Warriors' Kristaps Porzingis to 'step away,' prioritize health
ESPN • • sports
Key Points:
- Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis has announced he is stepping away from basketball due to physical limitations preventing him from playing at his usual level, though he has not officially retired.
- Porzingis signed a two-year, $40 million contract extension in June but decided not to report to the team for training camp due to his body's inability to respond as expected.
- The Warriors have paused salary payments on his $20 million contract but do not plan to void it, keeping Porzingis' contract available for potential trades before the February deadline.
- Porzingis is open to a trade and could be attractive to teams looking to manage salary cap issues, with only $3 million guaranteed next season and willingness to consider a post-trade buyout.
- His decision comes after ongoing health struggles, including a viral illness and leg injuries, which have impacted his ability to perform at the level he expects from himself.
