Kristaps Porzingis is now the Atlanta Hawks, but the veteran big man admits he thinks he went elsewhere this summer.
“After the season, I talk to my agent and hope that one or more of us will be traded,” Porzingis said via BasketNews. “For a while, I thought I might run into the Spurs, but then Atlanta came in and it was a real surprise. It was in my hands.”
After the Celtics’ playoff disappointment ended, the Hawks reached a three-team deal with Boston.
Boston fell in the second round and Jayson Tatum suffered a serious fatal weakness injury, putting the roster in a major change.
The potential pairing of Porzingis and Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio would have been an opponent's nightmare, but instead, Atlanta poured in. Of the seven-foot-tall two, Porzingis brings floor spacing and rim protection to the ground floor, two things for Hawks are the two things that Hawks looks for this offseason. With Onyeka Okongwu's rotation, they didn't need a few minutes to overload Porzingis, which could help him stay healthy.
Health has always been the biggest question mark of his career. He has not been able to play more than 60 games in the past two seasons. But heading to Europe to rebound, Porzindis said he finally felt himself again.
“I feel great to be honest,” Porzingis said via BasketNews. “I spent some time resting after the season. There were things wandering around during the playoffs, I felt tired, dizzy, and even moments when I felt like I might faint. It wasn’t good.
“In June, I took a full break and lowered my intensity. All of this went away. I never felt the symptoms of the playoffs again. I felt great and prepared to join the national team. Super happy.”
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