Celtics completing trade for Porzingis via sign-and-trade with Wizards: reports
The idea of a potential reunion between the Knicks and Kristaps Porzingis is sure to pique the interest of New York fans, but another Atlantic Division team has gotten in the way.
According to multiple reports, the Boston Celtics are finalizing a deal with the Washington Wizards to acquire Porzingis in what turned out to be a tumultuous negotiation. Originally, the Wizards and Celtics had the Clippers as the third team in a supposed trade, however, that deal fell through.
Washington and Boston would continue to negotiate until late Wednesday night when they found another team to complete the deal in the Memphis Grizzlies. According to reports, Porzingis will go to Boston while Memphis will send Tyus Jones to Washington. Marcus Smart will be traded to the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies are reportedly also sending their 2023 and 2024 first-round picks to Boston while Memphis will send the No. 25 pick in this year's draft and their 2024 pick they have via the Golden State Warriors for Smart.
Earlier in the day, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Wizards, Celtics, and Clippers were in "strong talks" on a deal that would have sent Porzingis to Boston, with Marcus Morris and draft picks going to Washington and Malcolm Brogdon going from Boston to the Clippers.
Late Wednesday night, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the three-team trade fell through.
The former fourth overall pick by the Knicks in the 2015 NBA Draft, Porzingis is coming off of one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 23.2 points (a career best) and 8.4 rebounds. And while he’s dealt with a number of injury issues over the course of his eight-year career, Porzingis played in 65 regular season games last season, his most since his second year in the league (2016-17).
SNY’s Ian Begley included Porzingis on a list of potential free agent options for the Knicks, noting that the only way the Knicks could make the money work would be via a sign-and-trade, and because it would take a “significant commitment from the Knicks,” it “doesn’t seem like a path they’d go down.”
In his three healthy seasons with the Knicks, Porzingis averaged 17.8 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting 36.1 percent from the three-point line.
