The Golden State Warriors are withholding salary payments to center Kristaps Porziņģis as he remains absent from the team due to undisclosed health issues, according to ESPN.
Porziņģis signed a two-year, $40 million contract over the summer that includes a $3 million guarantee for the 2027-28 season. He has yet to play for the Warriors since signing.
The 29-year-old has been dealing with health problems since the end of his tenure with the Boston Celtics. He previously disclosed a diagnosis of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), though that diagnosis has been disputed. Warriors coach Steve Kerr initially cited Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh as saying it was not POTS, but later walked back the comment.
Porziņģis has been away from the team since late September. After a mid-October meeting with general manager Mike Dunleavy and vice president of player health and performance Rick Celebrini, the Warriors announced he would be "around the team," but he has not appeared publicly. In an October statement, Porziņģis said he is working with doctors to return to full health and clarified he does not have HIV or AIDS.
NBA players are typically paid regardless of health status, but teams may withhold salary if they believe a player is in breach of contract. A notable precedent occurred with Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2021-22 season, which ended in a settlement.
The Warriors are attempting to trade Porziņģis to utilize his $20 million cap figure. While his health status eliminates his on-court trade value, his expiring contract with only a $3 million guarantee for next season could serve as matching salary for a team looking to offload longer-term commitments, or the Warriors could attach draft picks to facilitate a deal.
Golden State has started the season 5-3 despite Porziņģis' absence, fueled by Stephen Curry's strong play and the emergence of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Porziņģis' skill set as a shooting center would complement Draymond Green, but a trade appears the only viable path forward.
