NBA Notebook: Imagining how Kristaps Porzingis fits with the Celtics

Kristaps Porziņģis followed a growing line of players entering the door in Brighton sporting humility, professing to add to what the Celtics already accomplished in recent seasons and to make the game easier for Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. To fit in. He said all the right things during his introduction last month, and sported astounding stats last season with the Washington Wizards. He predicted his best seasons lie ahead, and his commentary reflected Derrick White, Mike Muscala, Danilo Gallinari and other role players who arrived in recent seasons to help out. 

Watching the 7-footer take the podium and Brad Stevens' smile stick for the entirety of his press conference reflected an addition closer to Kevin Garnett though, or the optimism surrounding Kyrie Irving at the time. He is another star, and all the challenges and benefits associated with integrating (and paying for) one will arrive with him over the next year. 

The move proved controversial beyond its allure, not only because Boston traded a fan favorite and important guard in Marcus Smart to facilitate it. Porziņģis' history of injuries, generally underwhelming career compared to the game-changing promise of his early Knicks seasons and high usage rate raised questions about his sustainability, impact on winning and fit alongside Brown and Tatum. Tatum's role and standing with the Celtics will remain constant, while Brown, still unsigned long-term three weeks into his extension eligibility, and Porziņģis, extended for two years, $60 million earlier this month, will need to learn to coexist. Porziņģis, acknowledging the concerns, sports a flexible enough game to imagine a wide impact.

That begins with shooting. Porziņģis launches three-pointers without hesitation, averaging 5.1 attempts per game at 35.9%, nearly matching his career-high with a 38.5% mark on 5.5 tries each night last season. The third-healthiest season of his career allowed him to attempt the second-most total threes of his eight years in the league. They mostly come in the trailer spot, either arriving behind plays in transition to catch-and-shoot passes from facilitators in front of him, or out of pick-and-pops where he'll bounce behind the line. He shot 39.3% in those situations last year. 

His ability to shoot long-distance threes will draw defenders far out of the paint, and while Al Horford's role, where he attempted 68% of his field goal attempts from behind the line, doesn't stand as a perfect comparison, it's easy to imagine Porziņģis' percentage of attempts from three skyrocketing. Porziņģis previously peaked with 7.1 attempts per game in Dallas in 2020 (43.2% 3PA rate). 

"Adding a guy like Kristaps allows us to do both,” Joe Mazzulla said last month. “He’s made a living in the trail spot, being able to play and pass and shoot threes and attack closeouts from there, then he’s top in the league in posting-up. So, I think you have to be able to do whatever makes the most sense for our roster...it’s how do we fit him in, and at the same time, how do we continue to build off of what made us really good last year?”

Mazzulla expressed some willingness to work with Porziņģis through the post, where he shot 58% on 162 tries in a massive leap for a former weak spot in his game. Porziņģis finished in the 89th percentile of post players in 2023 by producing 1.18 points per possession for Washington across 220 plays. By comparison, the Celtics as a team completed 255 post plays last season, mostly for Jayson Tatum, and produced an average 1.00 PPP. That's not Tatum's role, and with Horford no longer posing a threat at that position and Robert Williams III undeveloped with his back to the basket, Porziņģis provides a threat to pressure the rim and interior defenses in a way the Celtics couldn't in recent seasons. 

Consider me skeptical Porziņģis will receive over three post-ups every night like he did with the Wizards, especially as Boston tries to maintain offensive pace. It exists as an additional outlet -- when needed. How many NBA players, especially Celtics, can you count on to throw a set entry pass? 

Porziņģis will need to continue progressing in his ability to create seals on the move, faltering in the past attacking mismatches due to his inability to establish himself deep in the paint. Not only will wider catches with his back to the basket slow the offense down, and promote Porziņģis' occasional ball-stopping tendencies, they'll lead to flat face-up jumpers with defenders attached to his hip. 

