Chris Forsberg tries to make sense of the three-team trade that lands the Celtics Kristaps Porzingis, and sends Marcus Smart to Memphis
The Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies are finalizing a blockbuster three-team trade on the eve of the 2023 NBA Draft.
Here are the full details of the trade, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach:
- Celtics acquire: Kristaps Porzingis, 2023 first-round pick from Memphis (No. 25 overall), 2024 first-round pick (from Memphis via Golden State)
- Grizzlies acquire: Marcus Smart
- Wizards acquire: Mike Muscala, Danilo Gallinari, Tyus Jones, 2023 second-round pick from Boston (No. 35 overall)
Here's the list of protections on the 2024 first-round going to the Celtics:
The deal was struck shortly after a different three-team trade centered around Porzingis involving the Celtics, Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers reportedly fell apart. That trade had Malcolm Brogdon departing Boston for Los Angeles, among other moving pieces.
Smart was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and spent nine years with the Celtics. He made the playoffs in each of those seasons and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2021-22. Smart gives Memphis much-needed backcourt depth while superstar point guard Ja Morant serves his 25-game suspension to begin the 2023-24 season.
NBA
Porzingis provides the Celtics with frontcourt scoring, good outside shooting and strong interior defense. He averaged a career-high 23.2 points per game and shot 38.5 percent from 3-point range for the Wizards last season. He also played in 65 games -- his highest total since 2016-17.
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