When the Boston Celtics traded for Kristaps Porzingis last offseason, it completely changed the landscape of their roster. They flipped the first-rounder they also received in the deal in a trade for Jrue Holiday, and from there, the rest was history. But the change of scenery may have done more for Porzingis than for the Celtics.
That could be a reach, especially considering the Celtics won a title, but just take a look at where Porzingis was before the trade vs. after. Before joining the Celtics, the Dallas Mavericks had to attach a second-round pick to Porzingis to send him to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans. Now, he’s playing at an All-Star level again for one of the best teams in basketball.
So, what happened?
Kristaps Porzingis is finally happy playing basketball
In his final years with the Mavs, things didn’t look great for Porzingis. The fit just wasn’t there with Luka Doncic, and there was far too much pressure on him to perform after his injury battles.
Once he got to Washington, his play improved, but he wasn’t in a winning situation. The All-Star big man was finding his footing, but something was still missing.
With the Celtics, Porzingis has adapted a new style of basketball, is winning at the highest level, and is being lifted up by his teammates, the coaching staff, and the city. As Keith Smith of Spotrac pointed out on Twitter, it’s the happiest he’s looked playing basketball in a long, long time.
That’s what happened. Porzingis is happy again.
During the Celtics’ recent win over the Detroit Pistons, Porzingis drew a foul late in the fourth quarter. As he walked under the rim, he saw the crowd behind the basket and started pumping up the crowd. Celtics fans have embraced Porzingis (and vice versa) since he stepped foot in Boston, and it’s been incredible to watch.
“When I got here, the fans showed me a lot of love from the first moment,” Porzingis said. “And then obviously the success that we're having as a team is helping. But I knew if I have a moment like that in a game, especially that crowd that's sitting on the baseline, they're always super engaged. So, you got to enjoy those moments and honestly, it's just happening naturally.”
It’s no coincidence that Porzingis is playing the best basketball of his career. Obviously, the Celtics’ amazing roster has a lot to do with it, but it’s way more than that.
Sometimes, for a player to be at their best, they just need to be happy. Porzingis loves playing basketball in Celtics green, and that’s the most important thing.