The Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies agreed to a blockbuster trade Wednesday night, sending Kristaps Porzingis to Boston and Marcus Smart to Memphis, according to ESPN.
The trade will also see the Grizzlies send two first round picks to the Celtics and ship their starting guard Tyus Jones to the Wizards. The Celtics, besides giving up Smart, will also send a second round pick, forward Danilo Gallinari and center Mike Muscala to the Wizards as part of the deal, according to ESPN.
The trade negotiations took place with the pressure of a ticking clock: a midnight deadline for Porzingis to opt into his $36 million player option for the upcoming season, according to ESPN.
Marcus Smart was really the connective tissue of this Celtics era. From Isaiah to Kyrie to Tatum, he was the constant.
And he embraced being a Celtic as much as anyone. He lived it. Wild that it’s over so suddenly.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) June 22, 2023
Originally, the Wizards and Celtics were seeking a deal that would keep Smart in Boston, instead moving guard Malcom Brogdon to the LA Clippers, who would then send the 30th overall pick to Washington, according to ESPN.
The Celtics and Wizards pivoted to the Grizzlies after the deal fell apart, which lead to another deal just before the midnight deadline, according to ESPN. Once the trade was agreed to, Porzingis opted into his option for the 2023-24 season with the Celtics. (RELATED: Boston Celtics Name Joe Mazzulla As Full Time Head Coach)
Porzingis’ addition will radically alter the Celtics, and he’ll be playing alongside two ball-dominant forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They will also lose their longest-tenured player, Marcus Smart, often considered the team’s heart and soul, according to ESPN.
The Grizzlies acquiring Smart adds a defensive prowess that may pair nicely with star guard Ja Morant’s offensive wizardry.