Warriors withholding payments to Porzingis on $20M salary, sources say

The Golden State Warriors are not delivering semimonthly payments to veteran center Kristaps Porzingis on his $20 million salary, league sources told ESPN, ruling that the currently absent center is not rendering his services. General manager Mike Dunleavy and the Warriors' front office are still actively pursuing trade avenues utilizing Porzingis' contract even as the 31-year-old leans toward ending his NBA career. For rival teams, absorbing Porzingis' near-expiring salary could either allow them to move a longer-term salary out to save money (plus clear a roster spot via buyout) or theoretically net a draft asset, depending on what the Warriors are willing to attach. The Warriors have no current plans on voiding Porzingis' contract, team sources said, maintaining trade flexibility up until the Feb. 11 deadline. Porzingis is not disputing the lack of payments, league sources said. Under different circumstances last season, the Miami Heat withheld payments for veteran guard Terry Rozier while he was under federal investigation in a gambling scandal but did spend the months leading up to the deadline exploring trade possibilities with his contract. After battling an elongated health issue the past two seasons, Porzingis signed a two-year, $40 million extension with the Warriors this summer (only $3 million guaranteed in the second season). But on the eve of training camp, he called Dunleavy and stepped away from the team. The Warriors gave him some space initially but expected him to return to the facility and be around his teammates and the medical staff in his recovery, team sources said. After a meeting with Dunleavy and Rick Celebrini, the team's lead medical decision-maker, in early October, the team sent out a statement declaring he would be around. It didn't last. Porzingis left the facility, hasn't returned and the organization shifted his official status from out with "general illness" (as they'd listed during his absences last season) to "not with team," a purposeful change. This is no longer described as an excused absence for the center. In his absence, the Warriors have won five consecutive games after opening the season 0-3.