Golden State Warriors centre Kristaps Porzingis will remain sidelined indefinitely because of a private health-related issue, the NBA team announced on Wednesday. The veteran will stay involved with the organisation while he recovers.
Porzingis has not been cleared to practise. The 30-year-old says he is working with medical professionals and is gradually improving.
Porzingis sidelined indefinitely: the details
The centre told general manager Mike Dunleavy before training camp that he would not report to the team. He subsequently missed the Warriors’ trip to Hawaii and their first five pre-season games.
While Golden State travelled to Las Vegas for Tuesday night’s pre-season meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers, Porzingis returned to the team’s San Francisco facility for discussions with Dunleavy and head medical decision-maker Rick Celebrini.
“I’m working with doctors and experts to figure out how to be fully back to good health,” Porzingis wrote on social media.
He admitted the uncertainty had worn him down. “It has definitely been frustrating dealing with some health stuff that you can’t exactly pinpoint,” he added, noting that it had piled on top of injuries throughout his career.
How the Warriors are adjusting
With Porzingis unavailable for the foreseeable future, coach Steve Kerr is weighing a smaller starting line-up built around Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as the Warriors prepare for the new campaign.
Losing a starting centre this close to the season forces a rethink of rotations, rebounding and rim protection. Pre-season is normally when those combinations are tested, and Golden State are running out of games to experiment.
The Warriors are not the only side managing fitness concerns this pre-season. Walker Kessler impressed on his Lakers pre-season return despite defeat to Golden State, a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in October basketball.
Elsewhere in sport, the headlines keep coming. Lionel Messi dragged Inter Miami into the MLS playoff places, while on the tennis courts Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas set up a Shanghai Masters quarter-final. For the Warriors, though, the only story that matters is the health of their centre, and a medical team working to get him back.
What happens next
There is no timeline for Porzingis’s return. He says he believes he will feel great again soon, but the team has given no indication of when he might be cleared to practise, let alone play.
For now, the Warriors must plan as if their centre will not be available, and hope his steady improvement turns into a comeback.
Why is Porzingis sidelined indefinitely?
The Warriors say he is dealing with a private health-related issue that has not been precisely diagnosed. He has not been cleared to practise.
Which games has Porzingis missed?
He missed the Warriors’ trip to Hawaii and their first five pre-season games after telling the team before camp that he would not report.
How are the Warriors coping without him?
Coach Steve Kerr is considering a smaller starting line-up featuring Stephen Curry and Draymond Green while Porzingis recovers.
*Source: Geo Super*
