Celtics, Hawks, Nets Finalize Three-Team NBA Trade

Boston, MA — The Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, and Brooklyn Nets agreed to a multi-player trade on Tuesday. The deal saw the Celtics trade center Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round draft pick to the Hawks. In return, Atlanta sent the No. 22 pick in the upcoming draft to the Nets, while Boston received a second-round pick from Brooklyn and Cleveland‘s second-round pick in 2031, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

This trade marks the second significant transaction for the Celtics in less than 24 hours. On Monday evening, the Celtics traded Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies for Tyus Jones and two second-round picks. With these two trades, the Celtics are expected to save $180 million in luxury taxes, as confirmed by ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Furthermore, these trades help the Celtics lower their payroll, which was initially projected to surpass $500 million for the upcoming season. The team is now below the second luxury tax apron and may find a way to avoid luxury tax entirely this season.

The trades come in the wake of an injury to key player Jaylen Brown, who suffered an Achilles tear in the second round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers. This summer, the Celtics’ new ownership group is also finalizing their purchase of the team.

Porzingis had a standout season with Boston last year, averaging 19 points per game and shooting a career-high 41.2% from beyond the arc. If he recovers from the illness that affected his playing time last season, he is expected to integrate well into the Hawks’ lineup, playing alongside young stars like Trae Young and the 2023 No. 1 draft pick.

The Hawks are also set to benefit financially from this trade. By moving on from Mann’s $15.5 million salary for three years, they could potentially create significant salary cap space next summer.

Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets agreed to take on Mann’s contract while acquiring the No. 22 pick, which originally belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers. This trade brings the Nets’ total to five picks in Wednesday’s first round: Nos. 8, 19, 22, 26, and 27. The deal cannot be finalized until the new league year starts on July 6.