Sam Vecenie of the "Game Theory Podcast" recently suggested that the Indiana Pacers should go after Kristaps Porzingis this offseason to address their center needs.
"I know the name that I want [the Pacers] to chase in the offseason. I just don't know if they're going to have the money to do it. I would try to go for Kristaps [Porzingis] if I was them. I want the spacing big," Vecenie said.
"He works perfectly for what that scheme is."
There are reasons to think this could be a good idea on paper, but what Vecenie may have forgotten was that Porzingis has a history with Rick Carlisle during their time together with the Dallas Mavericks (and not the good kind).
Kristaps Porzingis likely wouldn't work in Indiana
Porzingis and Carlisle spent roughly two seasons together in Dallas, and it didn't go particularly well.
The Latvian native took on a significantly smaller role with the Mavericks than he did when he began his career with the New York Knicks, often being tasked with just standing in the corner while Luka Doncic and others did their thing with the ball. Additionally, there were reports that Porzingis felt "refreshed" after Carlisle left the Mavericks to return to Indiana in 2021 (h/t Tim MacMahon of ESPN).
"Porzingis has felt refreshed after Carlisle's resignation, team sources said. Kidd has made a point of giving Porzingis the green light to take the kind of shots Carlisle wanted to eliminate from his arsenal," MacMahon wrote.
Granted, this was almost five years ago now, but nothing changes the fact that a Carlisle and Porzingis reunion might not be the best idea for the Pacers right now.
Even beyond that, there are reasons for the Pacers not to pursue the one-time NBA Champion, even from a basketball standpoint.
When he's healthy, Porzingis is a real game-changer. He is 7'3" and can stretch the floor at a fantastic level, shooting a career 36.6% from deep. Furthermore, he is an elite rim protector, averaging 1.8 blocks per game for his career, while also being able to handle the ball when necessary.
Adding a player like Porzingis, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer, could do wonders for Indiana. However, health has always been a concern for the one-time NBA All-Star, and that's especially the case now.
Porzingis has only appeared in 17 games for the Atlanta Hawks this season due to an Achilles injury and an illness that derailed the latter part of his tenure with the Boston Celtics.
Additionally, even if he could stay relatively healthy, the 30-year-old might be too slow to truly be a good fit in Indiana's system.
Even for a team that desperately needs a big man like the Pacers do, signing Porzingis might be too risky for them to do in the offseason. Instead, they're likely just better off looking elsewhere, even if it might lower their ceiling just a little bit.