Kristaps Porzingis' Updated Timeline to Return from Injury After Shocking Warriors-Hawks Trade

As the Golden State Warriors look to make a playoff run, they will hope Kristaps Porziņģis can stay healthy to get them there after acquiring him from the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

"I don't think we would've made the trade if we didn't think he could be healthy and consistent in terms of being in the lineup," head coach Steve Kerr told reporters Thursday.

"We've never really had a player quite like him," Kerr added, noting the forward is not likely to debut until after the team returns home from its road trip.

ESPN's Anthony Slater and Shams Charania reported there was no definite timeline for Porziņģis to return to the court, but the Warriors "anticipate" he will debut for them "soon" after the trade becomes official.

Charania reported the trade, with the Warriors receiving Porziņģis in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield.

Porziņģis only appeared in 17 games with the Hawks and has been out since Jan. 7. He had been sidelined early in the season with an illness that was diagnosed as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

Speaking to The Athletic's Fred Katz in October, Porziņģis explained that even trying to stand up from a sitting position on the couch would dramatically increase his heart rate.

'You know how people say, 'Oh, I'm so fatigued.' I've never used those words. I don't even like to speak in those terms, but I really was like that," Porziņģis said. "At that time, I could just lay on the couch and be a house cat."

Porziņģis has went through reconditioning exercises throughout the season as he tries to manage the illness going forward.

Whenever Porziņģis is able to play again, it seems likely he will be on a minutes restriction. The 30-year-old didn't play more than 22 minutes in a game in any of his final six appearances with the Hawks.

Despite having to navigate the illness, Porziņģis has remained an effective player when he is able to get on the floor. He averaged 17.1 points on 45.7 percent shooting, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game with Atlanta.

The Warriors can certainly use a player with Porziņģis' size, rim protection skills and shooting ability as they try to move out of the play-in mix and into the top six of the Western Conference standings.

Golden State has four games remaining prior to the All-Star break. Its first game out of the break will be against Porziņģis' former team, the Boston Celtics, at Chase Center on Feb. 19.