Major Development for Kristaps Porzingis & Warriors
Kristaps Porzingis announces he’s stepping away from basketball.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) November 6, 2026
In his self-posted statement on social media, Porzingis said, “I’ve made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love.” He said he is not where he wants to be physically to perform at his expected level.
The Warriors have been actively discussing trades for Kristaps Porzingis with teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and New Orleans Pelicans, aiming to convert his $20 million salary into a useful asset. Brett Siegel reports that as of now, that plan hasn't changed, and they will continue to look for a trade in the next 30-40 days involving Porzingis' contract. There are plenty of teams who would be happy to have an expiring $20M to use next offseason.
Porzingis did pledge to "work with the team to find a solution that makes sense," as he said he wants to show "utmost respect for the Golden State Warriors."
The 7'2" center suffers from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a chronic autonomic nervous system disorder. It's a condition where the heart rate excessively increases (often surging to 130+ beats per minute) when moving from a lying or sitting position to standing. the condition developed following a respiratory virus he caught in February 2025 during his time with the Boston Celtics.
Porzingis helped the Celtics to the 2024 NBA title but only played 42 games the next season, and then after being dealt to the Atlanta Hawks, he played just 17 games with them, and 15 with the Warriors after he was flipped there by Atlanta.
For his career, he averaged 19.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots per game. He also shot 36.4% from three-point range. That wide variety of skills once earned him the nickname The Unicorn.