Photo: NICK GRACE
UPDATE: Deal has finally been completed in a trade that will send Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics, Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, and Tyus Jones to the Wizards.
A blockbuster three-team trade that would've sent Washington Wizards forward Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics has reportedly fallen through, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski Thursday (June 21) night.
"ESPN Sources: The Celtics are working on a trade to acquire the Wizards’ Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team deal that sends Malcolm Brogdon to Clippers. LA would be sending Marcus Morris, Amir Coffey and 30th pick to Washington. Sides still have more work to do on an agreement," Wojnarowski tweeted.
The Celtics were previously reported to be "closing in on a" three-team trade with the Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers centered around Porzingis, which relied on the forward opting into his $36 million player option to be completed.
Wojnarowski specified that the Wizards were "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."
"Porzingis still has the ability to decline his $36 million player option and become a free agent," Wojnarowski tweeted.
The Celtics were one win shy of making their second consecutive NBA Finals appearance, having been eliminated by the Miami Heat in a 103-84 loss in Game 7.
Porzingis is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-best 23.2 points per game and made 65 starts, which tied a career-high, after being limited to less than 60 games during each of the past four seasons following his ACL surgery in 2018.
The Wizards had previously agreed to a trade sending All-Star guard Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday (June 18). The former Florida standout is a three-time All-Star and has averaged 22.1 points, 4.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds, but the Wizards have only made the playoffs during five of his 11 NBA seasons, which includes missing the postseason during each of the past two seasons, as well as four of the last five seasons.
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