By trading Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Boston Celtics just made Kristaps Porzingis’ future destination crystal clear: The Atlanta Hawks. It’s less about the Hawks exactly, and more the fact that, wherever Porzingis goes, it’s almost certainly going to be a team that nobody is talking about right now.
For weeks, media and fans alike speculated about where the Celtics could trade Holiday, and what they could get back. Not once was Anfernee Simons brought up as a return, and the Blazers were almost never mentioned. The Hawks actually make some sense for Porzingis, and no one has discussed them as a landing spot.
That’s just the way Brad Stevens works.
Why do the Hawks make sense for Kristaps Porzingis?
The Eastern Conference is as wide-open as it's ever been. With Trae Young, a blossoming duo in Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson, and a soon-to-be sophomore in Zaccharie Risacher, the Hawks have already laid a solid foundation.
Onyeka Okongwu is a fine center, but upgrading that position could be key to them taking a leap forward, especially with Clint Capela hitting free agency this summer.
Adding Porzingis to the mix on a one-year, expiring contract could be the perfect risk for Atlanta to take in hopes of making a push forward in the East.
His defensive presence would help solidify the wall of lanky stalwarts they have built around Young, and his three-point shooting would give the Hawks an elite floor-spacing option to help keep things fresh.
What would Celtics get back in a Porzingis-Hawks trade?
Here is what a potential trade could look like (and one that could happen before the NBA Draft):
Hawks get: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics get: Terence Mann, Georges Niang, Mouhamed Gueye, No. 22 pick in 2025 NBA Draft, Future second-round pick
Taking on the long-term Terence Mann money wouldn’t be ideal for Boston, but they would immediately shed $7.5 million in this trade, and they could dump even more by rerouting Niang (expiring salary) and letting Gueye (non-guaranteed contract) walk.
Plus, they would get a first-round pick in the deal and add another future second. Offloading Porzingis and adding draft capital would be a huge win.
What other teams could trade for Porzingis?
There have been a ton of teams named as potential suitors in the Porzingis trade game. Squads like the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, and Golden State Warriors have all been mentioned. But again, that’s not how Stevens works.
And if the Holiday trade made anything clear, it’s to expect the unexpected.