Another member of the Rivers family reportedly is set to join the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to terms on a three-team trade centering around Celtics small forward Jeff Green, league sources told ESPN’s Marc Stein on Saturday.
As part of the deal, Boston reportedly would receive swingman Tayshaun Prince and a first-round pick from Memphis and shooting guard Austin Rivers, the son of former Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, from New Orleans. Green would land with the Grizzlies, as Stein previously reported Friday.
The Pelicans drafted the younger Rivers 10th overall out of Duke in 2012, but he has yet to live up to the expectations that go along with such a high selection. The 22-year-old has spent the bulk of his two-plus NBA seasons in a reserve role, averaging 6.8 points and 2.5 rebounds over 165 career games.
Although the trade has not been made official, Green was held out of Friday night’s Celtics loss to the Indiana Pacers. Head coach Brad Stevens said after the game that Green also would not be available for the team’s Saturday night matchup with the Toronto Raptors.
UPDATE (5:33 p.m.):Â Don’t go buying your Austin Rivers jerseys just yet. A league source tells Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald that while Rivers is involved in the reported deal, he likely will not be heading to Boston.
“The bottom line is that the Celtics don’t need another guard,” Murphy’s source was quoted as saying.
Thumbnail photo via David Banks/USA TODAY Sports Images
