Boston Celtics $236 Million Superstar Named The 'Dream Trade Target' For The Atlanta Hawks

The offseason is here for 26 teams in the NBA. The conference finals have arrived 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 and Boston Celtics, are both searching for the next steps to take as a franchise, which is different for both.

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.

What about a bigger trade for a star player? Atlanta has been mentioned as a sneaky team to watch when it come to trading for Bucks Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, but could there be other others?

What about Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown?

Even if Boston had won in convincing fashion and repeated as champs this season, 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. Even in this situation, Boston could try to move these guys and stay competitive in a weak Eastern Conference, even without Tatum.

While Porzingis and Holiday are far more likley to be traded, Brown would fetch more in a trade. In a recent article, Brown was mentioned as a dream trade target for Atlanta by Bleacher Report analyst Eric Pincus. Wizards guard Marcus Smart and Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels were the other players mentioned:

"It's no secret that the Atlanta Hawks have struggled defensively in the Trae Young era (114.8 rating, 18th overall this past year). If they plan to keep Young, the Hawks will need to address this end of the court in a major way.

If financial stress causes the Celtics to listen to offers on Brown this summer, the Hawks should bite. Pairing the 2024 NBA Finals MVP with Young and Jalen Johnson would create an exciting Big Three in Atlanta. Brown grew up in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.

McDaniels would give the Hawks a premier defensive forward who can stretch the floor and Smart was the 2021-202 Defensive Player of the Year who could help run the offense behind Young."

I find it highly unlikely Brown ever is ever traded, but if he were available, he would be a fantastic fit alongside Trae Young. The big question would be, what would it cost? Boston would likely want Jalen Johnson in a deal, but should the Hawks do that?

Smart is the most gettable player on the list and is on an expiring deal. He was not a fit on Memphis and was then traded to the Wizards, but if healthy, he could be a valuable backup point guard for Atlanta.

Minnesota is down 3-1 to the OKC Thunder and what they do going forward is a mystery. After making the conference finals last season, they traded away Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks. Could more moves be on the way with another conference finals exit? If McDaniels is available, the Hawks should call.

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