NBA offseason trade tracker: Kristaps Porzingis headed to Atlanta

Yahoo

11 hours ago

While the 2024-25 season did not officially end until Oklahoma City took care of Indiana in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, the news cycle has already moved on to the 2025-26 season. Houston acquired Kevin Durant from the Suns hours before Game 7, and there have already been three more deals in the two days since the NBA Finals concluded.
Below is a "tracker" of the trades that have occurred thus far, and given how things have gone, there will likely be more to add before the NBA Draft on Wednesday. Also, many of these deals will not become official until the new league year begins on July 6. Buckle up.
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Tuesday, June 24
New Orleans acquires: Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, 40th overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Washington acquires: CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, future second-round pick
First-year Pelicans lead executive Joe Dumars reportedly completed his first significant transaction on Tuesday, sending McCollum, Olynyk and the 40th overall pick to Washington. While CJ is entering the final season of his current contract, Poole has two years and nearly $66 million remaining on his deal. With Dejounte Murray still recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in January, Poole should not lack opportunities to play on the ball in New Orleans. His second season in Washington was better than his first, and the hope in New Orleans is that Poole can build on that progress next season. The Bey acquisition may not impact fantasy basketball much, as he's coming off a torn ACL that sidelined him for the entire 2024-25 season.
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McCollum's addition gives the Wizards another "adult in the room" alongside Marcus Smart and Khris Middleton. All three have struggled with injuries in recent years, with none hitting the 60 games played mark in 2024-25. Heading into a contract year, McCollum can provide reliable middle-round value in standard leagues. That said, veterans don't come without risk in rebuilding situations, as some teams are all too willing to pull the plug and "tank." Olynyk's path to fantasy relevance is not as straightforward as McCollum's, but experienced managers have certainly seen him make waves, especially late in the year when playing for rebuilding teams.
Atlanta acquires: Kristaps Porzingis
Boston acquires: Georges Niang, future second-round pick
Brooklyn acquires: Terance Mann, 22nd overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Less than 24 hours after reportedly trading Holiday, the Celtics reportedly bid farewell to Porzingis as part of a three-team trade. Given that he's entering the final season of his contract, KP's exit is unsurprising. Going to Atlanta offers some intrigue, as a lineup of Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu would have the length and defensive ability needed to compensate for Young's deficiencies on that end of the floor. However, Porzingis has played 60 games or more only once since tearing his ACL during the 2017-18 season. Add in the illness that limited his effectiveness down the stretch this season, and fantasy managers will have to exercise caution. Also, the Hawks still hold a trade exception worth $25 million due to the Dejounte Murray trade, so they could be extremely active this summer.
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The Celtics add a solid veteran in Niang, who grew up in the Boston area and played his high school basketball at the Tilton School in New Hampshire. While his fantasy impact has been limited for most of his career, "The Minivan" may have more consistent opportunities in Boston next season, especially if Stevens isn't done making moves. The reported trades of Porzingis and Holiday have gotten the Celtics below the second apron.
As for Brooklyn, adding another first-round pick to their coffers is what sparks significant intrigue. The Nets now have five first-round picks in Wednesday's draft, which likely means that lead executive Sean Marks is not finished making moves. The draft may "begin" with Philadelphia at the third pick, but the Nets hold the cards that will significantly impact how things play out at Barclays Center. Adding Mann gives Brooklyn a versatile wing, but he's yet to pan out as a reliable fantasy option. Whether or not that changes with the Nets depends on what other moves the team makes this summer.
Monday, June 23
Portland acquires: Jrue Holiday
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Boston acquires: Anfernee Simons, two second-round picks
After losing Jayson Tatum to a ruptured Achilles tendon during the second round of the playoffs and the franchise facing a hefty luxury tax bill, the Celtics have begun to break things up. How far lead executive Brad Stevens will go is unknown at this point, but he's traded two key rotation players in the two days since the season concluded. Late Monday night, it was Holiday who was on the move, with Boston sending him to Portland. Interestingly, the Trail Blazers acquired him from Milwaukee as part of the Damian Lillard trade a few years ago, ultimately moving the veteran guard to Boston.
Unlike two years ago, Holiday's fit with Portland is better now, especially after the team's improved play during the second half of the season. According to reports, the plan is to retain Holiday, as he can provide defense and steady leadership to the young group. For Portland, the trade also frees up more opportunities for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, even with Holiday expected to occupy a place in the starting lineup. It's time for Portland to truly learn what it has in Henderson and Sharpe, and whether those two can be key cogs in a rotation with playoff ambitions.
Boston's decision to trade Holiday saves the franchise some money in the short term, and there's the potential for them to save more next summer. Simons, a more than capable perimeter scorer who will fill a need in Boston with Tatum out, is heading into the final season of his current contract. The Celtics can sign him to an extension this summer, but they can also wait until 2026, just in case things don't work out. With Boston making another significant move on Tuesday, Simons should have a solid fantasy ceiling next season. The trades also increase Payton Pritchard's value, as he's coming off the best season of his NBA career.