Kristaps Porzingis Still Has No Timetable, and Al Horford Starts at Center as the Warriors Brace for an Opening Night Without Him

The Golden State Warriors still do not know when Kristaps Porzingis will play. Coach Steve Kerr said Thursday there was nothing new to report after checking in with the big man, and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. had already said Porzingis would be out indefinitely because of an undisclosed health issue. According to Nick Friedell of The Athletic, Porzingis was still not with the team as of the weekend, and ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel reported the Warriors are bracing for him to miss the start of the regular season, possibly into November.

For fantasy managers drafting this week, Porzingis has become one of the hardest players to value. For the Warriors, his absence leaves a hole at center that Kerr has openly admitted the team has not figured out.

What we know, and what we do not

The Warriors have provided few details. Kerr has described the situation as a little mysterious, and the team has not disclosed the nature of the health issue or a recovery timeline. Porzingis has dealt with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) in the past, but the Warriors have not said whether this absence is related.

That uncertainty matters. A known injury with a timeline lets fantasy managers plan. An undisclosed health issue with no prognosis does not, and the reporting that he could miss time into November suggests this is not a short-term absence.

It also complicates the Warriors' roster planning. Golden State built its frontcourt around the idea of a stretch big who could space the floor for Stephen Curry and protect the rim on the other end. Without Porzingis, the team has to choose between spacing and size on most nights, and its depth chart behind Horford is made up of players who offer one or the other but not both. That tradeoff is the reason the rotation is still unsettled two weeks before the opener.

Golden State's center options

Kerr moved Al Horford into the starting lineup for the preseason opener, and he is the most natural replacement. But Horford has limitations: he has not played back-to-backs for several seasons and is not expected to start doing so now.

Kerr has said Bassey and Ike would primarily roll or short-roll, rather than space the floor like Horford or Porzingis. He has also expressed uncertainty about whether the defense can hold up with Lendeborg at center, though he acknowledged he may need to use that look out of necessity.

Fantasy fallout

Kristaps Porzingis: His draft value has dropped significantly, and it should. With no timetable and reporting that he could miss time into November, he is a late-round flier at best in redraft leagues. If your league has an injured reserve slot, he becomes a more reasonable stash, but do not spend a mid-round pick on him. In keeper and dynasty formats, his long-term value depends on information the Warriors have not shared.

Al Horford: He gets a significant boost. As the starting center, he should see a larger role than expected, and his combination of three-point shooting, rebounding and blocks makes him a useful fantasy player when he is on the court. The back-to-back limitation is the catch: he will miss games, which hurts in head-to-head leagues. In roto and points leagues, he is a solid late-round pick.

Draymond Green: More time at center means more rebounds and potentially more blocks. Green's fantasy value has always been tied to his all-around production, and a bigger role in the frontcourt helps. He is a solid mid-to-late-round pick, especially in category leagues where his assists, steals and blocks provide value.

Charles Bassey and Graham Ike: Both are deep-league options. Their value increases on nights when Horford rests, but neither is a reliable fantasy contributor without a clear role.

Stephen Curry: The absence of a floor-spacing big affects the Warriors' spacing, but Curry remains a top-tier fantasy guard regardless. His production is not dependent on Porzingis.

Betting angle

Porzingis was a key part of Golden State's plans this season, and his absence affects the team's outlook. Markets have priced in some uncertainty, but if he misses significant time, the Warriors' early-season results could suffer, particularly in back-to-back games where Horford is unavailable.

Bettors should watch Golden State's back-to-back schedule closely. Those are games where the Warriors' center options are thinnest, and the market may not fully account for the difference.

The Verdexed model's NBA game views will be on the NBA predictions page once the regular season begins.

What to do in your draft

- Draft: Al Horford as a late-round pick, especially in roto and points leagues. - Draft: Draymond Green in category leagues for his all-around production. - Avoid: Spending a mid-round pick on Porzingis. Treat him as a late-round flier or an IR stash. - Monitor: Any update from the Warriors on Porzingis' health and return timeline. - Deep leagues: Charles Bassey on Horford rest nights.

What's next

The Warriors' regular season begins later this month, and the team is preparing to play without Porzingis. Any update on his health would change the picture quickly, but for now, the plan is Horford as the starter and a rotation of options behind him. Fantasy managers should draft accordingly, and treat any Porzingis news as a bonus rather than an expectation.