Boston Celtics Trades Porzingis to Atlanta, Marking Another Switch in Their Team Rearrangement
Revamped Celtics Tackle Post-Tatum Era on the Brink of 2025 NBA Draft
The Boston Celtics, hit hard by Jayson Tatum's devastating injury in the 2025 playoffs, have set sail on a new course on the eve of the 2025 NBA Draft. Over the past day, the team has rattled off a series of deals that could alter the team's fortunes in the coming seasons.
First off, Boston pulled off a three-team swap involving Atlanta and Brooklyn. This move will send forward Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick in 2025 to the Hawks, as reported by ESPN sources.
This deal came just a day after the green team agreed to trade point guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for shooting guard Anfernee Simons and two second-round draft picks.
With such transactions, the Celtics have effectively replaced two starters, adding Porzingis, veteran reserve forward Georges Niang, and another second-round pick from the Hawks. However, the motive behind the roster overhaul appears to be sheer financial prudence.
The trade of veterans like Holiday and Porzingis has allowed the Celtics to inch beneath the punitive "second apron" of the NBA's tax structure. By making this move, the team could potentially save around $180 million in anticipated tax penalties.
Boston is now leaner and greener, with only a handful of major salary commitment left. Besides Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who inked a massive $285.4 million contract extension before the 2024-2025 season, Derrick White is the only other player earning more than $10.1 million in 2025-26.
Georges Niang, due $8.2 million in the final year of his contract, provides a veteran presence while also offering some flexibility as an expiring contract that could aid in future roster maneuvers.
The Celtics' New Arrivals
Anfernee SimonsWith the arrival of Anfernee Simons, coach Joe Mazzulla may employ a more long-range approach to Boston's offense. Simons, skilled in long-range shooting, averaged 19.9 points and 3.2 3-pointers per game, with an impressive 38.1% three-point shooting percentage since becoming a regular in the Blazers' rotation in 2021-22. A free agent in 2026, Simons will earn $27.6 million during the current season.
The roster reorganization is undeniably a recognition of the challenging landscape ahead, with Tatum expected to miss substantial or even all of the 2025-26 season due to a ruptured right Achilles tendon suffered in Game 4 of the 2025 second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks on May 12th.
In a broader context, the Eastern Conference could be as wide open as it has been in recent seasons. With several key players moving teams, the hierarchy of power in the conference may shift dramatically. The lack of Tatum's potent scoring abilities in the opening stages could place additional pressure on the young and inexperienced players in Boston's lineup. Nonetheless, the Celtics seem determined to adapt and emerge stronger in the post-Tatum era.
The Boston Celtics, after trading point guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for shooting guard Anfernee Simons, now have Simons joining the team, who may bring a more long-range approach to the team's offense, averaging 19.9 points and 3.2 3-pointers per game with an impressive 38.1% three-point shooting percentage. In the 2025 NBA Draft, the Celtics will also welcome the addition of Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks. This team shakeup comes after Jayson Tatum's injury, as the Celtics strategize for the post-Tatum era.
