Kristaps Porzingis is feeling refreshed and ready to play again, he said in an interview with Latvia’s Sports Studija (YouTube link).
Porzingis struggled mightily in the playoffs with the Celtics due to the lingering effects of a mysterious illness he contracted in February. It was later described as post-viral syndrome. He was dealt to the Hawks this summer.
“I feel fantastic, to be honest,” Porzingis said, per BasketNews.com. “I took time to rest after the season. Something was lingering during the playoffs—I had fatigue, dizziness, even moments where I felt like I might faint. It wasn’t great.”
Porzingis will play for Latvia’s national team in the EuroBasket tournament before joining Atlanta for training camp.
“In June, I fully rested and lowered the intensity. All of that has gone away,” he said. “I haven’t felt any of the playoff symptoms anymore. I feel great and ready to join the national team. Super happy.”
Porzingis has a $30.7MM expiring contract, so his stay in Atlanta could be a short one, though he’s eligible to sign a contract extension. The Hawks hope he can make them a true playoff contender. Atlanta also upgraded its roster by adding Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard this offseason.
“I think expectations are high. Atlanta’s been on the edge of the playoffs the last few years, sometimes getting through the first round,” Porzingis said. “It’s a great situation for me to come in and contribute. Maybe even better than Boston, where it was championship or bust.”
Boston”s front office was motivated to shed salary after Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles during the playoffs. Porzingis anticipated he could be moved, though not necessarily to the Hawks.
“After the season, I spoke to my agent and kind of expected that one or more of us would be traded,” he 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.”
Porzingis believes he’ll mesh quickly with his new teammates.
“I’ve always been a player who can fit into any system, but now I adapt faster,” he said. “I read defenses better and make quicker decisions. That comes with experience.”
The veteran big man produced at a high level when he was available last season, averaging 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game across 42 starts for the Celtics in 2024/25, with a shooting line of .483/.412/.809.
Contract year Zingus is always fresh
Porzingis on the Hawks means double the schadenfreude when we beat them in round one
This guy along with Nickeil, Vit & Kennard should give us 1 of the best bench units in the league. Last yr Dre was basically our #2 scoring option & didn’t even start. When we traded Dre to Cleveland Caris took that same role. Next season KP can fill that role. And much like Dre, limiting KP’s minutes should help keep him healthier
Yeah, KP will be on the bench. He may force his way into a starting line-up, but before that, Okongwu starts. It’s funny that when predicted line-ups for Atlanta are posted, barely any of them have Okongwu as a starter. His existence as a player in this league is something not everybody has caught up to yet, I guess.
I’m not sure how much Trae will enjoy playing with KP, and how much KP will enjoy playing with Trae, though. That doesn’t look like a match made in heaven. Any thoughts?
But again, if KP comes off the bench, it may not be that big of a concern.
I like Okongwu but….what exactly does he do better than Kristaps? They could also both start or atleast play together for stretches. When is Johnson back? I’m sure Trae will love that pick and pop option dragging a big from protecting the paint. Kristaps also covers as protection for Young on the defensive end better than Okongwu does. I don’t see Okongwu as a consistent 3rd, or 2nd scoring option. Fantastic energy guy though. Atlanta have absolutely crushed it this summer.
Let’s hope KP makes it to training camp healthy. He’s at the point if he wants another good deal he should prioritize the offseason rest/recovery vs euro ball.
I find it a bit crazy in this day and age of modern medicine and technology that a guy like Porzingis could have the symptoms he had and no one could pinpoint exactly what caused it (beyond vague post-viral symptoms) or how to eliminate them. Not criticizing or trying to posit some insane conspiracy theory, just find it a good reminder that there’s still a lot of things we don’t know or understand even with all of those advancements.
Anyway, hope he can stay healthy for a change. If so, the Hawks could make some noise. A shame he’s missed so much time in the playoffs specifically. That has to have been incredibly frustrating for him.
Lot of interesting players on the Hawks. See how they mesh. Tray Young needs to continue to take less shots and playmake.
Jalen Johnson is a future All-Star, maybe makes the leap this coming season.
The defense, minus Tray, could be formidable.
Post-viral syndrome is so much less mysterious…lol wonder if he was microdosing. Sounds like what happened to my cousin. You take mushrooms for kicks but then the mold gives allergic reaction. You can trip for days…its not good.
Yup ……. Ready to play and miss more games.
Glad to hear he’s better. I dealt with similar fatigue issues for around 6 months a few years ago, it was also very mysterious as to what the underlying issue was and it was not fun.