Kristaps Porzingis addressed the media Wednesday, February 18, reflecting on his first practices with the Golden State Warriors following his February 5 trade from Boston.
“Feeling excellent. Scrimmage went well. We didn’t play too much, but just enough to get a little feel for the game and a little bit like feel for each other on the court,” he said.
Porzingis highlighted the impact of veteran teammates, particularly Draymond Green. “Draymond’s super super experienced. He’s very vocal. I love Draymond, man. I could see how important he is for this group,” he said, adding that the younger players also show promise.
When asked about his health, Porzingis described steady progress. “When you’ve been out for six weeks, there’s always these little barriers you got to clear. I feel good on the court. I did a bunch of work before the All-Star break and stayed active,” he explained. He emphasized a gradual return, focusing on short bursts: “Used to hate playing short spurts, especially coming back from something, but now I know I’m playing short time, so I have to find rhythm that way.”
On his role in Golden State’s offense, the 30-year-old center praised the system’s simplicity and freedom. “I like the offense. I like the freedom. It’s the hardest to guard because we don’t even know what we’re doing exactly. We just have to take advantage of having this kind of flow,” Porzingis said.
Reflecting on his Boston tenure, he described a mix of challenges and accomplishments. “It wasn’t going to be like a walk in the park. Immediately I felt the responsibility of playing for such a historic franchise. We had the chance and we did it once,” he said, referencing his championship experience.
Porzingis also noted the medical support he has received since joining the Warriors. “I’ve done whatever they tell me to get to the spot where I want to be. I’ve nothing but great things to say about them. They’ve been awesome,” he said.
Looking ahead to Thursday’s matchup against the Celtics at Chase Center, Porzingis acknowledged the unusual circumstances. “Weird. If somebody said while we were in Boston that this was going to be the scenario, who would believe this? But it’s going to be cool seeing all the guys again and playing with joy,” he said.
The Warriors will be without Stephen Curry, Seth Curry, and Jimmy Butler III, while Porzingis is listed as questionable with a left Achilles injury. Boston will also miss Jayson Tatum, relying on Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard to shoulder scoring duties. Golden State will look to Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Draymond Green, and Al Horford for production in the absence of its stars.
Porzingis concluded by emphasizing patience and progression. “Just taking it one step at a time, building up with each game, more minutes, more feeling better, better, better, and see where I end up,” he said.
