Gsw coach Steve Kerr walks back comments on Kristaps Porziņģis' POTS diagnosis
Golden State’s coach Steve Kerr issued an apology after publicly questioning a medical diagnosis for center Kristaps Porziņģis, and the team continues to monitor the 30-year-old’s illness as he remains sidelined. The exchange matters now because Kerr’s remarks intersect with Porziņģis’ recent absence and the Warriors’ assessment of his health since the trade deadline.
Steve Kerr apologizes after POTS remarks
Kerr called his own comments a “stupid mistake, ” saying he regretted discussing a diagnosis that he is not qualified to explain and that such matters should be left to medical professionals. He made the statement while speaking with reporters before a Saturday game against the Los Angeles Lakers, adding that the issue is "a medical issue way behind my capabilities of explaining anything. " Kerr said simply, "He's sick, he won't play, we'll keep monitoring. "
Kristaps Porziņģis' illness sidelines him for fourth straight game
Porziņģis missed his fourth consecutive game Saturday, a 129-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, after returning to practice Friday. He made his Warriors debut on Feb. 19 but has not played since because of an illness that initially kept him out for three straight games up to the previous Friday. Kerr indicated that a return in Monday’s home game against the Los Angeles Clippers remained a possibility but emphasized uncertainty.
Onsi Saleh and the trade deadline
The Warriors acquired Kristaps Porziņģis from the Atlanta Hawks at the NBA trade deadline. When Kerr first spoke about the player's health on a radio appearance, he said he had called Onsi Saleh and asked whether the POTS story was real; Saleh told him, "It's actually not POTS, " a statement Kerr characterized as correcting "some misinformation that was out there. " Kerr later clarified that, in his view, whatever had kept Porziņģis out in Atlanta had nothing to do with the illness that struck last week.
Gsw roster: Kristaps Porziņģis' debut, Achilles injury and playing time
Porziņģis has been a member of the Warriors for more than three weeks but has appeared in just one game for Golden State. He was dealing with an Achilles injury at the time of the trade, which delayed his debut until Feb. 19, and the illness that followed further limited his availability. Kerr has stressed that the organization would not have made the move if it did not believe Porziņģis could remain healthy.
Related health notes: POTS, recent descriptions and Stephen Curry
Porziņģis previously revealed that he dealt with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, while playing for the Boston Celtics in last year's playoffs; POTS is described as a non-life-threatening blood circulation disorder that can produce symptoms when a person stands up. In October, Porziņģis spoke at length about how POTS affected him, saying, "It hit me, and it hit me like a truck, " and noting that his breathing was impaired and his "engine wasn't running the way I wanted. " Since arriving in Golden State he has praised the team's training staff and repeatedly stated he feels confident he can stay healthy, though it remains unclear when his next appearance will be possible.
Kerr also noted in his radio interview that he has had conversations with injured star Stephen Curry but does not know when the 37-year-old will return; Curry has been dealing with runner's knee for the past mont. What makes this notable is that Kerr’s public attempt to clarify roster health intersected directly with ongoing absences, forcing the coach to retract and emphasize that medical matters fall outside his remit while the team continues to manage availability and monitor recovery.
