think back to Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers in 2021-22, when Simmons wanted a trade and cited mental health while the Sixers claimed he refused to play. They eventually settled. Now, it looks like the Warriors are trying to move on, big time. They’re reportedly trying to trade Porziņģis in an effort to utilize his $20 million salary, which would be a massive roster shake-up. His future in the league, man, it’s looking incredibly murky right now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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