Woj: Celtics nearing agreement to trade Green to Memphis

[saltlover]

Adrian Wojnarowski ?@WojYahooNBA  3m3 minutes ago
Yahoo Sources: Boston, Memphis and New Orleans working framework of Green to Grizz, Pondexter to Pelicans, Prince/Salmons/pick to Celtics.

Odd. Why does Pondexter to NOP need to be wrapped into this deal? Seems like there are some details missing here.

Probably because we didn't want the 3 more years on his contract.

Pondexter was never mentioned in any scenario between MEM and BOS. BOS doesn't need NOP to take on Pondexter; NOP wants him.

My question is why NOP and MEM have to include a Pondexter deal as part of the Green trade. Why can't they just do business on their own.

The luxury tax idea might have something to do with it, although I am not sure. Perhaps Nelson is involved in some way too. [He can be traded, just not aggregated.]

Luxury tax is definitely why.  Memphis wants to ship out more salary.  Ainge is reluctant to acquire additional future salary beyond this season.  I wouldn't be surprised if they have a tentative agreement for a deal sending Pondexter to Boston, but the protection on the pick increases if they can find someone willing to trade an expiring contract for Pondexter.

If ESPN's Trade Machine is correct (big if), sending out Nick Calathes much smaller and much shorter contract should be sufficient to keep MEM from exceeding the luxury tax line.

Ainge shouldn't take back Pondexter without serious additional considerations.

It would be poor form for Memphis to trade Calathes.  He had a much bigger offer from a Europe this summer, and his contract wasn't guaranteed, but Memphis wouldn't release him because they didn't have a replacement.  To trade him midseason to stay under the luxury tax would rub some people there the wrong way.  Hinkie would do it, I'm sure, but Memphis has some class.

[crownontherocks]

In framework of proposed three-team trade, New Orleans' Russ Smith moves to Memphis, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

Wojo


So is this the final deal?

[crownontherocks]

Report: Jeff Green trade to Grizzlies not yet official, so Celtics will ‘check’ other offers

Reports emerged late Friday that had the Celtics and the Grizzlies agreeing on a deal that would send Jeff Green to Memphis.

While the trade seems likely to occur once a third team can be brought in to help facilitate things, the deal had yet to be completed before games began Friday night.

And that means there’s some wiggle room left, at least in the eyes of the Celtics.

Green was held out of Boston’s contest in Indiana, but the Grizzlies did no such thing with Tayshaun Prince, who was rumored to be gone in the proposed deal. Prince logged first quarter minutes off the bench for the Grizzlies in New Orleans, and since it’s clear that nothing has been finalized, the Celtics will keep their ears open in case a better offer for Green ends up materializing.

From Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald:

Green to MEM still likely, but wasn’t done by close of business today, so couldn’t be official until Monday. Celts will check other offers.

With Boston this close to dealing Green, other teams know that any discussions they might have would be well beyond the stages of posturing. Green is available, and teams know that he’s on the verge of going to Memphis. But with nothing having yet been finalized, the door is open for someone to swoop in with a better offer that could give Boston more in terms of assets for the future.

It’s unlikely at this point. But the fact that the deal didn’t get done as it was coming together, along with Memphis allowing Prince to play when he was reportedly a part of those discussions has to give other teams hope if in fact there is one or more out there which may be serious in obtaining Green’s services.