Golden State Warriors’ Kristaps Porziņģis Was ‘Detached’ And ‘Uninterested’ At Jimmy Butler’s Player-Led Camp
SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors big man Kristaps Porziņģis was “detached” and “uninterested” at Jimmy Butler‘s player-led camp in San Diego in late September, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN.
Porziņģis may never play for the Warriors again.
“Porziņģis was in the team’s San Francisco facility and on the court in the week leading up to training camp,” Slater wrote. “And he attended Jimmy Butler’s player-led event in San Diego in late September, though team sources described a detached Porziņģis as indifferent and uninterested in participating in scrimmages and strenuous on-court prep work at the event.”
The Warriors acquired Porziņģis from the Atlanta Hawks last season. The 31-year-old appeared in only 15 games with Golden State. He averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
In June, the Warriors signed Porziņģis to a two-year, $40 million extension. Only $3 million of Porziņģis’s $20 million salary for this season is guaranteed.
Warriors Exploring Trade Routes For Porziņģis
The Warriors are exploring trade routes for Porziņģis, who is seriously contemplating his future in basketball as he deals with recurring symptoms from POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome).
Porziņģis stated on his X account on October 14 that he was getting better after the Warriors said he remains out indefinitely with a private health-related issue.
One week later, Porziņģis is now thinking about retiring from basketball.
“Hello people, I’m working with doctors and experts to figure out how to be fully back to good health asap,” Porziņģis wrote. “Honestly, I’m getting better and better. I just have to stay patient, and I believe I’ll be feeling great again soon. It has definitely been frustrating dealing with some health stuff that you can’t exactly pinpoint, on top of injuries throughout my career, so it has added up for sure, but we will get through it.
“Health is wealth. Thank you for all the support. I appreciate all the internet doctors trying to diagnose and help, but I’m in the best hands. So everyone can relax now and I don’t have hiv or aids.”
Porziņģis has played for the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics, Hawks and Warriors. He has career averages of 19.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in the regular season and 11.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in the playoffs.
A one-time All-Star, Porziņģis helped the Celtics beat the Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals.
The Warriors lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on opening night by a final score of 127-105. Butler could be back in the January-to-February range. He’s recovering from an ACL tear.
