Kristaps Porziņģis steps away from basketball to prioritise his health

Kristaps Porziņģis has stepped away from basketball to prioritise his health. The Golden State Warriors centre made the announcement on his X account on Friday 6 November, saying his body had not responded as he anticipated while he was ramping up for the season.

The 31-year-old did not reveal the nature of the medical issue, and he did not make clear whether he would play again. ESPN reported that the announcement was not an official retirement and that Porziņģis remains under contract with Golden State.

"I was really looking forward to running it [back] with this group, but as I ramped up, my body didn't respond the way I anticipated," Porziņģis wrote.

"I'm doing good, but I know what it takes, and I'm not where I want to be to perform at the level that I expect from myself. At this point, I've made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love."

A season that never started

The announcement ended weeks of uncertainty. On Tuesday 29 September the Warriors said Porziņģis would be out indefinitely with a health issue and would not travel with the team to Hawaii for training camp. On Wednesday 21 October the club added that he would not be with the team for the immediate future.

Porziņģis has not been on the court this season. NBC Sports reported on Friday 6 November that postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, is the condition that has kept him out, and that it first became an issue late in the 2024-25 season while he was with the Boston Celtics.

Porziņģis himself did not confirm that. His statement referred only to his health and to a body that was not ready.

What comes next for him is unclear, but he was careful to leave the door open. "I want to show the utmost respect for the Golden State Warriors and work with them to find a solution that makes sense," he said.

He closed with thanks. "I'm thankful to my family and close ones for always being there. Much appreciation to all of you for the support. Onwards and upwards."

The contract question

The money is where this gets complicated. Porziņģis and the Warriors agreed a two-year, $40 million deal in the summer, according to NBC Sports. ESPN's team and league sources said on Friday 6 November that the Warriors had not made payments on his $20 million salary, though team sources told the outlet the club had no plan to void the contract.

That leaves both sides looking for the "solution that makes sense" Porziņģis described. Neither he nor the team has said what that might look like.