Analyst: 'Pretty jarring' that marquee Boston Celtics offseason splash didn't work out with Luka, Jalen Brunson
CBS Sports' Sam Quinn called the Dallas Mavericks era that saw Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson, Kristaps Porzingis, and Dorian Finney-Smith all team up, but never get past the NBA postseason's first round, "pretty jarring" -- this in response to HOOP's Josh Eberley, who was more focused on the Doncic-Brunson backcourt not working out and less on the Boston Celtics center and Brooklyn Nets forward.
"I understand why it didn’t last, but just looking at where things sit today, the idea of a Luka, Brunson, Porzingis, DFS core not working just feels pretty jarring," Quinn said.
Eberley had said that the Doncic-Brunson one-two punch not staying together -- and already being a duo discussed in that light -- "stings so badly."
Of course, the Mavs did make the 2022 Western Conference Finals, bowing out to the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors, but Porzingis had already been traded to the Washington Wizards at the 2022 trade deadline.
Kristaps Porzingis actually likes playing for the Boston Celtics, unlike his Mavs stint
The issues present during Porzingis's Mavs tenure aren't presence on the Celtics. And they weren't even present in the nation's capital during the big man's year and a half with the Washington Wizards under Wes Unseld.
Under Rick Carlisle, and briefly under Jason Kidd, and alongside Doncic, though? Porzingis admitted that he wasn't a fan of the locker room dynamic.
Luckily, things couldn't be more different in Boston.
Porzingis has a full-on bromance with Jaylen Brown off the floor after the two of them received extensions this past offseasons. He sticks up for Joe Mazzulla. He plays with maximum effort every night, and willingly shares shots with his star teammates.
All in all, things couldn't have gone better in Boston through the All-Star break with Porzingis in tow. One team's loss is another's gain is the simplest way to assess where Porzingis was just a few years ago and where he is now.