Warriors Withholding Kristaps Porzingis' Pay

The Warriors have stopped paying Kristaps Porzingis. Golden State isn't delivering the semimonthly payments on his $20 million salary, ruling that the absent center isn't rendering his services, sources told ESPN's Anthony Slater.

That's a big step. It turns a quiet standoff into an official one, and it tells you the Warriors don't see this as an excused absence anymore. Meanwhile, the team that started 0-3 has won five straight without him.

How We Got Here

After two seasons of dealing with an elongated health issue, Porzingis signed a two-year, $40 million extension with Golden State this summer, with only $3 million guaranteed in the second year. Then, on the eve of training camp, he called general manager Mike Dunleavy and stepped away from the team.

The Warriors gave him space at first, but they expected him back at the facility with his teammates and the medical staff. After an early October meeting with Dunleavy and Rick Celebrini, the team's lead medical decision-maker, Golden State put out a statement saying he'd be around. It didn't last. Porzingis left, hasn't come back, and the team changed his status from out with "general illness" to "not with team," which was a purposeful change.

What the Warriors Want Now

The 31-year-old is leaning toward ending his NBA career, but Golden State is still shopping his contract. The Warriors have no plans to void the deal and want to keep their trade flexibility up to the Feb. 11 deadline. For another team, taking on his near-expiring salary could mean dumping a longer contract or picking up a draft asset, depending on what the Warriors are willing to attach.

Porzingis isn't disputing the missed payments, and the players' association doesn't plan to either. There's a recent precedent, too. Last season, the Heat withheld payments to Terry Rozier while he was under federal investigation and still explored trades with his contract leading up to the deadline.

What's Next for Golden State

On the court, the Warriors are 5-3 and rolling. They host the Heat on Thursday night, then Orlando on Saturday, and none of this changes their rotation because Porzingis has been away since before training camp. The real date to circle is Feb. 11, when the trade deadline decides whether his contract becomes somebody else's problem.

Smacktok pick lean: Skip any Porzingis-related plays. He's listed as "not with team," and the Warriors' five-game win streak has come entirely without him.