NEW ORLEANS — The Warriors will be without their newest addition for at least two more games.
League sources confirmed to the Bay Area News Group that Kristaps Porzingis did not travel with the team to New Orleans, the first of two stops on a brief trip that will see them play the Pelicans on Tuesday and in Memphis against the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Porzingis missed Sunday’s improbable victory over the Nuggets with an illness, remaining in his hotel room and not even attending the game.
“I got a text this morning that he was sick at the hotel, and he’s not even going to come over here,” Kerr said during his pregame media availability. “He’s pretty sick.”
Kerr did not have an update on Porzingis when asked about it after the win, either.
Joining Porzingis on the injury report were a trio of veteran teammates. Draymond Green, who also missed the game against Denver with back soreness, was listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game. So were De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford, who do not play in both legs of back-to-backs.
The Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield for Porzingis the night before the trade deadline, and he made his debut on Thursday against the Celtics. Porzingis scored 12 points in 17 minutes, making two 3-pointers and hitting a couple of shots in the post.
He flashed the talent that has made him an impactful player in the league, but is now showing why relying on Porzingis was seen as a risk. He has played in at least 60 games in just one of the past seven seasons, and deals with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
The next game that the Warriors — who will also be without Steph Curry (knee soreness) until March 2 at the earliest — could have Porzingis is Saturday’s showdown with the Lakers at Chase Center.