Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis announced his decision to step away from basketball for health reasons on Friday. 

The big man released a statement on X in which he said the following: "I'm doing good, but I know what it takes, and I'm not where I want to be to perform at the level that I expect from myself. At this point, I've made the decision to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love."

Having missed the Warriors' training camp and preseason games, Porzingis added that his body didn't respond the way he anticipated as the workload ramped up. 

Porzingis has previously been diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), an autonomic nervous system disorder that causes an abnormal, excessive increase in heart rate and blood pooling in the legs when moving from sitting or lying down to standing. 

The decision comes as no real surprise, despite Porzingis announcing on Oct. 14 that he is trying to figure out a solution to get back to the hardwood. 

Ultimately, health should always come before a sport or any job. 

There was speculation that the 31-year-old might retire in recent weeks; however, that conclusion cannot be drawn from his latest statement. 

It remains to be seen, therefore, what happens next and what the Warriors do as far as their roster is concerned. 

Golden State re-signed Porzingis to a two-year, $40 million contract extension this offseason, but new reports have stated that the franchise is withholding Porzingis' salary payments after ruling that he is not rendering his services. 

Porzingis and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) have not disputed the ruling. 

Additionally, Porzingis revealed in his statement that he has the "utmost respect" for the Warriors and expressed a desire to work with them to find a solution that makes sense. 

The Warriors have reportedly already been seeking trade partners, with only $3 million of Porzingis' deal guaranteed for the 2027-28 season — making him a potential target for teams looking to balance their books and gain draft capital. 

Whatever happens, the Warriors would have much preferred to have Porzingis healthy and available. 

The 7-foot-2 big man looked a good fit alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in limited time last season.

He averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 15 games after being traded from the Atlanta Hawks for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield on Feb. 5. 

With Jimmy Butler out until the new year, Porzingis would have been useful all over the floor. His absence has left the Warriors' center depth in dire straits, with 40-year-old Al Horford and Charles Bassey the only options outside of two-way Graham Ike. 

Head coach Steve Kerr has relied heavily on small-ball, with Draymond Green at the five spot so far this season, and the Warriors might want to bolster their interior options sooner rather than later. 

Golden State (6-3) certainly shouldn't use its six-game win streak — after a woeful 0-3 start to the campaign – as an excuse to rest on its laurels.