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Kristaps Porziņģis announces that he's stepping away from basketball
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- Kristaps Porziņģis announces that he's stepping away from basketball
Friday afternoon, Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porziņģis announced that he has decided to step away from basketball as he continues to address the autoimmune disorder postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) that has kept him off the court this season.
Traded to the Warriors at the February deadline, Porziņģis appeared in 15 games last season, averaging 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 blocks in 23.7 minutes per appearance. Optimism that the 7-foot-3 center's health would cooperate led the two sides to agree to a two-year, $40 million deal in the summer.
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Unfortunately, Porziņģis' case of POTS, which initially became an issue late in the 2024-25 season with the Celtics, flared up and has kept him from returning to the court.
On Wednesday, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Warriors were withholding payment from Porziņģis and considered his absence unexcused. It was also reported that the team was looking to move him via trade, either immediately or after December 15, when most players will be trade-eligible.
Porziņģis said in his statement on Friday that he hopes to "work with (the Warriors) to find a solution that makes sense."
