Kristaps Porzingis will start fresh after the NBA All-Star break.
Following his short-lived run with the Atlanta Hawks, Porzingis will pick up with the Golden State Warriors when he gets cleared to return to the court. Ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers-Golden State Warriors clash on Saturday night, Porzingis met with the local media for the first time since the trade went down. He confirmed his plans for a return.
“Yeah, that’s the goal,” Porzingis said when asked if he was targeting the first game back from the break.
If that’s indeed the case, Porzingis is looking at a February 19 return against the Boston Celtics at home. He would miss just two more games before the break takes place.
As far as playing time goes, Porzingis joked he wouldn’t have a minutes restriction, but knows that’s a strong possibility at first.
“48 straight,” he said with a big smile. “We’ll see what the medical staff, what they think for me. I want to hit the ground running.”
Porzingis hasn’t played since January 7. At the time, he checked in off the bench for a 21-minute shift against the New Orleans Pelicans. The veteran continued his rough shooting stretch by going 4-11 from the field to score 13 points.
At this point, Porzingis is in the midst of a 16-game stretch of absences. He played in just 17 games for the Hawks. The veteran averaged 24.3 minutes on the court. He shot 45 percent from the field, posting averages of 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.
The Warriors lost a key member of their lineup as Jimmy Butler went down with a torn ACL a few weeks back. Golden State’s front office searched for a notable front-court addition and landed on Porzingis in the early hours of deadline day. While setbacks have been concerning for Porzingis throughout his 10-year career, the Warriors are betting on his health and production ahead of what they hope is a successful postseason.
After their loss against the Lakers on Saturday, Golden State dropped to 28-25 on the year. They are eighth in the Western Conference