Warriors Weigh Roster & Cap Options Amid Kristaps Porzingis’ Absence

The Golden State Warriors are navigating a constrained frontcourt rotation and tight NBA salary-cap rules as 7-foot-2 center Kristaps Porzingis remains away from the team indefinitely due to a health issue disclosed the day before training camp, Danny Emerman reported in The San Francisco Standard.

Frontcourt Rotation Under Draymond Green and Al Horford

Porzingis, a 12-year NBA veteran who played in 15 of Golden State's final 20 games last season and last appeared in a game on April 15, had been counted on to space the floor, anchor the interior defense alongside Draymond Green, and provide scoring while Jimmy Butler recovers.

In an Oct. 14 statement, the Warriors said Porzingis met at Chase Center with general manager Mike Dunleavy and head of performance staff Rick Celebrini, but a follow-up team statement a week later noted that Golden State does not anticipate Porzingis being with the team in the immediate future (while ESPN reported he is "seriously contemplating" his basketball future and an Oct. 28 social media post showed him in Mallorca, Spain).

In his absence, the Warriors are relying at center on 36-year-old Draymond Green, 40-year-old Al Horford, Charles Bassey, and two-way contract center Graham Ike across the 82-game regular season after opening with competitive frontcourt matchups against Nikola Jokic in Denver and against Minnesota.

Trade Eligibility, Second-Apron Constraints, and NBA Cap Rules

Because Golden State extended Porzingis without a raise, he has been trade-eligible since July. However, several collective bargaining mechanics shape the Warriors' options:

• Contract & Second Apron: Porzingis is owed $23 million guaranteed this season and has $3 million guaranteed for 2027-28. The Warriors are currently $20.4 million over the luxury tax and roughly $300,000 below the NBA's second apron, which they are hard-capped from exceeding and which prevents them from taking back more salary than they send out in a trade.
• Early-Season Trade Market: According to The Athletic, Golden State reached out to the rebuilding Milwaukee Bucks (whose centers include Myles Turner, signed through 2028-29, Kel'el Ware, and Jericho Sims) following Giannis Antetokounmpo's departure. Other centers around the league include Kevon Looney on the Lakers, Nick Richards in Miami, and Sacramento's rotation once Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell return, while unsigned free agents include Bismack Biyombo, Maxi Kleber, and Christian Koloko.
• Medical Retirement, Buyouts, and Exceptions: A team source indicated that voiding Porzingis's contract (as Philadelphia did when withholding nearly $20 million from Ben Simmons in 2021-22) is not currently under consideration, and the Aug. 31 deadline to waive-and-stretch his salary has passed. To remove his salary via medical retirement, Golden State would have to wait 1 full year from his April 15 game and obtain approval from an independent panel of doctors. Similarly, even if granted a Disabled Player Exception (worth up to $10 million before the Jan. 15 application deadline), the Warriors' hard cap at the second apron leaves them roughly $300,000 of room to use it.