He improved from 0.89 PPP in the post in the first half of 2022 to 1.12 PPP after the Mavericks traded him for Davis Bertans and Spencer Dinwiddie. In 2021, he averaged 0.98 PPP, an average mark, and finished 2020 at 0.81 PPP, in the 27th percentile of the league, during a tumultuous season where head coach Rick Carlisle rejected the play's worthiness, as ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon recalled on a recent podcast.

"(In the 2021 playoffs), they basically said, 'hey, the Clippers are gonna switch everything, you can't post-ups the Kawhis and Paul Georges and Marcus Morrises of the world, go stand in the corner, and he stood in the corner," MacMahon recounted. "Rick resigned, before he got fired, obviously Porzingis ended up getting moved himself pretty soon after. It's pretty interesting to hear, it's a plan B, we can dump it down to K.P. in the post, because one huge, huge source of conflict between Rick Carlisle and Kristaps Porzingis was Rick did not want him in the post ... Rick Carlisle had his famous, 'the post-up is no longer a good play' speech. At the time, that season, Porzingis was averaging 0.54 PPP. I recognize his numbers in the post last season were very good, among the best in the league ... he told me, 'it's hard to be effective when you're barely down there, and then when you are, you know they don't want you down there.' When he was in Dallas, a K.P. post-up possession would very often end up him getting pushed out to 16 feet." 

Historically, Porziņģis isn't an effective post-up player and doesn't shoot many corner threes either. He'll cut, scoring 1.27 PPP when catching the ball going downhill last year, he's comfortable facing up and when he catches big men off their feet on the perimeter, he'll reach the rim and dunk in a few steps. Those plays, along with put-backs, will largely drive his offensive impact. He also reached new heights as a playmaker with the Wizards, posting 2.7 assists per game last season and a 17.9 assist percentage over the final 17 games of the 2022 season in Washington. 

Like Brown, he'll flash passing brilliance, but typically looks to score himself before setting up others. Setting him up at the elbow, where he finished as a high-level mid-range shooter at 46.1% last year, should allow him to draw in enough attention to find talented cutters like Brown and new addition Oshae Brissett. Another layer the Celtics should try to unlock. 

Off-ball, he can screen-and-roll, something he'll have to try from different angles with Robert Williams III likely to start alongside him setting the high screens for Tatum and needing to roll up the middle of the floor. Big-to-big passing? I'm intrigued. Both Williams III and Horford thrive trying to find teammates from the elbow in the post on cuts, or even a Porziņģis seal. Porziņģis will help against the Heat zone, as he averaged 19.7 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 3.3 APG against Miami last season, though he shot under 40% from the field.

“It just makes our offense more dynamic,” Mazzulla said. “We’re gonna be able to open up some different things, take some pressure off of our team, so it’s just a matter of what the matchups are and how we can put all of our guys in the best situation to being efficient on both ends of the floor.”

Defensively, I'm completely sold on Porziņģis' fit with the Celtics. It should happen seamlessly. Paired with Williams III, he can drop on a team that played that scheme heavily last year already, with a point guard in White who'll funnel pick-and-rolls in his direction effectively and force mid-rangers. Williams III will likely continue guarding and hedging away from weaker offensive players to make the paint almost inaccessible. Porziņģis held opponents to 44% shooting on over 17 shots attempted against him per game last year, and ranked fourth among drop defenders allowing 0.93 PPP against the P&R. 

Horford mainly manned that position last year and due to his shorter stature, guards like Trae Young and James Harden utilized the floater against him comfortably. That'll change against the 7-3 Porziņģis, and opponents may challenge his mobility at times, Horford's presence will allow the Celtics to position him against screeners and camp Porziņģis in the post guarding a non-shooter. Boston will switch less compared to recent seasons. Their defensive game plan may barely resemble the Ime Udoka season, but they now have the personnel to perfectly execute Mazzulla's idea of playing the percentages by forcing opponents into tough mid-range shots. 

