Kristaps Porzingis was never technically a free agent, but he still had a hand in picking his next destination.
The Celtics were the preferred destination of the 7-foot-3 big man prior to the trade, Substack’s Marc Stein reported Saturday.
But in order for Porzingis to join the Celtics, there was only one uncomplicated path. He had to accept his $36 million player option for the 2023-24 season by the end of the day Wednesday and bypass becoming a free agent this offseason, where he could’ve received a multi-year deal.
In fact, it appears that Porzingis would’ve had at least one strong suitor vying for his services.