Celtics Rumors: Blockbuster Trade For Kristaps Porzingis Changes Course

In a strange turn of events, the blockbuster trade that would send Washington Wizards center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics has changed course.

In initial reports, the Celtics and Wizards were communicating with the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade that would send Porzingis to Boston while Malcolm Brogdon would then be traded from the Celtics to the Clippers and Washington would receive Marcus Morris plus draft compensation.

The Clippers have concerns regarding the extent of Brogdon’s injury, according to longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein, which lead to the trade between the three teams being nixed. During the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat, Brogdon endured a forearm tightness injury throughout the series, hampering his availability.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the three teams are moving on, but the Wizards still working on getting Porzingis to the Celtics in an opt-in and trade scenario.

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, sources tell ESPN. Porzingis still has the ability to decline his $36 million player option and become a free agent.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2023

Porzingis, after all, needs to exercise his $36 million player option by the end of the day, by 12 a.m. ET. Otherwise, he can instead decline the option to test free agency in search of a long-term deal.

If a trade cannot be reached between the Celtics and Wizards, Boston might not move on from Grant Williams as previously speculated in a sign and trade for the restricted free agent.

Brogdon was reportedly garnering trade interest last week when Yahoo Sport’s Jake Fischer reported the Phoenix Suns or Atlanta Hawks could be landing spots for the 30-year-old veteran guard.