The Celtics should return to the top spot defensively this year, though they'll miss Marcus Smart and Grant Williams against the more physical centers who'll move Porziņģis inside. That's where Horford's presence will help and having long bench defenders with the mindset shifted toward covering space on the floor rather than multiple positions will limit three-pointers against them and narrow the focus for each individual defender. Porziņģis and Williams III will allow for increased aggressiveness on the perimeter, Boston acknowledging the low rate at which it forced turnovers a year ago. They may even play some zone if Summer League proved any indication.

"You've heard me talk about playing big, playing long," Brad Stevens said. "Kristaps can play with any combination of our players. He can play with Rob, he can play with Al, he can play the standalone five ... he was already good, but he just took another step. He can play defensively the way we want to, he's a deterrent at the rim and he's a super-skilled basketball player. We didn't post a ton this year, but to be able to throw the ball in the post and shoot over the switch, and do it so efficiently and effectively is a big deal, let alone being able to play behind the line, shoot it, drive it ... he brings a lot ... some of the lineups we can put out there size-wise now is pretty intriguing, not with dropping any skill at all." 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Atlanta: Signed veteran Wes Matthews to reach 16 standard contracts, waiving Tyrese Martin after a successful Summer League stint, after recently trading Ty Ty Washington, Usman Garuba and Rudy Gay to the Thunder for Patty Mills. The Hawks and other teams can maintain rosters up to 21 players in the offseason, including three two-way slots. Atlanta signed its second-round draft pick Seth Lundy and Miles Norris to those deals for now. Their massive John Collins trade exception ($23M) and some roster flexibility will make them an intriguing trade team late into the offseason and through the season, after reports linked them to Raptors wing Pascal Siakam. The price for Siakam will likely remain too high for the foreseeable future.

Boston: Jaylen Brown returned from this week's NBPA retreat in Spain, an annual event in the south of the country where players join to workout together, this year featuring veterans Donovan Mitchell, Javale McGee, Bruno Fernando, among others. Brown and the Celtics paused extension talks during the trip, now expected to resume next week, according to the Boston Globe. Brown and the team remain apart on finer details of a super max extension still expected to happen this summer, with possible points of contention including a player option in the fifth year, a trade kicker worth up to 15% and the incentives involved in reaching the full $295-million. 

Jordan Walsh finished Summer League shooting 40.7% from three, averaging 16.0 PPG. Jay Scrubb, a three-year veteran guard, signed a two-way deal alongside J.D. Davison in Las Vegas. Dalano Banton's deal is guaranteed $1 million on opening night, and the full $2 million in January, thrusting him into competition alongside non-guaranteed Luke Kornet, Justin Champagnie and other contenders.  

Brooklyn: Signed Armoni Brooks, a veteran shooter, off their Summer League team to a two-way deal, and waived former second-round pick RaiQuan Gray, maintaining a standard roster spot. Ben Simmons received credit for the 2021-22 season on his years of service, important for contract and benefit circumstances, a point of contention for the league after Simmons held out the first half of the season, citing mental health then a back injury that cost him the rest of the season after his trade to Brooklyn. Simmons continues to battle a back ailment after debuting with the team last year, aiming to return in time for training camp. 

"He's not doing 3-on-3 or 5-on-5 yet," Sean Marks said last week.

Charlotte: Miles Bridges apologized in his return to the Hornets for the alleged domestic violence he committed against his girlfriend in front of their children, Bridges pleading no contest to charges in the aftermath and the NBA suspending him for 30 games, 10 of which he'll serve to begin this season. Bridges signed his one-year qualifying offer to return to the Hornets, which the team maintained throughout the legal process and GM Mitch Kupchak defended, accepting Bridges' sincerity in his remorse. 

Kemba Walker, arguably the franchise's greatest player (since the creation of the Bobcats), signed a deal to play in France for AS Monaco. 

