With not many NBA teams having the kind of salary cap space to create fireworks in free agency, trades surrounding the draft have made late June the ideal time for blockbuster moves.
Kevin Durant traded to Houston. Desmond Bane traded to Orlando. Jrue Holiday traded to Portland for Anfernee Simons.
The Boston Celtics continued to reshape their roster under Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens. Boston reached a deal to send Kristaps Porziņģis to Atlanta in a three-team deal that gives the Brooklyn Nets another first-round pick in the draft on Wednesday, June 25.
The Nets get Terance Mann and the No. 22 pick in the draft from Atlanta; he Hawks get a second-round pick in addition to Porziņģis; and the Celtics received Georges Niang from Atlanta and a second-round pick.
Grading the Celtics-Hawks-Nets trade:
Brooklyn Nets: A
The Nets, who have won just 58 games the past two seasons, now have five first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft: No. 8, No. 19, No. 22, No. 26 and No. 27 — and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they packaged picks to move up in the draft or make a deal for a big-name player.
They are undergoing another rebuild and are trying to regain as much draft capital as possible to expedite the process. Though Mann is entering the first season of a three-year contract extension he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers before getting moved to Atlanta at the 2025 trade deadline, it’s a manageable deal at approximately $15.5 million per season.
Boston Celtics: B-
This was a move the Celtics, frankly, needed to do. In conjunction with the Jrue Holiday trade, the Celtics are now out of the second apron, which triggers massive penalties and sanctions on teams that exceed the threshold. With the Celtics under new ownership, the bill for building their star-studded starting lineup was essentially coming due.
According to an ESPN front office insider, the Holiday and Porziņģis trades are trimming $180 million in luxury tax payments. Georges Niang is, at best, a player that will come off the bench, but one who can go on scoring spurts. Does the trade make the Celtics more competitive? No. Does it give them roster flexibility? Unquestionably. Now, the team can look to make corresponding moves to stay competitive on the cheap.
Atlanta Hawks: B+
In a wide open East — one in which the Pacers, Celtics and Bucks will be dealing with torn Achilles injuries to star players — the Hawks could emerge as a sleeper team. Trae Young is the team’s unquestioned leader and led the NBA with 11.6 assists per game. Adding Porziņģis, a stretch big with deep range, should open up Atlanta’s offense. Porziņģis is also a plus rim protector who should bolster Atlanta’s defense, which was tied for 18th in defensive efficiency (114.8).
With Young, Porziņģis, 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccahrie Risacher, budding star Jalen Johnson, Defensive Player of the Year finalist Dyson Daniels and the improving Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks have a strong, young core. But, as always with Porziņģis, who has played in 258 of a possible 400 games since 2020, the big question is health.
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