The Brooklyn Nets are in a position to save the Boston Celtics just like they did over 10 years ago, and they could do so by taking on Kristaps Porzingis’ contract in a trade. Brooklyn helped Boston enter a new era in 2013 when they [traded for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett](https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2023/07/21/celtics-nets-trade-2013-kevin-garnett-paul-pierce/), sending out their draft picks for years to come.
Now, the Celtics find themselves in a bit of a bind once again, and the Nets could send them a lifeline. Boston needs to shed some salary this summer, and the Nets are projected to have a ton of cap space. If they took on the Porzingis summer, it could seriously help the Celtics.
The question is, what would it take to make a move like that happen?
**Would the Nets actually take Kristaps Porzingis?**
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This is where the issue lies. The Nets have no motive to take on Porzingis’ contract unless the Celtics shell out some draft picks, and based on all the other rumors rolling around, it doesn’t seem like Boston will be eager to do that.
The Celtics have to ditch over $20 million if they [want to get below the second apron](https://hardwoodhoudini.com/boston-celtics-wyc-grousbeck-statement-revealed-huge-trade-almost-inevitable-cba-second-apron-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-jrue-holiday-derrick-white-kristaps-porzingis), and even more money if they want to bring back the likes of Al Horford and Luke Kornet.
Brooklyn has enough space to take on Porzingis’ contract in full, but they have no reason to at the moment. If the Celtics want the Nets’ help, they would have to send out picks themselves (seemingly unlikely) or rope in a third team and have them reroute their picks to Brooklyn.
Porzingis’ contract is expiring, so the Nets would get off his money in a year, but they don’t have any contracts they should desperately want to get off of right now. Cameron Johnson and Nic Claxton are the biggest deals they have on the books, and both of those guys are on decent contracts.
**What teams could the Celtics bring into a trade?**
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The most logical way for the Celtics to rope another team into a deal is by sending Porzingis to Brooklyn as the third team in a Jrue Holiday or Sam Hauser trade.
If a team like the LA Clippers or Dallas Mavericks were willing to send out draft capital for Holiday, then the Celtics could reroute those picks to Brooklyn in order to dump Porzingis. The same would go for teams like the Detroit Pistons or Orlando Magic in a Hauser trade.
The problem is, at that point, Boston might just rather hold onto the draft picks _and_ Porzingis. They could clear up enough cap space to get under the second apron with other moves before shelling out picks in order dump Porzingis.
Or Boston could simply waive and stretch Porzingis before attaching draft capital to his contract.