bleacherreport
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has openly admitted that the organization was taken aback when Kristaps Porzingis did not report to training camp. During a Thursday interview on 95.7 The Game's Willard & Dibs, Kerr explained that the team had maintained contact with Porzingis throughout the summer and believed everything was on track until camp began.
"We were definitely caught off guard by it in that we were in communication with him over the summer, and it seemed like everything was in a good place right up until training camp," Kerr said, as relayed by Dylan Grausz of NBC Sports Bay Area. "And then obviously things went south."
Since camp opened without Porzingis, Kerr has been focused on the tasks at hand. "Since the start of camp, when he was not here and we had to move forward, I haven't given it a whole lot of thought to be honest, because we're just busy," Kerr stated. "We have to take every single day and get our team ready for the next game. The days are full, the schedule is full, and so I check in with Kristaps occasionally to see how he's doing. But we're moving forward, and that's all we can do."
Kerr also expressed enthusiasm for the team's younger frontcourt players. "I like our young bigs, Graham [Ike] and Charles [Bassey]. We're excited about playing those guys, and the opportunity that they're going to receive, but everything else is not my jurisdiction. That's Mike's [Dunleavy] and the front office's, and I just come to practice and I look forward to coaching the guys every day. We're competing and seeing what we can put together."
Porzingis signed a two-year, $40 million contract with Golden State this summer, but Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. announced on Sept. 28 that the big man would be sidelined indefinitely to begin training camp due to a health issue. A little over two weeks later, the team confirmed that Porzingis remained out indefinitely because of a "health-related matter." On Oct. 21, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Golden State had begun exploring trades for the 31-year-old, who was "seriously contemplating his future in basketball" due to lingering effects from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
Since being acquired in a Feb. 4 trade with the Atlanta Hawks, Porzingis has appeared in only 15 games for the Warriors. His availability has been limited by health issues in recent years; he has played in just 247 of a possible 415 games since the start of the 2021-22 season.
Key Analysis
Kerr's comments highlight the unexpected nature of Porzingis' absence and the coaching staff's need to adapt quickly. With Porzingis out indefinitely, the Warriors are turning to young bigs Graham Ike and Charles Bassey, who will have opportunities to step up. Meanwhile, the front office, led by Mike Dunleavy Jr., is handling the situation, including exploring trade options. Porzingis' health challenges, particularly POTS, have significantly impacted his career, and his future with the team remains uncertain.
Originally reported by bleacherreport.