KP has had a wistful career so far. Since his lone all-star appearance in 2018, he has won only one NBA award - NBA champion (2024).

You might say that this is the most important one. But if you look at his numbers since that all-star appearance, he should already be in future HOFer conversations.

2017-18 (NY): 22.7 p/6.6 r/1.2 a/0.8 s/2.4 b/43.9 fg%/39.5 3p%/79.3 ft%/53.9 ts%/20.3 PER/32.4 mpg/48 GP (All-star)

2018-19 (NY-DAL): Missed season

2019-20 (DAL): 20.4 p/9.5 r/1.8 a/0.7 s/2 b/42.7 fg%/35.2 3p%/79.9 ft%/55.1 ts%/20.2 PER/31.8 mpg/57 GP

2020-21 (DAL): 20.1 p/8.9 r/1.6 a/0.5 s/1.3 b/47.6 fg%/37.6 3p%/85.5 ft%/58.2 ts%/21.3 PER/30.9 mpg/43 GP

2021-22 (DAL-WAS): 20.2 p/8.1 r/2.3 a/0.7 s/1.6 b/45.9 fg%/31.0 3p%/86.7 ft%/57.7 ts%/23.7 PER/29.0 mpg/51 GP

2022-23 (WAS): 23.2 p/8.4 r/2.7 a/0.9 s/1.5 b/49.8 fg%/38.5 3p%/85.1 ft%/62.7 ts%/23.1 PER/32.6 mpg/65 GP

2023-24 (BOS): 20.1 p/7.2 r/2.0 a/0.7 s/1.9 b/51.6 fg%/37.5 3p%/85.8 ft%/64.7 ts%/23.3 PER/29.6 mpg/57 GP (NBA Champion)

2024-25: 19.5 p/6.9 r/2.0 a/0.8 s/1.6 b/48.6 fg%/39.6 3p%/81.7 ft%/61.9 ts%/22.7 PER/28.9 mpg/35 GP

Career: 19.6 p/7.8 r/1.8 a/0.7 s/1.8 b/1.7 tov/46.1 fg%/36.4 3p%/83.0 ft%/57.6 ts%/20.8 PER/30.8 mpg/54.9 AvgGP

It was probably fair to say that Joel Embiid was the best center in the East last season until he got injured.

But this season, KP has been outstanding; a better defender than KAT, a better offensive player than Mobley, and better overall than Siakam. These are the three big men selected for ASG from the East this season (excluding injured Giannis).

Last season, excluding Embiid and Giannis, Julius Randle and Bam Adebayo were the big men for the East (Banchero, Barnes, and Brown played mostly on the wing).

This season, the argument for best C in the East is mostly between KP and KAT. Jarrett Allen is not as versatile offensively as either, and KP can defend more positions. Turner has been very good but not at these guys’ level. Bam seems to have lost a step.

Just for the sake of argument here are the stats from Pau Gasol’s last season in which he made 2nd team All-NBA (and All-star).

I picked Pau because him and Dirk are the most recently retired big men to be inducted into the HOF, and I figured Dirk would be a worse comp (I think stat inflation is a thing and we should compare players closer to each other’s eras).

Gasol 2014-15 (CHI): 18.5 p/11.8 r/2.7 a/0.3 s/1.9 b/49.4 fg%/46.2 3p%/80.3 ft%/55.0 ts%/22.7 PER/34.4 mpg/78 GP (All-star & All-NBA 2nd team)

Gasol (Career): 17.0 p/9.2 r/3.2 a/0.5 s/1.6 b/2.2 tov/50.7 fg%/36.8 3p%/75.3 ft%/56.5 ts%/21.4 PER/33.4 mpg/68.1 AvgGP

Yes, Gasol has slightly better career numbers in some categories, but he also averaged 2.6 mpg more. With similar mpg, their stats are pretty darn close.

But, KP averages just over 13 less games played per season than Pau. That’s almost 16% less games played a year. That is the main explanation for why he will probably never make the HOF.

KP turns 30 on 2nd August. While he can possibly change the narrative a lot over the next few years, if he never gets to 65 games played he won’t win any accolades, and he rarely plays enough to get onto all-star teams.

One of the biggest what-ifs in NBA HOF discussions for decades to come (in all likelihood…hope he proves me wrong).

TL;DR: Kristaps Porzingis has all the stats of a HOFer, but because he averages 55 games a season, he will probably never have the awards and accolades to make it.