No one should take any pleasure for what's happening to Kristaps Porzingis. Availability was always his problem, but now he has a career-threatening illness that could it cut it short. No one wanted this to happen to Porzingis, but times like these also reflect on the smart moves the Utah Jazz didn't make.
The Jazz wanted Porzingis back in 2023. In fact, if he had opted out of his deal with Washington, he was line to get a big payday from Utah in free agency. However, Boston traded for him before Utah got the chance. Porzingis went on to win a title with the Celtics while the Jazz more or less had to embrace the rebuild.
Porzingis would have been an intriguing addition for the Jazz - the fact that they went after a similar player in Jaren Jackson Jr. shows that they definitely knew what they were going to do with him - but in light of everything that's happened, they avoided a mistake.
Every team who's had Porzingis has been well-aware that he's not an 82-game player. Just getting 60 games out of him would have been fortunate, but the fact that he now deals with a chronic illness shows how badly the idea to acquire would have been in hindsight.
Who knows? Maybe Porzingis could be a buy-low candidate for Utah
Charania's report also confirmed Golden State is looking into their options. For the record, it is odd that they brought him back because his POTS diagnosis has been on the record for two years. He looked good sometimes, but if Porzingis does decide to continue his career, at this point, he probably is a player you only insert in certain matchups.
It's very possible he will be released, and if he does, there is an argument to be made that, on a team-friendly deal, he could have intrigue as a part-time player. Porzingis doesn't solve the rebounding problem for the Jazz, but he would help with the rim protection they need with Walker Kessler gone.
Again, this all is so unfortunate for Porzingis. Utah definitely had the right idea to bring him in before his diagnosis. If say, JJJ gets hurt at some point, Porzingis would be an interesting temporary replacement. It's not that not getting Porzingis was a dodged bullet, but how much and how many years they would have invested in him that was.
However, no one wants his career prematurely over. If it's bad enough that his career is over period, then that's just how it is. But if he can still play part time, maybe the Jazz could make a Porzingis union happen after all.
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