ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – There a lot of high expectations for an Atlanta Hawks team with so many new additions, none bigger than Kristaps Porzingis.
The center spoke to the Atlanta media for the first time Monday.
Porzingis found out about the trade later than everyone else.
I was in Europe, I was asleep. I woke up in the morning and saw my phone was blown up. I had a feeling it was gonna happen around that time,” Porzingis said. “When I saw it was Atlanta, I was very happy.”
Porzingis may have been asleep then, but it’s clear he’s expected to wake up the Hawks playoff expectations. The Latvian center has 19.6 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks per game and has shot 36% from three in his career.
“[Trae Young], who already has good experience, and now myself coming into this young group. I think I could elevate all these young guys and bring gunpowder to this group,” Porzingis said.
Porzingis’ final season in Boston was hampered by injury and a mysterious illness that he still does not have all the answers for, but he says he feels healthy now.
“I’m glad it’s gone now, I’m glad it’s gone. I haven’t experienced it, I don’t know if my body just needed a reset during the summer. I took some time off and haven’t felt it since,” Porzingis said.
The Unicorn will easily be the best talent to have played with Trae Young and the trade for 7 feet, 2 inch All-Star will largely be graded by how the two play together.
Neither guard nor center seem overly worried about the fit.
“His spacing the floor ability, his defensive presence at the basket. When you go to the rim, you see a 7′2″ guy just standing there,“ Young said of Porzingis’ impact. ”It’s gonna be fun. We don’t know what it gonna look like right now, but in my mind it looks pretty good.”
Porzingis, who has experience playing with high scoring, but playmaking guards in Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson, is ready to pair up with Young. Atlanta’s four-time All-Star was last season’s assist leader (11.6 assists per game).
“I think it’s going to be super fun to play with him. Seeing how many lobs he throws and the kind of passes that the regular eye doesn’t even see. I think it’s going to be exciting,” Porzingis said.
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