An elusive, persistent condition plagues the big man, but Kerr confirms what it is not.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr dropped a surprising update on center Kristaps Porzingis' health when he joined 95.7 The Game's Willard & Dibs on Friday, and what he had to say raised more questions than answers.
Porzingis had been widely reported to be dealing with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), a condition that causes an increased heart rate, dizziness, and extreme fatigue.
But according to Kerr, that was never the case.
He said he called Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh shortly after the trade and was told it was not what everyone thought.
"I got confirmation that it was not POTS but it was something else that was really difficult to figure out," Kerr said. "Sometimes there's just mysterious stuff."
An Illness With No Name
The fact that Kerr himself still does not seem to know exactly what has been affecting Porzingis is the most concerning part of all of this.
Whatever it is, the mystery illness has followed him across three teams over the past two seasons and has kept him off the court far more often than not.
Porzingis has played in just 18 games this season between the Hawks and Warriors, putting up 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game on 46.1 percent shooting.
He appeared in 17 games with Atlanta before being traded to Golden State at the deadline for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, and his only appearance in a Warriors uniform came on February 19 against Boston, where he scored 12 points in 17 minutes.
He has not played since after coming down with another illness that kept him away from the team during their road trip.
Why the Warriors Should Be Worried
Golden State sits at 31-28 on the season and is already without Stephen Curry, who has missed 10 straight games with a knee injury while averaging 27.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds through 39 games.
The team also lost Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL, which dealt a devastating blow to their playoff hopes.
Porzingis was supposed to fill the void and give the Warriors the stretch-five they have been looking for.
His ability to shoot from deep, protect the rim and run pick-and-pops makes him a perfect fit on paper, but none of that matters if he cannot stay healthy.
Going back to last season with the Celtics, Porzingis was limited to just 42 games and struggled through the playoffs.
He has appeared in only about 60 games over the past two seasons combined, and there is still no clear answer as to what is going on.
Kerr acknowledged that even in a time when medicine has more answers than ever, some things just cannot be explained.
For a Warriors team that gave up real assets to bring him in, the lack of clarity is a serious concern.
Golden State listed him as questionable for Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers, but even if he plays, minute restrictions are expected.
The trade deadline gamble only pays off if Porzingis can stay on the court, and right now there is no guarantee that will happen.