The Celtics are set to begin a transformational offseason in the upcoming weeks with trades widely expected across the roster per sources. One option that is on the table for a deal is starting center Kristaps Porzingis. The 29-year-old was a key addition to the roster in the summer of 2023 but stumbled in the 2025 postseason while dealing with the lingering effects of a virus.
Porzingis is set to enter the final year of his contract during the 2025-26 season, earning $30.3 million. That price tag combined with his durability issues (99 games played in the last two seasons) make him a potential candidate to be on the move. Boston initially agreed to a two-year extension with Porzingis shortly after acquiring him from the Wizards in July 2023. Here’s a look at that deal:
Kristaps Porzingis salaries
2024-25: $29.26 million
2025-26: $30.7 million
The challenge now for Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office in weighing whether to move Porzingis amid a financial crunch comes down in part to his value on the trade market. Porzingis is coming off the worst postseason of his career but is expected to make a full recovery over Brad Stevens.
“In the middle of a playoff series where you play every other day, it’s not an ideal situation in terms of feeling better — especially with the travel and everything else and the amount of physical force these guys put on their bodies,” Stevens said last month. “Our expectation is that it’ll probably be the next couple weeks will do him good to be off. He’s going to play for Latvia. I think that’s a good thing. I think it’s good to be playing in EuroBasket and I’m sure it’ll be well-cleared up by then.”
What type of return should the Celtics expect for Porzingis on an expiring deal? Let’s take a look at some hypothetical trade partners and proposals to consider that work under CBA rules.
SALARY MATCHING LIMITATIONS
Unless the Celtics send Porzingis into open cap space, something that would require attaching draft capital or other assets (Brooklyn), salary matching would be required in any Porzingis deal.
If a deal happens before July, a team receiving Porzingis would need to send out at least $23.36 million in matching salary. If the deal occurs in July (during 2026-27 league year) that total jumps to $24.56 million. That money doesn’t necessarily need to end up in Boston (if multiple other teams are involved in the trade) but at least that salary is required to be sent out for a team over the cap to absorb Porzingis’ deal.
PLAYOFF TEAM TRADE OFFERS
It’s a bit murky what type of value Porzingis has now among win-now teams across the league. He’s coming off one of his best offensive regular seasons ever after offseason leg surgery, shooting a career-high 41.2 percent from 3-point range. However, his postseason struggles amid post-viral syndrome (31.6 percent shooting, 15.4 percent from 3) may give some teams pause about acquiring him when his career durability issues are considered.
Ultimately, Porzingis is movable, but is probably a bit overpaid at $30 million in this year’s market. Throw in Boston’s likely priorities this offseason (reducing salary and retooling for Tatum’s return) and it’s not a slam dunk to move Porzingis this summer if his value is low, since Boston’s won’t want to necessarily take on salary that lasts beyond this summer unless it’s a long-term piece.
So what teams could inquire about Porzingis realistically with playoff aspirations? Let’s explore some trades that would work under league rules for salary matching.
Pistons
Proposal: Isaiah Stewart, Simone Fontecchio and Bobi Klintman for Porzingis and draft compensation
The Pistons are reportedly on the hunt for a stretch big this offseason and there aren’t a ton of appealing free agent options on that front. Stewart is a valuable part of the Pistons rotation and identity but the Celtics have been rumored to have interest a couple years back. It’s entirely possible the Pistons prefer Stewart to Porzingis long term but this would be a call worth making to check.
Clippers
Proposal: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Drew Eubanks and Cam Christie for Kristaps Porzingis
Not sure about the fit in LA but the Clippers could certainly use a stretch big. Could Porzingis start next to Ivica Zubac? Would he be okay with being a $30 million 6th man? This move would be about trimming salary primarily from Boston’s standpoint although Boston was rumored have had their eyes on Bogdanovic as a trade option back when he was in Atlanta multiple years ago.
Lakers
Proposal: Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber and Shake Milton for Kristaps Porzingis
The Lakers need a true center, but would they be open to a Doncic/Porzingis reunion after the pairing flamed out a few years ago in Dallas? Adding LeBron James to the equation could help this time around but the Lakers may be looking for someone more durable in the center spot at this price tag. Boston is simply turning Porzingis’ salary into cheaper more easily movable options in this type of deal with Vincent and Kleber on expiring deals. If the Lakers are looking for a defensive-minded center, they probably search elsewhere.
WILDCARD
Rockets: Dillon Brooks and one other low-cost player would make the money work under trade rules but it would need to be a better player than Porzingis for them to move Brooks given how important he’s been to their defense the last couple of years. Would expect any trade between these two teams to involve several players from both sides to satisfy both sides.
REDUCE SALARY TRADE PROPOSALS
Utah Jazz:
Proposal: Jordan Clarkson, KJ Martin and Svi Mykhailiuk for Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick.
Austin Ainge is now officially calling the shots in Utah and it sounds like he wants the Jazz to take a step forward next year. Utah had interest in acquiring Porzingis two years ago before he landed in Boston per sources. If the team elects to move on from John Collins ($26.5 million), Porzingis would be an intriguing replacement especially if they want to lock him up beyond this year. Boston would then be able to potentially flip Clarkson elsewhere during the year or have him serve as Holiday’s replacement if he’s dealt elsewhere.
Portland Trail Blazers
Proposal: Robert Williams and Matisse Thybulle for Kristaps Porzingis
Blazers look ready to be a more competitive team next year and they do have a logjam in the frontcourt. Bringing in Porzingis here would allow for a potential offensive upgrade if they are looking to play with more double bigs. Thybulle is coming off an injury and Williams would be a feel good return story for Boston amid a season of change.
Brooklyn Nets
Trading Porzingis with pick(s) attached to dump his salary outright into cap space will be an option in all likelihood. However, can’t see that being an option that Stevens prefers unless it’s required to pull off a bigger deal.
ARE ANY OTHER TEAMS FEASIBLE?
Kings: Lots of matching salary works (DeRozan, Monk/Valaciunas) but don’t see Celtics wanting any of that long term money without other big moves coming. Not sure Porzingis/Sabonis fit works well either on defense.
Hornets: The Jusuf Nurkic option is there if Celtics are simply looking for a cheaper center. Charlotte would need to throw in some more matching salary to make the trade math work.
Heat: Bringing back Terry Rozier for Porzingis would only trim a few million dollars of salary so that’s a non-starter. The math does work on a Duncan Robinson/Kevin Love for Porzingis deal but Miami does have plenty of younger bigs. They could use Porzingis’ shooting however.
Bulls: Lots of tradable expiring contracts here (Kevin Huerter/Zach Collins/Jevon Carter). Any deal here would be simply to acquire smaller salaries that would be easier to move.
Magic: Lots of combos that work here with matchable salary among two or three players but it’s unclear who is in Orlando’s plans. They also have a ton of bigs so would be surprised if they want to add another making $30 million.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Plenty of good teams around the league could use a stretch big like Porzingis and the fact he’s on an expiring deal makes him movable despite his question marks and big salary. Boston could certainly elect to hold the big man if his market is cool among the potential landing spots covered here, but it would not surprise me to see a deal in the next few weeks given the possibilities explored here.