The league saw plenty of big-name trades this offseason, with Kristaps Porzingis going to the Boston Celtics being the most shocking one. Boston took a significant risk by letting Marcus Smart go, so the recent news has raised many concerns.
Porzingis is the type of player the Celtics need to get over the hump after falling short several consecutive years. They reached the NBA Finals two seasons ago, indicating they aren’t far from championship-caliber rosters.
However, his constant injuries are something that may have given teams pause when going after the Latvian. Before an international competition where he was expected to play for Latvia, the player confirmed his injury.
Kristaps Porzingis Withdraws from FIBA World Cup
For basketball fans around the world, the FIBA World Cup is a coveted tournament. The competition is scheduled to start on August 25, with Latvia initially being one of the attractions for having Porzingis in the lineup. But that’s no longer going to be the case due to a lingering plantar fasciitis. He was the one who confirmed his foot injury with a post.
Porzingis wrote: “It is difficult. I feel very responsible to myself and the supporters of the Latvian national team, but a decision has been made that I will not play in the World Cup. After several weeks of recovery and a repeat MRI examination, the plantar fasciitis of my foot still prevents me from being on the field in full readiness”.
The player then added more context: “This joint decision has been made by both the medical staff and coaching staff of the national team, as well as the Celtics team – with the advice and opinion that it is now necessary to continue the recovery process. Such a decision is not easy to make, but I promise that I will be there and support the team as much as I can”.
