It’s been a busy day in the NBA offseason, and the latest news out of Atlanta is still making waves across the league. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, an agreement has been made between the Hawks, Celtics, and Nets on a trade involving multiple high-level role players.
Full Trade Details
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Kristaps Porzingis, second-round pick (via Celtics)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Terance Mann, 2025 No. 22 pick (via Hawks)
Boston Celtics Receive: Georges Niang, second-round pick (via Nets)
As the NBA draft approaches, we can expect more moves like this as teams look to capitalize on the opportunity. This deal, which came just moments after the CJ McCollum trade, only involves one star-caliber player, but it could still have massive implications on the NBA title race.
For the Hawks, it’s no secret that they’re looking for support to help their star point guard, Trae Young. The guy has been a one-man show in Atlanta for years now, but that could change with Porzingis in the rotation. Besides championship experience, Kristaps brings much-needed shooting and floor spacing to the Hawks. Best of all, they have another scorer to help alleviate some pressure off Young.
The Nets have plenty of cap space and no clear plan for the future, but they have added to their growing asset pool with a young two-way player (Terance Mann) and the No. 22 pick, which can be used to draft a prospect like Danny Wolf or Walter Clayton Jr. Going forward, the Nets are now rich with draft capital, holding five picks in the 2025 first round alone.
Finally, for the Celtics, this deal has altered some of their financial obligations and paved the way for a total rebuild. By trading Porzingis, they save a ridiculous amount of money, which makes sense given that Jayson Tatum is set to miss the entirety of next season. They objectively get worse in this trade, but it seems the Cs are pivoting towards the future rather than trying to run it back with their flawed and broken roster.
It’s an interesting deal for several reasons, but the biggest story is arguably Porzingis and what he brings to the Hawks. He’s the best player to be traded so far this summer, and his arrival in Atlanta threatens to shift the balance of power in the East.
Let’s not forget about the ongoing makeover in Boston. With the team teetering on the edge of major changes, trading Kristaps was the final nail in the coffin for the group that won the 2024 NBA championship last year. Now, the Cs are facing a long and grueling road ahead that may include even more trades involving their star-studded core.
Over the next few weeks, look for these teams to make even more moves to adjust their roster. With so much at stake and so much expected activity across the league, teams that don’t look to get better will be left behind, and it will put pressure on all the GMs to take action while they still can.
The Hawks have taken that important step already, and they are hoping it will pay off with a resounding success.
