The highest two facilities on final season’s Celtics depth chart are about to develop into teammates in Golden State.
The Atlanta Hawks reached an settlement Wednesday evening to trade Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors for guard Buddy Hield and disgruntled ahead Jonathan Kuminga, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
The transfer reunites Porzingis with veteran massive man Al Horford, who left the Celtics final summer season to signal with the Warriors. Boston traded Porzingis to Atlanta throughout the identical offseason roster overhaul, however accidents and sickness restricted him to 17 video games for the Hawks. He didn’t gown for both of the workforce’s video games towards the Celtics.
Porzingis and Horford performed two seasons collectively in Boston and have been key items of the Celtics’ 2023-24 championship workforce. They received’t have to attend lengthy to see their former squad, because the C’s are set to visit Golden State on Feb. 19 in each groups’ first sport again from the NBA All-Star break.
The Warriors’ lone go to to TD Backyard this season is on March 18. Horford, who spent seven of the final 9 seasons in Boston, informed the Herald earlier this week that sport will “really feel like residence.”
It additionally can be Porzingis’ first return to Causeway Road if he’s wholesome sufficient to make the journey. He didn’t journey for Atlanta’s 117-106 win in Boston final Wednesday whereas he recovered from Achilles tendonitis.
“He’s been great for us when he’s been in a position to play, and nobody desires to be on the market greater than he does,” Hawks head coach Quin Snyder mentioned on the time. “It’s not exhausting to search out his impression while you simply take a look at the analytics. I imply, we’re considerably higher with him on the ground.”
The Hawks outscored opponents by 49 factors over Porzingis’ 413 minutes, and his plus-5.8 internet score was one of the best of all Atlanta regulars. His 25.4 factors per 36 minutes this season are a tick larger than what he averaged in Boston, although his capturing and rebounding numbers have dipped. However he has not performed since Jan. 7 and has made simply 5 appearances because the begin of December.
The NBA commerce deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday.
