Tag: Kristaps Porzingis

Blakeley: The Boston Celtics needed to trade for Kristaps Porzingis

The CLNS podcast cohost shared his perspective on the recent seismic shifts in the Celtics lineup.

Despite a touch of sorrow for Marcus Smart’s departure after the Boston Celtics elected to deal him away to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the deal to bring aboard Washington Wizards star big man Kristaps Porzingis, some fans and analysts can’t hide their excitement for the Porzingis trade to a degree that can’t be ignored.

Among them is cohost of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast A. Sherrod Blakely, who shared his perspective on the recent seismic shifts in the Celtics lineup on the podcast’s most recent episode. Listen in for an in-depth look at the implications of these key trades, balancing the bittersweet farewell with the anticipation of new opportunities for the Celtics.

To catch up on Blakely’s excitement for Boston’s new addition to their frontcourt rotation, take a look at the clip embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Will Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown step into leadership rules after Marcus Smart’s trade?

Will they step up and make this their team? Or will we see more calm after a tough loss with little in the way of follow-up in future games?

As we all grapple with the repercussions of the Boston Celtics‘ surprising decision to trade away veteran floor general Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies in order to land star Washington Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis, there may well be a small silver lining to consider regarding the leadership of the team.

One of the (perhaps) unintended consequences of the unexpected move to deal away Smart, the team’s longest-tenured player, is that this transition could potentially propel star Celtics forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown into the sort of leadership roles many of their fans have been clamoring for over the last few seasons.

Will they step up and make this their team? Or will we see more calm after a tough loss with little in the way of follow-up in future games?

Take a look at the clip embedded above to see what the folks at the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast had to say about how the trade changes the Jays’ leadership roles.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Player profile: Who is new Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis?

Lucky the Leprechaun, meet Kristaps Porzingis the unicorn: Here’s everything you need to know about the newest Celtic Kristaps Porzingis.

The Boston Celtics are set to welcome former All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis to the Hub following a blockbuster offseason trade between the Celtics, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Washington Wizards. This comes following a disappointing 2023-24 campaign that failed to produce a repeat trip to the Finals. By trading for Porzingis, Celtics president Brad Stevens shuffled the deck and changed the tenor and geography of Boston’s roster in a major way.

The move wasn’t without controversy. Landing Porzingis meant saying goodbye to Marcus Smart, the longest-tenured member of the team, its defensive anchor, and a key leader on and off the court. It’s a trade that marks a major inflection point for the Celtics, and it will take time to fully appreciate the totality of the trade.

“I said this at the start of the summer,” Stevens said in a recent press conference. “I thought that we needed to balance our roster and make sure that we looked at the best ways to do that. And that meant that we were going to likely lose a really, really, really good player.”

The sting of losing Smart may linger for a while, but adding a player of Porzingis’ caliber is a special opportunity. So who exactly is Kristaps Porzingis? What has he done in his time in the NBA prior to coming to Boston, and why is he sometimes called a “unicorn”? And perhaps most importantly, what does he add to the Boston Celtics?

Bob Ryan, Jeff Goodman react to Celtics swapping Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis

The surprise impact of a trade sending Marcus Smart, the longest-tenured Boston Celtic, to the Memphis Grizzlies for star big man Kristaps Porzingis has hit us all in the feels.

The surprise impact of a trade sending Marcus Smart, the longest-tenured Boston Celtic, to the Memphis Grizzlies for star big man Kristaps Porzingis has hit us all in the feels, even for folks who have seen it all in Boston like Bob Ryan and Jeff Goodman. The eponymous hosts of the CLNS Media “Ryan and Goodman” podcast felt the need to break down the monumental trade that has the NBA buzzing.

The Celtics acquired Porzingis along with the No. 25 pick in the 2023 NBA draft (subsequently flipped for Jordan Walsh and four more seconds) and a top-four protected first-round pick in 2024 from the Golden State Warriors. Smart, a Celtics mainstay, is heading to the Memphis Grizzlies.

In this episode, they reflect on his legacy and the significant mark he’s left on both the Celtics and the city of Boston.

To hear what they had to say about this massive trade, check out the clip embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Brad Stevens offers big praise for new Celtic Kristaps Porzingis: ‘He’s a super skilled basketball player’

Celtics president Brad Stevens explained why he believes Kristaps Porzingis will fit in perfectly with the Boston Celtics.

When the Boston Celtics traded for former All-Star Kristaps Porzingis earlier this week, initial reactions focused more on what the team gave up. Boston is parting ways with nine-year veteran Marcus Smart in the three-team deal, a decision team president Brad Stevens described as “really, really, really” difficult. It will take time for the team, the players, and the fans to grapple with this change.

Looking ahead, however, Boston is welcoming aboard one of the league’s most dynamic and intriguing players. Beset by injuries and distractions away from the game, the 27-year-old Porzingis hasn’t always been able to play to his potential. Now with the Celtics, Stevens is confident Porzingis will once again play to his ceiling, benefitting Boston on both ends of the floor.

