The Boston Celtics make yet another move on Friday, this time they are close to sending Jeff Green to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Tayshaun Prince and a future first-round pick, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
The protected pick likely won’t be available until 2018 or ’19, Yahoo Sports said.
The New Orleans Pelicans have now agreed to send former lottery pick Austin Rivers to the Celtics to help complete Boston’s looming Jeff Green trade with Memphis, according to league sources. Guard Quincy Pondexter will join the Pelicans from the Grizzlies.
Reports are surfacing that Rivers will now be sent to the Los Angeles Clippers in a trade that brings the guard to the same team as his father Doc Rivers.
The focus of the deal for the Celtics’ side of things is to unload asset in the attempt to rebuild the historic franchise back to it’s glory days. Early on Friday, the C’s sent newly acquired Brandan Wright to the Phoenix Suns for a future protected first round pick.
In 33 games this season, Green was averaging 17.6 points and 4.2 rebounds with the Celtics. Over his career, the forward averaged 14.4 points and 5.1 rebounds between the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder and the Celtics.
Green was originally drafted by Boston in the first-round (5th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft. He was then dealt to the Sonics along with Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and a future second-round pick for Ray Allen along with the fifth pick in the second-round, Glen Davis.
Boston also saved money on the deal, sending the remaining money left on Green’s $9.2 million salary to the Grizzlies and taking on Prince’s $7.3 million contract. Additionally, Prince will be a free agent following the season, while Green holds a player option of $9.2 million in 2015-16
Prince spent the first 11 seasons with the Detroit Pistons after being selected in the first-round (23rd overall) of the 2002 NBA Draft. The forward has spent the past three seasons with the Grizzlies after being traded in 2012.
This season, Prince is averaging 7.4 points and 3.2 rebounds over 25 games with the Grizzlies.
Boston has accumulated 11 first-round picks over the next four drafts. Things are looking up for the future of a great franchise. The number of picks and needs on the roster shows the C’s are far from done.
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