“That was a nice surprise,” Kristaps Porziņģis said with a laugh, recalling the moment he realized he wasn’t being traded to the San Antonio Spurs as he had feared. It was a moment of reflection and revelation for the Latvian big man who had already been through his fair share of unexpected NBA turns. For a player who has played for four different teams in his career and has often been viewed more as an asset than a centerpiece, Porziņģis is no stranger to NBA trade chaos. But this time around, what could have been another uncertain transition turned into something very different—what he described as a pleasant twist of fate that has now defined a new chapter in his basketball journey.
The 7-foot-2 forward/center, known for his shot-blocking, shooting range, and unique combination of skills, was gearing up for another potential relocation when trade rumors began swirling during the 2023 offseason. Rumors pointed to a number of destinations, but one franchise appeared to gain some serious traction—the San Antonio Spurs. As San Antonio had just drafted generational talent Victor Wembanyama, it made strategic sense for them to seek a complementary big man with floor-spacing capabilities and veteran experience. The idea of pairing Porziņģis with Wembanyama had analysts buzzing, and it didn’t take long for the chatter to become louder than background noise. So much so, in fact, that even Porziņģis himself began to believe the move was real.
“I kept hearing about it, from my agent, from people around the league,” Porziņģis admitted. “And San Antonio is a good organization. They’ve had success, especially with international players. I honestly thought, okay, that’s where I’m going. I was preparing myself mentally for that.”
But in a stunning twist, he wasn’t headed to Texas. Instead, the Boston Celtics orchestrated a surprising three-team deal that landed Porziņģis in Beantown, while sending Marcus Smart to Memphis and Tyus Jones to Washington. The trade caught many fans and even insiders off guard. It also disrupted the Celtics’ long-standing core, removing a player in Smart who had become the emotional and defensive backbone of the team. For Porziņģis, the shift in direction came as an unexpected relief.
“That was a nice surprise,” he repeated, this time more contemplative. “I mean, Boston is one of those franchises where you dream of playing. The history, the fans, the chance to contend—it’s all there.”
This surprise proved to be more than just an emotional relief; it turned into one of the most consequential moves of the Celtics’ 2023-2024 season. Porziņģis embraced his role in Boston, helping stretch the floor and providing the interior presence they had been sorely missing. Injuries had limited Robert Williams III’s consistency in past years, and Al Horford, though still impactful, was nearing the twilight of his career. Porziņģis filled the void both offensively and defensively, offering rim protection on one end and a reliable pick-and-pop option on the other.
Perhaps what’s most striking about Porziņģis’ initial surprise is how seamlessly he fit into Boston’s system. He averaged just over 20 points per game and shot efficiently from beyond the arc while maintaining his trademark shot-blocking numbers. His impact was immediately felt and widely praised by teammates and coaching staff alike. Head coach Joe Mazzulla often pointed to Porziņģis’ versatility as a key factor in the team’s overall cohesion.
“KP brought something we didn’t have before—a big who could space the floor and still play tough inside,” Mazzulla said during a midseason press conference. “He’s been everything we hoped for, and more.”
Teammates echoed those sentiments. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both spoke about how easy it was to play alongside someone like Porziņģis, who not only fulfilled his role but elevated theirs. He created driving lanes, made smart reads, and most importantly, didn’t need to dominate the ball to be effective. The dynamic in Boston shifted—not in a destabilizing way, but in one that gave the team a broader set of tools and dimensions on both ends of the floor.
Off the court, Porziņģis also found a rhythm in Boston that had eluded him elsewhere. After stints in New York, Dallas, and Washington, where injuries and inconsistent roles often kept him from achieving sustained success, the Celtics presented an opportunity for redemption and rejuvenation. He was healthy, motivated, and surrounded by a team that was clearly built to compete deep into the playoffs.
Still, the memory of nearly landing in San Antonio wasn’t lost on him. Porziņģis held no ill will toward the Spurs—in fact, he expressed admiration for the organization and their rebuilding strategy centered on Wembanyama.
“I think they’re doing great things down there,” he said. “Wemby’s obviously going to be special. He’s already showing flashes of greatness. If things had worked out differently, who knows? Maybe we would’ve been a great tandem. But I’m very happy with how things turned out.”
That “what if” scenario remains one of the more intriguing hypotheticals of the last NBA offseason. What would a Porziņģis-Wembanyama frontcourt have looked like? How would Gregg Popovich have managed such an unconventional pairing? Could the Spurs have accelerated their rebuild with that move? Or would the redundancy in playing style have created more questions than answers?
For now, those questions remain academic, and the focus for Porziņģis is squarely on building something real in Boston. The Celtics, who have flirted with a title for several seasons now, see him as a major piece of their championship puzzle. With Tatum and Brown in their primes, and with the Eastern Conference landscape constantly shifting, the addition of Porziņģis might be exactly what was needed to push them over the edge.
