Report: Celtics agree to send Green to Grizzlies in 3-team deal with Pelicans
The Memphis Grizzlies are the latest team to make an addition well ahead of the trade deadline to bolster their chances in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.
The Grizzlies have agreed to a three-team trade that will land them Jeff Green from the Boston Celtics - news first reported Friday by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. The deal has expanded to include the New Orleans Pelicans, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.
According to Stein, the Grizzlies will land Green while the Celtics get Austin Rivers from the Pelicans and Tayshaun Prince and a future first-round pick from the Grizzlies. The Pelicans will receive Quincy Pondexter from Memphis under the current framework, which has been agreed to by all three parties, according to Stein.
| 3-Team Trade | Receives | Sends |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | Jeff Green | Tayshaun Prince, Quincy Pondexter, 1st round pick |
| Boston | Austin Rivers, Tayshaun Prince, 1st round pick | Jeff Green |
| New Orleans | Quincy Pondexter | Austin Rivers |
It's unclear if the deal will be pushed through over the weekend or if the teams will wait for the league office to open Monday.
For the Grizzlies, Green represents a nice two-way piece to bolster their depth on the wings. He comes with a $9.2-million price tag for this season and an option for the same amount next season. The salaries of Prince and Pondexter total $10.9 million, so the Grizzlies come out with a leaner salary sheet for this season and some additional breathing room beneath the luxury tax. They're now $2.79 million below the tax and created a $3.1-million trade exception, a useful chip if they look to add another piece later.
Green is averaging a career-high 17.6 points, even with his 3-point stroke at 30.5 percent. Having spent the past few seasons on a losing team tasked with a heavier offensive load, it would be reasonable to expect a more efficient offensive performance in a smaller role with Memphis.
He's not a game-changer by any means, but an upgrade on Pondexter and Prince, and some insurance as a small-ball four if the injury to Zach Randolph lingers.
The Pelicans also do well here, flipping an improved player in Rivers, who happens to play at a surplus position, while bringing in Pondexter, who is an upgrade to their wing rotation. Pondexter is slightly more expensive and has three more years beyond this season on his deal, but they've deemed that salary worthwhile as they push for a playoff spot.
In 30 games, Pondexter, a small forward who could take minutes from John Salmons and Luke Babbitt, is averaging 4.5 points in 18 minutes. He's shooting a horrid 35.6 percent from the floor and 23.3 percent from long range, but both those numbers should regress closer to his career marks.
Boston continues their tear-down with this move, flipping an expensive piece for 2015-16 cap relief and another pick. Rivers is a decent piece but will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, while Prince may provide some small cost savings through a buyout.
Over the past few weeks, the Celtics have unloaded Rajon Rondo, Brandan Wright and Green, landing three first-round picks and getting their cap sheet for this summer in order. The Celtics now own as many as eight additional first-round picks between 2015 and 2018.