Update: There’s a new deal with the Celtics, Wizards and Grizzlies. Porzingis has accepted his player option and will go to Boston, while the Celtics are sending Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies. Washington is getting Tyus Jones from Memphis.
The Boston Celtics are finalizing a deal to acquire the Washington Wizards’ Kristaps Porzingis, sources tell ESPN. Porzingis is opting into his $36M contract for 2023-2024 and getting his trade to the Celtics. pic.twitter.com/tRVEfI8nnI
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2023
Update: The deal with the Celtics has fallen apart, and Porzingis may not have officially accepted his player option. He is expected to opt in still and will likely be traded, but it will not happen with the Celtics in this current framework. The Wizards are still looking to send Porzingis to Boston, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Wizards are still working on ways to get Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics in an opt-in and trade scenario, but it won’t be in a three-way with the Clippers, sources tell ESPN. Porzingis still has the ability to decline his $36 million player option and become a free agent.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2023
The three-team talks on a Porzingis-Brogdon deal with Celtics, Wizards and Clippers have fallen apart, sources tell ESPN. Sides are moving on. https://t.co/WoNkOcTYe5
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2023
Big man Kristaps Porzingis is set to accept his $36 million player option for the 2023-24 season as part of a trade deal which sends him to the Boston Celtics, according to Adrian Wojnarowski. Porzingis is going to Boston, while the Wizards are getting Marcus Morris, Amir Coffey and draft picks at the moment from the Clippers. LA is getting Malcolm Brogdon. Danilo Gallinari is also in the deal but its unclear where he’s going at this moment.
Porzingis would opt-in to his $36M for 2023-2024 to make potential trade happen, but there are still outstanding issues to be completed before a deal can be reached. Boston’s Danilo Gallinari would be in deal to Wizards too, sources said. https://t.co/WoNkOcTYe5
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 21, 2023
Porzingis was a force for the Wizards last season, averaging 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. He also played in 65 games, which was the highest total since his sophomore NBA season in 2016-17. Porzingis shot 38.5% from three-point range, which was his highest mark in five years. His 1.5 blocks per game in 2022-23 ranked eighth most in the NBA. We’ll see if he can make an impact in Boston as the Celtics look to get back to the NBA Finals.