Golden State Warriors forward Kristaps Porzingis announced that he will step away from the NBA after admitting his health is not where it needs to be to compete at the highest level.

Taking to social media on Friday, Porzingis — who took an unsubtle dig at internet doctors last month — revealed that his physical ramp-up to the season did not go according to plan. He has yet to play for the Warriors this year while dealing with the nagging effects of his postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

"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 an official statement on X.

"I'm doing good, but I know what it takes, and I'm not where I want to be to perform at the level that I expect from myself.

“At this point, I've made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love.”

Back in June, Porzingis inked a two-year, $40 million extension with the Warriors, who are reportedly not looking to void the contract. Two days before Golden State’s first practice, the NBA veteran informed general manager Mike Dunleavy that he wouldn’t be reporting.

Following a two-week hiatus, Porzingis returned in early October for a meeting with the Warriors’ top brass. Though Golden State expected him to stick around the team, he left again before sharing his latest decision to step away from basketball altogether.

The Warriors have since opted not to deliver Porzingis his payments — a decision that hasn’t been contested by the 31-year-old or the players' association.

“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,” Porzingis added. “I'm thankful to my family and close ones for always being there. Much appreciation to all of you for the support."

Since being traded by the Atlanta Hawks to the Warriors on Feb. 5, Porzingis has struggled to stay on the court while battling a myriad of health issues. During the 2025-26 campaign, he appeared in just 15 games for Golden State, averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest.

In Porzingis’ absence, the Warriors have adopted a successful next-man-up approach, winning their last five games after beginning the season 0-3.

“Since I’ve been here on this team, it’s never been about bickering, never about ‘Shame on this guy,’ ‘Shame on that guy,’” Draymond Green told The Athletic. “We’ve never had that culture here.

“So the same goes for [Porzingis]. No one’s sitting around bashing this guy or even worried about him, for that matter. In our minds, we’ve moved forward with the players that we have here.

“[Does] everyone in here think he can help us? Of course. We know what type of player he is.

“But I don’t think anyone in here is sitting around waiting on him to walk through that door. Everybody’s moved on in their mindset.”