The Golden State Warriors resolved the long-running Jonathan Kuminga situation, which had created tension around the team since last year, by trading him and Buddy Hield for one-time NBA champion Kristaps Porziņģis.
Many assumed the move would bring clarity and stability to the roster. Instead, the team now finds itself in another complex and troubling saga. This time, the issue concerns the health of its newly acquired big man. With the Warriors already holding a disappointing 31-28 record, the latest development surrounding Porziņģis has only added further uncertainty.
Warriors Face Questions Over Kristaps Porziņģis’ Health and Availability
On Saturday, ahead of the Warriors’ matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, NBA insider Brett Siegel reported that Porziņģis would remain out.
Kristaps Porzingis will not make his return from an undisclosed illness tonight when the Warriors take on the Lakers.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) February 28, 2026
Porziņģis had previously received a diagnosis of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, commonly referred to as POTS.
In an interview last year with The Athletic, Porziņģis openly discussed how the condition affected him during the 2025 NBA playoffs while he was still with the Boston Celtics.
“You know how people say, ‘Oh, I’m so fatigued.’ I’ve never used those words. I don’t even like to speak in those terms, but I really was like that. At that time, I could just lay on the couch and be a house cat,” Porziņģis said during the interview.
The condition can cause extreme fatigue, dizziness and difficulty maintaining energy levels, which made it a logical assumption for many observers. However, this is where the confusion began.
Steve Kerr’s Addresses Porziņģis Situation
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr addressed the situation during a recent radio appearance on “95.7 The Game” and attempted to clarify matters. He explained that Porziņģis’ current illness was not related to his POTS diagnosis and said reports connecting the two were inaccurate.
“When I heard about the trade, I read about his POTS diagnosis and then called Onsi Saleh, who was with us, he’s now Atlanta’s GM and he’s a good friend of mine. I called him and I said, ‘is this POTS story real?’ And he said it’s actually not POTS. It was not POTS.’ So that was some misinformation that was out there,” Kerr said during the radio appearance.
This statement provided some reassurance, suggesting the issue might be temporary and unrelated to his past condition. Yet the uncertainty persisted.
During a press conference before Saturday night’s game, Kerr appeared to retract his earlier clarity.
He admitted that the team still did not fully understand why Porziņģis was sidelined. Kerr also acknowledged that he should not have spoken so definitively about the POTS situation during his radio appearance, since the full details of Porziņģis’ illness remained unclear.
“He won’t play today. He’s sick, and so he’ll be out, and we’ll see about Monday. can’t really say anything. It’s just a medical issue way beyond my capabilities of explaining anything. He’s sick, he won’t play, and we’ll keep monitoring him,” Kerr said during the recent interview.
Steve Kerr called it a “stupid mistake” for him to speak on Kristaps Porzingis’ health status on the radio last night. Porzingis remains out tonight for a fourth straight game with an illness.
Here is the full soundbite on his status pic.twitter.com/wMS4CRDPo9
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 28, 2026
Last season with the Celtics, Porziņģis played in only 42 games. Before the Warriors trade, his time with the Atlanta Hawks this season was even more limited, as he appeared in just 17 games due to a recurring left Achilles tendon injury and illness-related absences.
Since joining Golden State, he has played exactly one game. His Warriors debut came on Feb. 19 against his former team, the Boston Celtics. He came off the bench and scored 12 points in 17 minutes. Shortly thereafter, illness struck, and he has not appeared since.
At this stage, even the Warriors themselves do not appear to have a clear timeline. For a team fighting to remain competitive in a demanding Western Conference, the uncertainty surrounding Porziņģis is far from ideal.
What the fk? So dubs bought yet another clunker. Heading for the tank.