The Boston Celtics are wheelin’ and dealin’ ahead of Wednesday’s NBA Draft. The Celtics are parting with former All-Star Kristaps Porzingis after two seasons, sending him and a second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a three-team trade with the Brooklyn Nets, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reports.
Boston received Georges Niang and a second-round pick while the Nets got guard Terance Mann and the No. 22 overall pick in the 2025 draft from the Hawks. With the Celtics sending out Jrue Holiday and Porzingis on consecutive days, what does that mean for Boston?
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. pic.twitter.com/1fcbIslyVF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025
With Jayson Tatum going down with a ruptured Achilles during the playoffs, leaving his 2025-26 season in doubt, the Celtics decided to shed salary.
The 30-year-old Porzingis will be paid $30.7 million this upcoming season, while the 35-year-old Holiday was owed $67.2 million over the next two seasons with a $37.2 million player option for 2027-28. Now, with both gone, the Celtics are below the NBA salary cap’s second apron of $207.8 million.
“Trading Kristaps Porzingis now puts Boston under the second apron,” reports ESPN’s Bobby Marks. “The Porzingis and Jrue Holiday trades save Boston a projected $180M in tax penalties.”
Trading Kristaps Porzingis now puts Boston under the second apron.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 24, 2025
The Porzingis and Jrue Holiday trades save Boston a projected $180M in tax penalties.
If the Celtics stayed above the second apron for the 2025-26 season with Tatum shelved, they would have faced severe penalties, including limited trade opportunities, draft pick consequences and diminished free agency options.
Prior to the trades, the Celtics had $289.57 million in total cap allocations for this upcoming season, according to Spotrac.
Niang will make just $8.2 million in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent after the season.
During his two seasons in Boston, Porzingis averaged 19.8 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and 1.8 blocks over 99 games and was part of the 2023-24 championship team.
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