Celtics’ $60 Million Star Surprised by Trade Destination
The Boston Celtics have made a whirlwind of changes this summer—and one of their biggest moves caught the player himself off guard.
After consistently making deep postseason runs, Boston is entering a new chapter. Kristaps Porziņģis, who played a key role in their 2024 title, is headed to a new home. And for a moment, he thought that home was going to be in Texas.
Porziņģis Thought Spurs Were Next
In an interview with BasketNews, Porziņģis revealed he initially believed he had been traded to the San Antonio Spurs.
“After the season, I spoke to my agent and kind of expected that one or more of us would be traded,” Porziņģis said. “For a while, I thought I might end up with the Spurs, but then Atlanta came in—and that was a nice surprise. It was out of my hands.”
A brief pairing with Victor Wembanyama would’ve been must-see TV. Instead, Porziņģis is now with the Atlanta Hawks, a young team still trying to find its way back to relevance in the Eastern Conference.
He’ll join Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, and Onyeka Okongwu in a retooled Hawks lineup. It’s a shift from the pressure-cooker of Boston, but one he seems ready for.
“Here, the pressure isn’t the same—it’s easier to exceed expectations,” Porziņģis said. “That’s a better position to be in. It’s in our hands now, and I think we can surprise some people in the East.”
Celtics Recalibrate After Injury-Plagued Season
The Celtics reached the mountaintop in 2024, winning the NBA title in Porziņģis’ first year with the team. But the 2025 campaign took a turn for the worse when Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles during their second-round series against the New York Knicks. Without their All-NBA forward, the Celtics bowed out and began facing tough offseason decisions.
To avoid the restrictive second tax apron, Boston traded both Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday this summer. Porziņģis, who had signed a two-year, $60 million extension, was sent to the Hawks as part of the financial reset.
He averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds during his two-year Celtics stint. He anchored Boston’s defense in their championship run. But with Tatum expected to miss most — if not all — of the 2025–26 season, Boston is preparing for a gap year. Then, they’ll gear up for another deep push in 2026–27.
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