Kristaps Porziņģis remains away from the Golden State Warriors, with Steve Kerr confirming after practice on Thursday, 8 October that there is no timetable for the centre’s return. With the regular-season opener approaching, Golden State still cannot count on having him available.
Kerr has exchanged text messages with Porziņģis, but those conversations have not established when he will rejoin the team. Al Horford, meanwhile, said he had neither seen nor spoken with his teammate recently — another indication of how little clarity the players have as preseason continues.
The distinction matters: Porziņģis remains out indefinitely, but he has not been ruled out of opening night. His availability is unresolved, not a confirmed absence for the start of the season.
Kerr’s contact has not produced a return date
According to The Athletic’s reporting from Thursday’s practice, Porziņģis has not been around the Warriors’ facility and did not accompany the team to Hawaii for its opening week of training camp and first preseason game.
Kerr said his recent text conversations with the centre had not gone into detail. The Mercury News separately reported that Kerr had no timeline for Porziņģis to return and no clear understanding of the specific issue behind his absence.
Kerr’s position was that Porziņģis must prioritise his health while the Warriors continue preparing without him. That is a statement of support, not a medical update or evidence that a return is imminent.
The current illness has not been publicly explained. There is no confirmed diagnosis for this absence, and the limited information available does not establish its severity or likely duration.
Horford also has limited information
Horford’s comments reinforced the uncertainty rather than resolving it. Warriors Wire reported that he had not seen or spoken with Porziņģis, while the Mercury News independently reported the same lack of recent contact.
“We just don’t have much information,” Horford said.
His focus was on hoping Porziņģis gets better and continuing the team’s preparation. Those comments describe Horford’s own knowledge; they should not be taken to mean the Warriors’ medical staff have no information about the situation.
Nor does the absence of contact establish anything about Porziņģis’ intentions. The confirmed basketball news is narrower: he is not with the team, and Kerr cannot give a return date.
Opening night remains an unanswered question
Golden State opens its regular season against the Lakers in Los Angeles on 21 October. General manager Mike Dunleavy had previously declined to rule Porziņģis out for that game, as Bleacher Report noted in its earlier availability update.
Thursday’s comments did not provide a firmer answer. The Warriors are continuing camp without their centre, but there is no announced recovery window from which to project how many games he might miss.
For fantasy managers, the practical takeaway is availability risk rather than a new verdict on Porziņģis’ ability. Do not treat him as a confirmed opening-night option — or assume a lengthy absence that has not been established. A return to team activities and a clearer availability update would be more useful than guessing a replacement or recovery date.
Comments