After Kristaps Porzingis announced on Tuesday that he won’t be available this summer for Latvia in the 2023 World Cup, the Celtics confirmed on Wednesday that the big man has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in his right foot and offered an update of their own on their most significant offseason addition.
According to the Celtics (Twitter link), Porzingis will begin a rehab program that will last about four to six weeks. The expectation is that he’ll be cleared in time for the start of training camp this fall, per the club.
While the foot issue isn’t an ideal start to Porzingis’ stint as a Celtic, it’s good news for the team that he won’t risk making the injury worse by competing in the World Cup and that he remains on track to be available for the start of the season.
Porzingis, 28, enjoyed perhaps the best year of his NBA career in 2022/23, averaging 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game across 65 appearances. Those 65 games were the most that the 2015 lottery pick had played in a single season since 2016/17, and his 49.8% field goal percentage was a new career high.
The Celtics, who lost the NBA Finals in 2022 and fell one game short of winning the East again this spring, are hoping that Porzingis will provide the club with a new look on offense while sharing rim-protecting duties with Robert Williams and Al Horford on defense. Acquired in a June trade with Washington, Porzingis signed a two-year extension with Boston last month that will keep him under team control through the 2025/26 season.