Even before Kristaps Porzingis makes his debut for the Golden State Warriors following the All-Star break, there's a rising level of pressure for the veteran center to perform right away with his new team.
As much as the Warriors will be careful in managing Porzingis given his injury and health concerns, there's some level of expectations around the 30-year-old and what he can deliver, making for an exciting opportunity but also a brutal reality if things don't quite go as planned.
Warriors desperately need Kristaps Porzingis to be an impactful two-way presence
This is a Golden State fanbase that's become accustomed with winning over the past dozen years, and who believes the franchise should still be in that position with superstar guard Stephen Curry remaining in the top handful of players in the league.
However, everyone is still bemoaning the loss of 6x All-Star Jimmy Butler to a season-ending knee injury last month, and the Warriors desperately need a new reason for hope and optimism to cling onto over the remainder of the season.
In being their big new addition, Porzingis is the obvious branch to cling to, especially because, on paper, he provides exactly what Golden State needs as another offensive scoring threat from all three levels, and as the sort of rim protector they haven't possessed in years.
The last time Porzingis was part of a veteran team desperate to contend, he was part of an incredibly talented Boston Celtics team. That squad was so good that Porzingis was allowed the freedom of simply being the icing on the cake, rather than a top two or even three player on the roster.
With Butler sidelined, he won't get that opportunity at the Warriors. Porzingis will need to be a main ingredient, and will need to be arguably the biggest factor in turning the franchise from a team sitting just above a .500 record, to one that can challenge for a top six seed in the Western Conference.
That's an exciting opportunity within itself, but perhaps one the 7'2" big man just isn't physically prepared for at this point of his career. If Porzingis is solid but not outstanding and winds up leaving as a free agent in the offseason, fans won't be looking back fondly on his brief time with the franchise.
There's also the fact fans are lamenting the mismanagement of Jonathan Kuminga as an asset, with regular reminders of what Golden State could have done in the past when it comes to trade possibilities. Porzingis needs to somehow turn that around and help prove that the entire Kuminga saga wasn't a complete waste.
With expectation comes pressure, and Porzingis must prepare himself for that as he prepares to take the floor for the first time as a Warrior, likely against his former team in the Celtics on Thursday.