Chicago: Signed Ayo Dosunmu to a three-year, $21 million deal after restricted free agency squeezed the 23-year-old guard who showed promise in his rookie 2022 season by hitting 37% from three, then defending at a high level in a strong Bulls unit. He averaged 8 PPG in both seasons, leaving desired growth on the offensive end as his shooting regressed in year two. Bringing back one of the team's quality young prospects proved a no-brainer though, if for nothing except retaining the ability to include him in likely future roster shuffling. Dosunmu's return increased the Bulls' active roster to 14 players, though Carlik Jones' non-guaranteed deal appears likely to be waived in a crowded backcourt. Onuralp Bitim signed a two-way deal with the team, a second-team EuroLeague player who competed in Turkey last season, though Chicago lost Javon Freeman-Liberty to Toronto, who averaged 21.2 PPG in Summer League. 

Cleveland: Won the Summer League championship with a 6-0 slate led by Emoni Bates, who scored 17.2 PPG, shot 40% from three and played well within a Cavs team concept anchored by two-way big Isaiah Mobley, the older brother of Cleveland star Evan Mobley. Isaiah built on G-League success last year, averaging 17.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 4.5 APG on 49.3% FG with 1.5 BPG. While both players still face hurdles in their road to impacting the big league Cavs, Bates still needing to improve as a decision-maker and ancillary contributor, while Isaiah's 6-8 size thrusts him between the four and five spots in an already loaded Cavaliers front court. Still, Bates savored the accomplishment and evident growth since he fell to No. 49 overall in the draft after emerging as his class's top prospect in high school, falling into an uneven and tumultuous college stint between Memphis and Eastern Michigan. 

Dallas: Grant Williams appeared on Theo Pinson and J.J. Redick's podcasts, discussing his departure from the Celtics, fit with the Mavericks and comparing his experiences playing under Brad Stevens, Ime Udoka and Joe Mazzulla. Williams lauded how Dallas could allow him to play his ideal role, guarding the opposing team's best player and while getting involved on the offensive end with his playmaking. He felt the Celtics utilized him in that way under Udoka, peaking with his performance in Game 7 of the 2022 second round against the Bucks. Udoka, Williams said, allowed Boston's players to share and make a case for changes in a way Mazzulla proved more rigid against, a change that contributed to a greater lack of connectivity. Williams complimented Mazzulla's willingness to take the blame when players didn't meet the moment, eye for offense and potential to grow in the future.

“I feel like I’ll be a little bit more empowered to play a little bit more of my game in Dallas, whether that’s screening Luka and getting him in an action in the roll and he’s hitting me in the pocket or it’s picking and popping and knocking down shots,” Williams said. 

Detroit: Cade Cunningham will work out with Team USA in their preparation for the 2023 World Cup next month as he returns to the floor following shin surgery that knocked him out for the season after only 12 games. Cunningham declined to compete for the team, which will feature Brandon Ingram, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Paolo Banchero and Jaren Jackson Jr., among others. Chet Holmgren will join Cunningham on the U.S. select team, competing against the main team alongside Naz Reid, Keegan Murray, Jalen Green and Celtics guard Payton Pritchard. The FIBA World Cup begins on Aug. 25 between the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. 

Woj reported Cunningham received full clearance to return to the floor. 

Golden State: Draymond Green and Jordan Poole continued their spat stemming back to last season's infamous training camp punch that derailed the Warriors' season before it began, beginning the end of Poole's time with the Warriors short of his extension beginning. Green and Patrick Beverley discussed the incident on the latter's podcast, insinuating Poole said something incendiary that led to the punch. Poole's father Anthony shot back at Green, calling him soft and unapologetic, Green denying that he avoided Anthony during the season. Green later responded to a fake Kevin Garnett quote challenging him, drawing confusion and amusement from Garnett. The continued turbulence came before Green begins his new $100-million deal with the Warriors after a challenging season highlighted by his suspension during the first round for stomping on Domantas Sabonis. Steve Kerr admitted he struggled to connect with the reeling team during the season, Jonathan Kuminga and Green reportedly lacking any relationship. 

