The Boston Celtics might have the chance to reunite with a fan favorite this summer.
It’s been widely documented that the Celtics are expected to explore trades to reduce costs while staying competitive in 2025-26 without Jayson Tatum (Achilles).
With both Tatum and Jaylen Brown locked into long-term, supermax deals, Kristaps Porzingis’s $30.7 million expiring contract makes him a likely offseason trade piece.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, Porzingis’s injury-riddled 2024-25 season—playing only 42 games due to ankle surgery and illness—has driven his trade value way down.
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On Tuesday, MassLive’s Brian Robb proposed a Porzingis deal with the Portland Trail Blazers for Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle.
“Blazers look ready to be a more competitive team next year and they do have a logjam in the frontcourt,” Robb wrote.
“Bringing in Porzingis here would allow for a potential offensive upgrade if they are looking to play with more double bigs. Thybulle is coming off an injury and Williams would be a feel-good return story for Boston amid a season of change.”
Portland would welcome Porzingis’s scoring (19.5 points per game, 41.2% from three in 2024-25), provided he can stay healthy, of course.
For Boston, the trade hinges on Thybulle opting into his $11.5 million player option for 2025-26. Both he and Williams ($13.3 million) would then be on expiring deals, freeing up cap space for the Celts in 2026.
Celtics fans would embrace Williams’s return, recalling his high-energy dunks and blocks from 2018-2021. Yet, his injury history surpasses Porzingis’s (Williams has played just 41 games over two seasons due to constant knee injuries).
If Thybulle opts in, the expiring contracts would align with Boston’s goal of financial flexibility, but GM Brad Stevens might receive slightly better offers for Porzingis than this one.
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