Kristaps Porzingis isn’t going to be around the Golden State Warriors for the “immediate future,” a complete reversal from what we heard just a week ago. This dude was supposed to be with the squad while recovering from an undisclosed health matter, but now? Nope, he’s gone. What changed? Coach Steve Kerr literally told reporters ahead of their season opener, “I don’t know.” You gotta be kidding me.
The Sudden Disappearance and the Silence
Just last Wednesday, the Warriors announced that Porzingis had actually been at Chase Center on October 13. He had meetings with general manager Mike Dunleavy and Vice President of Player Health and Performance Dr. Rick Celebrini. The plan then was for him to hang out with staff and teammates in some capacity, even though he was out indefinitely. Fast forward to this Wednesday, and it’s a totally different story. The team put out a statement: “We are not anticipating Kristaps being around the team in the immediate future. We’ll provide additional updates when available and appropriate.”
When asked what gives, Kerr’s response was incredibly blunt, “I don’t really have anything to add on this. I haven’t seen him and we’ve stayed in touch via text and a phone call. But we put out the statement today and there’s not much more to it. We don’t really know.” This isn’t exactly building confidence, is it? The team is also staying tight-lipped on the “undisclosed health matter,” saying, “We are not going to comment on trade speculation or reports regarding his health-related matter or future.” It all feels very hush-hush, very quickly.
Porzingis’ Own Frustration and Troubled History
Porzingis himself actually gave an update on social media last Wednesday, acknowledging his struggles. He wrote, “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 then dropped a major truth bomb: “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.”
Frustrating is an understatement for him, and probably for the Warriors too. Back at media day last month, GM Mike Dunleavy wouldn’t spill any details on what Porzingis is dealing with, but he didn’t call it a long-term concern. Still, this isn’t the first time the big man has been sidelined with vague health issues. He missed time in March with what Kerr called a “mysterious” medical issue and illness, and he didn’t even travel to Hawaii for training camp.
The 7-foot-2 Latvian, now 31, only joined Golden State at the February trade deadline from Atlanta, a deal that sent Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga elsewhere. He played a mere 32 games combined last season with the Hawks and Warriors, averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks. He inked a two-year, $40 million deal in late June. After arriving in Golden State, Porzingis played in just 15 games, with 11 starts, for his sixth NBA team.
The Warriors are heading into their season opener on the road against the Lakers without Porzingis, and with a huge, unexplained question mark hanging over his head. How long is “immediate future” even going to be? Nobody seems to know, and that’s a tough way to kick off a new season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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