Porzingis Playing Coy on Hawks Extension

Kristaps Porziņģis remains extension-free after joining the Hawks, with his contract expiring after 2025-26. He told Fred Katz he “doesn't wanna rush anything” and wants to “take it one day at a time,” adding he’d “see how the year goes” as he aims to prove his health after playing just 42 games last season and battling an illness. This matters because Atlanta must decide whether to lock in a prime two-way stretch big or let him test the market. Merlin sees a high-upside piece whose availability will set his value — a floor-spacing, rim-presence who can swing playoff matchups if healthy. The Hawks face a classic wager: pay now for certainty or wait and risk a pricier return. Porziņģis’s next season will write the contract’s fate.