Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porziņģis announced Friday he is stepping away from basketball to prioritize his health amid ongoing mysterious health issues.
The 31-year-old, who signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the Warriors this summer, has not played this season. The second year of the deal carries only a $3 million guarantee. Porziņģis released a statement saying his body did not respond as anticipated during ramp-up, and he wants to show respect to the Warriors while working on a solution.
Porziņģis has a history of injuries, including a torn ACL in 2018-19. Recently he has dealt with extreme fatigue and was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which causes rapid heart rate changes upon standing. He has been away from the team since late September and previously denied rumors of an HIV/AIDS diagnosis.
The Warriors hoped Porziņģis would provide floor-spacing while Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are sidelined. Instead, the team is 6-3 to start the season, with rookie Yaxel Lendeborg emerging, averaging 21 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals over nine games.
CBS Sports reports the Warriors may explore trading Porziņģis' expiring contract, which could be valuable for salary matching.
