Report: Celtics’ 3-team trade centered on Kristaps Porzingis has ‘fallen apart’
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The Celtics are reportedly going back to the drawing board after inching toward a blockbuster, three-team trade centered on Kristaps Porzingis.
Despite reports that the Celtics were in the “final stages” of completing a deal with the Wizards and Clippers in exchange for Porzingis, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted late Wednesday night that talks on the swap “have fallen apart” and that all sides are moving on.
Wojnarowski later tweeted that the Wizards are “still working on ways’ “to deal Portzingis to the Celtics as part of an opt-in and trade scenario, but the Clippers will not facilitate the deal as a third party.
As part of the expected trade, Boston was going to deal reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon to the Clippers, while Wojnarowski reported earlier on Wednesday that Danilo Gallinari was going to the Wizards.
In a corresponding move, Porzingis and his $36 million contract landing on Boston’s books likely would have signaled the end of Grant Williams’ four-year tenure in Boston, per The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach.
Given the various reports linking multiple players to this trade, it remains in the best interest of the Celtics at this point to find an avenue to complete at least part of this trade with the Wizards. Otherwise, it’s going to be a very awkward offseason for the likes of Brogdon, Williams, and Gallinari.
Marc Stein of Substack reported that the Clippers raised concerns about Brogdon’s injury status, which led to the collapse of the three-team trade.
Brogdon suffered a partial tendon tear in his elbow in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals that limited his effectiveness during Boston’s seven-game series against the Heat. The veteran guard said that he will consider having surgery over the offseason to correct the issue.
While the Celtics are now stuck in a rough spot with Brogdon, Wojnarowski later tweeted that both Boston and Wizards are working under a midnight deadline in order to complete a trade, as it might hinge on whether or not Porzingis opts into the $36 million final year of his contract.
If Porzingis decides to not opt into that final year, he will become a free agent and Boston’s already crumbling deal with the Wizards will completely fall apart.
It remains to be seen if Porzingis and his camp might explore the option of inking a long-term extension with Boston as a parameter to complete this reworked deal.
Stein tweeted on Wednesday evening that the initial three-team Porzingis trade was “expected to lead to a July contract extension”, although signing him long-term alongside potential supermax contracts for both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum would significantly hamper Boston’s fiscal flexibility once the new CBA kicks in.
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