Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis’ foot issues, which were fully revealed after his Boston Celtics contract extension was signed, have changed the narrative surrounding the seven-foot-three stretch big’s arrival with the franchise. Beforehand, he was seen as the final piece of a championship puzzle.
Now? Porzingis is someone some are calling to trade. Interestingly enough, that was the first thought some had after the Brogdon trade; similarly in the boat of being a potential goner if the “win-now” label doesn’t suit the on-court product.
To be fair, the Latvian hasn’t played a minute with the Celtics yet. His versatility could open doors for Brown and Tatum we were all previously unaware existed.
It’s just hard for fans to trust him after the similar offseason injury woes Danilo Gallinari suffered in 2022.
Porzingis should still be one of the top three or four contributors to the team out of the gate, but if the team isn’t winning, fans will turn on him quickly due to Smart being who it took to land the big man. No one else represents the turning of the page from the 2022 Eastern Conference Championship core as Porzingis does.
Boston Celtics were unaware of marquee offseason addition’s injury before trade
The Boston Celtics were reportedly unaware of their marquee offseason addition's foot injury before they traded a fan-favorite for him.