Golden State Warriors centre Kristaps Porzingis has announced that he is stepping away from basketball for the time being to prioritize his health. Porzingis took to social media on Friday to detail how he physically cannot play at the level to which he’s accustomed to as he continues to battle a mysterious ailment.
“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,” the former first rounder 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 I expect from myself,” he added. “At this point, I’ve made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love.”
Sources indicate that this is not a formal retirement announcement, however it does further muddy the waters around the 7 footer’s future after signing a 2 year, $40M contract extension this past June. The Warriors have told reporters they don’t have any plans to void Porzingis’ contract, as they could potentially use his $20M salary in any upcoming trades this season.
With only $3M in guaranteed money on his deal next season, a team that’s looking to move a long term contract, or shed salary could find the 31 year old’s deal appealing, even if he never steps foot on an NBA court again.
The exact nature of Porzingis’ ailment remains shrouded in mystery. From what’s been released thus far, the centre has been battling a viral illness that he’s believed to have contracted in Boston 2 seasons ago. Since then, he’s appeared in just 32 contests split between the Hawks and Warriors.
The towering Latvian has yet to appear in a contest for Golden State this season. Up next for the Warriors is an 8:30pm ET showdown against the Orlando Magic on Saturday night.
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