The Golden State Warriors have emptied Kristaps Porzingis’ locker after the center announced he is stepping away from basketball to prioritize his health.
Joseph Dycus reported the development on Saturday, November 7, after visiting the Warriors’ locker room before their game. Porzingis has not been with the team since informing the front office of a health issue before training camp.
The 31-year-old did not announce a permanent retirement. In his statement, Porzingis explained that his body had not responded as expected while preparing for the season.
“This season I was really looking forward to running it with this group, but as I ramped up, my body didn’t respond the way I anticipated,” he 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.”
Porzingis also expressed respect for Golden State and said he intends to work with the organization to find a suitable solution. He did not clarify whether he plans to return to the NBA.
The locker-room development comes amid growing uncertainty about his future with the Warriors. Michael Scotto reported on November 5 that Golden State views Porzingis’ contract primarily as expiring salary and expects his tenure with the team to end.
“The end of the Porzingis tenure in Golden State will come. It’s a question of when,” Scotto said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. The Warriors could use his contract to acquire a player with a longer-term deal before the February 11 trade deadline.
Golden State is approximately $300,000 below the second apron and cannot take back more salary than it sends out in a trade. Shams Charania also reported that the Warriors had stopped making payments on Porzingis’ $20 million salary because the team considers him not to be rendering services.
Porzingis is owed $23 million in guaranteed salary, including $3 million for the 2027-28 season. A potential buyout would require agreement from both sides, and the center has little financial incentive to surrender guaranteed money.
The Warriors re-signed Porzingis after he appeared in 15 games for them last season, averaging 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 23.7 minutes. He shot 43.3% from the field and 31.1% from three-point range.
His absence has left Draymond Green and Al Horford among Golden State’s primary center options, with Charles Bassey and Graham Ike also contributing. The Warriors are 7-3 through 10 games this season.
Porzingis last played on April 15. Golden State must wait until a full year has passed from that appearance before formally petitioning the NBA for a career-ending medical designation, according to the process described by Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard.
