Having Kristaps Porzingis back for the NBA Finals is a development that could do as the Celtics hoped during their multiple pursuits of the former All-Star and swing the best-of-seven with the Larry O'Brien Trophy on the line in their favor.
After losing in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on their home floor last year, the Celtics reconfigured their roster's core, leading to a trade that sent the heart and soul of the team, Marcus Smart, to the Grizzlies and landed Kristaps Porzingis in Boston.
But Porzingis nearly joined that quest six years ago. That was Kyrie Irving's second and final season with the Celtics, one that started with him promising to re-sign the following summer and ended with a second-round flameout, getting dispatched from the playoffs in five games by the Bucks.Jayson Tatum of what he learned from that season.
After Danny Ainge's efforts to acquire the seven-foot-three sharpshooter, the organization's next and current president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, made a run at doing so leading up to last year's trade deadline, per Fischer. While it required more patience, that persistence landed the Celtics a safety valve for their offense, who punishes switches, is a potent pick-and-pop option, and a rim protector who's anchoring Boston's backline behind perimeter defenders that include the All-Defensive backcourt of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.
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