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Former New York Knicks lottery pick Kristaps Porzingis is not returning to the Big Apple after all.
In a blockbuster midnight 3-team trade, the Washington Wizards sent Porzingis to Knicks’ Atlantic Division rival Boston Celtics, per multiple reports.
Here are the complete details of the 3-team deal:
Celtics acquire: Kristaps Porzingis, No. 25 pick in 2023 NBA Draft, 2024 Warriors’ first-round pick (top-4 protected)
Grizzlies acquire: Marcus Smart
Wizards acquire: No. 35 pick in 2023 NBA Draft, Tyus Jones, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala
Porzingis opted into his $36 million player option to complete the trade. Before the transaction that completely shook up the Celtics roster, Porzingis was rumored to be a Knicks offseason target via sign-and-trade. It gained more steam after Porzingis raved about his time in New York on the May 31 episode of the Ariel Helwani Show.
“That was like my first love, the city of New York. Playing in [Madison Square Garden], so of course, I do not have the best feeling when I get so much hate but, as I said, [the relationship is] better. Of course, I can understand now how the fans could feel that way or how they viewed me at that time and then I asked for a trade and I get painted as the villain. But it is what it is,” Porzingis said.
Disgruntled Obi Toppin Could Be Traded
A disgruntled Obi Toppin is a prime candidate to be traded this offseason after his verbal altercation with Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau after their Game 4 loss to Miami in the playoffs leaked.
“According to league sources who were present, once the final buzzer sounded, Toppin aired his grievances to Thibodeau,” The Athletic’s Fred Katz wrote. “The 24-year-old wants to play, and he wants to win. That evening, neither happened. An intense verbal altercation occurred between the player and coach as the group trekked to the Kaseya Center visiting locker room in Miami. It spilled into the postgame meeting once the doors closed.”
“On this occasion, as Toppin yelled at Thibodeau in front of teammates so fresh off a loss that they were still in uniform, assistant coach Rick Brunson stepped in to stand up for his boss,” Katz wrote. “Toppin and Brunson got into it for a moment. Randle, Evan Fournier and Josh Hart next pulled Toppin aside to cool him off.”
The stunning news of the verbal altercation came on the heels of a June 20 Newsday report that Toppin and the Knicks have agreed to part ways.
“League sources indicated that Toppin was hoping for a trade at the deadline last season and now both sides are in alignment that it’s time for a change of scenery for Toppin,” Newsday’s Steve Popper wrote.
Paul George Available?
Los Angeles Clippers are toying with the idea of trading eight-time All-Star Paul George, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
“League sources tell The Stein Line that the LA Clippers have left various rival teams with the impression through their Draft Week conversations that they are, at a minimum, attempting to gauge Paul George’s trade value and, to hear some describe it, giving real consideration to the idea of disassembling the Kawhi Leonard/George tandem,” Stein wrote.
The 8-time All-Star is one of the stars the Knicks have been monitoring, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
“I think absolutely, they’re going to try [to acquire a star], and they’ll call [Philadelphia], they’ll call Minnesota, they’ll call L.A. about Paul George,” Fischer told Sportsnaut’s Jason Burgos on May 19. “I think the Knicks are going to call far and wide to try to see what their draft capital can acquire and maybe a mix of certain players on the roster.”
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