Former NBA champion surprised not to land with Spurs

Kristaps Porzingis was a key member of the Boston Celtics roster that won a championship in 2024. His perimeter shooting, post-up scoring and rim-deterrence were all huge factors in Joe Mazzulla's roster becoming so dominant. 

However, with the Celtics facing up to the realities of the second luxury-tax apron, Porzingis was sent packing earlier this summer. He landed with the Atlanta Hawks, where he will now team up with Trae Young.

During a Tuesday interview with BasketNews ahead of the upcoming EuroBasket tournament, Porzingis admitted that he didn't expect to be moved to the Hawks. Instead, the championship-winning big man was expecting to land with the San Antonio Spurs, where he would have partnered with Victor Wembanyama.

"After the season, I spoke to my agent and kind of expected that one or more of us would be traded," Porzingis said. "For a while, I thought I might end up with the Spurs, but then Atlanta came in—and that was a nice surprise. It was out of my hands."

While moving to the Spurs would have undoubtedly led to some interesting lineups, Porzingis is in a better spot in Atlanta. He's joining a team that's transitioning out of a rebuild and toward contention. His presence will ensure Young has the floor spacing and rim protection needed to be the best version of himself. 

Of course, Atlanta will need to keep a close eye on Porzingis' health. He's struggled to remain healthy in recent years, including the last two postseason runs with Boston. Fortunately for Atlanta, Porzingis is in the final year of his current contract. If things don't work out, they can cut him loose next summer.

If things do work out, though, the Hawks will have a strong opportunity to re-sign him to a more modest contract. A lot will depend on how things look on the court. But, from the outside looking in, with no basketball yet played, the addition looks like a smart one. The notion of Young and Porzingis as a one-two punch is interesting, especially with a low-risk opportunity like the one Atlanta took a chance with.