Three-team trade for Ariza dead after miscommunication
A three-team trade involving the Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns, and Memphis Grizzlies that centered around Trevor Ariza is now dead, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Grizzlies reportedly believed they were trading MarShon Brooks to the Suns as part of the deal but Phoenix was under the impression it was acquiring Dillon Brooks.
Washington reportedly understood that Dillon was the Brooks being shipped off even though the Grizzlies insist they informed the Wizards it was MarShon. The Suns and Grizzlies never communicated directly, coordinating the trade through Washington instead, sources told Wojnarowski.
Memphis is unwilling to part with Dillon so the deal had to be called off.
The deal that was agreed to in principle would have sent Ariza to the nation's capital with Kelly Oubre Jr. going to the Grizzlies and MarShon, Austin Rivers, and Wayne Selden Jr. joining the Suns. The Wizards would have also landed a 2020 second-round draft pick from Memphis and a 2019 conditional second-rounder that originally belonged to the Boston Celtics.
"(Grizzlies owner) Robert Pera did not have any conversation with Suns owner Robert Sarver about the reported 3-way trade," Memphis general manager Chris Wallace said in a statement to ESPN. "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.
"We were floored to learn of the reports involving Dillon Brooks in the reported trade. We never discussed Dillon as part of this trade with Washington - which was the only team we spoke with concerning this proposed deal."
The Suns plan on holding Ariza out of Saturday's game against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves at Talking Stick Resort Arena as they work towards a resolution, league sources told the Athletic's Shams Charania.
Ariza inked a one-year, $15-million contract over the summer so a trade couldn't have been completed until midnight; Dec. 15 is when offseason signees are eligible to be moved.
The Los Angeles Lakers had recently been linked to Ariza in potential three-team trades but reportedly weren't willing to part with any of their young pieces. Suns owner Robert Sarver didn't want to move Ariza to Los Angeles, according to the Athletic's David Aldridge, so the franchise moved on to find another suitor.