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Celtics Deal Kristaps Porzingis to Hawks, Dip Under Second Apron in Three-Team Deal

Less than 24 hours after trading guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Boston Celtics stayed busy, this time sending center Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that also included the Brooklyn Nets. The move puts Boston under the second apron of the luxury tax, a presumed offseason goal as the franchise reshapes its future.

We broke down all three sides of the trade, complete with grades for each team.

Breaking Down the Kristaps Porzingis Three-Team Trade Details

The trade was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on X, saying, “BREAKING: Boston, Atlanta, and Brooklyn are finalizing a three-team trade that sends Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Hawks, Terance Mann and Atlanta’s No. 22 pick to the Nets, and Georges Niang and a second-rounder to the Celtics.”

Let’s grade both sides, starting with the Celtics, who continue their offseason of shedding salary after a disappointing second-round exit with one of the most expensive rosters in the NBA‘s history.

Boston Celtics Analysis

Boston’s late-night deal to ship out Holiday was the first domino in what’s shaping up to be a significant transitional offseason. Less than a day later, Porzingis, owed $30.7 million next season, was the next to go.

Combined with the $104 million Holiday was due over the next three seasons, Boston has quickly shifted from being well above the second apron to below it, gaining valuable roster-building flexibility under the new CBA. The second apron carries severe team-building restrictions, and ducking under it was likely a priority.

As for Porzingis, when healthy, he provided exactly what the Celtics hoped for after acquiring him from the Wizards in 2023: a rim protector who could also stretch the floor as a deep-shooting 5. However, he suited up for only 117 of a possible 194 games across two seasons, missing time due to lower-body injuries and illness.

Still, the Celtics won a championship during Porzingis’ tenure, making the acquisition successful.

Boston receives Georges Niang and a future second-round pick in return. Niang is a solid stretch forward off the bench. Still, this deal was about trimming salary and regaining cap flexibility, which is crucial as the team navigates uncertainty around Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury and transitions into a new ownership era.

Celtics Grade: B

Atlanta Hawks Analysis

The Hawks walk away with the prize of this deal: Kristaps Porzingis. And they paid a modest price to get him, sending out Terance Mann, Georges Niang, and the No. 22 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Neither Mann nor Niang averaged double figures last season, and Mann barely cracked the rotation during the Hawks’ play-in tournament games. So, Atlanta upgrades significantly by acquiring a former All-Star big who, when healthy, can be a dangerous pick-and-pop partner alongside Trae Young.

Add Porzingis to a young core featuring Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, and Onyeka Okongwu. Atlanta suddenly looks like a team ready to contend for a top-four playoff seed in the East under Quin Snyder.

And if it doesn’t work out? Porzingis is on an expiring $30.7 million deal, giving the Hawks cap space next summer.

This is a win-win deal and a great first move for new general manager Onsi Saleh.

Hawks Grade: A

Brooklyn Nets

With this trade, the Nets now control five first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft: No. 8, No. 19 (from Milwaukee), No. 22 (from the Hawks via the Lakers), No. 26 (from the Knicks), and No. 27 (from the Rockets).

That’s nearly a full starting five of first-rounders.

Brooklyn didn’t give up any players to get the No. 22 pick and Terance Mann, a defensive-minded veteran wing who could provide depth or be part of a larger trade package.

The question now becomes: Will the Nets use all five picks or combine them in a blockbuster trade? One way or another, they are armed with serious draft capital and remain one of the most intriguing teams heading into the 2025 offseason.

As the third team in the deal, the Nets got value without sacrificing anything meaningful. That’s a big win.

Nets Grade: A



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