Warriors training camp opened in Hawaii with an early hit to the frontcourt: Kristaps Porziņģis is out indefinitely because of an undisclosed health issue.
Golden State announced the news Monday, and general manager Mike Dunleavy said the team is not jumping to any big conclusions yet.
"I'm not marking him down as being out to start the season or anything like that," Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said."He's just not available this week. … Disappointed that he won't be out there tomorrow, but it's early, so don't want
to overreact to anything."
Porziņģis, 31, had already dealt with illness and injury during the 2025-26 season after being acquired from the Hawks at the trade deadline in February. In 15 games with Golden State, he averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, but he missed more games than he played after the deal, sitting out 16.
That uncertainty lands at a tricky moment for a team that brought him back on a two-year, $40 million contract this summer. The Warriors got him in a deal centered around Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield earlier this calendar year, then bet on continuity by largely keeping the roster together.
Golden State’s offseason was light on outside moves. The team re-signed Porziņģis, Draymond Green, Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II, and also recently gave Steph Curry a two-year contract extension.
Jimmy Butler is expected back late in the season after tearing his ACL last year. The only external additions were Brandon Williams and Georges Niang, who missed the entire 2025-26 campaign while recovering from a foot injury.
Now the spotlight shifts even more toward rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. The No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft out of Michigan arrived with a reputation as one of the most NBA-ready players in the class, thanks to his physical style and versatility. He was the oldest first-round pick in the draft.
Lendeborg’s resume is already loaded. He emerged as one of the best players in college basketball at Michigan and helped lead the Wolverines to the national title. He also turned heads in Las Vegas over the summer, then capped the Warriors’ second summer league title with 21 points and 10 rebounds against the Grizzlies.
Steve Kerr made clear the rookie will have a real role.
"He's clearly going to play a ton. He gives us the size and the versatility that we need...Whether he's a starter or coming off the bench, that will be determined the next couple of weeks."
Porziņģis’ availability remains the bigger question. He has not played more than 60 games in any of the last four seasons, including 42 with Boston in 2024-25 and 32 combined with the Hawks and Warriors last season. His career high in games played is 72, set during his rookie season with the Knicks more than a decade ago.
In Other News...
Warriors Just Sent A Clear Message About Lajae Jones
Lajae Jones is already getting his pro career underway overseas, and the Warriors' decision to leave the 54th overall pick out of training camp says plenty about where he fits in their immediate plans. After four years of college basketball, Jones signed with Italian club Pallacanestro Trieste and wasted little time getting on the floor, giving him a head start on the next stage of his career while Golden State keeps its focus elsewhere.
Golden State's developmental priorities were clearer when the club opted to bring Alex Toohey into the pipeline instead, with Toohey expected to land with the Santa Cruz roster. For Jones, the path now runs through Italy, and for the Warriors it is another sign that not every recent second-rounder is being treated the same as the team sorts out who is closest to helping in the system. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Took A Real Risk On Al Horford For One Reason
The Warriors went into the market for a veteran center and came away with Al Horford on a two-year contract that includes a second-year player option, a move that says plenty about how they view the veteran big man. Horford missed significant time last season because of injuries, but the team is clearly willing to take on some risk here because of what he can still bring, and because the medical side in Golden State appears comfortable with where he is physically entering training camp.
Horfords appeal has always been as much about steadiness and fit as raw production, and that matters even more for a Warriors group trying to balance experience, health, and lineup flexibility. The injury history is part of the conversation, of course, but the early read around the building is that he has arrived in strong shape, which is exactly the kind of update Golden State needed before leaning into what could be a very important season for him and for them. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Camp Battle Next To Draymond Just Got More Intriguing
Training camp in Hawaii is bringing an early sense of urgency to the Warriors, and one of the more interesting questions on the floor is who will be asked to settle in next to Draymond Green in the frontcourt. The team has been sorting through young options, with Draymond coming away impressed after minicamp and Steve Kerr already viewing Gui Santos as a player worth watching closely after his strong finish last season.
There is a real opening there, and not just in the frontcourt. Golden State also has a starting job to sort out at shooting guard, where Brandin Podziemski and De'Anthony Melton are in the mix. For now, the camp spotlight is on how the Warriors balance those battles while trying to find the right fit around Green before the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]