Kristaps Porzingis might be one of the most unique players in the NBA, but as the Celtics weigh their next moves, the unicorn may not be untouchable. While his regular season stretch had moments where he looked like the perfect third star, his playoff fade and financial baggage now have Boston’s front office doing a serious cap-space sudoku. Let’s break down the two massive reasons why KP could be on the move—and why Sam Hauser’s name is randomly floating around in this conversation like the final Dorito in the bag everyone pretends not to want.
Steve Bulpett laid it out like a well-drawn ATO by Joe Mazzulla: “He does stuff that makes other stuff work… Seven-foot-whatever, hits the three, protects the rim. That’s stuff that’s really hard to replace.”
And he’s right. When Kristaps Porzingis is cooking, Boston’s offense opens up like a Grant Williams Reddit AMA. He stretches defenses to 30 feet, clogs up the paint like peak Roy Hibbert, and makes life so much easier for Tatum, Brown, and White. The Celtics went from “dangerous” to “who’s stopping these guys?” the moment KP clicked into gear.
But here’s the catch, and it’s a big one: “When teams have really needed him, he’s kind of been AWOL. He’s been hurt, the sickness thing — it’s all fluky — but it does matter because it happened.” – Evan Valenti
That mysterious respiratory illness wasn’t just a “bad cold” situation. It tanked his playoff minutes, dropped his field goal percentage lower than Ben Simmons’ confidence from the free throw line, and made fans forget he was even on the bench. KP in the playoffs was more “Where’s Waldo?” than unicorn.
Feb 20, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
It’s not just the sickness—it’s the salary. Porzingis is due a hefty $30.7 million in 2025–26, and with Jayson Tatum already scheduled to pull in a Brinks truck and a half, Boston’s front office is staring at luxury tax levels that would make Steve Ballmer flinch.
As Bulpett explained, unless the Celtics know something we don’t about KP’s long-term health: “It’s hard to let a guy like that go… but the financial penalties — it’s like, what are you here for, you know?”
Translation: sure, the guy’s a cheat code when he’s right—but are you really going to pay $30 million for “maybe”? Especially when the playoffs are when your best-paid players are supposed to show up, not disappear like Celtics’ offense in Game 6.
Enter: Sam Hauser, the Unexpected Golden Egg
Now let’s talk about the name that came out of nowhere—Sam Hauser. Evan Valenti again: “I almost feel like Sam Hauser might have the most value of all those guys… shoots 40% on mostly catch-and-shoot threes, plays pretty good defense… the money is a huge issue here.”
Hauser doesn’t make much, but what he does bring is elite floor spacing, low-maintenance offense, and decent positional defense. The guy is essentially the NBA’s version of buying a vintage Toyota—cheap, reliable, and runs forever.
While KP’s value is wrapped up in “if healthy” scenarios, Hauser’s value is consistent and team-friendly. In today’s CBA, that matters. A lot.
If the Celtics do move Kristaps Porzingis, there are two routes: Trade him now and free up cap space while getting younger. Roll the dice, pray he stays healthy, and try for one more title run before the tax hammer drops.
Jan 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) against the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
But even Bulpett reminded us that this team knows how to survive setbacks: “Without Tatum next year — yeah, it hurts… but you’re still going to be a team that’s going to be competing.”
And he’s not wrong. The 2018 Celtics went to Game 7 of the Conference Finals with Marcus Smart, Al Horford, and Jaylen Brown as their core. That team didn’t have Tatum at his peak. Didn’t have KP. Didn’t have Holiday. But they battled.
The Kristaps Porzingis trade watch is very real. And it all comes down to two things:
Can Boston trust his health? And can they afford not to move him while he still has value?
With Sam Hauser’s quiet rise and the salary cap breathing down their necks like it’s Shaq defending the paint in ’01, Brad Stevens and Co. have a tough call to make.
Trade the unicorn now, or bet everything that he won’t vanish again when it matters most? Either way, the offseason just got a lot more interesting.
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