The Golden State Warriors are headed into preseason with more questions than they’d like, and Kristaps Porzingis has become the latest one. The center has been away from training camp because of an undisclosed health issue, and there still isn’t a timetable for when he might return.
That uncertainty has only added to a roster already dealing with thin margins. Jimmy Butler is set to start the season injured, so the Warriors need the rest of the group as available as possible if they want the kind of season they’re chasing.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that the outlook remains unsettled. “Additional note to this Warriors-Lakers injury report ahead of tonight's game: Kristaps Porzingis' health absence and timetable remains indefinite as the Warriors open their second week of preseason, I'm told," Slater wrote.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has already spoken about the situation, and he didn’t minimize how concerning it is to have so little clarity. “Yeah, I mean, you know, we want him back.
He's a really talented player, and so we thought he was in a pretty good place. So it's definitely concerning.
And so, as I said, all we're going to do is support him, give him every bit of medical help he can get, and emotional support, and hope he is back soon." Kerr said.
Draymond Green added his own perspective on his recent podcast, while making it clear his thoughts are with Porzingis. “He will probably come back and then it will be like, 'Oh, y'all know he came back' like we know he can.
I think that happens at the same time. I don't think it's necessarily a timeline of return.
So I think people will continue to ask this question for weeks on end and the answer is going to be the same and so I don't think it's the reason to keep asking the question, but needless to say, definitely sending well wishes to Porzingis and praying for him as he tries to recover from whatever it is that he's dealing with,” Green said.
For now, the situation stays quiet and the questions keep piling up. The Warriors say their focus is on supporting Porzingis, and Green’s message matched that approach: give him space, let him work through it, and wait for the day he’s back.
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