Chris Mannix: Worried about Porzingis

[Who]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71sWua6uJzg

Interesting 12min youtube clip where Chris Mannix and others talk (first 7min of clip) about their concerns with the Porzingis trade. Mannix has three main concerns:

12min clip = first 7min is Porzingis talk. Then 3-4min of Embiid trade talk. Then 2min of Jordan Walsh to finish.

(1) It was essentially a Smart + G-Will swap for Porzingis. Mannix does not think that makes Boston better. Someone else on the panel agreed. They feel the squad is less talented now than the end of last season.

(2) Porzingis had his best year last year but Mannix worries was it a contract year bump type season. Can Porzinigis maintain it? Will he fall off? Unknown and that worries Mannix.

(3) Porzingis was much healthier last year than he has been over the last 3-4 years or whatever it was. This increases Boston's risk. Their injury risk. This worries Mannix as well.

A fourth point raised by the woman on the panel (I do not know her name) talks about how Boston lost some of their defensive identity last year and worries that this takes Boston further away from that. Further away from the core identity that led them to the Finals in 2022.

They liked the assistant coaching changes. Legit help for Mazzula.

[Celtics2021]

Mannix Schmannix.

[aefgogreen]

the injuries are my only concern but they are legit.  The odds of Timelord, KP, and Brogdon all being healthy are most likely lower than all of them being hurt. But if they manage to stay healthy, I think that we are stronger than we were last year.  I also believe that we sold high on Smart.  He was of course a hugh part of the Celtics.  But his shooting is not going to improve, and with Ja out, I'm willing to bet he tries to score more. And he may have injury problems as well.

[RJ87]

Mannix is always worried. He's the new master of panic.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Health is a constant worry no matter who's on the team. Hayward and Walker went from always-healthy ironmen in their pre-Boston days to having major injuries while with the Celtics.

[cons]

kp is the best player of the 3
so we win basically

[Neurotic Guy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71sWua6uJzg

Interesting 12min youtube clip where Chris Mannix and others talk (first 7min of clip) about their concerns with the Porzingis trade. Mannix has three main concerns:

12min clip = first 7min is Porzingis talk. Then 3-4min of Embiid trade talk. Then 2min of Jordan Walsh to finish.

(1) It was essentially a Smart + G-Will swap for Porzingis. Mannix does not think that makes Boston better. Someone else on the panel agreed. They feel the squad is less talented now than the end of last season.

(2) Porzingis had his best year last year but Mannix worries was it a contract year bump type season. Can Porzinigis maintain it? Will he fall off? Unknown and that worries Mannix.

(3) Porzingis was much healthier last year than he has been over the last 3-4 years or whatever it was. This increases Boston's risk. Their injury risk. This worries Mannix as well.

A fourth point raised by the woman on the panel (I do not know her name) talks about how Boston lost some of their defensive identity last year and worries that this takes Boston further away from that. Further away from the core identity that led them to the Finals in 2022.

They liked the assistant coaching changes. Legit help for Mazzula.

All legit comments.  Would also be legit to argue that adding a 7'2" 23 ppg scorer is a huge plus over Grant Williams' and that replacing White for Smart in the starting lineup may also be a plus.   I'll miss Marcus a lot and Grant to an extent, but I think the White-Brown-Tatum-Porzingis-Horford/Rob starting lineup is markedly better than Smart-Brown-Tatum-Horford-Rob (or Smart-White-Brown-Tatum-Al).

C's will still have Brogdon and Al or Rob on the bench.   I think we all feel they need more bench help, but the top 7 with Porzingis is better than last year.

[Vermont Green]

I am more optimistic.  I think getting Porzingis makes us better.  If you are going to include Grant in the comparison, why not include Brissett?  Not that you need to.  I understand Porzingis has durability concerns.  But he is really good.  Exactly where the team needed an upgrade.  Seems like his head is in the right place.  He wants to be here.  I think it is far more good than bad.

[Goldstar88]

Porzingis > Smart + Grant

In the games that Porzingis did play in the season before last, he averaged 22pts/9rebs/3ast with good shooting percentages. Is he injury prone, yes, but at least he’s still young at 27. Smarts defense wasn’t great last year and he’s about to turn 30. Brad made the right decision moving on from him. Grant isn’t worth the money he signed for. I think Dallas will regret that contract.

Mannix is an idiot.

[CelticD]

I think the Celtics exchanged a higher floor for a higher ceiling and that's what the team needed imo. Smart + Grant peaked as players and the Jays will likely improve only marginally, certainly not enough to get the team over the hump without more frontcourt help.

[BitterJim]

Mannix is always worried. He's the new master of panic.

Chris Pannix?

[RJ87]

Mannix is always worried. He's the new master of panic.

Chris Pannix?

[W8ting2McHale]

Boston lost some of their defensive identity last year and worries that this takes Boston further away from that. Further away from the core identity that led them to the Finals in 2022.

It seems to me that a “core identity” is something that lasts more than a season. A little more than half the season at that. Ime brought a defense 1st mindset, but the team didn’t buy into it until January. And the 2023 defensive metrics were that of a top five defense in 2023, so the core identity didn’t drop off much at all factoring year to year aberrations.

Last season also had Timelord missing half the games and not being fully healthy when he did play. Now he’s healthy. A major problem last year was once a quick guard or wing got by the perimeter defense they could coast to the basket. I’m envisioning several times a game where that happens this upcoming season and they see Porzigis between them and the rim, shift gears to avoid him, and step straight into a Timelord swat that they didn’t see coming.

The defense might play differently, but it has the potential to be better than last year simply because it won’t be so guard reliant.

[johnnygreen]

I don't understand why the "he played well because it was a contract year" only seems to apply to Porzingis but not Jaylen Brown. Heck, Porzingis took less money on an extension, as opposed to Jaylen, who is looking for a massive pay increase.

[KG Living Legend]

 It's like he doesn't know how the Nba works for the last 40 years. "Top End Talent Wins"

 Jokic, Murray,  Gordon
 Giannis, Middleton,  Holiday
 Durant,  Booker,  Beal
 Tatum, Brown,  Porzingis

 Just looking at that we probably rank 2nd of the big threes in the league right now. The Sun's may be more talented but they have 3 of the same type of players.

 Nuggets rank 1st and I'll take the Celtics 2nd.