Steph Curry, meanwhile, discussed his connection to Boston while promoting his new documentary Underrated. 

Houston: Cam Whitmore won Summer League MVP after falling to the Rockets at No. 20 overall after entering last month's draft as a top prospect. Whether medical, stylistic or combine concerns, Whitmore shook them off for now, averaging 19.3 PPG on 44.7% shooting, though only breaking 28% from behind the line and mustering 1.8 assists per game. His 2.5 steals each night made up for that some, and he didn't give the ball away often. Whitmore projects to play the wing as a rookie anyway, maximizing his scoring talents and allowing others on the team like Kevin Porter Jr. to prioritize playmaking. Jabari Smith Jr. impressed me most, cashing a half-court game-winner in Houston's opener and scoring 38 points with six assists in the Rockets' second game before his shutdown. He could emerge as the most improved player of this NBA season, especially defending under Ime Udoka. 

Indiana: Explored a number of solutions to the four position, filled mostly by Aaron Nesmith in undersized lineups last season before the Pacers eyed O.G. Anunoby, Tobias Harris, Harrison Barnes and Grant Williams before remaining young by drafting Jarace Walker from Houston. Walker underwent right elbow surgery after averaging 14.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG and 1.3 BPG on 34.3% shooting. He's expected to return in time for training camp in time to compete for playing time with Nesmith, Isaiah Jackson and new addition Obi Toppin, who arrived in a trade from the Knicks. 

Clippers: The Clippers will need a third and potentially fourth team to facilitate a James Harden trade, which remains at a standstill despite reports indicating Harden will show up to 76ers training camp with the intention of angling his way to LA. P.J. Tucker, a longtime Harden teammate, would also potentially go to the Clippers in such a deal after his name entered conversations. Kawhi Leonard extension discussions began ahead of the final year of his contract, which The Athletic described as healthy so far, while Paul George doesn't become extension-eligible until September. Despite their smaller roles in this picture, Russell Westbrook and Harden united in Houston in what became an awkward fit that disbanded quickly in favor of John Wall. 

Lakers: Reportedly eyeing Rudy Gay, recently waived by the Thunder, and Christian Wood, who hasn't generated much interest since becoming a free agent following an inconsistent season with the Mavericks. Internally, LA looks forward to growth from Austin Reaves, starting with increasing his strength after he re-signed for four-years, $54 million after drawing interest from the Rockets and Spurs in free agency. Reaves also discussed the draft night that led him to passing up the second round and becoming a free agent to sign with the Lakers. 

Memphis: Police arrested Ja Morant's friend Davonte Pack in connection with the civil case accusing Morant and friends of assaulting Joshua Holloway, a 17-year-old, at his house during a basketball game in 2022. The incident, along with a verbal altercation at a mall over a Foot Locker employee's apparent disrespect toward Morant's mother, broke in a Washington Post report that began a whirlwind season where Pacers employees saw a laser pointed at them from Morant's car, the NBA suspended Morant for appearing in an Instagram Live video with a gun, before he did the same this summer, leading to a 25-game suspension this season. 

The Shelby County D.A. charged Pack with simple assault, Morant countersued Holloway for slander, battery and assault ahead of the case continuing in October, while the police didn't charge Morant criminally. FedEx Forum in Memphis previously banned Pack for one year due to his behavior during this season. 

Miami: Reportedly growing frustrated with Damian Lillard negotiations, which stand still after Lillard requested a trade to the Heat last month. Chris Haynes noted on his podcast the Heat want more concrete requests on what the Trail Blazers want, or need involved through other teams to make the deal happen. Portland hasn't communicated effectively toward a potential deal, they've claimed, and the Miami Herald reported Miami isn't convinced the Blazers actually want to trade Lillard at this time. Reports initially indicated the Heat would need to trade four first-rounders and two quality players, something they're hard-pressed to do with only Tyler Herro available and their future first-rounder flexibility restricted by a prior trade with the Thunder. 

