The Dallas Mavericks had high expectations from Kristaps Porzingis when they executed a blockbuster trade for him in 2019. Two years later, the 7-foot-3 Latvian has seemingly lost a huge chunk of love from Mavs fanatics.
This season, Porzingis will have a chance to start fresh under the tutelage of Jason Kidd. The Mavs' new head coach understands the struggle of his prized big man, but he remains optimistic.
“We want him to move and do the things that he’s done before he was asked to do his role last year. I think it’s just a matter of him feeling comfortable with some of the new stuff, but I think KP is going to have an incredible year.”
Kristaps Porzingis' play has been consistent in the regular season, averaging 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game as a Maverick. However, Dallas can only wish to say the same about his playoff production.
After a strong postseason debut in 2020, Porzingis' numbers took a dive in 2021, where he tallied 13.1 points and 5.4 rebounds on 30% shooting on 3-pointers per contest. These are lethargic stats considering his skill level and physical attributes.
Porzingis is set to earn at least $30 million over the next three seasons. A massive amount of money coupled with declining numbers will only attract criticism from Mavs fans.
It's not just on Dallas' unicorn, though, to regain his not-so-old form. The onus will also be on Kidd and Luka Doncic to help create opportunities for Porzingis.
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