New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Idea Sends Porzingis to Atlanta, Jaylen Brown to Houston, Boston Begins Rebuild

The offseason is here for 26 teams in the NBA. The conference semifinals are almost over and there are only four teams left alive with hopes of making it to the ultimate goal of winning a championship. Heading into this offseason, the Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, and Boston Celtics are all searching for the next steps to take as a franchise, which is different for all three.

Atlanta is going to be a team worth watching. Most will point to a potential Trae Young trade, but that does not appear likely (for now) and Atlanta may move forward with this core of Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu. If the Hawks decide to do that, they need to improve their bench in a big way this offseason. Due to the NBA's CBA and apron rules, you are going to be seeing a lot more three-team trades between teams so salaries can move around. Atlanta could try to attach themselves to a big deal and add some pieces to their bench if they opt to move forward with this starting five. The Hawks need interior defense, frontcourt depth, shooting, and maybe a backup lead guard/ball handler. This is not a great free agent class to be filling those needs, so could the Hawks look to the trade market? NBA insider Marc Stein has already reported that Atlanta could look to be facilitators this summer in the trade market due to their financial flexibility, depending on if the team brings back any of Caris LeVert, Clint Capela, or Larry Nance.

Per @TheSteinLine:

- Search firm Sportsology, which is helping the Hawks with their hunt for a new president of basketball operations, has been reaching out to various agents to gauge their interest in making such a move.

- Whether the Hawks do or don't prove open to fielding… pic.twitter.com/eVQeOIzwcO
— Hawks Lead (@HawksLead) May 12, 2025

While the playoffs are always unpredictable, practically no one saw the Boston Celtics losing to the New York Knicks after blowing 20-point leads in both Game 1 and 2. The Celtics were excellent throughout the regular season, going 4-0 versus the Knicks en route to another 60+ win season. Not only that, but Jayson Tatum injured his Achilles and is likely to be out next season. Being eliminated by New York means the offseason is here for the Celtics.

Even if Boston had won in convincing fashion and repeated as champs, they would almost certainly have needed to make a significant trade this summer. Another season of being in the second apron would result in their first-round pick seven years into the future becoming "frozen" and ineligible to be traded. Furthermore, second-apron teams cannot use the mid-level exception, cannot aggregate salaries in trades, cannot take back more salary than they send out in trades, cannot send cash in trades, and cannot sign-and-trade a player for another player.

Specifically, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are two obvious candidates to be moved elsewhere. Porzingis is consistently unavailable for Boston and has looked hobbled throughout the 2025 playoffs after he missed most of the championship run. His rim protection and floor spacing are valuable, but the Celtics won't be without either if they move on from him.

The least likely scenario is that the Celtics go into a complete reset season with Tatum sidelined and also consider moving franchise icon Jaylen Brown. It sounds far-fetched and I don't think the Celtics will do that, but one thing the apron rules are going to do is make them consider it, which is unfortunate. If Tatum had not gotten injured, this is not a discussion, but the Celtics are going to lose a year without Tatum and even when he is back, will he be the same player? Brown would fetch far more in a trade than either Holiday or Porzingis.

Houston has as many assets as any team, outside of maybe Oklahoma City and San Antonio, and they could make a big move (or moves) this offseason. Whether it is draft picks or young players, Houston can make moves to improve their roster or add to their asset pile. Two of the players in question this offseason are Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. Smith Jr is going to be entering the last year of his contract and while he is a good player, he has not lived up to his No. 3 pick billing and might be among the odd men out for the Rockets. Green flashes elite talent at times, but is inconsistent and had a rough postseason. He could be on the move this offseason if Houston wants to improve in the backcourt or move his salary.

So how about a trade where each of these teams tries to fill a need?

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

Hawks Receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Sam Hauser, and Aaron Holiday

Rockets Receive: Jaylen Brown, Georges Niang, Baylor Scheierman, Xavier Tillman, a 2027 2nd round pick (From ATL, Via CLE), and a 2029 2nd round pick (from Atlanta, via CLE)

Celtics receive: Jalen Green, Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, Terance Mann, Dominick Barlow, Jock Landale, 2025 1st round pick (via Houston, No. 10 overall), 2025 1st round pick (via ATL, No. 22 overall), and a 2027 1st round pick (From HOU, Via PHX)

Celtics Forward Jaylen Brow — May 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reaches for the ball against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the second quarter of game six in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Why the Hawks do this trade: The Hawks solve a ton of problems with this trade. Porzingis at his best gives them needed floor spacing, interior size, and versatility. Over the past year, Atlanta has wanted to get bigger around Trae Young and put the kind of team around him to succeed. Porzingis can do that. He could play the four and Atlanta could have a big lineup of Young, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Porzingis, and Onyeka Okongwu. Or, Porzingis could come off the bench and be a backup center (not likely, but who knows). Holiday gives them a veteran guard off the bench and Hauser provides them with a knockdown shooter to help space the floor. They stay under the tax and still have three open roster spots, plus some flexibility under the apron. Hauser is a career 42% three-point shooter, Porzingis is a knockdown shooter, and Holiday is a 38.2% career-three point shooter.

Why the Hawks don't do this trade: Porzingis is a huge injury risk. He has battled injuries at different parts of his career and was battling an illness with Boston this season. Is he going to be available for the Hawks? Atlanta needs to prove something this season and has struggled with player availability over the past two seasons. At his best, Porzingis would be a huge help, but it is a risk. Does Atlanta want to move off of one of their first rounders? How would Porzingis fit with the team? There is considerable downside to this which Atlanta may not want to have.

Why the Celtics do this trade: They feel this is their best option to reset their team. While moving Holiday and Porzingis would get them under the 2nd apron, the return for both players is not likely to be much. Trading Brown would get them under the apron, get them young players, and draft picks. They would have three first-round picks in this year's draft and would be well-positioned to reset this team around Tatum when he comes back from injury. They would also likely trade Holiday and get even more assets. Green is a polarizing player, but if there is any team that can get the most out of him, it is Boston. Eason is a terrific defender and would fit in with the team, Whitmore fell out of favor in Houston, but Boston could see what he can do, while Mann and Landale can fill veteran bench roles. The team could decline Barlow's team option to make room on their roster. With these players and three draft picks, they could be set up well when Tatum returns.

Why the Celtics don't do this trade: Brown is a former NBA Finals MVP and a longtime Celtic. There would likely be some backlash if they traded a player like that before he reached 30, even if the return is good. Would this still be a contender when Tatum comes back?

Why the Rockets do this trade: They would trade some of their assets for a player head coach Ime Udoka is plenty familiar with from his time in Boston as the head coach. Brown gives them an All-Star two way player, the kind the Rockets love, while keeping some of their draft picks and players like VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Reed Sheppard, and Jabari Smith. While the other players in the trade are more for depth, they could find a role. A starting lineup of VanVleet, Brown. Thompson, and Sengun would be one of the best in the West and they would have Dillon Brooks to come off the bench. If they re-sign Steven Adams, this is an NBA Finals contender.

Why the Rockets don't do this trade: They don't think Brown is worth moving any of their young players or picks for. That would be the only reason. They could wait for a premier superstar (Like Giannis Antetokounmpo) instead or just run it back next season with a team that was the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

I don't think this trade is likely and Brown almost certainly does not move, but it can't completely be discounted. Houston makes a ton of sense as a logical landing spot with the Udoka connection and a third team like Atlanta could get involved to make the money work.

Let's see what the offseason brings.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

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