The Golden State Warriors have a number of factors that will determine exactly how the upcoming NBA season will play out, and of course, it’s impossible to get much of a read on those factors here in the first week of October. But health is a big one, and especially so when it comes to the center position. Golden State is counting on versatile veteran big man Kristaps Porzingis to man the middle and facilitate the offense, and certainly, when he is healthy he has shown he could be an ideal fit with Stephen Curry.
But if there is one judgment that can be passed on the Warriors even at so early a date, it’s that the team probably should not count on much out of Porzingis in 2026-27.
Warriors Not Sure About Their Starting Center’s Location
That’s because, after originally getting optimism about his health in September, the Warriors already seem to have given up on relying on Porzingis at all this season. He did not come to the opening of training camp, missing time for the mysterious illness that has seemed to follow him since his time in Boston two years ago. And when coach Steve Kerr was asked about him on Tuesday, when the Lakers and Warriors played a preseason game, he seemed to have no idea where Porzingis is and what he is doing.
“I haven’t seen him yet,” Kerr said. “But we didn’t have practice yesterday and I just got here a little while ago.”
Kerr was asked whether Porzingis was in the Bay Area. He was not sure. “I think so,” the coach said. “I think he will be around now. But I haven’t seen him yet.”
Kristaps Porzingis Got a $40 Million Contract
Again, this is not the most encouraging sign for a Warriors team that is light on depth, and especially at center. Porzingis played only 15 games for the Warriors last season after he was acquired in a trade with the Hawks for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. Porzingis had played only 17 games for Atlanta, and played just 42 games in 2024-25 with the Celtics.
He averaged 16.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 23.7 minutes for Golden State, and the Warriors gave him a two-year, $40 million contract this summer, with next year only guaranteed for $3 million.
Warriors’ Kristaps Porzingis Concerns Raised After Steve Kerr Statement