What Convinced Brad Stevens To Trade For Kristaps Porzingis?
The Celtics traded for Kristaps Porzingis over the Summer and it has since predictably turned into a game-changer for Boston. Recently Brad Stevens spoke with the media about how the trade went down. This one key detail apparently convinced Stevens to make a move for Porzingis.
Porzingis put up 32 points, 16 assists, and six rebounds in the Wizards’ 130-111 win over the Celtics on March 28, 2023. Apparently, Porzingis was so good in that game that it proved to be the moment that swayed Stevens into making the deal.
“Unfortunately, or fortunately, I don’t know how you would want to put it, I was at the game last year, on the road with our team, when we got drummed in Washington. He was a big reason for it,” Stevens told Shelburne. “… Seeing that in person had an impact.”
“This was risky,” Stevens told Shelburne. “But as (former Celtics assistant coach) Jay Larranaga used to tell me, ‘If we’re not trying to improve, we’ll stop being good.’”
In reality, the Celtics caught a huge break with Jrue Holiday. Had they never made the move for Holiday, this team wouldn’t be close to as good. The Celtics lost Marcus Smart in the move for Porzingis. Without replacing that defensive identity, I refuse to believe the Celtics would be 38-12 and on top of the Eastern Conference.
Porzingis, 28, has been terrific with the Celtics. The Latvian big man is averaging 19.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and two assists per game across 29.7 minutes per night in 36 contests.
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