Celtics acquire Kristaps Porzingis, send Marcus Smart to Memphis in three-team deal

Exhale.

In a pre-draft commerce, the Celtics have acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards in a three-team deal. The Memphis Grizzlies will ship Tyus Jones to DC and (gulp) Marcus Sensible is ticketed for Grind Metropolis. Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari will be part of Jones with the Wizards. Boston will even obtain two first spherical picks from Memphis, the twenty fifth choose in tomorrow’s draft and Golden State’s 2024 protected first spherical choose, and ship the thirty fifth choose to Washington.

Lower than two hours earlier than Porzingis’ participant possibility deadline, the deal almost fell aside. In keeping with NBA insider Marc Stein, the Clippers backed out of a one other rumored three-team deal due to issues over Malcolm Brogdon’s well being that might have additionally landed former Celtic Marcus Morris, Amir Coffey, and the thirtieth choose in DC.

With Al Horford coming into 12 months 17 and 18 and Robert Williams averaging fewer than 50 video games over the past three seasons, the addition of the 28-year-old Porzingis to the Celtics’ frontcourt is smart. He’s coming off a career-year, taking part in 65 video games and averaging 23.2 factors, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks per contest. Listed below are some promising stats from former CelticsBlogger and present Ringer, Kevin O’Connor:

Porzingis can have a direct influence in Boston subsequent season, however tonight, the headline for followers is the Celtics parting methods with Marcus Sensible. Because the longest tenured Celtic who spent his total nine-year profession in Boston and completely represented Celtic Satisfaction on and off the ground, it is a intestine punch. Changing his manufacturing is doable. Changing the person, his management, his hustle, his the whole lot appears not possible tonight. Love and belief. All the time.

At present was the deadline for Porzingis to choose up his $36 million participant possibility for subsequent season. He’s anticipated to signal an extension in Boston and per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the utmost the Celtics might supply can be two-year, $77 million contract beginning July sixth.

The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reported earlier within the day that after touchdown Porzingis, the transfer almost certainly implies that Grant Williams’ time in Boston is over. The Celtics might nonetheless supply him a qualifying supply after July 1st, however with rumored curiosity from a number of groups and a harsher CBA on the horizon, it could be tough to match something aggressive. Nonetheless, a sign-and-trade remains to be an possibility for Boston’s entrance workplace and now armed with the twenty fifth choose tomorrow, issues might get attention-grabbing with Malcolm Brogdon’s standing up within the air, too.