As the Celtics try to find their way under the second apron payroll threshold this summer, center Kristaps Porzingis, who is due $30.7 million next season, has become an obvious candidate to be traded, or otherwise shipped out.
Questions about Porzingis’ health remain, meaning the the Celtics may want to unload his contract for more than strictly financial reasons. A flare-up of a lingering viral illness in the postseason rendered the 29-year-old a liability to his team, and one of the key reasons that the Celtics not only failed to defend their NBA championship, they were unceremoniously eliminated in the second round of the playoffs in six games by the New York Knicks.
But despite his often frustrating lack of availability, the seven-foot-two-inch Latvian native played an instrumental role in the Celtics’ 2023-2024 championship season, as well as the 61-win regular season in 2024-2025 — just the 15th time in Celtics history that the iconic franchise has won at least 60 games in a season. That’s three fewer than their number of NBA championships (18).
How do the Celtics replace Porzingis if he departs, as seems inevitable? Backup center Luke Kornet, who had his best season in 2024-2025, is now a free agent and seems certain to seek a bigger contract on the open market than the Celtics would be willing to pay. The third center on the depth chart, Neemias Quetta, has yet to demonstrate that he is capable of serving as a regular starter.
The Celtics may very well need to go to the draft to find their next dominant big man. And according to a mew mock draft published on Friday by NBC Sports Boston, they will do exactly that.
Assembled by NBC Sports Boston Celtics insider Chris Forsberg, with help from the cable outlet’s “top college hoops junkies,” the mock draft starts more less as expected, with the Dallas Mavericks using the No. 1 overall pick to take New England native Cooper Flagg, out of Duke.
The San Antonio Spurs, picking at No. 2, are predicted to select Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, son of former NBA role player Ron Harper — who was a teammate of Michael Jordan on three Chicago Bulls title-winners.
And at No. 3, in the new mock draft, the Philadelphia 76ers grab Harper’s Rutgers teammate Ace Bailey, described by CBS Sports as “the most polarizing prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft.”
Think this remains one of my favorite draft prospect clips of the year from 7-1 center Ryan Kalkbrenner. Legit think I pulled off my glasses and wiped them off while watching live.
Straight pump fake into attacking a closeout with a one-hand gather and finger roll finish lol.
Skipping ahead to the Celtics’ first-round pick, which falls at No. 28, Forsberg’s version of the draft sees the team taking Creighton seven-foot center Ryan Kalkbrenner – a former teammate of the Celtics’ 2024 first round selection Baylor Scheierman.
“Our panel really wanted us to make Maxime Raynaud the pick here,” wrote Forsberg, referring to the seven-foot center from Paris, France, who played four years at Stanford. “But given the choice between two available big men, we’re taking the guy with an elite defensive skillset.”
Forsberg described Kalkbrenner as possibly “the best rim protector in the draft.” The Creighton center was a first team Wooden All-American last season, as well.
NBA senior analyst Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports agrees, describing Kalkbrenner as “a throwback seven-footer who owns the paint, swatting shots with his giant wingspan and dunking everything in sight. It’s a bit strange he isn’t a better rebounder. But as a super senior, he’s also developed some sneaky passing and shooting skills that hint at higher upside.”
By “super senior,” O’Connor is referring to the fact that Kalkbrenner played five seasons at Creighton, utilizing the extra year of eligibility granted due to the COVID pandemic. That also makes Kalkbrenner an older rookie, turning 24 during the upcoming season. In fact, Kalkbrenner is already married — to Creighton women’s basketball player Rachel Saunders.
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