Joe Mazzulla once said he liked seeing Kristaps Porzingis “bleed on court.” The Boston Celtics head coach admired how the Latvian center embraced the physical demands of the NBA. Now that the 31-year-old has stepped away from basketball, Mazzulla has reached out with a message of support.
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“I talked to him on the plane, reached out to him,” Joe said to the media. “Had a good conversation with him. Some of the other guys on the staff did as well. I think it’s just a good reminder as we go through the NBA season and look at these guys as athletes and basketball players. Their careers are so much more than what happens on the court there. So it’s a good reminder of that. We were able to talk to him with our advice and, you know, in a pretty good space. And, you know, whatever we can do to help him, we will.
“I’m grateful for the time that I got to spend with him on and off the court. You know, just a guy, when he comes into the room, we light the room up, light the locker room up. I thought the years he was there, he brought kind of like a, you know, he was like the icebreaker. He brought a sense of joy to the rigors of, you know, the season. And playing for the Celtics and he brought a joy to that. And I think he had a positive impact on the locker room.”
After weeks away from the team, Kristaps Porzingis announced that he is stepping away from basketball to prioritize his health. This leaves Golden State with a complicated $40 million situation just months after bringing him aboard.
“This season I was really looking forward to running it with this group, but as I ramped up, my body didn’t respond the way I anticipated,” Porzingis wrote in a statement on November 6. The 31-year-old had hoped to return to action with the Golden State Warriors this season. However, his body did not respond as he expected during his preparations. He ultimately decided that continuing to push for a comeback was not the right move.
“I’m doing good, but I know what it takes, and I’m not where I want to be to perform at the level I expect from myself,” Porzingis wrote. “At this point, I’ve made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love.”
His announcement also left room for discussions with Golden State about what comes next. “In this situation, I want to show the utmost respect for the Golden State Warriors and work with them to find a solution that makes sense,” he added. For Mazzulla, the news carried deeper meaning. Porzingis played an important role in Boston’s 2023-24 championship campaign.
The center previously revealed that he had been diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The condition affects the autonomic nervous system and can cause an abnormal increase in heart rate when someone stands up. Fatigue, dizziness, and difficulty tolerating exercise are also possible symptoms.
In fact, Kristaps Porzingis dealt with the condition during his time in Boston, particularly around the 2025 postseason. However, neither he nor the Warriors has confirmed that POTS is responsible for his current absence. Golden State had entered the season expecting to have him available after agreeing to a two-year, $40 million contract.
The second season carried only a $3 million guarantee, but overall, the deal signified that the Warriors could strengthen their frontcourt with the Latvian playing a big part.
Instead, Kristaps Porzingis missed training camp and remained unavailable indefinitely. The situation also created tension over his contract. ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported on November 4 that the Warriors had stopped making semi-monthly payments on his $20 million salary.
For now, Kristaps Porzingis’ immediate priority is getting his health back on track. His next steps with the Warriors remain uncertain. But as Joe Mazzulla stated, basketball can wait.