Celtics sign Kristaps Porzingis to two-year, $60M extension - ESPN

Boston Celtics forward/center Kristaps Porzingis has signed a new two-year, $60 million extension — keeping him under contract for $96 million through the 2025-'26 season, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Janis Porzingis of Excel Sports Management told ESPN on Wednesday.

The sides finalized an agreement on Wednesday, two-plus weeks after Porzingis exercised his $36 million option for the 2023-2024 season to be included in three-team a trade to the Celtics that included guard Marcus Smart's exit to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Porzingis, 27, arrives to Boston off the best season of his NBA career with the Washington Wizards, averaging 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a game.

After injuries and difficult exits with the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks stymied what appeared early to be a perennial All-Star career, Porzingis reemerged as one of the league's best and most versatile 7-footers in his season-plus with Washington.

The Celtics are counting on him to play a major role alongside All-NBA forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the franchise's championship pursuit.

«I think these are the best years for a basketball player,» Porzingis said at a recent news conference. «You are physically there, and mentally, you are getting to a different level. I think the work paid off for me. I looked at my game, I looked at how I could be more efficient and just really analyzed myself, and it paid off last season, all the work I put in off the court to stay healthy.

»My body is maturing, and getting to that age helped, and I believe I have some great, high-level years ahead of me."