

A major NBA shakeup has given the Brooklyn Nets a wealth of draft capital after they played a key role in a blockbuster three team trade involving the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks.
According to reporting from ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics have agreed to send Kristaps Porzingis to the Hawks, while Brooklyn steps in to facilitate the transaction and comes away with a haul of draft picks.
Under the terms of the deal, Atlanta will receive Porzingis and a second round pick, bolstering their frontcourt with a proven scorer and floor spacer. The Celtics are set to add forward Georges Niang and a second round selection, shoring up depth while managing salary. The real winners on paper, however, might be the Nets, who walk away with forward Terance Mann and the number twenty two overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
After this move, Brooklyn now controls an impressive five first round selections in this year’s draft, holding the number eight, nineteen, twenty two, twenty six, and twenty seven picks. The Nets also have the thirty seventh pick early in the second round, giving them extraordinary flexibility for both draft night and the coming offseason.
What does this trade mean for the Celtics and Hawks
This shakeup comes right on the heels of another significant move by the Celtics, who just sent Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two second round picks. The strategy is clear: with star forward Jayson Tatum facing a lengthy absence due to an Achilles injury and the franchise heavily invested in its core, cost saving moves were expected.
As a result, high salary players like Porzingis and Holiday have become trade pieces as Boston attempts to remain competitive without ballooning past the NBA’s second apron.
Looking ahead, Boston must decide what comes next for the rest of their roster. According to Charania, there is “significant interest” from multiple teams in Jaylen Brown, who is entering the second year of a massive five year extension.
The futures of players like Derrick White-locked in on a four year deal-could also be in flux, as Boston explores all options heading into the NBA Draft.
For the Hawks, adding Porzingis creates intriguing questions about their starting lineup. The seven foot big man joins a frontcourt that features Onyeka Okongwu and could look very different next season, especially with veteran Clint Capela heading into free agency. Porzingis brings elite shooting for a center, having made over forty one percent of his three pointers last season, which will help a Hawks team that finished nineteenth in three point accuracy as a group.
Brooklyn’s bold draft night plans
With five first round picks at their disposal, the Nets are poised to be major players on draft night. Brooklyn could keep the picks to build out a young roster or use them as leverage to move up and target a star. Some analysts suggest the Nets could be eyeing players like Ace Bailey of Rutgers, who was once projected as a top three pick before draft week surprises shook up the order.
The Nets also have significant cap space this summer, making them one of the few teams able to participate as facilitators in multi team trades and pick up additional assets. Their position in this deal is a perfect example, landing a valuable first rounder by simply helping two rivals complete their business.
This flurry of trades comes as the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement changes how franchises build superteams and manage payroll.
Teams are maneuvering aggressively to stay under spending thresholds while still chasing championships.
For more on the evolving NBA trade landscape and live draft coverage, check out this detailed report on ESPN.
The Brooklyn Nets may be in a rebuilding phase, but after this week’s moves, they have more draft firepower than almost anyone in the league-and their next steps could reshape their future for years to come.
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