Kristaps Porzingis Out Indefinitely as Warriors Wait

Kristaps Porzingis is staying close, but he is not coming back yet. The Golden State Warriors announced Wednesday that Porzingis will remain out indefinitely with a private health-related issue, though the veteran big man will be at the facility and around the team as it wraps up the preseason.

Porzingis spoke for himself on social media. "I'm working with doctors and experts to figure out how to be fully back to good health (as soon as possible)," he wrote. "Honestly, I'm getting better and better. I just have to stay patient, and I believe I'll be feeling great again soon."

How we got here

This has been building since before camp. Porzingis called general manager Mike Dunleavy on the eve of training camp to say he would not be reporting. He skipped the team trip to Hawaii and has missed all five preseason games so far.

On Tuesday, while the rest of the Warriors were in Las Vegas for a preseason game against the Lakers, Porzingis met with Dunleavy and lead medical decision-maker Rick Celebrini at the team's San Francisco facility. The Warriors said the details of that meeting will stay private.

He is not cleared to practice. The team said it will update his "potential resumption of practice, playing status and timeline" when that information is available and appropriate.

"It has definitely been frustrating dealing with some health stuff that you can't exactly pinpoint, on top of injuries throughout my career," Porzingis wrote. "So it has added up for sure, but we will get through it."

What it means for Golden State

The Warriors took a swing on Porzingis in February, trading Jonathan Kuminga for him, then re-signed him this summer to a two-year, $40 million deal. He played just 34 games last season between the Hawks and Warriors, and two seasons ago he contracted an upper respiratory virus in Boston and has hinted at lingering effects since.

That contract was built with flexibility in mind. Only $3 million of his $20 million salary for next season is guaranteed, and Golden State can trade him at any point.

For now, Steve Kerr is leaning small. The lineup he is eyeing has Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg and Draymond Green, a smaller look without a true center.

Opening night is close

Golden State hosts Portland at Chase Center on Friday to close the preseason, then opens the regular season next Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the Lakers. That leaves Kerr a week to settle a rotation without the 7-footer he planned around.

Warriors fans just want to see KP healthy again, whenever that is. Until then, it is Curry, Draymond and a small-ball group trying to steal a road win in L.A. on opening night.