Kristaps Porzingis knew a trade from the Celtics was possible this offseason. However, the big man did not suspect a move to the Hawks. The former Celtics big man spoke to Latvia’s Sports Studja in an interview this week in his first public comments after Boston traded him away as part of a three-team deal to the Atlanta Hawks for Georges Niang.

In that deal, the Hawks acquired Porzingis and a 2026 second-round pick, the Celtics received sharpshooter Georges Niang and a 2031 second-rounder and Brooklyn added wing Terance Mann plus the rights to No. 22 pick Drake Powell.