Count legendary local sports journalist Bob Ryan among those skeptical of the Boston Celtics' stunning trade for Kristaps Porzingis.

The 77-year-old former Boston Globe columnist slammed the Celtics' new big man on the latest episode of his NBA podcast with Jeff Goodman, calling the towering Porzingis “7'3 going on 6'2 the way he plays basketball.”

Boston acquired Porzingis on Wednesday night in a three-team trade with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards that sent Marcus Smart to Grind City. The Celtics also acquired two first-round picks in the deal, one of which was traded for multiple second-rounders during the 2023 NBA Draft, while the other originally belonged to the Golden State Warriors and is top-four protected in 2024.

There's no denying Boston will miss Smart going forward. The heart and soul of the Celtics during his nine-year tenure wearing green, Smart provided all-court defensive versatility, high-value passing and an overall tenacity that will be difficult for Joe Mazzulla's rebuilt team to replace in 2023-24.

The injury bug has bitten Porzingis throughout his career, and he doesn't exactly play with the physicality and motor that came to define Boston's identity with Smart in the fold. The Latvian star is an average rebounder at best for his position, too.

But the long-held notion that Porzingis isn't a real threat to punish defenders from the block has grown outdated. He averaged 1.18 points per post-up possession with Washington last season, according to NBA.com/stats, elite efficiency just below Nikola Jokic's mark and slightly above Joel Embiid's. Porzingis' .41 rate of free throws per field goal attempt was also a career-high, further evidence of his newfound comfort banging bodies down low.

There are definitely team-wide, overarching questions surrounding Porzingis' trade to Boston. In wake of a banner 2022-23 season, though, his proven two-way impact as a post scorer, floor spacer and rim-protector isn't first among them.