Celtics Send Kristaps Porzingis To Hawks In Three-Team Trade With Nets

The Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets agreed to a three-team deal Tuesday that saw the Celtics send center Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick to the Hawks, while Terance Mann and Atlanta’s No. 22 pick headed to the Nets, and finally, Georges Niang and a second-rounder landed with the Celtics, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.

It was the second significant trade in less than 24 hours for the Celtics, who sent Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks late Monday evening. Across those deals, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Celtics saved $180 million in luxury taxes on what was originally projected to be a combined payroll and tax bill of over $500 million next season.

The Celtics will receive Cleveland’s 2031 second-round pick as part of the deal, which the Hawks previously had the rights to, and the Hawks will take the Celtics’ least favorable 2026 second-round choice.

The Celtics are now below the second luxury tax apron, and could have a path to getting out of the luxury tax entirely this season. Cost-cutting measures were expected to be in play this summer for the Celtics in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear in the second round of the playoffs against the New York Knicks, with the new ownership group likely to have its purchase of the team go through sometime in the next few weeks.

Porzingis is coming off two strong seasons with the Celtics, including shooting a career-best 41.2% from 3-point range while averaging over 19 points per game. Porzingis should slot in nicely in the Hawks frontcourt alongside Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu and last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher.

The Hawks also could potentially have massive salary cap space next summer by moving on from Mann’s $15.5 million salary for each of the next three years. Porzingis is on a $30 million expiring and could potentially have a long-term future with the Hawks, while All-Star guard Trae Young has a player option and guard Dyson Daniels – last season’s Most Improved Player – also is up for a contract extension this summer.

For the Nets, the price of taking on the final three years of Mann’s contract from the Hawks was getting the No. 22 pick in the draft from the Hawks, which originally was the Lakers’ selection and came to the Hawks as part of last summer’s Dejounte Murray deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Nets now have five selections in Wednesday’s first round: Nos. 8, 19, 22, 26 and 27. It also still has plenty of salary cap space left over this summer, and because the Nets are using cap space to make the deal, it cannot be official until the next league year begins on July 6.

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Article by James Van Wickler