The Boston Celtics are moving quickly to reshape their roster and reduce financial pressure, trading Kristaps Porziņģis to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that also involves the Brooklyn Nets, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Boston will receive forward Georges Niang and a second-round draft pick as part of the agreement, a clear move to create flexibility under the NBA’s punitive second apron. Porziņģis, who turns 30 on Aug. 2, is entering the final season of his contract and is owed $30.7 million for 2025-26.
The move comes amid significant uncertainty for the Celtics, both financially and competitively. The franchise is in the process of transitioning to new ownership, with league approval pending. No firm indication has been given as to how the new group intends to operate with regard to luxury tax thresholds.
Tatum Injury Casts Shadow Over Celtics’ Offseason
That context gained urgency when All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks. Boston’s outlook shifted dramatically when Tatum went down with a torn Achilles. Despite no formal announcement about his recovery timeline, the nature of the injury makes it likely the Celtics will be without their franchise star for the duration of the 2025-26 season.
Without Tatum, the Celtics still had the core of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Porziņģis. But a ballooning payroll and uncertainty from new ownership created an environment where keeping that group intact became untenable. Porziņģis and Holiday, both on significant deals, became the first to be moved.
On Monday, Boston made another major move by trading Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks. The back-to-back transactions suggest a strategic pivot for a team that, on paper, still had enough talent to contend but now appears to be recalibrating amid changing circumstances.
Boston Prioritizes Financial Flexibility Under Incoming Ownership
The Porziņģis deal marks a clear effort to sidestep the harsh penalties of the league’s second apron. Boston will now gain modest relief with Niang’s smaller contract and the added flexibility of a second-round pick, a valuable tool under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement.
Porziņģis had been viewed as a likely trade candidate due to his $30.7 million expiring salary and ongoing health issues. He appeared in just 42 games last season and struggled through the playoffs while dealing with an undiagnosed illness.
“I’m not sure,” Porziņģis said after Boston’s playoff exit. “Doctors are trying to help as much as possible. It was just some lingering fatigue, some effects. It was just extremely weird, and many symptoms that were kind of super weird. So I think nobody has a clear answer. I’ll see how I go from here. Maybe I do some extra testing and some extra stuff and see if we find something. If not, maybe just a reset. Reset for my whole system and that will give my energy levels hopefully back up.”
When healthy, Porziņģis remained productive, averaging 19.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on 50.2 percent shooting from the field and 39.2 percent from 3-point range over 99 games with Boston.
Hawks Add Skilled Big Man to Core of Rising Talent
Porziņģis joins a Hawks team that had been seeking a frontcourt upgrade around Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher. His floor spacing, shot-blocking and scoring versatility give Atlanta a dynamic weapon, if he can stay healthy.
The Hawks had emerged as a leading suitor over recent days after the San Antonio Spurs stepped back from the pursuit. While the Spurs had exploratory talks with Boston, they never made a formal offer. San Antonio had also been linked to Kevin Durant before the Phoenix Suns traded him to Houston.
In contrast to Durant, Porziņģis came at a much lower cost. Atlanta was able to land a former All-Star without surrendering any core pieces. The move gives the Hawks a high-upside addition and positions them for a potential leap in the Eastern Conference.
