The Golden State Warriors are withholding salary payments to center Kristaps Porziņģis as he remains away from the team due to undisclosed health issues, according to reports from ESPN and The Athletic.
Porziņģis signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the Warriors over the summer that includes a $3 million guarantee for the 2027-28 season. However, he has not played for Golden State since the start of the season, dealing with health problems that date back to his time with the Boston Celtics. The 29-year-old has reportedly considered stepping away from basketball but has not announced a formal decision, and he does not plan to challenge the Warriors' decision to withhold his $20 million salary for this season.
The situation involves a disputed diagnosis of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Warriors coach Steve Kerr initially referenced comments from Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh questioning the POTS diagnosis, though Kerr later walked back those remarks. Porziņģis has been away from the team since late September and met with general manager Mike Dunleavy and vice president of player health and performance Rick Celebrini in mid-October. The Warriors subsequently stated he would be "around the team," but he has not been publicly present.
In an October statement, Porziņģis said he was working with doctors to return to full health and specifically denied having HIV or AIDS. The National Basketball Players Association declined to comment on the salary withholding.
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 during the 2021-22 season when the Philadelphia 76ers withheld pay from Ben Simmons amid a trade demand and mental health concerns; the sides later reached a settlement.
The Warriors are actively attempting to trade Porziņģis, whose $20 million cap figure serves as an expiring contract with only the $3 million guarantee remaining for next season. That could make him a valuable salary-matching piece for a team looking to offload longer-term money, especially if Golden State includes draft picks.
Despite Porziņģis' absence, the Warriors have started the season 5-3, 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 most likely path forward for both parties.
