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The Warriors have a little over a week to go before they kick off the newest NBA season. However, it’s currently unclear when they’ll roll out a lineup that features Kristaps Porzingis, who has apparently dropped off the map while reportedly leaving the team in the dark about an injury that’s sparked a leave of absence.
The Warriors will be looking to bounce back this year after missing the playoffs with a 37-45 record last season. The team was presumably hoping to get some help from Kristaps Porzingis, who started in 11 of the 15 games he appeared in after being acquired from the Hawks in a trade and signed a two-year deal worth $40 million over the summer.
The Latvian big man has been no stranger to injuries during an NBA career that will grow to 11 seasons the next time he steps onto the court, as he grappled with a slew of setbacks (including meniscus issues and a torn ACL) that forced him to miss significant time before being diagnosed with a heart issue known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) last year.
Now, his health has become a topic of concern yet again, although it’s not entirely clear what’s wrong with him.
The Warriors don’t know where Kristaps Porzingis is or what health issue he’s dealing with
The Warriors announced Porzingis was taking an indefinite leave of absence when they kicked off training camp last month, and he has not joined the team at practice or accompanied them on the road during the preseason.
No concrete explanation was initially offered, and most people jumped to the conclusion POTS was the culprit; the syndrome can cause spikes in heart rate while subjecting people who suffer from it to bouts of dizziness, fainting, and fatigue and can be difficult to manage due to its unpredictable nature.
However, according to The San Francisco Standard, the 31-year-old has been less than forthcoming about the nature of his current situation, as the outlet’s Danny Emerman bluntly stated the Warriors “don’t know where Kristaps Porzingis is, exactly what he’s dealing with health-wise, or when he might be able to return” in an article discussing the fairly strange situation.
According to EuroHoops, Golden State team physician Rick Celebrini has been designated as the “primary point of contact,” and if he has been informed of the nature of Porzingis’s issue, he has seemingly declined to share that information with anyone else.
Steve Kerr did say he’s exchanged texts with the center at some point in recent weeks, but he admitted they haven’t actually spoken on the phone.
At the end of the day, Porzingis obviously has a right to privacy as he prioritizes his health, but it’s hard not to be a little bit baffled by how the situation based on how it’s being characterized.