Warriors stop paying Kristaps Porziņģis his $20 million salary, ruling he is ‘not rendering services’ as the center leans toward retirement

The Warriors are not delivering payments to Kristaps Porziņģis on his $20 million salary, ruling that he is not rendering services, Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported Wednesday. Golden State can still trade his contract at any point before the Feb. 11 deadline, and the 31-year-old center is leaning toward ending his NBA career, according to the report.

The Warriors are not delivering payments to Kristaps Porzingis on his $20 million salary, ruling that he is not rendering services, sources tell me and @anthonyVslater. Golden State is permitted to move his contract at any point before the Feb. 11 deadline even without paying him… https://t.co/o8ZmdcVQOM

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 4, 2026

What changed

Porziņģis has not played this season, and the Warriors have listed him as “not with team” on its injury reports, as our reports on Monday and Tuesday noted. According to the Charania and Slater report, that wording was a deliberate change from the “general illness” designation the team used during his absences last season, and it means the team no longer treats the absence as excused.

Payments are made on a semimonthly schedule. Porziņģis is not disputing the lack of payments, and the players’ association has no plan to dispute them either, league sources said. Slater noted that Miami withheld payments from Terry Rozier last season in different circumstances and still spent the months before the deadline exploring trades for his contract.

Here’s the latest on the Warriors withholding payments to Kristaps Porzingis while actively pursuing trades of his contract. Similar happened with Terry Rozier and Heat last season. Porzingis not disputing lack of payments.

Story with @ShamsCharania https://t.co/ycE5soE1tu

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 4, 2026

How the situation got here

Porziņģis battled a lengthy health issue over the past two seasons and signed a two-year, $40 million extension with Golden State this summer, with only $3 million guaranteed in the second season. On the eve of training camp he called general manager Mike Dunleavy and stepped away from the team. The Warriors gave him space at first but expected him to return to the facility and be around his teammates and medical staff, team sources said.

After a meeting in early October with Dunleavy and Rick Celebrini, the team’s lead medical decision-maker, the Warriors put out a statement saying he would be around. He left the facility again and has not come back. Golden State is 5-3 after an 0-3 start and has won five straight, including a 116-113 win over Phoenix on Monday behind Stephen Curry‘s 34 points.

What it means for the trade market

The Warriors have no current plans to void the contract, team sources said, and Dunleavy’s front office is still pursuing trades that use it. For a rival team, absorbing Porziņģis’s near-expiring salary could allow it to move a longer-term salary out, save money and clear a roster spot through a buyout, or it could theoretically net a draft asset, depending on what Golden State is willing to attach. The $20 million still counts against the Warriors’ cap while the payments are withheld.

On their most recent lists the Warriors were also without Jimmy Butler III (right ACL repair), Moses Moody (left patellar tendon repair) and Al Horford (bilateral low back injury management). Golden State hosts Miami on Thursday. The injuries page tracks every team’s latest list.