The Golden State Warriors have spent the past two weeks preparing for the NBA season without Kristaps Porzingis. Now, the organization finally has some encouraging news regarding its veteran center.
After weeks of uncertainty surrounding Porzingis' health and availability, head coach Steve Kerr revealed Monday that the 31-year-old is expected to return to the team's facility Tuesday. According to reports, Porzingis will meet with Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini to determine the next steps in his recovery.
Although the development represents progress, Golden State still does not have a timetable for when Porzingis will return to the court.
The latest development comes just days after reports raised questions about Porzingis' whereabouts and communication with the organization.
According to Danny Emerman of the San Francisco Standard, the Warriors were uncertain about his exact location, the nature of his health issue and when he might return to the court. Although Kerr had exchanged messages with Porzingis and team medical personnel remained in contact with him, the organization still lacked clarity about his availability.
Now, his expected return to the team's facility could provide some much-needed answers.
Porzingis has missed the opening weeks of training camp and Golden State's preseason games while dealing with an undisclosed health issue. General manager Mike Dunleavy initially announced Sept. 28 that the veteran center would be sidelined indefinitely, leaving the organization without a timetable for his return.
At the time, Dunleavy expressed optimism that the veteran center would eventually rejoin the team, although he could not provide a return date.
The lack of information surrounding Porzingis' absence became a growing storyline as Golden State continued preparing for the regular season.
According to reports, the Warriors had been uncertain about the center's exact whereabouts, the nature of his health concerns and when he might be available to play.
However, the organization remained in contact with Porzingis throughout his absence.
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Kerr previously confirmed that he had exchanged messages with the former All-Star, while Celebrini also communicated with him as the team continued monitoring his situation. Now, the expected meeting at Golden State's facility could provide the organization with a clearer understanding of his recovery and what comes next.
For the Warriors, that clarity is especially important considering their offseason investment in Porzingis.
Golden State signed the 7-foot-2 center to a two-year, $40 million contract, hoping his combination of perimeter shooting, scoring and rim protection could strengthen a frontcourt that has struggled with consistency.
When healthy, Porzingis offers a unique skill set that could complement Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. His ability to stretch the floor creates additional space for Golden State's offense, while his size gives the Warriors another presence around the basket.
However, staying healthy has been a challenge throughout his career.
Porzingis appeared in just 32 games during the 2025-26 regular season, averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
Golden State acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks at the February trade deadline in a deal involving Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. Although he showed flashes of his potential after joining the Warriors, injuries and illness limited his availability.
Porzingis has previously discussed being diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, commonly known as POTS, but the Warriors have not confirmed whether his latest absence is related to that condition.
While his health remains the immediate priority, the uncertainty has also complicated Golden State's preparations for the upcoming season.
Injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody have already complicated Golden State's preparations, and Porzingis' absence only adds to Kerr's challenges.
The Warriors have explored several frontcourt options, including Al Horford, Draymond Green, Charles Bassey and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. However, replacing Porzingis is about more than simply finding another big man.
Golden State invested in the veteran center because of his unique ability to stretch the floor while providing a legitimate presence around the basket. Without him, the Warriors could struggle to replicate the impact they envisioned when they acquired him.
Kerr previously acknowledged that the Warriors were still working through their options, particularly with Porzingis' availability remaining unclear.
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Golden State opens its regular season Oct. 21 against the Los Angeles Lakers, giving the organization just over a week to prepare for its first meaningful game.
Whether Porzingis will be ready by then remains uncertain.
Still, Monday's update represents a positive development after nearly two weeks of questions surrounding the veteran center. For the Warriors, having Porzingis back at the facility would be an important first step.
The bigger question is how quickly he can return to basketball activities and begin contributing to a team hoping to make another postseason run.
With the regular season approaching, Golden State may finally be getting closer to finding those answers.