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Kristaps Porzingis trade grades: Who won Celtics-Hawks-Nets deal?

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Kristaps Porzingis trade grades: Who won Celtics-Hawks-Nets deal?


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With not many NBA teams having the kind of salary cap space to create fireworks in free agency, trades surrounding the draft have made late June the ideal time for blockbuster moves.

Kevin Durant traded to Houston. Desmond Bane traded to Orlando. Jrue Holiday traded to Portland for Anfernee Simons.

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The Boston Celtics continued to reshape their roster under Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens. Boston reached a deal to send Kristaps Porziņģis to Atlanta in a three-team deal that gives the Brooklyn Nets another first-round pick in the draft on Wednesday, June 25.

The Nets get Terance Mann and the No. 22 pick in the draft from Atlanta; he Hawks get a second-round pick in addition to Porziņģis; and the Celtics received Georges Niang from Atlanta and a second-round pick.

Grading the Celtics-Hawks-Nets trade:

Brooklyn Nets: A

The Nets, who have won just 58 games the past two seasons, now have five first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft: No. 8, No. 19, No. 22, No. 26 and No. 27 — and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they packaged picks to move up in the draft or make a deal for a big-name player.

They are undergoing another rebuild and are trying to regain as much draft capital as possible to expedite the process. Though Mann is entering the first season of a three-year contract extension he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers before getting moved to Atlanta at the 2025 trade deadline, it’s a manageable deal at approximately $15.5 million per season.

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Boston Celtics: B-

This was a move the Celtics, frankly, needed to do. In conjunction with the Jrue Holiday trade, the Celtics are now out of the second apron, which triggers massive penalties and sanctions on teams that exceed the threshold. With the Celtics under new ownership, the bill for building their star-studded starting lineup was essentially coming due.

According to an ESPN front office insider, the Holiday and Porziņģis trades are trimming $180 million in luxury tax payments. Georges Niang is, at best, a player that will come off the bench, but one who can go on scoring spurts. Does the trade make the Celtics more competitive? No. Does it give them roster flexibility? Unquestionably. Now, the team can look to make corresponding moves to stay competitive on the cheap.

In a wide open East — one in which the Pacers, Celtics and Bucks will be dealing with torn Achilles injuries to star players — the Hawks could emerge as a sleeper team. Trae Young is the team’s unquestioned leader and led the NBA with 11.6 assists per game. Adding Porziņģis, a stretch big with deep range, should open up Atlanta’s offense. Porziņģis is also a plus rim protector who should bolster Atlanta’s defense, which was tied for 18th in defensive efficiency (114.8).

With Young, Porziņģis, 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccahrie Risacher, budding star Jalen Johnson, Defensive Player of the Year finalist Dyson Daniels and the improving Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks have a strong, young core. But, as always with Porziņģis, who has played in 258 of a possible 400 games since 2020, the big question is health.

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Atlanta, GA

Braves make another addition to 'pen, reuniting with Kinley

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Braves make another addition to 'pen, reuniting with Kinley


ATLANTA — The Braves’ decision to decline Tyler Kinley’s $5.5 million option in November proved to be a sound financial decision.
Kinley reunited with the Braves on Saturday when he agreed to a one-year, $4.25 million deal. The right-handed reliever will draw a $3 million salary in 2026; his $5.5



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Atlanta, GA

Golden State takes home win streak into matchup with Atlanta

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Golden State takes home win streak into matchup with Atlanta


Atlanta Hawks (19-21, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (21-18, eighth in the Western Conference)

San Francisco; Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Golden State will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Warriors face Atlanta.

The Warriors are 13-5 on their home court. Golden State is 9-12 against opponents over .500.

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The Hawks have gone 12-10 away from home. Atlanta ranks second in the league scoring 17.6 fast break points per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the Hawks averaging 3.9.

The Warriors average 15.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.8 more made shots on average than the 13.1 per game the Hawks give up. The Hawks average 14.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Warriors allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jimmy Butler III is averaging 19.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Warriors. Stephen Curry is averaging 25.7 points and 5.1 assists over the past 10 games.

Onyeka Okongwu is averaging 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Hawks. Jalen Johnson is averaging 21.1 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 7-3, averaging 120.1 points, 42.5 rebounds, 30.4 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.0 points per game.

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Hawks: 4-6, averaging 116.9 points, 42.4 rebounds, 31.9 assists, 10.1 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points.

INJURIES: Warriors: Seth Curry: out (thigh).

Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis: out (achilles), Zaccharie Risacher: out (knee), CJ McCollum: out (quad), N’Faly Dante: out for season (knee), Corey Kispert: out (hamstring).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Atlanta, GA

Flood watch expands into metro Atlanta ahead of severe storm threat

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Flood watch expands into metro Atlanta ahead of severe storm threat


A powerful weather front is moving into metro Atlanta, prompting officials to expand flood watches as “wave-after-wave” of heavy rain threatens to saturate the region through Saturday.

The FOX 5 Storm Team warn that storm totals could reach four inches in some areas, with isolated spots in North Georgia potentially seeing up to six inches.

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Flood Watch in northwest Georgia

What we know:

A Flood Watch is currently in effect through Saturday evening for a large portion of North Georgia. The region is bracing for widespread rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches. Some areas could see locally higher amounts reaching up to 6 inches before a cold front moves through Saturday afternoon to end the threat.

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“The rain train is wide open and here it comes,” said FOX 5 Storm Team chief meteorologist David Chandley. “We got waves of rain tonight and storms. They’re going to be with us tonight and right on through Saturday.”

In the northwest, the watch includes Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dade, Dawson, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Haralson, Lumpkin, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield counties.

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Flooding risk, high winds

Local perspective:

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Thunderstorms expected overnight and into early Saturday morning are a primary concern. 

The primary concern for North Georgia remains damaging winds and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding. While the threat of severe weather is lower Friday night, the FOX 5 Storm Team expects conditions to change as the front arrives Saturday morning.

“Flooding [is] possible in Northwest Georgia with that severe threat,” Chandley said. “I expect we may see some of those [flash flood warnings] across North Georgia late tonight and early tomorrow because that ground is going to be saturated.”

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A Level 1 “marginal risk” for severe storms has been issued for most of the area, though regions near Columbus face a slightly higher “slight risk.” Forecasters noted that while the atmosphere currently lacks the instability for massive thunderstorms, a “brief, spin-up tornado” cannot be ruled out on Saturday.

What’s next:

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Sunday: Windy and much colder, with highs struggling to reach the 40s and 50s.

Monday: Temperatures are expected to plummet into the 20s by Monday morning.

The Source: This article contains an original forecast by the FOX 5 Storm Team.

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