Kristaps Porzingis was nearly prepared to go to sleep in Latvia early final Thursday morning when he heard the preliminary commerce that will have despatched him to the Celtics had fallen aside.
That saved him up for a bit longer, then he determined to go to mattress and see what occurred within the morning.
“I wakened and noticed that the commerce occurred, and I used to be simply extraordinarily excited and very pleased,” Porzingis mentioned.
Porzingis says he went to mattress at 4 a.m. again dwelling in Latvia final week, after which wakened the subsequent morning as a Celtic. And he had a giant smile on his face as he instructed that story.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 29, 2023
Per week later, the newly acquired 7-foot-3 flamethrower met the Boston media for the primary time on the Auerbach Middle. He sported a plain white T-shirt, a shiny gold wristwatch and a scruffy beard and proudly held up a inexperienced, No. 8 jersey alongside head coach Joe Mazzulla and President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens.
Only some single-digit numbers have been accessible (4 and eight) and Porzingis selected 8. Someplace, Antoine Walker shimmies in approval.
Porzingis was calm and measured all through the press convention, but he made it clear this isn’t a possibility he takes evenly. The resounding theme was how he believes he could make life simpler for Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the remainder of the Celtics, whereas they concurrently make life simpler for him.
His purpose is to take strain off the celebrities and add his personal aptitude to enhance what already exists. When requested concerning the notion that he may very well be the lacking piece to place Boston excessive, he grinned and eagerly made his imaginative and prescient clear.
“That fireplace that I received from that concept goes to fuel me up for the remainder of the summer time and my time right here,” Porzingis mentioned.
Porzingis known as it an “extraordinarily simple” choice to come back to Boston and mentioned he’s thrilled to play for an “historic” and “iconic” franchise. Recent off a profession season, he mentioned he’s getting into his prime and expects his finest years to come back within the close to future.
He mentioned the commerce helped him understand how a lot he missed enjoying on a giant stage like he did with the Knicks, as an NBA beginner, when he might not have been fairly prepared for the highlight. Porzingis added that he’s grown up quite a bit since then. New York, he mentioned, ready him for nearly something.
How motivating is it to be considered by the Celtics because the piece that places them excessive?
Kristaps Porziņģis: “It is probably the most thrilling feeling you will get” pic.twitter.com/YbOHQHGvYh
— Celtics on NBC Sports activities Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 29, 2023
Whereas the expertise on the roster is clear, Porzingis acknowledged it could take a while to search out chemistry on the ground. He does, nevertheless, count on it should come.
When requested if he’ll be able to carry out within the playoffs, he supplied an trustworthy and refreshing reply.
“Who is aware of?” Porzingis mentioned. “However I’m going to do every thing I can to assist this crew. I’ve a style of it, and I do know what it’s like.”
He understands his function extends off the courtroom as properly. After his press convention, Porzingis hung out with Ukrainian basketball gamers who’ve been displaced in Latvia because the battle started and are visiting Massachusetts.
Mazzulla, in the meantime, is raring to include Porzingis in a wide range of methods. He highlighted his versatility and famous how he can comfortably play each outdoors the 3-point line and on the rim.
He mentioned he instructed Marcus Good he loves him and appreciates him. The concept isn’t to exchange Good. That’s not attainable. It’s to include Porzingis and discover methods to maximise the match.
“I feel Kristaps will make our crew higher, and I feel he’ll make our locker room higher as properly,” Mazzulla mentioned.
Stevens, in the meantime, mentioned the Celtics are “thrilled to have Porzingis,” and reiterated that they is probably not completed simply but. The purpose is to not accumulate as a lot expertise as attainable, however fairly to search out “accentuators” who mesh properly with what’s already current.
“We’re actually fortunate,” Stevens mentioned. “We’ve received the inexperienced mild to proceed so as to add.”
