Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Sources: Smart, Porzingis traded in 3-team deal

Written by 
Published in Basketball
Wednesday, 21 June 2023 23:49

The Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies agreed to a three-team trade late Wednesday night that sent center Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics, guard Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies and guard Tyus Jones to the Wizards, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

As part of the deal, Memphis is sending Boston its first-round pick in Thursday's draft -- the 25th overall selection -- as well as the Golden State Warriors' top-four-protected first-round pick in 2024, sources said, while the Celtics are sending the 35th pick in Thursday's draft to Washington. The Celtics are also sending forward Danilo Gallinari and center Mike Muscala to Washington as part of the deal, sources said.

The three-team deal came together in the minutes leading up to a midnight ET deadline for Porzingis to opt in to his $36 million player option for the 2023-24 season. With the deal completed, Porzingis did opt in, sources said.

The trade capped a long day of negotiations involving the Celtics and Wizards over a possible Porzingis deal, after the two teams first attempted to hammer out a three-team agreement with the LA Clippers that would've sent Malcolm Brogdon to Los Angeles, the 30th pick in the draft to the Wizards and Porzingis to the Celtics.

But when that deal fell apart, Boston pivoted to talks with Memphis, allowing this deal to come together just before the deadline.

For the Celtics, the deal presents a radical shift in what their team will look like.

Porzingis, who will turn 28 on Aug. 2, had arguably the best season of his NBA career this past year in Washington, averaging a career-high 23.2 points to go along with 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks in 65 games for the Wizards. The fourth overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Knicks was playing his first full season in Washington after the Wizards traded for him at the 2022 trade deadline, sending Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans to Dallas in exchange.

Now, he is off to Boston, where the Celtics are attempting to retool their roster to make another run at an 18th NBA championship this coming season, as Porzingis will give the Celtics an entirely different offensive dimension alongside stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, in addition to the Celtics landing those two first-round selections.

Landing Porzingis was just the first of several big decisions ahead for the Celtics this summer, as Boston also can offer Brown, an All-Star forward, a five-year, $295 million contract extension this summer and has to sort out the future of restricted free agent forward Grant Williams.

Boston will also have to adjust to life without Smart, who has been the heart of the team throughout his nine years with the franchise, making him the longest-tenured player on the current roster in addition to being one of the league's best and most versatile perimeter defenders, which was recognized by his winning the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year award.

But all of the things that made Smart so valued in Boston are exactly what the Grizzlies will be looking for him to provide in Memphis, as they try to bounce back from last year's first-round exit against the Los Angeles Lakers. Smart, who averaged a career-high 6.3 assists last season for the Celtics, will also be more than capable of stepping into the starting point guard role for Memphis while Ja Morant is serving his suspension over the first 25 games of the season.

It had been anticipated that Jones was going to be the player filling in for Morant. Instead, Jones will now be the starting point guard in Washington, where new president of basketball operations Michael Winger continues to remake the team's roster.

This is the second significant trade the Wizards have made in the space of a few days, after completing the blockbuster deal to send Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, several second-round picks and first-round pick swaps.

Meanwhile, sources told Wojnarowski on Tuesday that Washington forward Kyle Kuzma, one of the more intriguing free agents on the market this summer, declined his player option and will be an unrestricted free agent.

Read 188 times

Soccer

Southampton vs Liverpool: Slot hails resilient win

Southampton vs Liverpool: Slot hails resilient win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLiverpool boss Arne Slot praised his team for mounting a second-hal...

Vini, Mbappé connect as Madrid ease past Leganés

Vini, Mbappé connect as Madrid ease past Leganés

Kylian Mbappé ended his goal drought with a thunderous strike and midfielder Jude Bellingham scored...

Marta, Orlando Pride win 1st NWSL Championship

Marta, Orlando Pride win 1st NWSL Championship

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsKANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Barbra Banda's goal stood up as the winner to l...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Sources: Hornets' Williams out for rest of season

Sources: Hornets' Williams out for rest of season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCharlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams sustained season-ending te...

'Phenomenal' Pippen Jr. shines in dad's ex-arena

'Phenomenal' Pippen Jr. shines in dad's ex-arena

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsScotty Pippen Jr. already had plenty of fond memories of watching h...

Baseball

Carty, 1970 NL batting champ with Braves, dies

Carty, 1970 NL batting champ with Braves, dies

EmailPrintRico Carty, who won the 1970 National League batting title when he hit a major-league-best...

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan -...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated