The Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards are pushing the Kristaps Porzingis trade forward, with the Memphis Grizzlies joining as a third team to help broker the move. In an unexpected change of events, Boston is parting ways with Marcus Smart rather than Malcolm Brogdon to get the job done.
The Grizzlies are sending Tyus Jones to the Wizards, as well as their first-round picks in 2023 and 2024, to the Celtics. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi, Memphis get Smart to assist bolster their defense.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Boston is also trading Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari to the Wizards. As part of the transaction, Washington will receive the 35th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Meanwhile, Porzingis is exercising his $36 million player option in order to complete the deal. He’ll be joining a Celtics team that desperately needs a viable third option behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The initial deal between the Celtics, Wizards, and Clippers fell through owing to Los Angeles’ concerns over Malcolm Brogdon’s injury. With that in mind, Boston had no choice but to bring in a new player to get the ball moving again.
To say the least, it’s a dangerous business. The Celtics lost a major piece in Marcus Smart, who was the Defensive Player of the Year just a year ago, in their attempt to establish their own Big 3.
In addition, the Wizards will be getting the No. 35 pick from Boston in tomorrow’s draft. https://t.co/kKhCWJMxrz
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) June 22, 2023
Considering Boston’s recent postseason failures, however, it’s not a surprise why they felt they needed to make a change and add an All-Star caliber player in Kristaps Porzingis. Whether that change will impact them positively, though, remains to be seen.
As for the Wizards, they can now fully start their rebuild. Following the Bradley Beal trade to the Suns, they have now managed to get rid of KP’s contract while still getting a key piece in Tyus Jones.
The Grizzlies were also huge beneficiaries, with Smart’s defense anticipated to help them significantly. They already have the 2022-23 DPOY in Jaren Jackson Jr., therefore they will be more difficult to beat in the 2023-24 season.
For NBA fans, this could be just the beginning of a wild NBA Draft night and free agency. As more teams strive to achieve contender status, a slew of bizarre moves are possible.
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