In his two years with the Boston Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis has simultaneously shown why they were right to believe he could elevate them while also showing why it didn't take much to acquire him in the first place.
Though Porzingis played a huge role in the Celtics beating the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals, that doesn't change the fact that he didn't play much in their title run last year. Even though he did play more in their most recent playoff run, his illness badly hindered his production.
The Celtics want to get under the NBA's second tax apron this summer, which could mean Porzingis is on his way out. His contract is expensive, but its expiring, which could appeal to teams looking for a buy-low candidate with little risk. The Celtics could also extend him on a cheaper deal, but there's no telling if that's the plan.
Celtics alum Marcus Morris gave his brutally honest thoughts on Porzingis as a Celtic during his appearance on Yahoo Sports "Good Word with Goodwill." In short, he doesn't think the Latvian big man fits with what Boston needs.
"I’m going to be candid, because I’m on this media side now—Porzingis is not a Celtic," Morris stated. "Porzingis doesn’t embody what they need from that position. That’s not a knock to him. I know he has injuries, but I think you definitely dangle him and see what you can get."
Morrsi added, "I don’t think you can get that much, to be honest, the way the league is going. He’s more of a salary re-dump at this point—maybe just a way to pick up some other guys."
Morris' words are harsh, but it's hard not to disagree because, despite how good the Celtics have been when Porzingis is on the floor, it's two straight years that he's shown that they can't depend on him.
