Lakers Predicted to Part With Rui Hachimura For Celtics Star

Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey predicts the Los Angeles Lakers will try to land Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis for Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, a 2030 first-round pick swap, and a 2032 first-round pick swap.

It's no secret that the Lakers are in the market for a center, with Jaxson Hayes being the starter for the 17-time champions since the trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas. The Celtics will likely try to offload Hachimura's former Washington Wizards teammate to clear up space on a team that, with their current roster, would pay $500 million in salary cap and tax penalties.

More news: Massive Joe Mazzulla Mistake May Have Cost Celtics vs Knicks

"While the Porziņģis/Luka Dončić duo didn't quite jell with the Dallas Mavericks, both have likely been humbled a bit by the last few years," said Bailey. "And chasing a title alongside LeBron James could have them more focused on that than on who gets the credit for the success.

"...For Boston, this one isn't as much about financial flexibility. Porziņģis' deal expires after 2025-26, but draft assets are valuable. And Rui Hachimura would give them a slightly younger forward than KP, who could theoretically fit alongside Tatum in positionless forward combinations (assuming the Celtics were to sign him beyond this season)."

Porzingis, Hachimura and Kleber's contracts all expire at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Hachimura came to the Lakers during the 2022-23 season and has been a solid forward option, averaging 12.6 points per game, shooting 51.7 percent from the field with a 3-point percentage of 40.2 percent in 160 games.

Kleber came from the Dallas Mavericks as part of the AD-Luka trade in February. His only appearance for the Lakers came in Game 5 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, which

More news: Predicting Which Celtics Will Return Next Season

Porzingis has struggled to stay healthy for the Celtics, suffering a leg injury in the 2024 NBA Finals which kept him out for a period at the beginning of the 2024-25 season, then a respiratory illness in the 2024-25 season. He missed 40 regular-season games during the season.

When he is healthy, however, the Latvian has proved himself as a force on the floor. The 2017-18 All-Star has averaged 20 points in all but three of his nine NBA seasons, and will likely be a hot commodity on the trade market if the Celtics were to deal him during the offseason.

For more news and notes about the Lakers, head on over to Lakers on SI.