NBA Trade Rumors: Kristaps Porzingis Is A Laker In Proposed Blockbuster

Kristaps Porzingis would head to Lakers in proposed trade

Among the many certainties this coming NBA offseason are the Los Angeles Lakers acquiring a legit center, and the Boston Celtics shedding a huge chunk of salary to get below the second apron.

Those two inevitabilities could coincide in one big blockbuster, if this proposal by Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report would come to fruition. The Lakers & Celtics getting together on a deal happens rarely, if ever, but this one might have some promise:

LA Lakers receive:

Kristaps Porzingis, C/PF

Boston Celtics receive:

Rui Hachimura
Maxi Kleber
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For the Celtics, they'd get off of Porzingis's $30 million contract, which expires after the 2025-26 season. This would go a long way towards helping them alleviate their luxury tax crunch for next season. Would they miss him? Sure. But he only played 42 games this season due to injury and illness. A mysterious virus left him a shell of himself in the playoffs, as he averaged just 7.7 points per game. Even during their title run in 2024, KP only got into seven of Boston's 19 games.

What they would get in this hypothetical deal is one of the more promising power forwards in the league in Hachimura, able to play solid defense, while spreading the floor with his consistent 40%+ shooting from long distance.

Kleber's effectiveness has been severely limited the past few seasons due to injuries, but he'll have an expiring $11 million contract.

Porzingis could be dealt to Lakers in proposed blockbuster

As for the Lakers, they would get the much-needed big man in the middle they so desperately need, after trading Anthony Davis to Dallas in the Luka Doncic deal. Jaxson Hayes was clearly not the answer as the starter at the five, and it was a void that the Lakers couldn't overcome as they bowed out in the first round of the playoffs this season.

Porzingis, the rim-protecting, three-point shooting 7-foot-2 center, averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game this season (when he played), and a 41.2% mark from beyond the arc. Of course, the big risk LA would be taking is that he winds up being another version of their last injury-prone center, Davis, who misses as many games as he plays.

But the Lakers could be willing to take a risk like this one.

For the Celtics, this isn't the only proposed deal for their potential fire sale this summer, as we also shared a suggested swap that would send Derrick White to a marquee team.