The Boston Celtics are close to completing a three-team deal with the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies to acquire Kristaps Porzingis, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday.
Wojnarowski is also reporting that as part of the deal, the Celtics will send Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, while the Wizards will get Memphis guard Tyus Jones.
The Grizzlies are also sending 2023 and 2024 first-round picks to the Celtics in exchange for Smart. The 2023 pick is the Grizzlies’ No. 25 pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft, while the 2024 first rounder is via the Golden State Warriors.
Coming back to the Wizards is the Celtics’ 35th pick in the second round of this year’s draft, as well as veteran forwards Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala.
Porzingis will opt into his $36-million player option for 2023-24 and then be dealt to the Celtics.
The oft-injured Porzingis proved he can still be one of the most dominant big men in the league this year with the Wizards. In 65 games with Washington in 2022-23, the seven-foot-three centre averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
Smart, the NBA’s 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year, leaves the Celtics after spending his entire nine-year career in Boston. Last season he averaged 11.5 points, 6.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds over 61 regular season games.
The 29-year-old guard has always been known more so for his defensive prowess, and has been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team three times throughout his career.
After backing up point guard Ja Morant in Memphis, Jones joins the Wizards with a chance to compete for the starting point guard spot. Jones, 27, averaged 10.3 points and 5.2 assists per game last season coming off the bench. The Wizards did recently acquire veteran point guard Chris Paul in a blockbuster trade that sent Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, but many believe the Wizards are looking to move Paul elsewhere.
Earlier Wednesday, a three-team trade involving Porzingis fell apart between the Celtics, Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers.
