Report: Clippers, Celtics looking for 3rd team to help facilitate Austin Rivers trade
As an addendum to what's fast becoming one of the more complicated NBA trades in recent memory, the Los Angeles Clippers are working to acquire guard Austin Rivers from the Boston Celtics - though technically Rivers is still a New Orleans Pelican (see the stories below for more details of the trade).
The snag in the Celtics-Clippers portion of the deal has reportedly been Boston's unwillingness to assume any salary that will extend beyond this season. Since the Clippers are capped out and lack a trade exception to absorb Rivers, they'd have to send back virtually equivalent salary in the exchange.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Clippers are now looking for a third team to join the fray (which would make four teams in total, if you consider this part of the same trade that's set to send Jeff Green to the Memphis Grizzlies).
Ideally, the mystery third team in this scenario would contribute an expiring contract, which would go to the Celtics along with a second-round pick in exchange for Rivers. It's unclear what the third team would receive in the deal.
Stay tuned.