Kristaps Porzingis was part of the biggest trade of the NBA offseason (so far), as he was dealt from Washington to Boston in a three-team blockbuster that saw the Celtics send Marcus Smart to Memphis to bring in the star big man.
Porzingis is coming off of one of the best seasons of his career, as he averaged 23.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on 49.8/38.5/85.1 shooting splits. Boston’s hope is that Porzingis can give their offense a different dimension and alleviate some of the pressure placed on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s shoulders on that end of the floor. The question with Porzingis has always been his availability rather than his ability, as he’s been highly productive when healthy, but has also suffered a number of injuries over his career.
Last year he was able to play in 65 games, the most he’s appeared in since his second season in the league, and Boston is banking on him staying healthy after giving up a key piece of their team to get him. Unfortunately, that goal is already off to a rocky start as Porzingis announced on Tuesday that he is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his foot that has forced him to withdraw from the Latvian national team ahead of the FIBA World Cup at the end of this month.
Ir grūti, es jūtos ļoti atbildīgs savu un Latvijas valstsvienības atbalstītāju priekšā, taču ir pieņemts lēmums, ka es nespēlēšu Pasaules kausā.
Pēc vairāku nedēļu atlabšanas procesa un atkārtota MRI izmeklējuma, vēl joprojām pēdas plantārais fascīts man neļauj atrasties uz… pic.twitter.com/mvyk4Dj8lU
— Kristaps Porzingis (@kporzee) August 15, 2023
The rough Google translation of Porzingis’ tweet reads as such:
It is difficult, I feel very responsible to myself and the supporters of the Latvian national team, but a decision has been made that I will not play in the World Cup.
After several weeks of recovery and a repeat MRI examination, the plantar fasciitis of my foot still prevents me from being on the field in full readiness.
This joint decision has been made by both the medical staff and coaching staff of the national team, as well as the Celtics team – with the advice and opinion that it is now necessary to continue the recovery process.
Such a decision is not easy to make, but I promise that I will be there and support the team as much as I can.
Hopefully Porzingis can rest and get his foot healthy by the time training camp starts in October, but it is a bit concerning for a big man who has dealt with lower body injuries in the past to be starting the season with a plantar fasciitis issue. The Celtics will be holding their breath that he can make a full recovery and not suffer any setbacks during the season, but it will be a concern after making such a bold move to bring him in this summer.