Kristaps Porzingis’ Health Woes Threaten Warriors’ Playoff Push

KRISTAPS PORZINGIS’ DEBUT with the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 19 felt typical for a player returning after more than a month on the sidelines. He appeared rusty, still adjusting to the team’s motion offense and new surroundings.

Yet, flashes of his potential emerged. Porzingis scored on two post-up jumpers against mismatches, hit a 30-foot shot, and even “volleyball spiked” a Nikola Vucevic floater. The Warriors outscored opponents by 15 points during his 9 minutes and 48 seconds of play.

Facing the Boston Celtics – the team with whom he’d won a championship in 2024 – Porzingis showcased the floor-stretching, rim-protecting abilities that earned him the “Unicorn” nickname during his rookie season with the New York Knicks. This potential prompted the Warriors to trade for him midseason, despite ongoing concerns about a mysterious condition that developed after contracting a virus over a year ago.

“[He brings] a size and presence we’ve been looking for a while,” Stephen Curry said of his tallest teammate ever.

At his best, Porzingis is a significant asset for any NBA team. Even during his brief 17-game stint with the Atlanta Hawks, following an offseason trade from the Celtics, the team performed better with him on the court (a plus-49) than off it (minus-93).

However, availability has been his biggest challenge. Porzingis has missed a combined 110 games over the past 2½ seasons.

“I’m confident that I will [be able to stay on the court],” Porzingis stated upon joining the Warriors. “I’ll just do everything right and I believe I will. I think it’s a great opportunity to turn a new page.”

But after addressing reporters following his debut, before the fifth question could be asked, Porzingis let out a yawn. An extended, uncontrollable yawn, followed by an apology as if to avoid appearing rude.

That yawn served as a subtle reminder of the persistent exhaustion threatening his NBA career. The 30-year-old former All-Star was diagnosed last year by Celtics doctors with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), an autonomic condition that can dramatically increase heart rate and cause dizziness and fatigue.

“I felt all right. Far from being in perfect shape,” Porzingis said. “But I think for [the] first game back after a while, getting some energy back, feeling good. … I think it’s just a matter of time to get in a better rhythm.”

Three mornings later, Porzingis woke up ill in his San Francisco hotel room and informed the Warriors training staff. He was unable to attend the game against the Denver Nuggets.

He practiced with the team a week later, and was briefly listed as questionable to return against the Los Angeles Lakers. However, he was ultimately ruled out again due to illness, extending his absence to six consecutive games, during which he has rarely been seen publicly.

This latest setback comes at a difficult time for the Warriors. Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL in January, and Stephen Curry remains out indefinitely with a right knee issue. Combined with Porzingis’ absence, over $144 million in salary is currently sidelined, leaving the Warriors in a precarious position in the play-in tournament standings.

The situation is particularly challenging for Porzingis, as he is an unrestricted free agent this summer. While his talent suggests he could command a significant contract, his health concerns are raising questions about his market value.

“It’s a little mysterious,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Porzingis’ illness. “We’re obviously working with him and hoping that he can get some clarity. And he can kind of break through and get to a point where he’s consistently healthy, but that’s something that the medical staff is working hard on with him. I’m not going to even posit any medical theories anymore.”

The most difficult aspect for everyone involved, especially Porzingis, is the lack of a clear understanding of his condition and how to resolve it.

Doctors believe his POTS was likely triggered by a viral illness he contracted while with the Celtics in late February 2025. He missed eight consecutive games then, telling reporters upon his return that he was still experiencing “lingering fatigue” from an unidentified issue.

Recently, Kerr mistakenly stated that Porzingis hadn’t been diagnosed with POTS while with the Hawks, according to information he received from Atlanta’s general manager, Onsi Saleh. Kerr later clarified his comments, acknowledging he should not have discussed Porzingis’ diagnosis and that he would defer to medical professionals.

When experiencing the effects of POTS, Porzingis has described it as the exhaustion one feels after a full day of hard work. He has been focusing on hydration, nutrition, and sleep to manage the condition.

During the playoffs last May, Porzingis struggled to regain his strength, averaging only 15.5 minutes in six games and failing to reach double-digit points in any of them.

“I don’t want to throw some — how is it called? — pity party for myself,” Porzingis said. “Oh, it just wasn’t perfect.”

However, the summer brought renewed hope. Porzingis regained his rhythm and energy through a dedicated training program and represented Latvia in Eurobasket, averaging 20.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in six tournament games.

That momentum carried over to his arrival in Golden State. He played three preseason games for the Hawks and then appeared in 17 of Atlanta’s first 19 regular-season games, contributing to a team-best net rating of 5.8 in his 413 minutes.

But another bout of illness and Achilles tendinitis sidelined him for much of January.

The Warriors, after conducting due diligence on his medical history, felt comfortable acquiring him, viewing him as a complementary piece to a potential contender.

“The simple answer on that for me is I heavily rely and trust our medical group,” Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy told ESPN. “So when they look at the stuff and they say, ‘We’re good, we feel comfortable with what we’re dealing with,’ then I’m on to the next thing from a basketball standpoint. So for that reason, we collectively are good with the decision and will go from there.”

The Warriors expected Porzingis to be ready to debut imminently after consulting with Rick Celebrini, the team’s director of sports medicine and performance. He ultimately debuted on Feb. 19.

Porzingis expressed a desire to quickly increase his playing time. “Honestly, as quickly as possible,” he said. “Even if I am exhausted out there, I want to still push myself. … It’s always weird coming back after a while, but I’ve had my ups and downs in my career and I’ve been out for a bit and I’m kind of pretty good at jumping right back in.”

He had previously demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure, even while injured, during the Celtics’ championship run in 2024, playing 16 minutes in a decisive Game 5 victory over the Dallas Mavericks despite a badly injured ankle.

Porzingis recovered from ankle surgery and was performing well before contracting the virus.

However, his current situation is different. It’s not about toughness or resilience, but about his day-to-day health and its potential impact on his future.

“I know usually I think there’s even a stat that players play better on their contract year or something,” Porzingis said on Feb. 7. “But I don’t play into that too much. I just want to finish the year strong. … I just want to finish the year really strong on a new team, new chapter and see where I go from there.”

As of Sunday, Porzingis remained with the Warriors on their current road trip and participated in a full-speed pregame workout. A return to practice was possible.