Rumors

Nonetheless, they remain on the roster as the Celtics enter unfamiliar territory as underdogs in the Eastern Conference. Although White is sad to see his fellow NBA champions leave, he's optimistic about what's next for Boston. He spoke about the transition during an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Boston's Celtics insider Chris Forsberg. "It's always tough to see guys leave, especially people that you won a championship with and had so many great battles with," White said. "Obviously, seeing KP and Jrue get traded, it was tough to see. And then Luke (Kornet) signs somewhere else. "Having a different team and having those guys leave is kind of difficult, but it's part of the business and I'm confident the guys that we have coming in and the guys that we still have returning. So it's gonna be a lot of fun, and it's gonna be a different challenge, but I think that's just the great thing about basketball."

nbcsportsboston.com

Bobby Krivitsky: Jaylen Brown on Kristaps Porzingis: "KP's been a large part of our success. Our recent success...In the playoffs, he wasn't feeling his best, but we appreciate him getting out there. KP is a tough guy. He has a great mentality." "He helped us all year long, & it was unfortunate it ended this way."

bsky.app

Bobby Manning: Joe Mazzulla on going with Luke Kornet over Kristaps Porzingis: "He couldn't breathe. He was available if absolutely necessary ... that was a decision between me and him." Said they've changed the lineup at half-time a lot this season. "I know KP will be ready for us."

Twitter

Kayla Burton: #Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla says they do know the illness Kristaps Porzingis is dealing with and it’s impacting his “fatigue and his breathing.” He’s hoping two days off will help KP. - @985TheSportsHub

x.com

Sean Cunningham: Malik Monk is awarded the 2025 Community Crossover Award for a Second Consecutive Year by the Sacramento Kings and Kaiser Permanente. The Award Honors Kings Player’s Ongoing Leadership and Impact On and Off the Court. Monk joins back-to-back winners of the award including

Twitter

Cameron Tabatabaie: Kristaps Porzingis still day-to-day per Mazzulla. KP left Sunday evenings game in the second quarter with “right heel pain”

bsky.app

Bobby Manning: Jrue Holiday on #Celtics’ defense since KP returned: “You see the stops that he gets, especially around the rim, being able to protect that obviously a lot better than I can.” pic.x.com/ra2aNL6Qum

Twitter

Oshae Brissett: "Everyone on the team, on the Celtics, got paid to go back and do their job again, as they mother effing should. Sam, Payton, I'm talking about the guy, the guys that come off the bench. I was going to be starting, but Al comes off the bench sometimes when KP gets back. You know, and still got Jordan Walsh, who's only getting better. You know what I'm saying? All those guys deserve to play. They deserve to be there. They put the work in and they deserve to be there. But just like how they deserve to be there and play, I deserve to play. You know what I'm saying? I put the work in my career, bro. I've been cut from teams, I've been benched, I've been in the G League, I've started in NBA games, I've scored 30, I've scored 25, double-doubles, all types of stuff. I put the work in, bro, to get to where I'm at right now, and all I want to do is play. Feel me?"

YouTube

But as was widely reported at the time, the Celtics originally agreed to a deal that would have sent Malcolm Brogdon to the Clippers, instead of Smart to the Grizzlies. Concerns about Brogdon’s health caused the Clippers to back out, forcing Boston to pivot to a Smart-based deal. At the time, many Celtics fans were crushed. Smart was a lifelong Celtic and a fan favorite. It hurt that the team dealt him instead of Brogdon, especially for a player as injury prone as Porzingis. But there’s a detail missing from that initial saga: Sources from around the league say that once that KP for Brogdon deal was complete, Smart still would have been sent to the Grizzlies for Tyus Jones and two firsts.

The Ringer

So even though it initially appeared that the Celtics would have acquired Porzingis without giving up Smart, he was going to be dealt anyway. If those two original deals had happened as Boston planned, there would have been no realistic way for the Celtics to acquire Jrue Holiday once he unexpectedly became available later in the summer. The Celtics would have ended up with KP and Jones instead. Maybe the Celtics would have ended up winning the title anyway without Holiday. We’ll never know. But these failed and completed trades serve as a prime example that sometimes plan A isn’t always for the best. Building a championship roster is both an art and a science, and a lot of good fortune is involved, too.

The Ringer

Zach Randolph: But I'm at the Four Seasons on Wilshire, and I'm downstairs. I see the general manager, Kevin Pritchard, right? At the time. So I walk up to KP, I'm like, 'What's up, KP?' He's like, 'What's up, Z-Bo?' I was like, 'Man, why am I getting traded?' And he's like, 'Man, no, man, you're not going. We want you here, you're not getting traded.' So I'm like, 'Okay, cool.' So I go upstairs, I tell a couple of my homies up there, I tell them, 'Man, I just seen Pritchard, man, I'm cool. I ain't going nowhere, I'm good. You know, I'm straight, I ain't going nowhere.' He just told me I ain't going nowhere, right? Man, so we sitting back in the room, blowing, whatever, watching the draft come on. 'Trade: Zach Randolph to the New York Knicks.' Look, man, I'm—man, stomach dropped. Right back downstairs, man, sick. Stomach dropped. I go in the restroom, I'm sick as hell, right? So I'm like, 'Man, I just seen this dude. He told me I ain't—' I said, 'Man, it's messed up, man, come on, man.'"

YouTube

Paul George: KP was the GM in Indiana. And same situation, right? We have a meeting in New Orleans, All-Star Weekend. 'Yo, am I getting traded? Just let me know, we can work with each other. Or not even that, just let me know so then now I could be at peace with that. Don't just leave me out to dry.' 'No, you're not getting traded, you're not getting traded.' Couple of days go by, agent hit me, like, 'Man, the teams are calling cuz the Pacers are shopping you around.' So I'm like, really? We just sat down on this subject right here."

YouTube

“That's why I don't watch a lot of that,” Doncic said. “Because people don't know. I talked to Chandler Parsons probably twice in my life. I don't know how he would know that. But me and KP (Porzingis) have a good relationship. I don't know why people say otherwise.”

Clutch Points

Bobby Manning: Brown on KP's return: "We've had plenty of time. The way and the organization that we play and how we've wanted to implement him and get him involved ... it'll be a seamless transition as long as KP gets in shape ... the reps, simulations in practice ... I think he'll be fine."

Twitter