Report: Celtics' three-team trade with Wizards, Clippers for Kristaps Porzingis falls apart
UPDATE: The Celtics and Wizards found a third team to execute the deal, but it led to Boston sending Marcus Smart to Memphis in order to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Wizards.
BOSTON -- For the bulk of Wednesday afternoon, a Celtics acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis appeared to be a done deal. On Wednesday evening, though, the deal went poof.
That's according to Adrian Wojnarowski, who reported after 10 p.m. Wednesday evening that the three-team deal had fallen apart and that the Celtics, Wizards and Clippers were "moving on."
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
All signs had pointed to the 27-year-old Porzingis joining the Celtics, with Malcolm Brogdon heading to the Clippers and Marcus Morris, Amir Coffey and the 30th overall pick in the draft going from L.A. to Washington.
Wojnarowski even reported Wednesday afternoon that Porzingis was planning to opt in to his player option for the upcoming season in order to complete the deal, and that Danilo Gallinari would be going from Boston to Washington. Reports indicated Porzingis was working on an extension with Boston.
Shams Charania said the teams were "closing in" on the deal in a tweet just after 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, as well.
Nevertheless, the deal couldn't get done. Marc Stein reported that injury concerns with Brogdon -- who suffered a torn tendon in his arm during the playoffs -- caused an issue for the Clippers.
Concerns raised by the Clippers about Malcolm Brogdon's injury status, league sources say, led to the collapse of the three-team trade expected to send Kristaps Porzingis to Boston before midnight tonight.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 22, 2023
A direct Wizards/Celtics deal has not been ruled out.
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However, the possibility of Porzingis to Boston is not over. Wojnarowski followed up his report by saying that "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." Wojnarowski reported that Porzingis still has the option to opt out and become a free agent, though a midnight deadline looms over that decision.