The Golden State Warriors added Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks earlier this week. However, the big man has been out of action since Jan. 7 with illness, and it seems like he won’t be returning to the lineup before the All-Star break. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the Warriors’ coach, Steve Kerr, said that the team had planned to keep Porzingis out of the lineup for the next three games. He has scheduled his return after the break.

Porzingis has been out for a month with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. It is a blood circulation disorder characterized by an increase in heart rate when the patient stands upright. He has been dealing with the illness since he was in Boston and has been going through conditioning to manage the issue.

The Warriors received Porzingis in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. However, there were questions about the Warriors front office’s decision. Porzingis had been dealing with issues for months and had been out for a long time. However, Kerr later clarified that if the Warriors didn’t think he could return this season, they wouldn’t have made the trade in the first place.

Aside from missing the last 14 games, Porzingis missed 22 games with the Hawks, mostly because of issues related to illness. Despite not being healthy, he has been impactful this season, averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. Porzingis can clearly elevate the Warriors on both ends. However, there are still questions that surround the Warriors’ decision to trade for him.

Did the Warriors add or subtract in Kristaps Porzingis deal?

The Warriors have never had a player like Porzingis in recent years. He is one of the rare big men in the NBA, and a type of player the Warriors might be able to address a lot of their issues with. The Latvian star is a rare kind of big man who can score on all three levels. He can hit long 3-pointers, midrange shots, and easily receive alley-oops and dunk. Porzingis is a great choice for a pick-and-pop big option. Moreover, he also elevates them on the defensive end. Porzingis is a great rim protector.

Overall, the Warriors seem to have gained in the trade, especially considering the fact that they were barely using Jonathan Kuminga. However, there are still big holes that need to be addressed and considered before declaring the Warriors as the winner of the trade, and that solely concerns Porzingis’ health.

The history and medical records contradict the Warriors’ conviction that Porzingis could return healthy. POTS is not a curable condition and can only be managed with strict lifestyle changes like diet and proper exercise. Moreover, the 2024 NBA champion has played just five games since the last week of November. In the rest of the games he has played, he has never played over 22 minutes. Even if the Warriors get him back, there is no guarantee that they would be able to get a 100 percent healthy Kristaps Porzingis.

Moreover, aside from illness, he has also dealt with injuries in the past that have kept him out of action. Since he started his career in 2015, he has played only 58.5 percent of games. That says a lot about his availability. However, there are still a lot of games left in the season. Even if the Warriors can have Porzingis for 25 minutes on the floor, he can turn things around for the Warriors.