Kristaps Porzingis was traded to the Boston Celtics just under two years ago, in June of 2023. The big man joined Boston from the Washington Wizards and brought hope of an added layer of offense with him. Now, in June of 2025, it feels like Porzingis has played his final game for the Celtics.
Through his two seasons with the Cs, he's had plenty of bright moments but hasn't been able to be on the court in the playoffs. He missed 13 games during Boston's 2024 NBA Championship run and then was a shell of himself as he battled a lingering illness in the 2025 postseason.
His $30.7 million salary for the 2025-26 season makes him a prime candidate to be traded as Boston looks to evade the dreaded second-apron line.
So far, there have been no reports of specific teams being interested in the big man, just speculation that his Celtics tenure is likely over.
One thing we do know is that the Utah Jazz were another potential trade destination for KP before he eventually ended up in Boston two years ago. If there's any remaining interest from the Jazz, then the latest rumors out of Utah could be intriguing for Celtics fans.
It sounds like the Jazz want to move Collin Sexton
Last week, Tony Jones of The Athletic wrote that both Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson are names to watch in trade talks, should the Jazz decide to lean into their crop of young talent.
"Sexton, [John] Collins, and Clarkson are familiar names in trade conversations, as the Jazz have explored deals involving them in the past."
Jones added that tanking is going to be a thing of the past for the Jazz.
"Either way, team sources say, with whatever roster they have, the Jazz will try to win games next season," Jones wrote. "Whether the team is young and inexperienced, or whether the Jazz make impactful moves, there won’t be players sitting out chunks of games as we saw this past season, and they won’t be tanking."
Collin Sexton helps the Celtics on multiple levels
The biggest question preceding this section of the article is whether or not Danny and Austin Ainge view Porzingis as a player who can help their team be competitive next season. His aforementioned health struggles could cast serious doubt on his effectiveness.
In a scenario where the Latvian Laser is someone who Utah still values, then a deal sending him to Salt Lake City could net Boston Sexton, as well as some cap relief.
Here's a hypothetical swap that I ran through the Spotrac trade machine.
Boston Receives:
Collin Sexton
Svi Mykhailiuk
($8.1 million in salary savings)
Utah Receives:
Kristaps Porzingis
Sexton, who is set to become a free agent in the summer of 2026, will make just under $19 million next season. His salary is, by far, the most important aspect of this trade. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is for the Celtics to avoid being above the second apron for three straight seasons. Avoiding it should be the top priority.
With that being said, the 27-year-old combo guard would be a nice player for Boston to have if they'd like to stay afloat in this upcoming "gap year" with Jayson Tatum sidelined recovering from a ruptured Achilles. There's been significant buzz about Jrue Holiday's days in green being numbered as well, so Sexton could serve as a discounted replacement for the two-time All-Star.
In three seasons with the Jazz, he's scored over 18 points per game twice and has shot 39% or better from three each year, albeit on a low volume of attempts. It's not hard to imagine Sexton being able to fit into a secondary scoring role in Boston, as teams will focus on Jaylen Brown (and Tatum if Sexton were to choose to stay with the Celtics passed next season).
Despite playing with a high motor, Sexton hasn't able to be consistently effective on defense. He shows flashes for sure, but is nowhere near the level of a defender that Holiday is.
Unfortunately, this is all just speculation at this point. Sexton has not officially been linked to Boston, and Utah hasn't had reported interest in Porzingis for a while. Could it work? Sure, but we're just going to have to wait and see at this point.
For more trade ideas, check out this recent "How 'Bout Them Celtics" video, where Jack Simone and I sift through a few mock trades involving the big man.