76ers Rival Celtics Are Trying to Land Kristaps Porzingis

Not long after coming up short against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics are looking to make a big move to land one of the NBA’s most versatile big men.

According to a report from The Athletic, the Celtics are attempting to land Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team deal involving the Washington Wizards and the Los Angeles Clippers.

On Wednesday, Porzingis has to decide whether or not he’s going to pick up his player option for the 2023-2024 NBA season. By opting in, Porzingis could make $36 million next year.

Throughout the 2022-2023 season, Porzingis left the door open for a potential short-term return to Washington. There were even talks about a possible extension getting done as well. However, the narrative shifted once the Wizards made key changes to their front office.

The first order of business for the new front office regime in Washington, DC, was to move the face of the franchise, Bradley Beal. By sending Beal to the Phoenix Suns, the Wizards essentially signaled a rebuild. Therefore, Porzingis is likely out one way or another.

Initially, the big man was expected to decline his player option and hit the free agency market to seek a multi-year deal with a championship contender. But the Boston Celtics are interested in a possible sign-and-trade.

“The Wizards, Celtics and Clippers are in strong talks on a three-team trade that would send Kristaps Porziņģis to Boston, Marcus Morris and draft compensation to Washington and Malcolm Brogdon to Los Angeles, league sources told The Athletic. Sides are still working through details and Porzingis’ $36 million player option for next season.”

The Celtics were already a tough opponent for the Philadelphia 76ers this past season. Not only did the Sixers lose three out of four games against the Celtics during the regular season, but they came up short in the second-round series, which took seven games to settle.

Throughout the 2022-2023 season, it was clear the Celtics could use an upgrade in the front court. With Porzingis, the Celtics would surely see a boost in that department.

While the Latvian standout had health concerns over the years during his time with the New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks, Porzingis resurged during his first full season with the Wizards.

In 65 games, Porzingis averaged a career-high of 23 points per game. He knocked down 50 percent of his shots from the field and hit on 39 percent of his threes. In addition to scoring, Porzingis came down with eight rebounds per game while blocking an average of two shots per game and dishing out three assists per game.

The clock is ticking for all parties involved to get a deal done, but if the Celtics are able to acquire Porzingis this offseason, they’ll surely pose a significant threat to the Sixers and the rest of the East.