The Boston Celtics have finalized a deal to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards in a new three-way trade, according to a report. The Celtics, Wizards and LA Clippers’ had been said to be in talks earlier on Wednesday over a three-way trade that involved Porzingis heading to Boston but those negotiations were said to have collapsed with all three side moving on, according to news.
The new deal is said to have involved the Grizzlies in addition to the Wizards and Boston, with Memphis sending Tyus Jones to the Wizards and receiving Marcus Smart from the Celtics. The Grizzlies are also reportedly sending their 2023 (No. 25) and 2024 first-round picks to the Celtics via the Golden State Warriors for Smart.
However, the NBA Insider later reported that the Celtics managed to get a trade done for their target just in the nick of time in a new three-team deal. Meanwhile, the Celtics reportedly are also sending Thursday’s 35th pick to the Wizards as part of the deal and Washington is also set to acquire Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala in the trade. Porzingis has reportedly opted into his $36million contract for the 2023-2024 season in order to seal his trade to the Celtics.
The reported deal is a massive boost for the Celtics after crashing out in this year’s Eastern Conference Finals, as they’ll add Porzingis to a starting five which already includes All-Stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Porzingis averaged a career-high 23.2 points last season with the Wizards, along with 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
The former three-way trade would have seen Porzingis sent to Boston, while Malcolm Brogdon would have headed to LA and the Wizards would have acquired Marcus Morris and draft compensation, according to The Athletic. But the talks are said to have broken down as the Clippers raised concerns over Brogdon’s injury status, according to Marc Stein.
Washington were also expected to get the No. 30 pick from the Clippers in Thursday’s NBA Draft as part of the deal, according to The Athletic. Morris could have also been used in a separate deal for draft compensation.
The forward averaged 11.2 points per game on 36.4 percent from three-point range last season but will turn 34 in September and doesn’t seem to fit the timeline of the now-rebuilding Wizards. If Washington had agreed to part with Porzingis, it would have come after the team traded Bradley Beal to the Suns last week.
That deal netted them no first-round picks, but did see them acquire Chris Paul, Landry Shamet and multiple second-round picks, according to reports.
