Kerr Retracts Comments on Porzingis Diagnosis as Center Misses Fourth Straight Game
kerr-retracts-porzingis-diagnosis-warriors
Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis will sit out a fourth consecutive game Saturday night against the Los Angeles Lakers because of what the team lists as a “general illness.”
“I can’t really say anything more on it,” head coach Steve Kerr told reporters in San Francisco. “He’s sick. He won’t play. We will keep monitoring him.”
Kerr’s remarks follow a Friday appearance on Bay Area radio in which he said Porzingis was not dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), despite the 7-foot-3 center previously discussing that diagnosis publicly.
On Saturday, Kerr reversed course. “It was a stupid mistake by me to talk about something I’m not qualified to talk about,” he said. “Even trying to discuss the diagnosis, that was a mistake. I need to leave that to professionals.”
Kerr explained that after reading about the POTS reports, he called Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh—“a good friend of mine”—to ask if the story was accurate. According to Kerr, Saleh responded that the information was incorrect.
Porzingis first experienced an extended illness late in his tenure with the Boston Celtics, whose medical staff identified POTS. Limited by illness and other issues, he played 17 games for Atlanta this season before the Warriors acquired him at the February trade deadline in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga.
Since arriving in Golden State, Porzingis has appeared in one of eight possible games. His status for Monday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers is still undetermined, Kerr said.
Source: ESPN
