Kristaps Porzingis gives vague answer to free agency future

Story by

Story by
Kristaps Porzingis gives vague answer to free agency future

Souichi Terada · MassLive

Sat, Apr 4, 2026 ·

3 min read

About Our Ads

Kristaps Porzingis is finally healthy enough to string games together even though the Warriors are headed to the bottom of the play-in tournament. But after struggling with injuries and illness issues all season, the big man being healthy enough to play consistently is a huge step.

Porzingis played 10 games in March , the most he's played in a month this season. He's been able to show what he's capable of providing a team on a nightly basis. But as Porzingis heads toward free agency this summer, he gave a vague answer when it came to his future and whether it'd be in Golden State or not.

"It's hard to say," Porzingis told The Athletic's Nick Friedell . "Of course, it would be nice for me to go ahead and say, 'Yes, I want to continue here,' and this and that. But the reality is I didn't have a good year at all. I barely showed what I'm capable of. And so I have to see what's out there."

Porzingis averaged 18.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in March, shooting 44.1% from the field and 37.0% on 3-pointers. While the playing time wasn't anything strenuous at 23.8 minutes per game, having him suit up nightly is a positive sign. Stephen Curry is also expected to be back soon, so Porzingis will also get to play with the superstar for the first time.

Porzingis is in on an expiring $30.7 million contract, meaning he's headed toward unrestricted free agency. After Golden State acquired him at the trade deadline from the Hawks, the organization made it clear the big man could be a long-term fit. But that remains to be seen as the season winds down.

How Porzingis' free agent market materializes will be interesting considering many factors. When healthy, he's a skilled big man who can stretch the floor and protect the rim. But the healthy part is the big if as Porzingis just can't seem to stay on the court. His mysterious illness has also added to the storyline dating back to last playoffs with the Celtics , when he looked like a shell of himself in the East semifinals.

"For me, I just wanted first to get to decent shape," Porzingis said. "Take care of that. Which I am kind of working my way into. And then seeing the whole picture, kind of taking a step back, not to put too much pressure on myself. It's been a year like that, and we'll see."

Porzingis spent two seasons in Boston from 2023-25, winning the 2024 NBA title and becoming a fan favorite. But he was plagued by injuries, including during the 2024 playoff run. He was limited to 99 games over his two seasons and wasn't fully healthy during either postseason run.

The Celtics traded Porzingis to the Hawks last summer in what was effectively a salary dump. The Hawks were disappointing earlier this season, though they've made huge strides over the past month to get up to the No. 5 seed in the East.

Porzingis is set to hit free agency this summer with plenty of questions. The 30-year-old has been an effective player ever since getting drafted by the Knicks fourth overall in 2015. But the health factor is very real despite the great talent.

"But I still feel like I have levels to get to," Porzingis said. "In terms of shape, in terms of rustiness, and I still — I'm not too happy with how I'm playing right now. But step by step, and we're getting Steph back also. That's super exciting for me."

More Celtics content