After winning the NBA Finals last season, the Celtics are running the same core of their team back in 2024-25. They are 4-0 through their first four games this season. Boston is missing one key starter to begin the season. Kristaps Porzingis injured his ankle during the NBA Finals.
He needed surgery after the season ended and the Celtics knew he would miss time to start the 2024-25 season. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Boston is targeting a December return for Kristaps Porzingis. He noted that the one-time all-star could return even sooner but there’s no rush for the Celtics to bring him back.
Kristaps Porzingis is eyeing a December return for the Boston Celtics
“The Celtics are targeting a December return for Kristaps Porzingis..
It could even be earlier but they don’t need to rush him back at all” ~ @ShamsCharania #PMSLive #DifferentHere pic.twitter.com/PzvSMxKDcX
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 29, 2024
Ahead of the 2023-24 season, the Celtics were involved in a multi-team trade. They traded Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies and the Wizards sent Kristaps Porzingis to Boston. The talented big man played one and a half seasons with the Wizards. He was traded to the team in 2021-22 from the Mavericks. Porzingis found a perfect fit with the Celtics in 2023-24. Boston already had All-NBA level players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
There had been times in Porzingis’ career when he was asked to be the #1 option and did not succeed. That is not what his role was with Boston. Last season, he started 57 of the Celtics’ 82 regular season games. He averaged (20.1) points, (7.2) rebounds, (2.0) assists, and (1.9) blocks per game. When healthy, Porzinigs was a key piece in Boston’s lineup. While Porzingis is out to begin the 2024-25 season, veteran big man Al Horford is starting for Boston. He did that last season when Porzingis was out. If Porzingis can return by December, he’ll miss roughly another 15 games for the Celtics.
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