NBA Trade Proposal Sends Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis To Lakers

May 18, 2025

One NBA analyst proposed that the Boston Celtics trade Kristaps Porzingis to the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report proposed that the Celtics send Porzingis to the Lakers for Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, a 2030 first-round pick swap and a 2032 first-round pick swap.

Boston may have to break up its core this offseason since its payroll would reach about $500 million if no changes are made.

The Lakers need a center for Luka Doncic and LeBron James and Doncic and Porzingis were teammates on the Dallas Mavericks.

“The playoffs and last couple months of Porzingis’ 2024-25 campaign were completely derailed by a virus, but the healthy KP remains one of the best and most versatile big men in the league,” Bailey wrote. “And while the Porzingis/Doncic duo didn’t quite jell with the Mavericks, both have likely been humbled a bit by the last few years. And chasing a title alongside James could have them more focused on that than on who gets the credit for the success.

“More to the point, the Lakers just need a real center. Porzingis provides shot blocking, floor spacing and the occasional post-up. And he’d be a dramatic upgrade over Jaxson Hayes.”

The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year’s playoffs in five games. Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick played without a center in the second half of Game 4 and all of Game 5.

Porzingis averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in the regular season and 7.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.7 assists in the playoffs for the Celtics. The All-Star dealt with an unknown illness and he had trouble breathing.

The 29-year-old Porzingis has career averages of 19.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists with the New York Knicks, Mavericks, Washington Wizards and Celtics.

“For Boston, this one isn’t as much about financial flexibility,” Bailey wrote. “Porzingis’ deal expires after 2025-26, but draft assets are valuable. And Hachimura would give them a slightly younger forward than KP, who could theoretically fit alongside Jayson Tatum in positionless forward combinations (assuming the Celtics were to sign him beyond this season).”