Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis, once expected to be Luka Doncic's long-term co-star in Dallas, faces his former team in the NBA Finals without any resentment, emphasizing there's "no ill will" despite their tenure not unfolding as planned.
The Mavericks traded for Porzingis in January 2019, during Doncic's rookie season, in a deal that now sees them relinquishing this year's No. 24 draft pick to the Knicks, completing the transaction.
Despite injuries during his time with Dallas, including a torn ACL and subsequent ailments, Porzingis posted solid stats, averaging 20.0 points and 8.8 rebounds over 134 games.
However, the Mavericks concluded that the Porzingis-Doncic partnership wasn't sustainable long-term, trading Porzingis to the Washington Wizards in 2022.
Reflecting on his time with Dallas, Porzingis acknowledges both positive and challenging moments but emphasizes that it simply didn't work out as intended for either side.
Despite rumors of locker room issues, Porzingis clarifies that there was no discord among teammates, attributing such speculation to external noise.
Porzingis admits it was difficult initially to accept a secondary role beside Doncic, who rapidly ascended to superstardom, but maintains there's no animosity.
Doncic, for his part, expresses similar sentiments, stating that despite efforts to make the partnership work, it ultimately didn't pan out.