Porzingis will miss the first few months of the season
Kristaps Porzingis has a long road ahead of him, but the Celtics star appears to be in good spirits.
Porzingis on Thursday underwent surgery to repair the rare ankle injury he sustained in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on June 9. The procedure was deemed a success, but Boston in a press release revealed the veteran big man will need five to six months of recovery time before he returns to the court.
Less than one hour after the timeline was revealed, Porzingis took to social media to pass along a message to fans.
“Thanks for the support! Everything went smooth. Now will take time to heal up and get ready to go again,” the 2024 NBA champion posted to X.
Porzingis’ rehab slate could impact how Brad Stevens and company operate this offseason. The Celtics surely won’t want to overwork 38-year-old Al Horford, and backup big men Xavier Tillman and Luke Kornet both are ticketed for the open market.
Boston could try to find a backfill in NBA free agency, which kicks off Sunday evening. The Celtics could also address their interior depth Thursday night when they are slated to pick late (54th overall) in the second round of the NBA draft.