What made coming to Boston a ‘tremendous simple’ determination for Kristaps Porzingis

Celtics

“Getting traded to Boston, it made me notice how a lot I missed being on a giant stage.”

Because the Celtics and Wizards mentioned his future, Kristaps Porzingis was in one other timezone, anxiously ready to see if Boston may hit its midnight deadline to accumulate him.

“It was a loopy day for me,” Porzingis mentioned. “I used to be about to fall asleep, however then I heard the information that the commerce didn’t undergo. So, that saved me up for somewhat bit longer. However by like 4 am again residence I used to be like, ‘Oh, okay, I’ll fall asleep and see what occurs.’ I awoke within the morning and noticed that the commerce occurred. I used to be simply extraordinarily excited and intensely completely happy.”

The Celtics have been Porzingis’ best choice, and it was a simple determination, he mentioned. He had gotten a style of huge market basketball in New York, and a quick shot on the playoffs in Dallas, earlier than having fun with a profession yr in Washington.

This time, he needed an opportunity to win all of it, and the Celtics felt that he could be the lacking piece to convey residence Banner 18.

“It’s essentially the most thrilling feeling that you would be able to get,” Porzingis mentioned. “Simply the concept of that. It made it tremendous simple and it made this my favourite possibility, to return right here to Boston. The hearth that I bought from that concept goes to gasoline me up for the remainder of the summer time and [for my time here].”

On Thursday, Porzingis arrived on the Auerbach Middle sporting a crisp white t-shirt and sweatpants, taking sips of lemon-lime Gatorade as he answered questions. He spoke about how his arrival in Boston made him take into consideration his early days as a New York Knick.

“Getting traded to Boston it made me notice how a lot I missed being on a giant stage,” Porzingis mentioned. “Dallas was nice, Washington was nice additionally, however I simply really feel like it is a totally different stage, only a totally different stage of pleasure in how good the workforce is and all of that. New York helped me tremendously rising up and being ready for nearly something you’ll be able to face within the NBA.”

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens mentioned that the Celtics haven’t mentioned an extension with Porzingis but. Stevens mentioned the Celtics want to preserve him “past” subsequent yr, though he solely has one yr left on his contract in the meanwhile.

“We’ll have an opportunity to speak right here within the subsequent couple of days or even weeks or no matter it’s,” Stevens mentioned. “However, clearly we actually like Kristaps. We would like him right here. We’ll clearly have him subsequent yr and hopefully past, however we’ll see.”

At 7-foot-3, with the power to attain in and out, Porzingis will assist the Celtics house the ground. He mentioned he hopes to make life simpler for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, drawing sufficient consideration for them to slash by defenses extra effectively.

“The addition of Kristaps will assist us in our submit,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned. “He’ll assist us in opposition to particular defenses that we could have had hassle with prior to now, and simply give us a unique look which is essential I believe as we proceed to make this deep runs, to be a dynamic workforce.”

He’ll additionally add rim safety and depth to the frontcourt alongside Al Horford and Rob Williams.

“These guys are already excessive stage defensive gamers. Each are actually good at defending the rim,” Porzingis mentioned. “I’m going to be about there, additionally defending the rim. And people guards on the workforce, guards ahead, everyone on the workforce I believe they’re all like canines they usually’re going to make life even simpler for us defensively because the bigs as a result of they’re going to be placing extra stress on the guards once they’re driving by and stuff like that. I believe it is a particular workforce that I’m going to have the ability to be a part of.”

Porzingis was candid about his earlier postseason experiences. He tore his meniscus in the course of the Western Convention First Spherical in 2020, as Dallas was eradicated by the Clippers in six video games. The Clippers beat Dallas once more in 2021, with Porzingis held to only 13.1 factors, properly beneath his regular-season common.

“I don’t know if I’ll be prepared [this time around],” Porzingis mentioned “Who is aware of. However, I’m going to do all the things I can to assist this workforce. I’ve a style of it. I do know what it’s like. The primary playoff collection’ have been actually good. I simply didn’t have luck. The second was fully totally different, a unique fashion. Every collection is totally totally different. I’m going to need to be prepared for any form of situation and because the season goes alongside we’re going to search out that rhythm and that chemistry. That’s going to hold us into the playoffs.”

On paper, the Celtics are essentially the most proficient workforce Porzingis has ever performed on. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are official all-NBA gamers who’ve expertise making deep playoff runs. Porzingis can play extra of a supporting position than a starring position right here, and that has the potential to alter issues.

“It should make it a lot simpler. The identical method final yr, taking part in with [Bradley Beal] and [Kyle Kuzma] helped me,” Porzingis mentioned. “Jayson and Jaylen are tremendous excessive stage guys. They’re going to have just about the entire workforce, the alternative workforce, all of their consideration goes to be on them and that may make me offensively far more open … So, it’s going to be somewhat little bit of time till we discover that chemistry on the ground, however it may very well be an excellent combine for certain.”