The Golden State Warriors will once again be without Kristaps Porzingis when they face the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
And this is no longer just a matter of the Warriors taking it easy with one of their veterans during the preseason.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported on October 6 that Porzingis’ health-related absence and return timetable remain indefinite as Golden State begins its second week of preseason play.
That means Porzingis will not play against the Lakers at Chase Center, where Golden State is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. PT.
More importantly, the Warriors still cannot say when he will play again.
Why Isn’t Kristaps Porzingis Playing Tonight?
Porzingis remains sidelined because of what the Warriors have described only as a health issue.
Golden State announced before training camp that Porzingis would be out indefinitely and would not initially travel with the team to Hawaii. General manager Mike Dunleavy said at the time that Porzingis had recently been working out without an apparent problem before the organization learned of the issue.
“I don’t have a timeline on it,” Dunleavy said at media day, adding that he hoped Porzingis would return soon.
More than a week later, that timeline has not become any clearer.
Slater reported Tuesday that Porzingis’ absence remains indefinite, confirming he is not simply being held out of the Lakers game as part of a routine preseason ramp-up.
What Is Kristaps Porzingis’ Health Issue?
The Warriors have not publicly disclosed a diagnosis for Porzingis’ current health problem.
That distinction matters because Porzingis has dealt with a complicated health history.
ESPN previously reported that Porzingis was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, following an upper-respiratory viral illness while he was with the Boston Celtics. The condition can cause symptoms including an increased heart rate, dizziness and fatigue.
Porzingis later struggled with health problems after the Warriors acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks last season. He missed six consecutive games at one point before returning in March and saying that he finally felt as though his body was returning to normal.
There has been no confirmation that POTS is responsible for this latest absence, however, and connecting the two would go beyond what Golden State or Porzingis has publicly said.
For now, the Warriors are simply calling it a health issue.
Kristaps Porzingis’ Return Date Remains Unclear
The next question is becoming more important than Tuesday’s preseason game.
Will Porzingis be ready for opening night?
Golden State begins the regular season against these same Lakers on October 21, leaving roughly two weeks for Porzingis to return and get himself ready for meaningful basketball.
Dunleavy initially declined to rule Porzingis out for that game.
“I’m not marking him down as being out to start the season or anything like that,” Dunleavy said at media day.
But the Warriors have now advanced into their second week of preseason without him, and Slater’s latest report provided no indication that a return is imminent.
Golden State re-signed Porzingis to a two-year, $40 million deal this offseason after he averaged 16.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 15 games with the Warriors last season.
When healthy, the 7-foot-2 center gives Golden State a combination it has rarely had during the Stephen Curry era: legitimate rim protection on one end and a floor-spacing center on the other.
The Warriors can survive October 6 without him. October 21 would be a different conversation.
And as of Tuesday night, they still do not know when he will be back.
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