Golden State’s training camp has come and gone without one of its key big men. Now the team says there is no timeline for his return.
Kristaps Porzingis will remain out indefinitely with a private health issue, the Golden State Warriors announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. The veteran center will stay around the team while he works toward a return.
What did Kristaps Porzingis say about his health?
In a social media post, Porzingis said he is working with doctors and specialists to get back to full health as quickly as possible. He said he is steadily improving and believes he will feel great again soon if he stays patient.
He also admitted the situation has been frustrating. He described dealing with health problems that are hard to pinpoint, on top of injuries throughout his career, and said those setbacks have added up.
The Warriors said they would keep the details private, but that Porzingis is expected to be at the facility and around his teammates as the preseason wraps up.
How has Kristaps Porzingis spent the preseason?
Away from the court. Porzingis called general manager Mike Dunleavy on the eve of training camp to say he would not be reporting.
He skipped the team’s trip to Hawaii and missed the first five preseason games.
On Tuesday night, while the rest of the team played the Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas, Kristaps Porzingis went to the Warriors’ facility in downtown San Francisco. He met with Dunleavy and the team’s top medical official.
He is not yet cleared to practice. The team said it will share updates on his return to practice, his playing status and his timeline when appropriate. The Warriors have not ruled out his return during the season.
Has Kristaps Porzingis dealt with health issues before?
Yes. Two seasons ago, while playing for the Boston Celtics, Porzingis contracted a virus affecting his upper respiratory system. He has since hinted that it had a lasting effect on his health and his ability to play consistently.
The team has not said whether that illness is connected to his current absence.
Injuries have also followed him for much of his career. He played in only 34 games last season, splitting time between the Atlanta Hawks and the Warriors. Even when healthy, he has rarely played a full season.
Porzingis, who is from Latvia, was an All-Star in 2018 and won a championship with Boston in 2024.
How did Kristaps Porzingis end up in Golden State?
The Warriors acquired him from Atlanta in February in a trade that sent Jonathan Kuminga to the Hawks. Kuminga, a young forward, had spent his entire career with Golden State before the deal.
Golden State then brought him back this summer on a deal worth $40 million over two years.
The contract gives the team flexibility. It was built so the Warriors could trade him at any point, and only $3 million of his $20 million salary for next season is guaranteed. That structure limits the Warriors’ risk if his health keeps him off the court for long stretches.
How will the Warriors replace Kristaps Porzingis?
With a smaller lineup, at least for now. The Warriors head coach said he is leaning toward starting Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg and Draymond Green. Going small would put more pressure on Green to defend bigger players in the paint. The lineup would lean on spacing and speed rather than size.
Golden State opens the regular season Oct. 21 against the Lakers in Los Angeles. The team will be hoping Kristaps Porzingis can rejoin the rotation sometime after that, though no timeline has been set.
