Hawks’ Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendinitis) ruled out vs. Celtics

Boston Celtics

Porzingis played two seasons and won a championship in Boston.

Kristaps Porzingis will have to wait to compete against his former team.

Porzingis, who played for the Celtics from 2023-25, will be sidelined due to left Achilles tendinitis when Boston visits the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The 7-foot-2 center was originally questionable to play, but was downgraded to out on Friday.

The new-look Hawks, who recently dealt point guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards, traded for Porzingis from the Celtics in what was a salary dump move for Boston last July.

Since joining Atlanta, Porzingis has struggled to stay healthy. The 30-year-old has missed 26 games out of the Hawks’ 43 as he deals with his POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) diagnosis and his lingering calf injury; the latter originated in 2023 while he was on the Celtics and was exacerbated in the playoffs in April 2024.

Porzingis missed nearly every game in December, with the exception of two, as he dealt with an illness he said was unrelated to POTS. The 10-year NBA veteran has also missed multiple games in January due to his Achilles injury.

Porzingis recently spoke about his inability to stay healthy, insisting that he will eventually be healthy enough to play regularly again.

“I just wasn’t feeling too good, honestly. Just not being healthy healthy, you know?” he said last month (via CBS Sports). “But I wouldn’t say it’s the same stuff from last season, so that’s good. I think I kind of put that behind me even this summer playing for the national team, but anyway, just catching whatever it’s frustrating, you know? I want to be healthy. And I will be healthy.”

Porzingis struggled with his fair share of injuries during his two-season Celtics tenure, which is clearly continuing into his stint with the Hawks. However, he remains a productive player on the court when he is healthy. Porzingis is averaging 17.1 points per game this season; he averaged 19.5 in his final season in Boston. He’s also shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from beyond the arc, both of which are down just a tad from last season.

Porzingis will have two more chances to play against the Celtics for the first time as a Hawk this season. Atlanta will visit Boston two times in 2026 (Jan. 28 and March 27), and the Celtics will travel to play the Hawks again on March 30.

But first, on Saturday, Boston will be without forward Josh Minott (left ankle sprain) and could be without guard Payton Pritchard (left ankle soreness), who is listed as doubtful.

Kaley Brown

Sports producer

Kaley Brown is a sports producer for Boston.com, where she covers the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.