The supposedly straightforward swap of Courtney Lee for Jerryd Bayless has been necessarily complicated to satisfy NBA rules, but the final details appear to be taking shape.
Under the terms of the deal, according to a consensus of multiple reports, the Celtics would trade Lee to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Bayless, while also sending a second-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Ryan Gomes. Oklahoma City’s involvement is required to make the salaries match up closely enough to be allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.
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Gomes, a Providence College graduate, would not be set for a homecoming to New England, however. Indications are the Celtics would waive Gomes after the trade is complete sometime Tuesday morning.
Lee, 28, is averaging 7.4 points in 16.8 minutes per game this season and is signed for two more years at a salary of more than $5 million. Bayless, 25, is averaging 8.1 points per game while shooting just 37 percent from the field, but his $3.1 million salary comes off the books at the end of the season.
The Celtics reportedly would save roughly $11 million as a result of the trade.
