Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss at least the next two weeks due to illness marking another frustrating interruption in what has otherwise been a productive start to his first season in Atlanta.
Porzingis is dealing with ongoing health complications tied to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, commonly referred to as POTS, a condition the veteran big man was diagnosed with last season while playing for the Boston Celtics. The illness caused him to miss extended time during Boston’s playoff run, including an early exit from Game Five of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
“It hit me, and it hit me like a truck,” Porzingis said last season. “The breathing wasn’t good. I did everything I could potentially to feel as good as I could, but my engine wasn’t running the way I wanted.”
Despite those challenges, Porzingis entered the 2025–26 campaign healthy and in strong form after being traded to Atlanta over the offseason. He averaged 19.2 points and 5.6 rebounds across his first 13 games with the Hawks before being sidelined on December 5th. Since then, he has missed seven of Atlanta’s last eight contests.
POTS “is a condition that causes a number of symptoms when you transition from lying down to standing up, such as a fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue.” While there is no cure, the condition can be managed with treatment and monitoring, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The 30-year-old center has shown that management is possible. He suited up for Latvia during the FIBA EuroBasket tournament over the summer, helping lead the team to the Round of sixteen while playing six games without issue.
Atlanta enters Sunday’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers with a 14 and 12 record, having dropped four of its last five games. Porzingis is in the final year of his two-year, $60 million contract, and if his recovery stays on schedule, he could return before the end of the calendar year.
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