BOSTON — Boston enthusiasts gets their first take a look at Kristaps Porzingis with a Celtics jersey on Thursday when the crew introduces their giant offseason prize. Then, Celtics enthusiasts should sweat it out within the offseason ahead of the 7-foot-3 giant guy makes his Boston debut.
That is as a result of Porzingis is about to play for his house nation, Latvia, within the FIBA Global Cup in August. Celtics enthusiasts in all places are actually preventing off painful flashbacks of Danilo Gallinari closing summer season.
Closing offseason, in a while after he signed a team-friendly care for Boston, Gallinari tore his ACL whilst enjoying for Italy in a FIBA Global Cup qualifier. That ended the ahead’s Celtics profession ahead of it will even start, as Gallinari ignored all of the 2022-23 season and was once traded for Porzingis this summer season.
Now, Boston enthusiasts will hope that Porzingis can steer clear of any more or less harm when he fits up for Latvia subsequent month. That is Latvia’s first-ever look within the FIBA Global Cup, and is about to stand Lebanon, France, and Canada in Team H in Jakarta. Porzingis and Latvia will play their first sport towards Lebanon on Aug. 25.
Porzingis ruled the Global Cup qualifiers closing summer season, scoring 22 issues to head with 14 rebounds in a win over Turkey ahead of shedding 29 issues and 14 rebounds in every other win over Nice Britain. He shot 15-for-25 from the ground in the ones two victories, and likewise added 17 issues on the free-throw line.
The Celtics are banking on Porzingis — whom they traded Marcus Good for in a three-team care for the Wizards and the Grizzlies — to have the ones types of performances on a nightly foundation and play a pivotal function along Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown subsequent season. His $36 million wage will make him the highest-paid member of the Celtics, and moderately an funding for the crew.
Porzingis has battled accidents during his 10-year NBA profession, together with a ignored season in 2018-19 after he suffered a torn ACL whilst with the New York Knicks. Probably the most video games he is performed in a season got here his rookie 12 months, when Porzingis performed 72 video games for the Knicks in 2015-16.
He’s coming off a stellar season with the Wizards despite the fact that, the place he performed in 65 video games and averaged a career-best 23.2 issues to head with 8.4 rebounds. Celtics enthusiasts are hoping Porzingis can recreate that more or less manufacturing in inexperienced subsequent season — and steer clear of any disaster whilst enjoying within the Global Cup this summer season.Â
