Sources say the Warriors doubt Kristaps Porzingis will suit up again, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reports.
Slater notes the club counted on Porzingis being on the roster this fall despite his health setback, yet the 31‑year‑old hasn’t set foot in Golden State’s facilities since early October. The injury list now reads “not with team,” a shift Slater calls intentional, and his absence can no longer be labeled excused.
Insiders tell ESPN the front office has floated labeling Porzingis’ hiatus as a failure to render services, a move that could let Golden State claw back salary or even void the deal. That route would spark a drawn‑out showdown with the player and the NBPA. Cutting the 31‑year‑old’s cap hit would shave the luxury tax, yet it won’t free enough space to reshape a roster already deep in the red.
Slater says the preferred tactic mirrors the handling of De’Anthony Melton’s 2024/25 one‑year, $12.8 million contract after his ACL tear. Golden State slipped second‑round picks into Melton’s deal as part of a Dec. 15 trade that landed Dennis Schröder.
With no clubs willing to revamp their lineups this early, and tank‑mode still a distant prospect, trade options for the Warriors are scarce. Slater adds the franchise is prepared to wait for a market to emerge.
We have more on the Warriors: will the team finally find a viable path to clear cap space before the trade deadline?