Kristaps Porzingis was limited to 42 games last season due to an illness that Brad Stevens referred to as "post-viral syndrome" during his postseason media availability. Stevens said the team expected KP to recover from the illness within a matter of weeks, with basketball over. Porzingis is now with the Atlanta Hawks after an offseason trade, and the illness is still a concern.
It wasn't enough of a concern for the Hawks not to trade for him, pairing him with Trae Young in a duo that has the potential to be one of the best in the league. The issue is that to reach that status, Porzingis needs to be on the floor.
ESPN insider Brian Windhorst discussed Porzingis' EuroBasket run on his podcast, "Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective." He noted that KP averaged 20 points and six rebounds a game in 27 minutes, but that scouts "weren't blown away" by the way Porzingis looked.
More specifically, Windhorst said that the scouts felt like Porzingis wasn't the "impact player" that they were used to seeing.
Porzingis said that he feels much better now than he did in the spring, but that he isn't fully healthy.
What scouts said about Porzingis is concerning for Hawks
Windhorst did say that it's a "positive" for Atlanta that Porzingis is feeling better and was able to represent Latvia. Even though KP posted good stats this summer, Windhorst said that he ultimately trusts what the scouts observed.
The Hawks retooled the roster this offseason, constructing what they hope will be a genuine contender in the East this season. The question of whether Porzingis can stay healthy will play a significant role in that.
He was able to get up and down the floor at EuroBasket, an upgrade from what Celtics fans consistently saw last season, but will KP be ready to start an 82-game season in a few weeks?
It's hard not to put stock in how scouts felt after watching Porzingis this summer. It's worth wondering if KP will be able to be the high-impact player he can be, or if what he dealt with last season (and is still dealing with) changed him. Injuries have always been a concern with him, but what he dealt with during his final season in Boston was next level.
There's a lot to be optimistic about as a Hawks fans, including Porzingis. Fans can only hope that what the scouts said isn't a sign of what's to come.