Felger & Mazz: Thoughts on the Kristaps Porzingis injury
The Boston Celtics announced on Wednesday that the newly acquired Kristaps Porzingis #NEBHInjuryReport Kristaps Porzingis has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He will engage in a four-to-six-week rehab program, and is expected to be cleared for the start of training camp.
Thoughts on the injury….
Jim Murray: Kristaps Porzingis has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He will engage in a 4 to 6 week rehab program and is expected to be cleared for the start of training camp. “Expected to”, those are the two words that that stick out to me the most because you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t take the Celtics at their word given their recent history on downplaying injuries that turned out to be way worse. Specifically Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker. You find out they have to have like this reconstructive surgery in Kyrie Irving’s knee and then Kemba Walker’s knee had basically turned to crackers. So they turn out to be way worse. And the other thing I find interesting about this that kind of hit me over the last day, because we first get it from some Latvian basketball Twitter account that Porzingis isn’t going to play in the FIBA World Cup. Then Porzingis says of himself on his Twitter account in Latvian. Porzingis, to me, by doing that violated the Celtics code of how to handle these things. He publicly acknowledged and identified an injury by name which then forced the Celtics to comment on it this morning. Again, given their history and that he called it out first, I think this thing might be worse than it actually is. Like one thing I believe when it comes to basketball injuries, lower extremity injuries, foot injuries on big men? Bad. That’s it. Like that’s a simple equation. So I just I think this thing might be worse than it actually is.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 07: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the Washington Wizards shoots a free throw against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center on December 07, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Mazz: There are a million guys in that league who if you look at why their careers ended, it is because of foot problems. Now, some more later in their careers. Kevin McHale was later in his career. Some happened earlier in their careers. Some happened in their prime years. Some guys never had their career really blossom. Bill Walton’s career was destroyed by foot injuries. Bill Walton was, in some people’s eyes, the greatest center who ever played. The point being, Porzingis is on the younger side, but feet with basketball players = bad combination. Foot injuries in basketball players = bad combination. And as it pertains to Porzingis and the Celtics, if the Celtics put the kibosh on this, they heard about it and Porzingis reached out, they should have. I’m with the Celtics on that one. We just acquired you and we gave you a two year extension at $60 million, $30 million per and we’re trying to win a championship, no, you’re not playing for the Latvian team. Sorry not going to happen. And if this was Porzingis’s his way of sort of spitting back at them and saying, well I’m going to release the details of it because I have to explain to my countrymen why I’m not playing in this, because I’m expected to play, I’m going to come out and say it. But if the Celtics got in the way, him playing in this thing, they should have.