Kristaps Porzingis wasn't naive to the situation facing the Boston Celtics this offseason.
The Celtics needed to shed salary in effort to avoid the tough constraints of the second apron. Porzingis, who is on an expiring $30.7 million contract next season, was predicted to be a player Boston moved on from and that's exactly what happened.
The Celtics shipped Porzingis and a 2026 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team trade that netted Boston Georges Niang and a 2031 second-round pick in return.
It's the second time in the last three offseasons Porzingis has been traded and despite going from a championship-caliber roster to the Atlanta Hawks, who fell in the play-in tournament last season, the 7-foot-2 center likes the new situation he finds himself in.
"Our season (with the Celtics) didn't end last year the way we wanted to," Porzingis told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Lauren Williams. "But this is how it goes, you know. And obviously, we expected that there were going to be changes in my whole team. And having a little bit longer summer than usual is, it's awesome always as a player, because it's just, the NBA season is tough.
"And also (I) jumped in the middle of the season, and it's obviously tough, and just having this time off and being able to recharge a bit and get ready for a big summer, and then going into next year, it's honestly, it's the perfect scenario, the perfect scenario. And I'm super, super excited about what's coming."
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Porzingis joins a talented Hawks team that is trying to learn how to consistently win at a high level -- they haven't had a record better than .500 the last three seasons. Porzingis, who won an NBA title with the Celtics, should help with that if he can stay healthy, something that has proved problematic during his career. He played just 42 games last season as he recovered from offseason ankle surgery and dealt with a mysterious illness that limited his effectiveness on the court, especially in the playoffs.
Playmaking guard Trae Young and Porzingis should form a strong pick-and-pop tandem while the Hawks look for Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels to continue their upward trajectory. Atlanta also traded for Nickeil Alexander-Walker this offseason and will look for more growth from last year's No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher.
"I think I'll fit right in here and add more like diversity, maybe even more offense," Porzingis said. "And, yeah, I think there's going to be more like layers to this offense that's already pretty powerful. But yeah, I think we can really be a force offensively."
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