Following the Boston Celtics’ playoff loss to the New York Knicks, many think the front office might blow up the team and trade away key pieces.
Every starter on the Celtics roster is making a lot of money, most notably Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, both of whom are set to make north of $60 million a year.
One impact player getting paid a lot of money next year, whose future in Boston is undetermined, is the team’s starting center, Kristaps Porziņģis.
Porziņģis’ First NBA Years
Drafted out of Latvia No. 4 overall to the Knicks, Porziņģis was touted as “the original unicorn,” by Hoops Hype, as a 7-foot-3 center who could space the floor and had solid defensive ability.
Though Knick fans originally hated the pick, when Porziņģis finally got on the court, he silenced his doubters. He averaged 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game en route to a second-place finish in the Rookie of the Year award race, losing to Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns.
Porziņģis’ time in New York was successful for him as a player. He improved each year and was even named an All-Star in the 2017-18 season after averaging 22.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He was the Knicks’ best player in a time when the team struggled, losing 53 games in that same season.
After an injury-prone 2018-2019 season, Porziņģis wanted out of New York. He was traded to Dallas in a deal centered around him and rising young guard Dennis Smith Jr.
New York has agreed with Dallas on trade that includes Kristaps Porzingis, Courtney Lee, Tim Hardaway Jr., for Wesley Matthews, Dennis Smith Jr. and DeAndre Jordan, league sources tell ESPN. Players and agents are being notified of particulars. Deal may include more draft assets.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 31, 2019
Dallas Years
In Dallas, Porziņģis became the running mate to their other budding star, Luka Dončić. The two were the catalysts of many successful seasons.
Dallas didn’t see much playoff success during Porziņģis’ time there. They packaged him to Washington at the 2021-22 trade deadline for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.
Though teams had passed Porziņģis around the league during his first six years, there was no doubting his talents. To this day, he is probably one of the 50 best players in the NBA, but early on, he just couldn’t find a true home anywhere.
Porziņģis’ time in Washington was probably his best as a player. In two years he averaged over 22 points and over eight rebounds per game. Though he was playing well, he was stuck in the same conundrum as his time in New York; he was having individual success but not team success.
Fans sometimes attribute certain players with “empty stats,” meaning they have great games but don’t seem to produce wins. Porziņģis might’ve been stuck with this label if it wasn’t for his time in Boston.
Luka putting up empty stats and 7’3 Porzingis a spot up shooter. pic.twitter.com/Ugd1nxAvBO
— mars (@marsjoint) January 31, 2021
Championship Pedigree
Led by the aforementioned Tatum and Brown, the Celtics had been one of the best teams of the 2020s, finishing at or above .500 in every year of the decade. They even made the 2022 NBA Finals, losing to Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in six games.
Their surrounding crew of Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon were not enough to get them over the hump, so they sent all of them away.
They first traded Smart, who was the heart and soul of the team for nearly a decade, along with Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala for Porziņģis, giving the Celtics a legit “big three.”
The Boston Celtics are finalizing a deal to acquire the Washington Wizards’ Kristaps Porzingis, sources tell ESPN. Porzingis is opting into his $36M contract for 2023-2024 and getting his trade to the Celtics. pic.twitter.com/tRVEfI8nnI
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2023
They then traded Williams III and Brogdon for Jrue Holiday, one of the league’s best defenders and a true impact player.
The Celtics’ new starting five of Holiday, Derrick White, Brown, Tatum and Porziņģis instantly became the best in the league. They entered the 2023-24 season as favorites to win the title.
Under second-year head coach Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics won 64 games and made it to the Finals, facing off against the Mavericks.
The media liked to push the narrative that Dallas had the two best scorers in the series in Dončić and Kyrie Irving. While both are naturally gifted scorers, Dallas lacked depth around their two stars, making it hard for them when Irving and Dončić had bad nights.
Porziņģis was set to return for Game 1 after missing the previous two series with a calf injury. However, the media really didn’t think Porziņģis would make much of a difference in the series.
Kristaps would make them eat their words. In just 20 minutes off the bench, the big man scored 20 points on 8-13 from the field, and also tallied three blocks. He was the best player in that game thanks to his elite efficiency.
The Celtics would go on to win the finals in five games, thanks in large part to Porziņģis’ contributions off the bench.
Conclusion
Though his time in Boston may be cut short thanks to the team’s expensive roster, there is no doubting he helped change the culture in the city. He was a valuable piece to a contender, and was one of the team’s most consistent offensive pieces when he was on the floor.
Porziņģis seems to have shed the “empty stats” label that was often placed on him, and his contributions, which may end up being short-lived, will not go unnoticed by fans.
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