Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis is temporarily leaving the team due to health reasons.

Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis announced on Friday that he has decided to temporarily leave the court due to health reasons.

Kristaps Porzingis has not yet played for the Warriors this season, having informed management of his decision to miss the season before preseason training camp.

In an interview and personal statement, Porzingis admitted that his physical condition is currently unable to withstand the high level of competition: "I was really looking forward to playing alongside my teammates this season, but as the intensity of training has increased, my body has not responded as expected."

"I'm in pretty good shape right now, but I know what it takes to play in the NBA, and my current physical condition isn't up to my expectations. At this stage, I've decided to prioritize my health and temporarily leave the basketball I love."

The 31-year-old Latvian center has played for the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, and Warriors throughout his career. He won the 2024 NBA championship with the Celtics and averaged 19.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game in his career.

Kristaps Porzingis joined the Warriors in February and signed a two-year, $40 million contract in June. Regarding his current contract and potential departure, Porzingis added, "I want to give the Golden State Warriors the utmost respect and work with them to find a reasonable solution."

Kristaps Porzingis has not yet chosen to retire and continues to communicate with the Warriors' medical team. The Warriors are currently in good form, having recently achieved a 6-3 start to the season with a six-game winning streak.

Image source: Internet/NBA official website