NBA World Reacts to Celtics’ Three-Team Trade Involving Kristaps Porzingis, Marcus Smart
The Celtics, Wizards, and Grizzlies pulled off a blockbuster three-team trade on Wednesday night, sending Kristaps Porzingis to Boston while Marcus Smart was shipped to Memphis.
The Porzingis trade, which was reported to be on the verge of falling apart after the Clippers backed out of negotiations, went down to the wire ahead of the big man’s 2023-24 player option deadline.
The full deal involved multiple draft picks heading in different directions and had NBA Twitter in disarray, as fans eagerly dissected the league’s latest eye-opening transaction.
The main takeaway was the surprise inclusion of Smart in the deal, a move that seemingly blindsided fans on social media. Fans also piled in on the Wizards’ lack of return in dealing away both Bradley Beal and Porzingis, while also being complimentary of Brad Stevens.
The full trade saw Porzingis dealt to the Celtics, along with the No. 25 pick in the 2023 NBA draft and a 2024 first-round pick. The Grizzlies received Smart, while the Wizards added Tyus Jones, Mike Muscala, Danilo Gallinari, and the No. 35 pick in this year’s draft.
