Warriors’ Kristaps Porzingis announces he’s stepping away from basketball

Golden State Warriors big man Kristaps Porzingis announced on Friday that he is stepping away from basketball to prioritize his health. The 31-year-old stated that his body did not respond as anticipated while ramping up for the season, leaving him unable to perform at his expected level. Porzingis did not specify his health issue or provide a timetable for a possible return, nor did he explicitly label the move as retirement.

Porzingis has been absent since the start of training camp. The Athletic reported that the Warriors halted his pay because he is not rendering services under his contract, an action neither Porzingis nor the NBPA currently plans to challenge. Porzingis stated he plans to cooperate with Golden State to find an agreeable solution, while Draymond Green continues to handle primary center duties during the team's six-game winning streak.