The last time Kristaps Porzingis played in an NBA game, it was clear something was wrong as he battled a mysterious illness. The then-Celtics big man dealt with the ailment during the regular season, then it came back to slow him down during the second-round series against the Knicks.
Porzingis, now with the Hawks, gave an update on that mystery illness that sapped his strength during media day. It sounds like it’s all behind him now as he also didn’t affect him playing for Latvia as part of the 2025 EuroBasket tournament.
“I still don’t have an exact answer,” Porzingis said. “They had some sort of explanation for it, but it was lingering. That was the toughest part. It was kind of like, I still felt it. Some days I was okay, energy was good. Some days, boom, I had a crash. And I’m glad it’s done now. I’m glad it’s gone now.
“Maybe it was just my system. Maybe I just needed a reset during the summer. Took some time off, and I haven’t felt it since. Even with the national team, I felt fantastic in all the preparation. It did take me a little bit longer to get in good shape with the national team. So I was really happy I had this summer.”
Porzingis spent two seasons with Boston from 2023-25, helping the team win the 2024 NBA championship. At his best and healthiest, he unlocked a new element to the Celtics as he spaced the floor while protecting the rim. But staying on the court was the issue as he missed long stretches of time, including during the 2024 playoffs.
While Porzingis is a talented player, considering he was on an expiring $30.7 million contract, it made him a likely candidate to be moved. That was indeed the case as the Celtics shipped him to the Hawks in a three-team deal. Porzingis was traded for Georges Niang, who was later moved to the Jazz, in a salary-cutting move from Boston’s perspective.
Now, Porzingis gets to be the veteran with a ring on a young Hawks team looking to take the next step.
“It was good for me to have a EuroBasket this summer,” Porzingis said. “Just to get back in shape, get in a good rhythm and that was an important part for me. Just to have a couple of months of preparation and getting my lungs good again, and everything, was super important. And I look forward to heading into this season already in the rhythm, already in good shape, and I feel fantastic right now.”
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