Kristaps Porzingis injury update: When is Celtics star expected back?

Kristaps Porzingis came back for one game. It’s the silver lining to the latest injury he must overcome entering the 2024-25 NBA season.

Porzingis missed most of the Boston Celtics’ 2024 playoff run and suffered another setback the team described as ‘rare’ during Game 2 of the NBA Finals. He then returned to play 16 minutes in the series-clinching Game 5 when this iteration of the Celtics cemented their spot in franchise history by winning a championship. With that, the bold move to acquire Porzingis and trade away Marcus Smart for the sake of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could be deemed a success.

But that upside also came with the risk of what’s playing out now given Porzingis’ track record. He won’t be available to play when the Celtics begin their NBA title defense during the league’s opening night Tuesday against the New York Knicks, and might not be back in uniform for awhile.

Here’s the latest update on Porzingis’ injury, including what happened this offseason and when he might return for the Celtics this season.

Is Kristaps Porzingis playing opening night?

No. The Celtics announced last June that Porzingis would miss the start of the 2024-25 NBA season after he underwent surgery to repair the unusual ankle injury – torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon – that he played through in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Porzingis is the only player listed on the Celtics’ injury report ahead of their opening night game against the Knicks.

When will Kristaps Porzingis return?

When the Celtics announced Porzingis had surgery on June 27, 2024, it said his recovery time would be five to six months. Based on that timeline, the end of November is the earliest point in the season to expect Porzingis back. A six-month recovery would push his return to the end of December.

But Porzingis told ESPN last month the expectation is to return some time in December. He told reporters at the Celtics media day last month, ‘my ankle’s feeling really, really good’ as he ramps up workouts during his rehabilitation.

‘I’d say we’re very, very pleased with where he is, and maybe a little surprised,’ Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said about Porzingis’ progress.

Kristaps Porzingis injury history

This ankle injury is not the first major ailment Porzingis, 28, has endured since entering the NBA in 2015 with the Knicks.

After emerging as a ‘unicorn’ and potential force with the Knicks, his career was temporarily derailed by a torn ACL in his left knee in February 2018 and it eventually led to him being traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He missed the entire 2018-19 season recovering from the injury and has played more than 57 games in a season just once since then, in 2022-23 with the Washington Wizards.

Before the ankle injury during Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Porzingis missed most of the Celtics’ run through the 2024 playoffs after suffering a calf injury in Game 4 of Boston’s first-round series against the Miami Heat. He didn’t return until the start of the NBA Finals.

Porzingis also tore his lateral meniscus during the 2020 playoffs and missed the start of the 2020-21 season while playing for the Mavericks.

Kristaps Porzingis stats

2023-24 NBA season with Boston Celtics

57 games played
20.1 points/game
7.2 rebounds/game
2 assists/game
1.9 blocks/game
37.5% from 3-point range
51.6% from the field

Career (8 seasons)

19.7 points/game
7.9 rebounds/game
1.8 assists/game
1.8 blocks/game
36.1% from 3-point range
45.8% from the field