Minnesota: Teams calling about Karl-Anthony Towns, a reported Knicks target, met sky-high prices in a sign that the Timberwolves will probably enter training camp again with Towns, Rudy Gobert and re-signed Naz Reid in the front court, another curious decision by the team after consecutive playoff burnouts. They'll watch Anthony Edwards continue growing through the World Cup, with a chance to emerge as Team USA's leader and budding as the Wolves' star in Towns' shadow. At some point, it may make sense to round out the roster around Edwards by dealing Towns, but as long as the big man falters in the postseason and now makes over $50 million annually, he'll become a difficult player to move in general, never mind for a massive return. 

New York: Likely to trade Evan Fournier, who continued to make his frustration with the Knicks known after rarely playing last season in favor of Quentin Grimes and other defensive personnel. Fournier previously told the New York Post he didn't expect to play for New York next season, and now with the Spurs expressing interest in uniting Fournier with fellow French native Victor Wembanyama, momentum seems to finally be building toward a deal that'll end his Knicks tenure. Fournier signed a four-year, $73 million deal after leaving the Celtics in 2021, which is now an expiring $19-million deal if his next team declines his 2024-25 team option. He only played 107 games for New York, averaging 12.1 PPG on 40.5% shooting. 

Oklahoma City: The release of Rudy Gay only begins the series of difficult decisions to cut the active Thunder roster down to 15 players by opening night. After signing Jack White, 20 players currently play for Oklahoma City, including Victor Oladipo, who came over in a salary dump from the Heat, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe on non-guaranteed contracts, Usman Garuba and Ty Ty Washington, who just arrived from Houston by way of Atlanta, along with Aleksej Pokusevski, who dealt with injury last year. Davis Bertans makes $33 million over the next two years, so cross him out, while Tre Mann might become the most intriguing name among possible cuts. The Thunder extended head coach Mark Daigneault, a Leominster, Massachusetts native who's coached the team to 86-150 over three seasons.

Philadelphia: Daryl Morey expertly navigated out of the Ben Simmons holdout by waiting, waiting, waiting and then acquiring James Harden, who became his latest and likely definitive challenge as 76ers GM when Harden requested a trade he reportedly stands by after opting-in to his player option. Harden will show up to training camp, Zach Lowe noting an NBA rule that would bar him from free agency next summer if he withholds services from his team, but that doesn't mean he can't arrive disruptively, miss time over any ailment that emerges or generally not give his best effort to the team. Harden hopes to land with the Clippers, who can't offer Philadelphia much even if they decided to include Terance Mann. It's hard to imagine how Morey wins, and worse, Joel Embiid gave, though later recanted his first comments expressing any doubt over his future with the Sixers organization. 

"I don’t know where that’s gonna be," he told Maverick Carter, referring to his desire to win a title. "Whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else.”

Phoenix: Traded reliable scoring guard Cam Payne to the Spurs with a future second-rounder for one in the near term, seeking flexibility, according to GM James Jones. Bradley Beal will start at point guard for Phoenix following the move, though the ball projects to move through Devin Booker and Kevin Durant most often given Beal's off-ball skills. 

It's becoming an intriguing puzzle to solve offensively around three talented isolation scorers with the structure Chris Paul provided this group for years now gone. Bol Bol joined after the Magic waived him, bringing more size to a massive roster, though there's less playmaking here than they had one month ago. The Suns also announced the NBA's 30th G-League team will begin play in 2024-25. 

Utah: Slated by Zach Lowe to take a step back this season, something Will Hardy expressed on Brian Windhorst's podcast a desire to not do -- lingering in rebuild mode for a significant length of time. Some veterans remain, including Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Olynyk, but this team will mostly bet on young players and continued roster flexibility carrying it forward into the future. Lauri Markkanen can't even feel completely safe with John Collins now challenging him at the same position. Former Maine Celtics big man Luka Samanic can for another day, reaching his $400,000 guarantee date this week after joining Utah late last season on a 10-day deal.