Getty Kristaps Porzingis
Acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards certainly shores up the Boston Celtics‘ frontcourt. So much so that The Athletic’s Jared Weiss believes that Porzingis on the team could have major implications for Celtics’ center Robert Williams III.
“Now with the arrival of Kristaps Porziņģis, someone who can do just about everything you could ask for from a big in a spaced-out offense, Williams has to evolve,” Weiss wrote. “For the first time since he emerged in Boston’s rotation, Williams could become expendable.”
Weiss added what Williams has to do to prove that he is worth keeping around on the roster long-term.
“With his fit in the locker room, growth potential, and contract, Williams’ success will be vital to Boston’s long-term success. With the second apron coming into play next year, getting high-level production from anyone making under the midlevel exception is going to be vital as Brad Stevens and the front office try to trim the payroll surrounding their two supermax players. With Al Horford signed for two more seasons, the 25-year-old Williams will have to prove he can keep growing if Boston is going to keep its frontcourt together,” Weiss wrote.
Williams will enter the second of a four-year, $48 million contract extension he signed with the Celtics in 2021.
Derrick White Wants to Stay With Celtics
Derrick White is another Celtic whose long-term future with the team isn’t a certainty. On August 1, White talked about the possibility of an extension with the Celtics while talking with ESPN’s Malika Andrews.
“I love being here in Boston. It would be cool to get an extension. We’ll see what happens during that window, but I’ve loved my time in Boston so far. My focus right now is on the season,” White said.
With Marcus Smart no longer on the team, White is slated to have a bigger role on the team as the Celtics’ starting point guard. Should White thrive in a bigger role going forward, the Celtics may not have many other options besides paying top dollar for White.
Jaylen Brown’s Thoughts on Kristaps Porzingis Trade
After signing his extension, Jaylen Brown gave his first thoughts on having Porzingis as a teammate.
“I’m excited to get started with the journey, as well. I think what Kristaps can bring to us defensively, and the additions some of our other guys can bring to us defensively, I want to make sure that’s where we hang our hats this year,” Brown said. “That starts with me, that starts with Jayson, that starts with guys, Rob. With Marcus gone, we don’t want our defensive identity to go out the door as well, so we have to really emphasize that at the start of training camp.”
Since starting his NBA career in 2015, Porzingis has averaged 1.8 blocks a game, which demonstrates that Porzingis is a solid rim protector. Having that defensive presence could also help the Celtics be cautious with both Williams, who is injury-prone, and Al Horford, who will enter the 2023-24 season at 37 years old.
Of course, Porzingis has also shown himself to be injury-prone, as the 65 games he played during the 2022-23 season was the most he’s had since his second season with the New York Knicks – 66 games – during the 2016-17 season.