Report: Wizards, Suns Agree to New Trevor Ariza Deal After Multi-Team Trade Falls Apart
A reported three-way trade between the Suns, Wizards and Grizzlies fell apart Friday night after confusion over which 'Brooks'—MarShon or Dillon—was being traded from Memphis to Phoenix derailed the deal.
The Wizards and the Suns agreed to terms on a new deal on Saturday that will send Trevor Ariza to Washington after all in exchange for Austin Rivers and Kelly Oubre, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
The reported three-team trade would have sent Ariza to the Wizards, Oubre to the Memphis Grizzlies and Austin Rivers to the Suns. Wayne Selden and either MarShon or Dillon Brooks would have also gone to Pheonix, per reports. The deal unraveled when the Suns and Grizzlies couldn't agree which of Memphis's Brooks would be going to Phoenix.
"We were floored to learn of the reports involving Dillon Brooks in the reported trade," Memphis general manager Chris Wallace told ESPN. "We never discussed Dillon as part of this trade with Washington—which was the only team we spoke with concerning this proposed deal.”
Wallace added that Grizzlies owner Robert Pera "did not have any conversation with Suns owner Robert Sarver about the reported 3-way trade. Our front office also didn't have any conversations with Phoenix regarding the reported 3-team trade prior to it leaking during our game tonight."
Phoenix told ESPN that it had direct conversations with Memphis officials on Dillon Brooks. Memphis denied the Suns statement, while the Grizzlies insist that they negotiated the deal through Washington general manager Ernie Grunfeld. Memphis said there was a miscommunication to Suns interim general manager James Jones on the Grizzlies assets in the deal. The Wizards reportedly believed it was Dillon, not MarShon Brooks, being offered in the deal.
Ariza remains at the center of the deal as talks continue.
The Suns (5–24) had reportedly engaged in talks with the Lakers for Ariza earlier in the week. Ariza signed a one-year, $15 million deal with Phoenix this summer and becomes trade-eligible Saturday, when players signing summer free-agent deals are allowed to be included in trades. He is averaging 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists this season.
