The Boston Celtics traded for Kristaps Porzingis the summer before they won the title in 2024. They brought him in to be the stretch five that they hadn’t had before. He ended up playing two seasons with the Celtics, although he only played three games in the NBA Finals.
Porzingis has bounced around the league in the last few years. He just signed an extension with the Warriors. However, he was diagnosed with an undisclosed illness, and he is out indefinitely. Now, he is contemplating his future in basketball and could be traded.
Former Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis Reportedly Contemplating Retirement
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Porzingis’ future in the NBA is uncertain. With that being the case, the Warriors are looking at possible trade partners. Charania also reports that Porzingis is dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, also known as POTS.
POTS causes your heart rate to raise quickly when you go from sitting or lying down to standing up. According to the Cleveland Clinic, common symptoms of the disease are dizziness, brain fog, lightheadedness, fainting, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
Porzingis is currently on a deal that pays him $20 million this year with a player option for next season. Golden State is now canvassing the league to see if they can use his contract as an expiring deal, freeing up cap space for another team in return for good players.
Porzingis played two years with the Celtics before being traded to the Hawks. He played just 92 regular-season games when he was with Boston. He suffered from a variety of injuries during his time with the team, but he did win a championship ring.
It seems that Boston moved off of Porzingis at the right time. The main reason for trading Porzingis was so that the Celtics could avoid the second apron of the luxury tax. Now, it seems to be a stroke of good fortune that they didn’t sign him to a long-term extension.
Kristaps Porzingis Might Not Play Basketball This Season
If Porzingis does end up retiring, his career will likely end up being remembered as someone who was supremely talented who couldn’t stay healthy. Through no fault of his own, Porzingis will likely have a complicated legacy. His career-high for games played was 72, and that happened in his rookie year.
The Celtics have pivoted away from Porzingis in a smart way. They signed Mitchell Robinson this season to become the starter. In his first game with the team, he finished with four points and three rebounds and one assist. Still, his value is on the boards.
For Boston, it’s highly unlikely the pursue a contract for Porzingis to help clear their books. That’s why the team made the Jaylen Brown trade. That trade gave them a little bit of cap flexibility down the line instead of keeping Brown for the long-term.
Former Celtics Center Kristaps Porzingis Contemplating Future, Could Get Traded