10:09pm: The deal is now considered dead, according to reports from Wojnarowski and Tom Habestroh of NBC Sports (Twitter links).
The Grizzlies and Suns didn’t communicate directly during the three-team negotiations, using the Wizards as a conduit, which led to the Brooks-related confusion, sources tell Wojnarowski and Lowe (Twitter link). Memphis pulled out after the three clubs all talked directly, according to Woj, who tweets that the Suns and Wizards would have to find a new third team to complete an Ariza trade.
9:55pm: The trade is now in jeopardy due to confusion over which Brooks the Suns they believed they were getting in the deal, according to Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe of ESPN (Twitter link). Sources tell Woj that the Grizzlies won’t put Dillon Brooks in the deal.
9:40pm: There’s some confusion over which Brooks is going from the Grizzlies to the Suns in this proposed deal.
As detailed below, Wojnarowski and Gambadoro first reported that it was Dillon Brooks, but Woj issued a clarification to say it was MarShon Brooks. Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter links) has also cited sources who say it’s MarShon. However, Gambadoro has insisted multiple times (via Twitter) that it’s Dillon and says the MarShon reports are inaccurate.
We’ll have an update as soon as there’s confirmation one way or the other.
8:57pm: The Wizards are in advanced talks to acquire veteran forward Trevor Ariza from the Suns, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Wojnarowski, Washington is making an effort to finalize a multi-team trade agreement involving Ariza tonight. He’ll become officially trade-eligible on Saturday.
Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies will be the third team involved in the deal. In the proposed trade, which is moving toward completion, Kelly Oubre would head to the Grizzlies and the Suns would receive Austin Rivers and two Memphis role players, according to Wojnarowski. Woj adds (via Twitter) that the Wizards would also receive a conditional 2019 second-round pick and a 2020 second-rounder from the Grizzlies.
John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 follows up on Wojnarowski’s report with more details, tweeting that Wayne Selden would head to Phoenix as part of the deal. While Gambadoro and Wojnarowski both originally had Dillon Brooks as part of the package, Woj clarifies (via Twitter) that it’s actually MarShon Brooks, not Dillon, who would be sent to the Suns.
Ariza signed a one-year, $15MM deal with the Suns during the 2018 offseason after a productive four-year run in Houston. Before joining the Rockets, he spent two seasons with the Wizards, including perhaps his best season as a pro in 2013/14, when he averaged 14.4 PPG and 6.2 RPG with a .456/.407/.772 shooting line.
Ariza’s numbers so far this season have been somewhat modest — 9.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and .379/.360/.837 shooting. Still, the three-and-D wing would be a seamless fit into virtually any playoff contender’s lineup, and would provide the Wizards with a reliable defender in the frontcourt – at the expense of some backcourt depth – as they look to get back into the playoff picture in the East. His expiring contract wouldn’t create any added cap flexibility for the Wizards next summer, since Rivers ($12.65MM) and Oubre ($3.21MM) are also in the final year of their respective deals.
The deal figures to reduce the likelihood of an Otto Porter trade, since Oubre was viewed as a potential insurance policy for Porter. The Wizards probably couldn’t have realistically paid big bucks to Oubre as a restricted free agent in 2019 if the maximum-salary contracts for John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Porter all remained on their books. It seems they’ll no longer have to worry about re-signing Oubre.
Oubre instead would be on track to reach restricted free agency next summer for the Grizzlies, who are poised to add the promising 23-year-old small forward to their lineup as a result of this move. Oubre has showed steady improvement over his four NBA seasons, and is posting career-highs in several categories in 2018/19, including PPG (13.0) and FG% (.433).
As for the Suns, their NBA-worst 5-24 start reduced their need for a veteran contributor like Ariza, which made him a popular trade target. Reports earlier in the week suggested that at least eight teams had expressed some interest in the 33-year-old, with the Lakers among them. However, a source tells David Aldridge of The Athletic (Twitter link) that owner Robert Sarver was adamantly opposed to sending Ariza to the Lakers, prompting the Suns to pivot to other options.
Phoenix had reportedly been seeking a play-making guard in return for Ariza, and would receive a couple of players in this deal who could fit that bill. While Rivers and Brooks aren’t traditional point guards, they’re both capable of assuming some ball-handling duties for the Suns. Selden, meanwhile, is a swingman who figures to slot in at the two or three in Phoenix.
The Suns currently have 14 players on their roster, so they’d need to waive someone to complete the deal. Eric Moreland, who signed a non-guaranteed contract earlier this week, appears likely to be the odd man out.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Whatever. Non-championship move for a team that might make it into the second playoff rounds.
It’s competitive though so I like that.
Wiz nabbing both dekker and ariza could pay off pretty good. Oubre to the griz though is awesome.
Agreed. Oubre would be a really nice get for the Grizzlies.
Suns will have to make a cut though wont they? Or is the moreland signing not official yet?
I want my pretend award for predicting this one last week.
Nobody could have predicted what eventually happened!
I suppose you got the Ariza-Rivers/Oubre 2-team part?
Well that’s true. I didn’t get it exactly, but I predicted the two main parts of Ariza and Rivers, but I thought the Wiz would get Melton and the Suns would get Brown instead of Oubre.
If you get the main parts and miss the side dishes, I still consider it a victory.
Yeah the Wizrds wanted to dispatch Oubre to get to Brown, IMO. Brown promises to be more of a solution to teamwork issues, and they can’t pay Oubre next year anyway.
Winner winner chicken ̶d̶i̶n̶n̶e̶r̶ only!
Waiting for the next update when the Wizards announce that they are letting Ernie Grunfeld go as part of the deal.
Suns can’t even get a name right
Imagine being a professional GM and not being able to clarify which player you want
C’mon now. Grizzlies aren’t gonna trade Dillon Brooks. Of course they meant Marshon. Lol
Welcome back
Had to run some errands.
Didn’t like the trade for the wizards anyway. Time to Fire Ernie!!
I loved everything about this situation lol
Oubre not going to memphis is the only thing im sad about. Glad my fellow canadian d brooks wasnt getting exiled though.
Why do I get the feeling that this has Robert Sarver’s fingerprints all over it?
cause he’s a d-bag
Cuz it was a trade involving the team he owns?
That’s it! I knew there had to be some correlation between the two.
Comical. NBA executives agree to a deal and its unclear which Brooks was involved. I could see two casual fans begin unclear.
Grizzlies front office: its Sarver guys, just say Brooks and hope no one tells him we have 2.
Imagine if all three teams went all the way to the documentation process and Memphis simply never noticed the problem.
Imagine if the deal had gone through, Marshon shows up, and he spends the next ~5 months with the PHX FO still thinking he’s Dillon.
hahahaha this is hilarious
That would have been the 3rd canadian pg in a suns uni if dillon did end up there lol.
Man the Memphis FO sucks, they should have talked to the Suns, they should have known who was included in the deal, clearly Washington & Phoenix knew who they wanted but Memphis just was trying to be clever, they aren’t. They looking pretty bad now. Wizards & Suns looking better though
I blame Memphis also… Why would MEM think PHX would be moving Ariza for Rivers, Seldon and Marshon? Rivers is not looking good this year, his first away from dad.