The NBA offseason is in full swing. The Kevin Durant trade on Sunday kicked things off, and that was only the beginning. On the heels of trading Jrue Holiday to the Blazers, the Celtics have moved Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. Let’s break down the deal and grade the return for each team.
For the Celtics, the return may seem low. But this has been their motivation all offseason. The Holiday deal saved $4.7 million on their luxury tax bill, and Porzingis going out shaves another $22 million. That puts Boston under the second tax apron. That’s a hard reset going into a year without Jayson Tatum.
They’ve retained their core pieces in Jaylen Brown, Tatum and Derrick White. With a cleaner salary sheet, Boston will be more comfortable taking a gap year before contending again in 2026-27. I’m surprised they only got a single second-round pick, but clearing that much money off the books is the stated goal.
Boston Celtics Grade: B+
Atlanta uses one of their two first-round picks in the 2025 draft to gamble on Porzingis while getting off the Terance Mann contract. Mann had three years and $47 million remaining, so they’re essentially paying the Nets a first-round pick to take the deal instead of sending it to Boston. Georges Niang is a fine bench piece with a one-year $8.2 million deal, but they can easily make up for his absence. It gives them a starting big to pair with Jalen Johnson as Atlanta adds more defense, shooting and championship experience.
Atlanta Hawks Grade: A
Brooklyn gets into this deal by using their cap space and nothing else. They are being paid another first-round pick to take on the Mann contract. He’s unlikely to be flipped for anything else as an overpaid wing, but he’s not so overpaid that he becomes a burden on the Nets’ cap sheet. This now gives Brooklyn five picks in the first round tomorrow: 8, 19, 22, 26, 27. Expect the Nets to try and move up, or trade some picks for future selections. Getting a first-round pick for a middling salary dump is always excellent business.
Brooklyn Nets Grade: A+
