Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis are the “weirdest superstar pairing” in the NBA.
The Celtics acquired Porzingis from the Washington Wizards in a three-team trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. Boston traded Marcus Smart to Memphis in the blockbuster deal.
“Porziņģis is going to juice Boston’s offense, offering spacing and post-up looks other frontcourt options can’t provide,” Hughes wrote. “But he isn’t the offensive organizer or pick-and-roll operator many thought the Celtics should have targeted. Add to that the departure of Marcus Smart in the deal that brought KP aboard, and Boston is missing arguably its best passer.
“Talent may win out in the end; Porziņģis brings a ton of it. But it should still concern Celtics fans that their new high-profile acquisition might not be able to add real dynamism to the offense. If that happens, Tatum may still be stuck trying to create difficult looks down the stretch of postseason games.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown & Boston Celtics Updates
Porzingis averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Wizards in 2022-23. He shot 49.8% from the field, 38.5% from beyond the arc and 85.1% from the free-throw line. The All-Star forward has career averages of 19.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 blocks with the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Wizards.
Meanwhile, Tatum put up 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists last season while shooting 46.6% overall, 35.0% from 3 and 85.4% from the free-throw line. He has firmly established himself as one of the top overall players in the NBA.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown & Boston Celtics Updates
With Tatum, Porzingis and Jaylen Brown leading the way, the Celtics are considered title contenders. It will be interesting to see how many games Boston wins next season. The Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals in seven games.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
