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This offseason’s multi-team blockbuster that saw the Boston Celtics part ways with long-tenured guard Marcus Smart proved to be a tough one for many, including the veteran himself, to accept.
That said, the reality is the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year is now a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. Though of course this means he’s no longer a part of Celtics nation, even the trade’s main attraction Kristaps Porzingis understands that Smart’s impact from his time in Boston goes beyond the basketball court.
“Of course, you cannot replace Marcus Smart,” Kristaps Porzingis told NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg during his introduction with the Celtics. “He was a special player and special for this organization and this community.”
Porzingis would continue on to note that while he understands he cannot replace Marcus Smart, he looks forward to “coming in here as myself and gaining the fans’ trust.”
Kristaps Porzingis Wants to Stay With Celtics for ‘Long Time’
Though Kristaps Porzingis is coming into the final season of his current five-year, $158 million contract, his arrival in Boston is not expected to end up being a mere one-and-done stint. At least, that’s not what he desires, as he told Forsberg that his hope is to stay with the Celtics for “a long time.”
“Of course. The idea of being here for a long time would be what I want,” Porzingis said. “When the time comes, hopefully, it’s going to be a discussion, and we’ll see.”
As far as what a new contract structure could look like for Porzingis, NBA insider Marc Stein suggests that it could be in the nine-digit threshold.
“The Celtics…are strongly expected to tack two years onto Porziņģis contract this summer. The 27-year-old is eligible for a maximum two-year extension worth $77 million that could take his total compensation in green well past $100 million.”
Kristaps Porzingis is coming off of a tremendous 2022-23 campaign where he posted per-game averages of 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 49.8% from the field and 38.5% from deep.
Pacers Could Poach Grant Williams From Celtics
The arrival of Kristaps Porzingis has some such as Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe believing that it likely points to the end of Grant Williams’ tenure with the Celtics.
Should this be the case, Masslive’s Brian Robb believes that the Indiana Pacers are among one of the top teams ‘to watch’ who could be in pursuit of the forward via free agency.
“This is a team to watch on the Williams front league sources tell MassLive,” Robb wrote. “There are ingredients for a sign-and-trade that work under the BYC restrictions with a couple of smaller salaries in Smith or Jackson the C’s could be interested in. Boston could just try to get a second round pick and a TPE to use later this season from the Pacers for not matching an offer.”
This past season proved to be Grant Williams’ best from a statistical stanpoint, as he went on to post per-game averages of 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while cashing in on 39.5% of his shot attempts from beyond the arc through 79 outings.
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