As the Dallas Mavericks gear up for the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, head coach Jason Kidd opens up about Kristaps Porzingis’ tenure with the team.
Having played for the Mavericks for two and a half seasons, Porzingis was eventually traded to the Washington Wizards in 2022.
“When you talk about did it work, did it not work, I only had him for a short period of time, and I thought it was going well in the sense of our defense, his ability to block shots, rebound,” Kidd explained.
He highlighted the adjustments made to utilize Porzingis’ skill set, saying, “Offensively we look to post them up a little bit more than Rick [Carlisle] had used them in the post, who was strictly just on the perimeter shooting threes. He has the skillset to do both.”
Despite initial optimism, Porzingis’ time in Dallas was marked by injuries, impacting his availability on the court. Kidd acknowledged these challenges: “When you talk about maybe the health, he got hurt. As much as a coach or teammate you want them all to be out there 100% at all times. But I thought KP did great for us.”
Kidd praised Porzingis for his contributions during his stint with the Mavericks. “I really enjoyed KP. He was great, great on the floor, great off the floor, did everything we asked,” Kidd stated.
However, he emphasized the unpredictable nature of the basketball business, where trades are common. “As you know, in the business of basketball there’s trade that take place and we’re judged if it works or doesn’t work. That’s just part of the business,” he noted.
Following his departure from Dallas, Porzingis found a new home with the Boston Celtics, where he quickly became a vital component of their roster.
The Latvian forward averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in 29.6 minutes per game during the regular season for Boston.