Late Thursday night Stevens spoke to the media shortly after the trade was made official. He explained how the move helps balance Boston’s depth chart a bit, but more importantly, that Porzingis’ unique game could be a big advantage for the Celtics.

Was moving Marcus Smart the right decision for the Boston Celtics?

Emotions ran high among fans, with some expressing sadness over Smart leaving after nearly a decade with the ball club.

Was moving veteran floor general Marcus Smart for Washington Wizards star big man Kristaps Porzingis the right decision for the Boston Celtics?

After the Celtics traded Marcus Smart, surprising fans who expected the team to keep him, some see him as an essential Celtic, while others think his departure will benefit the team.

Emotions ran high among fans. Some expressed sadness over Smart leaving after nearly a decade with the franchise, and others emphasized the need for change. With fans divided on whether trading Smart was the correct decision, the hosts of the WEEI radio “Greg Hill Show” weighed in on the deal and how they felt about the Flower Mound native being swapped for Porzingis.

To hear their thoughts about the floor general many came to love and trust and the wisdom of parting ways with him, check out the clip embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Was the Boston Celtics’ decision to trade for Kristaps Porzingis an admission that they were not a championship-caliber team?

To ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, it very well could have been.

Was the Boston Celtics’ decision to trade for star Washington Wizards star big man Kristaps Porzingis an admission they were not a championship-caliber team? To ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, it very well could have been.

Windhorst believes that adding Porzingis to the Celtics’ roster gives them increased depth, size, and the ability to open up the floor for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

This deal gives Derrick White an opportunity to step into a prominent role without the burden of an ego, potentially benefiting the team’s overall chemistry. However, Windhorst also said Marcus Smart’s departure could create a void in leadership and accountability, although Tatum and Brown now have the opportunity to take charge.

To hear more of Windhorst’s assessment of the deal, check out the clip embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Brad Stevens addresses departure of Marcus Smart: ‘He will always be appreciated and thought of so fondly here’

Celtics president Brad Stevens expressed his gratitude for Marcus Smart while looking ahead to the Kristaps Porzingis era.

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens spoke to members of the media at the team’s practice facility late Thursday night following a busy NBA draft that saw the team connect on a number of minor deals. Boston’s trade the day prior took priority, however.

The previous evening, the Celtics agreed to send Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a massive three-team deal that will land former All-Star Kristaps Porzingis in Boston next season. As such, the Celtics are swapping the club’s longest-tenured player and emotional leader for a dynamic but risky talent upgrade. Stevens spoke at length about what Smart represented to the Celtics on and off the court. He also outlined his enthusiasm for Porzingis’ arrival.

“I said this at the start of the summer,” Stevens said. “I thought that we needed to balance our roster and make sure that we looked at the best ways to do that. And that meant that we were going to likely lose a really, really, really good player.”

The best of new Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis in 2022-23

To see the best of his play with Washington last season or to give it another look now that he has become a Boston Celtic, take a look at this clip

If you have not paid that much attention to new Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis, you are by no means alone.

The Latvian forward spent all of last season on one of the worst teams in the NBA, the Washington Wizards. But it was one of Porzingis’ best seasons of his seven-campaign career, too, even if there were not as many eyes on it as usual.

The 7-foot-3 native of Liepaja put up a career-high averages of 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.5 blocks per game with the Wizards in 2022-23, shooting 49.8% from the floor overall, 38.5% from beyond the arc, and 85.1% from the free-throw line. Porzingis turned the ball over 2.1 times per contest and racked up 3 personal fouls per game.

To see the best of his play with Washington last season or to give it another look now that he has become a Boston Celtic, take a look at the clip embedded below courtesy of fan videographer Tomasz Kordylewski.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics thank Smart, welcome Porzingis in official trade press release

Boston announced the Smart-Porzingis trade as officially complete with a press release late Thursday night.

The Boston Celtics officially announced the team’s acquisition of former All-Star Kristaps Porzingis in a press release late Thursday night. The club welcomed the new big man to the city and team while also saying thank you to outgoing point guard Marcus Smart, who is headed to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a three-team trade.

In the deal, Boston acquired forward Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards, the No. 25 draft pick in the 2023 NBA draft, and a future first-round pick from the Golden State Warriors by way of Memphis. Boston later flipped the No. 25 pick into Jordan Walsh and four future second-round picks during the draft itself. To round out the trade, Washington received point guard Tyus Jones from Memphis, and forwards Danlio Gallinari, Mike Muscala, and the No. 35 overall pick from Boston.

Boston was quick to thank Marcus Smart for his service. Smart had been with the Celtics since 2014, earning three All-Defensive team honors and a Defensive Player of the Year award in that time. Celtics president Brad Stevens is quoted in the release offering gratitude for Smart.