I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Atlanta Hawks simply cannot rely on Kristaps Porzingis anymore.
When Onsi Saleh traded for Porzingis last offseason, he understood that there was a risk of catastrophic failure. The Latvian seven-footer fits the team perfectly with his much-needed length, spacing, and isolation scoring, but he’s perhaps the most injury-prone player in the NBA today.
Over his two seasons in Boston, Porzingis played in just 36.8% of possible minutes. He missed roughly 40% of games, and even when playing, he averaged under 30 minutes a night. After an already gutwrenching injury record, Porzingis’s misfortune only intensified last season when he developed Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
Porzingis was confident entering the season that he had POTS under control. After receiving an official diagnosis and taking the summer months to recondition his body and receive treatment, he even backed up his tall talk.
In EuroBasket competition, Porzingis played in a back-to-back – a feat he hasn’t accomplished in the NBA since January 2024. Not only was he playing, but he looked spry and full of energy. This trend carried into the start of the season, where Porzingis played in 9 of Atlanta’s first 12 games, with 2 of those games being back-to-backs. Ostensibly healthy, the Hawks were ready to conquer the shaky Eastern Conference with their star big man fully healthy.
Unfortunately, this was false hope. Porzingis has played in just 8 of Atlanta’s last 35 games (22.9%). He missed nearly a month due to illness and has sat out the last eight games due to Achilles tendonitis. As painful as it is to admit, Porzingis’s time as an impactful, steady NBA contributor appears to be in the rearview.
What is the path forward for Atlanta
Fortunately, the Hawks didn’t fork over any assets for Porzingis. Yes, they traded a first-round pick to acquire him, but that pick went to Brooklyn as a sweetener for taking on Terance Mann’s albatross contract. Practically speaking, the Hawks got Porzingis for free.
On the flip side, this also means no other team was willing to offer more in a deal. If no team would touch Porzingis before his struggles this season, it’s safe to assume Atlanta will not get any meaningful return.
But Porzingis is on an expiring $30 million contract that Atlanta can use in a trade. He already isn’t playing. Why not use him as a de facto trade exception to fit a large salary under the books? There are a few options that could lend Atlanta a contributing player without disturbing Saleh’s concept of “optionality,” meaning flexibility from a front office perspective. This limits potential trade options to players on expiring contracts.
Jusuf Nurkic is a player who could be a fantastic fit. The Bosnian center is simply a big body down low. When given the opportunity to feast, he can be a menace on the glass and as an interior defender. When asked to move on the perimeter, Nurkic is toast. He isn’t a perfect player, but he could provide some much-needed stability at the center position.
Another option could be one the Warriors seem desperate to get rid of. While I am low on Jonathan Kuminga (and apparently the whole league is), he is a young player who could provide a burst of athleticism to a small forward rotation that seriously lacks mobility. I wouldn’t expect Saleh to extend him past this season, but what if Kuminga indeed can turn it around in a new situation?
If we’re getting crazy, what about Cam Thomas? Like Kuminga, Thomas is an incredibly flawed player. He is perhaps also the best tough-shot maker in the league. I wouldn’t want to pay him next season, but I like the odds of Thomas providing a positive impact more than I like Porzingis’s odds. To put it a different way, would you rather have CJ McCollum or Thomas? I would prefer Thomas, as there is at least a chance he will develop into an important Hawk one day.
Sure, these trades are long shots, but you miss every shot you don’t take – and Kristaps Porzingis certainly isn’t taking many shots. Might as well push the chips in and see if you can win a trade on the margins.