The Boston Celtics elected to adjust their expensive roster at the start of the offseason.
On Monday, the organization officially cut ties with an NBA champion center after his disastrous postseason showing via a blockbuster trade to the Atlanta Hawks.
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“KP (Kristaps Porzingis) IS AN ATLANTA HAWK,” the Trae Young-led Eastern Conference franchise wrote on X/Twitter. “Welcome to the A.”
The Hawks’ general manager, Onsi Saleh, also released a statement on the deal.
“Kristaps is a unique and versatile talent with championship pedigree,” Saleh said.
“His ability to stretch the floor, protect the rim, and make plays on both ends adds another dimension to our team. We are fortunate to add a player of his caliber to our group.”
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“We’d also like to thank Terance (Mann) and Georges (Niang) for their contributions last season and wish them the best.”
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ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed the details of the Celtics’ three-team trade on June. 25.
The Celtics received Niang and a second-round pick, the Hawks received Porzingis and a second-round pick, and Mann, and the No. 22 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft (Drake Powell).
Unfortunately, Porzingis’ two-year stint with Boston was injury-filled. The former New York Knicks star suffered a calf strain and a torn medial retinaculum in the 2024 playoffs, forcing him to miss significant time on the hardwood.
After recovering from the two setbacks, Porzingis showcased his floor spacing, shot blocking, and tertiary playmaking with the Celtics during his shortened 2024-25 campaign.
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The 2018 All-Star averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, shooting 48.3% from the field and 41.2% from three.
Porzingis was arguably the organization’s worst rotational player in the postseason, though, as the former lottery pick only contributed 7.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game, connecting on 31.6% of his field goals and 15.4% of his three-point jumpers.
Still, Porzingis can enter the next leg of his career knowing he was a part of the Celtics’ recent championship run.
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