Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porziņģis announced Friday that he is stepping away from basketball, citing his health. Fans and one of his former teams quickly answered with sympathy and get-well wishes for the 31-year-old.
The news came two days after ESPN reported that the Warriors had stopped paying Porziņģis, who has not played in a game this season.
Kristaps Porziņģis Explains Decision To Step Away as Fans Respond With Sympathy
Porziņģis laid out his reasoning in a statement Friday afternoon.
”This season I was really looking forward to running it with this group, but as I ramped up, my body didn’t respond the way I anticipated. … At this point, I’ve made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love,” he wrote.
His statement did not name a condition. ESPN reported this week that he has battled a health issue for the past two seasons, and the Warriors simply listed it as a “general illness.”
Those struggles were at the center of one fan’s reaction as they wrote, “Genuinely feel so bad for Porzingis. Being forced to walk away from the game you love because of a condition that currently has no cure is heartbreaking.”
Genuinely feel so bad for Porzingis. Being forced to walk away from the game you love because of a condition that currently has no cure is heartbreaking https://t.co/FggH1nKet9
— ¹⁰ (@HoodiGarland) November 6, 2026
Porziņģis did not announce a retirement, but another fan still read the news as an early end to his career: “This is actually an extremely sad story. NBA career cut short over something seemingly out of his control. Hope he finds peace w this decision.”
this is actually an extremely sad story
nba career cut short over something seemingly out of his control
hope he finds peace w this decision https://t.co/MLuUgTxex1
— Coach Rome (@Rome_Beast) November 6, 2026
Two more fans sent messages of support. “Man… Prayers up for KP,” one account wrote.
Man…
Prayers up for KP 💙 https://t.co/1hICWgJWTi
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) November 6, 2026
Another fan offered the same warmth. “Sending KP so much love,” they wrote.
The support also came from his past stops. Porziņģis’ best years were with the New York Knicks, and a Knicks fan shared their best wishes.
“Once a Knick, Always a Knick,” they wrote.
Once a Knick, Always a Knick 🫡 https://t.co/z2cXIzXh77
— AK Knicks Legend (@AK_KnicksLegend) November 6, 2026
The Boston Celtics, with whom Porziņģis won an NBA championship, sent a message of their own.
“Get well soon KP,” they wrote.
Get well soon KP 💚 https://t.co/m9hD0mOIQn
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 6, 2026
Barstool Sports’ Dan Greenberg shared a highlight reel of the Celtics big man dominating Game 1 of the NBA Finals, writing, “I’ll never forget it for as long as I’m alive and frankly even after I’m dead.”
I’ll never forget it for as long as I’m alive and frankly even after I’m dead https://t.co/kAqCLxTEtc https://t.co/V8P2CHACeG
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) November 6, 2026
Porziņģis’ statement left the next step open, and he addressed the Warriors directly.
“In this situation, I want to show the utmost respect for the Golden State Warriors and work with them to find a solution that makes sense,” he wrote.
Porziņģis has been away since the eve of training camp. After he met with general manager Mike Dunleavy and Rick Celebrini, the team’s lead medical decision-maker, in October, Golden State initially said he would remain around the team while out indefinitely with a health-related matter. However, a week later, they said that they no longer expected him to be around the team in the immediate future.
His salary is one of the open questions. ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported Wednesday, citing league sources, that the Warriors were withholding the semimonthly payments on his $20 million salary because the team ruled he was not rendering his services.
Porziņģis signed a two-year, $40 million extension with the Warriors this summer, with only $3 million guaranteed in the second season. There have been rumblings that Golden State may try to trade the deal to a team looking for cap room.