Kristaps Porzingis Shows Flashes, But Atlanta Needs More Than Flashes
When the Boston Celtics moved on from Kristaps Porzingis this past offseason, it wasn’t a shock. After another season marred by injuries and his lowest statistical output since his early Knicks days, Boston decided it was time to pivot. They didn’t get much in return - a clear sign they were ready to move forward without him.
Now in Atlanta, Porzingis is in a new situation, and while the fit made sense on paper, the reality has been far more complicated.
Let’s start with the good: Porzingis gives the Hawks a skilled, floor-spacing big who can still impact the game when he’s on the floor. For a team that had just five reliable playoff-caliber players last season, adding KP was a low-risk move with potential upside. Atlanta didn’t give up much to get him, and his presence adds a veteran layer to a young core still trying to find its identity.
But here’s the problem: availability and consistency.
Porzingis has suited up for just 12 of Atlanta’s first 22 games - that’s 55% of the season so far. That’s not a small sample size anymore; that’s a trend.
And when he has played, he’s looked a step slower than usual. That lack of burst has shown up in two critical areas for Atlanta: rebounding and transition defense.
Both are effort-driven, and both have been areas where the Hawks have struggled.
His shooting hasn’t been enough to offset the concerns. Porzingis is hitting just 33.9% from three, a dip from his usual numbers. That’s not disastrous, but it’s not the kind of efficiency you expect from a stretch five who’s supposed to help open up the floor for the Hawks’ guards.
Meanwhile, Onyeka Okongwu - younger, more athletic, and more in tune with the team’s defensive needs - has been playing better. But he’s still coming off the bench, likely due to seniority and the investment Atlanta made in Porzingis. That’s a tough pill to swallow when the eye test and the numbers suggest Okongwu might be the better fit right now.
Of course, Porzingis isn’t the only moving part in Atlanta’s equation. The Hawks are still dealing with the absence of Trae Young, and that’s left the team without its offensive engine.
Without Young, the Hawks are already trying to recalibrate their identity. Add in the uncertainty around Porzingis - both in terms of health and role - and it’s no wonder this team has struggled to find rhythm.
It’s worth noting that Boston’s decision to move Porzingis also came in the context of a broader shift. With Jayson Tatum sidelined due to an Achilles injury suffered in last year’s playoffs, the Celtics chose to duck under the second tax apron and retool - not unlike what the Warriors did back in 2020-21 when Steph Curry and Klay Thompson were both out. But still, if Boston truly saw Porzingis as a long-term piece, they would’ve found a way to keep him.
Now, Porzingis is set to miss his fourth straight game, which would drop his season availability to just over 52%. That’s a tough number for a player expected to anchor your frontcourt.
Continuity matters, especially for a team trying to find its footing without its star point guard. And when your starting center is alternating between two vastly different styles - Porzingis the stretch big vs.
Okongwu the rim-runner and defender - it’s hard to build any kind of consistency.
Porzingis should be an asset. On paper, he’s exactly the kind of versatile big who could elevate the Hawks in a playoff setting.
But “on paper” doesn’t win games. Atlanta needs the real version of Porzingis - healthy, mobile, and engaged - if they want to make any noise come spring.
The question is whether that version still exists.
With five months until the postseason, the Hawks have to start planning for multiple scenarios. Can Porzingis be a contributor in May and June?
Maybe. But can they count on him to be healthy and effective for a full playoff run?
That’s a different story. And if the answer is no, Atlanta needs to start building a rotation that doesn’t rely on him being the answer - because right now, he’s more of a question mark than a solution.