Cleared on Sunday, Out on Monday: Porzingis' Health Problem Returns in Golden State

Kristaps Porzingis was on the court at the Warriors' facility last week, taking part in everything and apparently cleared for camp. Then GM Mike Dunleavy got a phone call on Sunday night.

Now Golden State's starting center is out indefinitely with what the team calls a "health issue." He won't travel to Hawaii for camp, so he'll miss at least the first four practices and the preseason opener against the Clippers in Honolulu on Sunday. "It just kind of popped up," Dunleavy said.

The Warriors aren't sharing details, and Dunleavy was careful not to sound alarmed. "I'm not marking him down as being out to start the season or anything like that," he said. "It's early, so don't want to overreact to anything."

It's hard not to worry, though, because this has happened before. Porzingis has missed 90 regular-season games over the last two years, mostly because of an unexplained illness that started after a long upper respiratory virus in Boston in February 2025. After Golden State got him from Atlanta at last season's deadline, he missed 10 of his first 11 games, then played in 16 of the last 21.

That late stretch is why the Warriors brought him back on a two-year, $40 million deal, with only $3 million guaranteed in the second year. That structure now looks like a good decision.

Golden State already opens without starting wings Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody, both in the middle of long rehabs from serious knee injuries. For a team trying to win around Stephen Curry, the injury list is getting long before camp even starts.