Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr confirmed that he still has no clear timeline for Kristaps Porziņģis’s return as the team prepares for the opening of the NBA regular season, according to lsm.lv. Porziņģis has remained away from the team due to ongoing health issues since training camps opened earlier in October.
Text Messages Replace Practice Sessions
Porziņģis did not participate in the team’s media day and stayed behind rather than joining the roster for training camp sessions in Hawaii and Portland, as reported by Sportacentrs.com. Kerr told reporters that while he has stayed in contact with the Latvian center via text messaging, he has not seen him at the practice facility recently. “We were busy in Hawaii and Portland. We just had a practice—it was very good for the veterans. I communicated with Kristaps today to see how he is doing, but there is no news yet,” Kerr said, as translated from lsm.lv. “We texted back and forth. It seems he is doing well, but we haven’t gone into detailed discussions.”
Steve Kerr said he’s texted with Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis wasn’t at practice today/Kerr hasn’t seen him, Kerr said he’ll check in with Porzingis today.Asked if he + team knew behind-the-scenes what exactly Porzingis is dealing with.“No.” pic.twitter.com/cLcJK66EHs
When asked by reporters whether the coaching staff knows the exact nature of the health issue behind the scenes, Kerr answered bluntly: “No.” The organization has not publicly disclosed a specific medical diagnosis for the center’s absence.
Frontcourt Options and Al Horford’s Role
The uncertainty leaves a notable void in Golden State’s projected lineup. The Warriors initially planned to anchor their starting center position with Porziņģis, who signed a two-year contract extension with the franchise at the end of June. In his absence, veteran big man Al Horford is expected to shoulder the primary responsibilities in the middle.
Horford, who previously played alongside Porziņģis with the Boston Celtics, admitted to reporters that he has neither spoken to nor seen his teammate at the facility over the past few days. “We simply don’t have much information,” Horford told Sportacentrs. “We just have to hope he recovers and feels better. Meanwhile, we have to keep working because the preseason has already started and the games are approaching.” Horford also noted that the coaching staff has not issued any instructions regarding alterations to the broader tactical scheme, meaning the team continues to operate under its original playbook while monitoring the situation day-to-day.
Team Support and Upcoming Schedule
Despite the lack of a definitive recovery timeline, Kerr emphasized that the team’s immediate priority remains the player’s health over basketball operations. “We support everyone who isn’t with the team right now, whether it’s Jimmy, Kristaps, or Moses,” Kerr said, addressing the roster’s current availability hurdles. “Of course, we would love for Kristaps to be here and participating in practices, but he has to take care of his health first.”
The Warriors are scheduled to tip off their regular season on October 21 against the Los Angeles Lakers. With less than two weeks remaining until opening night, Porziņģis’s active status for that matchup remains unconfirmed.
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