NBA Writer Says Ex-Celtic Among Players Under Most Pressure

It’s been less than three months since the Boston Celtics traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks.

On Thursday, NBCSports.com NBA writer Kurt Helin wrote that the big man was among five players in the league who under the most pressure entering the 2025-26 season.

“How much money is Kristaps Porzingis worth on the market? When he plays, he’s a force — 19.5 points a game, shooting 41.2% from 3-point range last season, while adding 1.5 blocks a night. When Boston won the title two seasons ago, he was key to that run and averaged 20.1 points and 1.9 blocks a night — the Hawks brought him in and put him next to (Trae) Young to be that guy for a new team,” Helin said. “However, he has played in 60+ games only once in the past seven seasons, and three times in his 10-year NBA career. Can he prove he can stay healthy enough this season and help lift the Hawks to the top four in the East, followed by a deep playoff run? Can he help make the Hawks more than the play-in team they have been in recent years?”

As Helin noted, Porzingis will be a free agent next offseason and is “playing for his next contract.”

“He’s making $30.7 million this season and, no doubt, would like a new contract in the range Myles Turner just received from Milwaukee (four years, $109 million). Is he worth it?” he asked. “He’s going to have to stay on the court and prove it this season, or next offseason, the offers may be smaller than he imagined.”

The 30-year-old one-time All-Star was recently placed 50th on ESPN’s “NBA Rank,” counting down the top 100 players for the upcoming season.