BOSTON, MA- The Boston Celtics have acquired Washington center forward Kristaps Porzingis, a first-round draft pick from Memphis 2023 (25th overall) and a prospective first-round draft pick from Golden State via Memphis in a three-team transaction. As part of the transaction, Memphis received Boston guard Marcus Smart, while Washington acquired Memphis guard Tyus Jones and forwards Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala in addition to drafting rights to the 35th overall pick in 2023 from Boston.
“On behalf of everyone here I would like to thank Marcus for his many contributions as Celtic on and off the pitch. The greatest legacy you can leave is making a place better than you found it. We’re all better at being able to compete with Marcus Smart over the last nine years,” Stevens said.
Marcus Smart was drafted sixth overall by the Celtics in the 2014 NBA draft and has appeared in 581 games (360 starts) since then, averaging 10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.6 in 30.0 minutes per game assists and 1.6 steals. Three-time All-Defensive team selection led the Celtics to a playoff berth in each of his nine seasons with the franchise, including the 2022 Eastern Conference Championship and five Conference Finals. Smart ranks fourth in Celtics history with 914 steals and was honored with the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year award. He is the first league guard to take home the honor since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season.
“We are very excited to welcome Kristaps to Boston,” said Brad Stevens, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations. “He brings skills and the ability to influence the game that not only fit the needs of our team, but are elite for his position and size.” The ability to play to his strengths with any combination of players is unique.”
Originally drafted by New York with the fourth pick of the 2015 NBA draft, the 27-year-old Porzingis has appeared in 402 career games and averaged 19.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1, 31.1 minutes per game, 8 assists and 1.8 blocks scored. The seven-year NBA veteran joins the Celtics after stints in New York (2015-19), Dallas (2019-22) and Washington (2022-23).
Porzingis was a 2018 NBA All-Star Game nominee and was selected to the 2015-16 NBA All-Rookie First Team with the Knicks. He was one of five players in league history to have at least 4,000 points, 1,500 rebounds, 400 three-pointers made and 400 blocks before his 25th birthday (LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Tracy McGrady, Karl-Anthony Towns).
That year, Porzingis made the most starts in a season (65) with Washington since his 2016–17 season (65) and posted career highs in points (23.2), assists (2.7), and steals (0.9). The Latvian native ended the season as one of just three players in the league to average at least 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks during the 2022-23 season (Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid). Porzingis led the Wizards with 20 double-doubles, a career-best 49.8 percent from field this season and has now shot over 45.0 percent from field for three straight years.
The Celtics have also made a number of draft night trades and the following trades are pending: (i) Boston acquired the 31st pick and two future second-round picks from Detroit in exchange for draft rights to the 25th pick (Marcus Sasser); (ii) Boston then acquired the 34th and 39th picks from Charlotte in exchange for drafting rights to the 31st pick (James Nnaji); (iii) Boston then acquired draft rights to the 38th pick (Jordan Walsh) and a prospective Dallas second-round draft pick from Sacramento in exchange for draft rights to the 34th pick (Colby Jones); and (iv) acquired a prospective second-round draft pick from Atlanta in exchange for draft rights to the 39th pick (Mouhamed Gueye).
The following future second-round draft picks will be acquired by the Celtics once the trades are finalized:
- Dallas’ pick for the 2024 second round
- The top pick of Detroit, Golden State or Washington for the 2025 second round
- The best selection from Minnesota, New Orleans, New York or Portland for the second round of 2026
- Atlanta’s pick for the 2027 second round
In one of the proposed trades, the Celtics will acquire the drafting rights to forward Jordan Walsh, who was selected with the 38th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. Walsh, 6-7/205, tied the program record for most games by a freshman with 36 appearances in his only season in Arkansas, averaging 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 in 24.4 minutes per game .1 steals while maintaining a 43.3 percent shot percentage in the field. A native of Branson, Missouri, he helped the Razorbacks make the Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA tournament. Walsh was ranked the #11 contender in the Class of 2022 by ESPN after winning for the 2022 McDonald’s High School All-American Game was nominated and was a Jordan Brand Classic participant.