Celtics
“Our season (with the Celtics) didn’t end last year the way we wanted to.”
After two noteworthy seasons with the Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis is penning a new chapter with the Hawks.
With Boston facing a serious cap crunch amid mounting luxury-tax penalties, Brad Stevens and the Celtics were forced to move on from multiple key pieces on their roster, headlined by the trades of both Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
Porzingis — who was entering the final year of his contract with Boston in 2025-26 — was traded to Atlanta in a three-team deal last month that also included the Nets, with the Celtics freeing up some payroll in the process.
After helping Boston win a championship in 2024, Porzingis shared his thoughts on his two-year tenure with the Celtics in an interview with Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“Our season (with the Celtics) didn’t end last year the way we wanted to,” Porzingis told Williams. “But this is how it goes, you know. And obviously, we expected that there were going to be changes in my whole team. And having a little bit longer summer than usual is, it’s awesome always as a player, because it’s just, the NBA season is tough.
“And also (I) jumped in the middle of the season, and it’s obviously tough, and just having this time off and being able to recharge a bit and get ready for a big summer, and then going into next year, it’s, honestly, it’s the perfect scenario, the perfect scenario. And I’m super, super excited about what’s coming.”
When he was on the court, Porzingis helped turn an already strong Celtics roster into a juggernaut — with his blend of post work, rim protection, and 3-point shooting making Boston a matchup nightmare.
But, Porzingis’ availability was an ongoing issue during his short time with Boston.
Despite winning a title in 2024, Porzingis played in just seven of Boston’s 19 playoff games that spring due to a calf issue and an ankle ailment that eventually required offseason surgery.
In 2024-25, he was limited to 42 games while recovering from that ankle procedure, and was later hindered down by a lingering illness.
He averaged 19.5 points per game while knocking down 41.2 percent of his three-pointers to go along with 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest. But, the symptoms of that illness returned in the postseason, hurting his overall play.
In 11 playoff games this spring, Porzingis averaged 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds and shot 15.4 percent from 3-point range while logging an average of 21 minutes per contest.
Even with those limitations, Porzingis would have been a useful piece for Boston in 2025-26, especially with Jayson Tatum on the mend with an Achilles injury.
But, Stevens and his staff had to make tough calls to lower Boston’s luxury-tax infractions.
“KP — he fought some of the stuff, health-wise, in the last two years, but when he played, he was awfully good, and we think he’ll be awfully good for Atlanta this year,” Stevens said of Porzingis on Tuesday. “And so again, those are not easy trades to make. Those are not easy phone calls. Obviously, those guys have been around the league a long time.
“They knew the CBA, they knew that there was a high likelihood that they could be part of a move, and they were communicated that before. But it’s still hard when you are [traded]. We will miss them, and we’re thankful for them.”
As the Celtics try to reset their group while waiting for Tatum’s return, Porzingis should be in line for featured reps with Atlanta, which could help him land a hefty new contract next offseason.
“I think I’ll fit right in here and add more diversity, maybe even more offense,” Porzingis said. “And, yeah, I think there’s going to be more layers to this offense that’s already pretty powerful. But yeah, I think we can really be a force offensively.”
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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
