The Boston Celtics traded Kristaps Porzingis to curtail their spending, but they will regret it on opening night when their disastrous center play sinks their chances of winning. KP, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet all departed this offseason. Boston added Chris Boucher and Luka Garza, but those are career backups who struggled to get minutes last season. This position could quickly turn into a nightmare, and fans will be wishing Porzingis was still on the roster.
The Unicorn consistently struggles with injuries, but remains elite when healthy. Last season’s mysterious illness was frustrating for everyone and helped sink Boston’s season, but Porzingis still averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game during the regular season. His unique skillset is impossible to stop.
The Celtics lost their top three centers from last season and made little effort to replace them. Neemis Queta played the most minutes of any of Mazzulla’s four center options last season at 863. Jayson Tatum plays that in 24 games when healthy.
Celtics will instantly regret the Kristaps Porzingis trade
A significant part of the Cs' recent success was having a trusted big man capable of spacing the floor and protecting the rim. Boston doesn’t have that option anymore. Boucher and Garza can make threes, but struggle to block shots. Queta may offer the defense, but he has missed all three of his career 3-point attempts. Coach Mazzulla will have to think of something, but none of the Celtics' options should be playing 30-plus minutes every night.
Boston doesn’t have the personnel to go small either. Josh Minott or Jordan Walsh would be their top option as a small-ball five. Those lineups would struggle on the glass and likely do not have enough offensive juice to overcome the defensive issues.
Porzingis will only play 50 games, but expect him to average 20 points, seven rebounds, and 1.5 blocks when healthy. Celtics fans saw him play a key role in their title run, even if he dealt with postseason injuries. Boston supporters will miss KP as the Celtics fight for a playoff berth with their best player sidelined.
Most fans want Queta to win the battle for the starting center role. Last season, he averaged 12.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per 36 minutes. Those are strong numbers, but there are no guarantees he can translate them into a larger role. If he struggles, this trade only looks worse.
The Celtics got Georges Niang, a 2031 second-round draft pick, and cash in exchange for Porzingis. Niang has already been flipped because this was strictly a deal about saving money. Boston will regret that choice when they miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The sting will hurt worse if KP helps the Hawks to a top-four seed.
The Boston Celtics chose this path, and fans certainly do not like it. Losing talent because of an NBA rule feels wrong. Kristaps Porzingis will help make the franchise regret letting him go. Expect monster numbers and a healthy playoff run as the Hawks finally make noise. This one was sure to backfire from the start. All fans can do is accept reality and move on. The Celtics will build another title contender around Jayson Tatum, but it may take time to get there. It is the harsh reality of the current NBA.