Kristaps Porzingis could potentially ship it up to Boston.
The Celtics are reportedly closing in on a deal for the 7-foot-3 Washington Wizards center in an opt-in-and-trade, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
“Wizards, Celtics and Clippers are in strong talks on a trade that would send Kristaps Porzingis to Boston, Marcus Morris and draft compensation to Washington and Malcolm Brogdon to Los Angeles,” Charania said on Twitter. “Sides are still working through details and Porzingis’ $36M player option.
The Clippers are also expected to trade the No. 30 pick in Thursday’s draft to Washington in the deal, according to reports.
Boston’s Danilo Gallinari is also expected to heading to Washington as part of the deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Porzingis, 27, has a $36 million player option for the 2023-24 season with the Wizards that he has to decide on by Wednesday afternoon.
While Washington was interested in re-signing Porzingis to a new contract, it seems the Celtics are making a real push to acquire him.
Porzingis signed a five-year, $158 million contract with the Mavericks in 2019 before getting traded to the Wizards in 2021.
Ideally for the Celtics, Porzingis would opt into his final contract year before the trade, avoiding free agency negotiations and a lengthy deal.
Porzingis, the No. 4 pick of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Knicks, could add real depth to Boston’s offense.
The big man — when healthy — offers versatility with interior playmaking and the ability to shoot outside.
Porzingis averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assist and 1.5 blocks in the 2022-23 season, while shooting 38 percent from behind the 3-point line.
The Celtics fell to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals this postseason after making a trip to the NBA Finals the prior year.
If the trade goes through, it would be the rebuilding Wizards’ second big move of the summer. They also sent Bradley Beal to Phoenix earlier this week.
While Porzingis is a sturdy presence for the Wizards, the team appears to be heading into tank mode after dealing away the star guard.