Warriors explore trading Kristaps Porziņģis as his health leave continues

The Golden State Warriors have started looking into trades for center Kristaps Porziņģis. He remains away from the team indefinitely while he deals with a health issue that has him thinking hard about his future in the game, according to league sources.

A contract built to move

Porziņģis signed a two-year extension worth $40 million in June. Only $3 million of the $20 million in the second year is guaranteed, which makes the deal close to an expiring contract.

The front office kept his salary flat across both years so he could be traded right away rather than waiting until mid-December. That flexibility was not the plan, though. Golden State expected him to start at center next to Draymond Green and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg after he played 15 of the team's last 20 games last season.

A leave with no end date

Porziņģis was at the team facility in San Francisco in the week before training camp. On the Sunday before camp opened he called general manager Mike Dunleavy to say he was still feeling the effects of a health problem that has lingered for nearly two years. He told the team he would take an indefinite leave.

The trouble began with an upper respiratory virus two seasons ago when he played for the Boston Celtics. Porziņģis has described it as POTS, or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. The condition can bring on dizziness, fatigue and brain fog.

Weighing what comes next

Last week he drove from Los Angeles to San Francisco to meet with Dunleavy and Rick Celebrini, who leads the team's medical decisions. The Warriors had hoped he would stay around the team as he worked on his health. Sources say he has not been back to the facility since.

Golden State listed him as not with the team for Wednesday's season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers. If his recovery stalls, sources say walking away from basketball for good is a real possibility.

Porziņģis has said on social media that dealing with health problems doctors cannot pin down has been frustrating on top of years of injuries. He added that he will get through it.

The Warriors still hold most of their future first-round picks along with several expiring contracts. Dunleavy has said the roster was built to allow a trade during the season if the right deal comes along.