Kristaps Porziņģis has proved to be one of the biggest offseason additions for the Boston Celtics, but the center said he had better contract offers waiting for him before he was traded from the Washington Wizards.
"I had better financial contracts available, or an offer, but Boston is what I wanted," Porziņģis said, per GQ's Bobby Manning. "If the trade didn't go through, I would've ended up somewhere else. It was a crazy day, crazy night and I went to sleep, because I was in a different time zone and then finally, I woke up and had a bunch of calls and a bunch of messages that I got traded to Boston, and obviously, I was ecstatic."
The Celtics sent fan favorite Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies in the three-team trade with the Wizards for Porziņģis, but losing the heart and soul of the team has paid off so far. After arriving in Boston, Porziņģis signed a two-year, $60 million extension with the Celtics.
Porziņģis recorded a career-high 23.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game during the 2022-23 season, proving that he can still be a dominant force after several years of injury struggles. That season made a strong case for the 28-year-old to receive plenty of interest last offseason.
While Porziņģis might have made a financial sacrifice by signing with the Celtics, the move could be one that helps him win his first championship in his eighth NBA season.
After winning Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, Boston is just three wins away from a title, and Porziņģis has been a major factor. He missed all of the second round and Eastern Conference Finals with a calf strain, but had an impressive outing in his first game back, recording 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks.
NBA @NBAThe will to win 🏆…<br><br>Kristaps Porzingis' electrifying block on <a href="">#PhantomCam</a> 🚫 <a href="">
The Celtics were already contenders last year without Porziņģis, but the addition of the 7'2" center has made them the frontrunners to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy this year. Porziņģis already said that Boston is what he wanted, but helping the team win its 18th championship would give him much more confidence that he made the right call.
