Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis confirmed after his team put the finishing touches on its championship run on Monday night that he’ll undergo surgery to address his “rare” left leg injury, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
Porzingis added that the recovery process will likely take a “few months.” Given the quick turnaround between the end of the Celtics’ season and the start of the 2024/25 campaign, it’s unclear whether or not he’ll be ready to go for training camp in the fall.
Porzingis suffered the injury in Game 2 while battling for rebounding position on a free throw attempt after having returned from a calf strain in his right leg at the start of the NBA Finals. In their announcement last week, the Celtics referred to the new ailment as a “torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon” in the veteran center’s left leg.
Porzingis missed Game 3 and didn’t play in Game 4 despite being active. He returned to the court for Game 5 on Monday, contributing five points and a rebound in 16 minutes of action. Boston outscored Dallas by eight points when he was on the court.
If it had occurred during the regular season, the injury likely would’ve sidelined Porzingis immediately for a lengthy period. However, he was determined to try to play through it if he could, even though he admitted after Monday’s series-clinching victory that he had concerns about potentially making it worse.
“I think something could have happened, for sure, especially compensating now on the other leg now, which I just came back from,” he said, per Bontemps. “There was definitely some added risk, but I didn’t care. I was like, ‘I want to give everything I can and then fix it after if I need to.'”
Having signed a two-year, $60MM extension with the Celtics after being traded to the team last summer, Porzingis is under contract through the 2025/26 season. He’ll make approximately $29.3MM in ’24/25.
Keeps on having leg issues. Not a good sign.
Played 57 gms this yr. Missed 25 gms. And missed good part of playoffs. Got his ring. Maybe that will motivate him to take care of his body. Will be 29 in August.
Think it’s more that he’s just huge. The bigger people are, the more lower body issues they have. It’s just biology vs. physics after a point. Happens to most big men unless they’re freaks of nature like Shaq, and even he had them later in his career.
Ironically, the guy he replaced, Robert Williams, played a whopping 6 games this season. I’d say they still benefitted.
Benefitted by far. KP was instrumental all year on both offense and defense. Celts are much smaller without KP & his intimidation & blocks and thus very vulnerable in the paint. On offense KP’s fast starts shooting threes & his post ups during clutch times kept us winning. Get healthy KP!
As a Celtics fan it’s sad to say I think we should look took trade porzingis. Maybe see if you could get a team to bite. Lauri in Utah, Myles Turner in Indy, Ried Minnesota, or Portis Milwaukee would be who I’d go after. As good as he is he will never be healthy for a season plus playoffs. He’s like Gronkowski just not as important of a player to live with the injuries especially with Horford aging every day!
As a Celtics fan its fair to say that’s not happening.
You don’t think the Celtics would trade him or none of those guys are attainable?
I mean, the only one there’s even an outside chance of getting is Portis. Turner is fixed in place, Reid is super valuable to the T-Wolves, and Lauri would command a much larger return than the Celtics can likely give.
That said, Porzingis unlocked so much of what the Celtics could do this year. He’s really valuable to them even if he’s only playing 55-60 games a year. I don’t think he’s getting moved.
I would trade him or not play him until after the all star break for the rest of his time on the team. The Celtics have a history of trading injured players and getting great value. IT Brogden Williams. For Kyrie and Holidag. Another guy I’d have on the trade radar is Jabari smith in Houston.
I don’t think you rank Porzingis anywhere near high enough. But I believe the Celtics do. Anyway, trust in Brad Stevens.
And look what Luka just said about “continuity.” It’s important.
It’s sad to say you are dismissed by a sixers fan. Nonsensical delusional and self flagging comment.
Celtics just won a title and he was a big part of it. This is an embarrassing comment.
KP was a big part of the run Boston just went on? Are you serious?
Yeah he was huge in the finals definitely a difference maker you watch much basketball?
KP has played never played an 82 gm season.
2015-16 …. 72 gms, 28.4 mins
2016-17 …. 66 gms, 32.8 mins
2017-18 …. 48 gms, mins
2018-19 …. Did Not Play
2019-20 …. 57 gms, 31.8 mins
2020-21 …. 43 gms, 30.9 mins,
2021-22 …. 51 gms, 29 mins
2022-23 …. 65 gms, 32.6 mins
2023-24 …. 57 gms, 29.6 mins
In 9yrs he’s played 459 gms out of possible 738 gms. Kareem was 7’ 2” (230 lbs) and played 1560 gms. KP at 7’ 2 (240 lbs). Actually listed bigger. And Much SOFTER ……. Kareem a true NYer
link to basketball-reference.com
Yeah. So soft.
Man, that championship sure feels good.
He is soft. It’s why he’s hurt a lot. What does a chip have to do with getting injured all the time. He only played one gm.
If you would have kept him, maybe you would have won a title too. Oh wait, How many titles do the Knicks have since 1970? LOL
That rare injury in english is that his knee cap is hanging off to the left which is in turn is inverting his left foot to the right.
The Celts literally used industrial strength duct tape to pull the knee cap around and put what amounts to a sideways shoe horn in his shoe to bring his foot around.
He is unlikely to play till about two weeks before Christmas.
I did read the recovery takes a year.
“He is unlikely to play till about two weeks before Christmas.”
Which is fine.
Then by Valentines Day KP will get injured again
That’s not what the injury is…..
Love the NY fans commenting negatively on him. Imagine having stars and letting them go and still not sniffing a title since early 70’s! Classic