3:23pm: The Celtics and Knicks aren’t engaged in ongoing talks about a Porzingis deal, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com, who says the teams exchanged offers this morning and haven’t been back in contact. Sources familiar with the negotiations are calling Jackson’s demands “ridiculous,” McMenamin posted on ESPN Now. He adds that the Celtics are now expected to keep the No. 3 pick and not try to trade down.
2:25pm: The Celtics are making a strong pitch for Kristaps Porzingis and are trying to assemble a package that the Knicks will accept, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Boston has offered the No. 3 selection, an unidentified player and an additional lottery pick that the Celtics are confident they can trade for tonight, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). However, ESPN’s Jeff Goodman posts on ESPN Now that the sides are not close to a deal.
There’s more today on the Porzingis front:
- Knicks president Phil Jackson wants the Celtics to give up tonight’s No. 3 pick, next year’s unprotected Nets pick, Jaylen Brown and Jae Crowder, relays Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. Boston believes that’s too much to ask, but is willing to do the deal if it involves just one of the draft picks, according to Isola. New York wants Kansas forward Josh Jackson, who is expected to still be on the board at No. 3. Phil Jackson is also a fan of Crowder and regrets not picking him up from Dallas in the Tyson Chandler deal three years ago. Brown, the third overall selection in 2016, has a close relationship with former Knicks president Isaiah Thomas.
- Jackson’s demand was confirmed to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link) by another source, who added, “[Phil Jackson] is just messing with things.“
- Ramona Shelburne posts on ESPN Now that Jackson won’t settle for anything less than his demand. “He’s dug in,” a Knicks source told her. “If he doesn’t get exactly what he wants, there will be no [Porzingis] trade.”
- The Celtics aren’t the only team trying to pry Porzingis away from New York, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
- One of those teams is the Suns, who have talked to the Knicks about a trade involving the No. 4 pick. TNT’s David Aldridge says the teams aren’t close to a deal, although that could always change (Twitter link).
this is bullsh!t…FIRE PHIL!!!!HES A DUMBA$$!!!
Let’s say it is Brown, Crowder, and #3. How would this even work? So many SFs.
PG: #8
SG: Brown, Jackson
SF: Crowder
PF: Melo
C: Noah
All 3 are so versatile and not necessarily ready to start now anyways (Brown and pick). The same way it would work in Boston lol.
Melo has no future with the Knicks and ideally they would trade him so then crowder would play stretch 4. Also Hernangomez should be starting at center
Melo isnt’ going anywhere as Phil said in his interview. His heels are dug in.
Phil needs to make a deal to acquire 2 or 3 pieces. If he keeps Porzingis then the rebuilding continues in slow motion. #3, plus a player, plus Celtics 2018 1st. Brown not included…
He’s trying to save his job and the only way is to get a bunch of assets..
With that, he’s nuts!!!!
He should be happy with 3rd pick, Celtics 2018 pick and brown…
I dont see Boston needing Porzingis and Horford.
I like Porzingis more but the Celtics need rim protection and neither of these bigs provide that.
Porzingis can pick and roll defend and protect the rim, and would finally be used as a 5 in Boston
Don’t believe the Celtics will trade Brown.
The kid looks like he could be Kobe.
Melo is not going to wave that no trade clause and fans in NY will love him for being so mentally strong through all this. If Phil can get Crowder the 3rd pick and Smart he should stop being so demanding and just take it. Knicks can draft Monk, draft Jackson and just trade Melo and Noah to LA for Jordan.
Smart-Monk-Jackson-Crowder-Jordan
No way Melo and Noah gets you DeAndre Jordan, and also, you’d have to take on a couple of contracts to match salaries, which still wouldn’t give the Clippers a reason to trade DeAndre Jordan and take back Noah
I can see maybe Smart or TR, Crowder # 3 C’s pick next yr and 2 2nd rounders and one of the draft and stashed players not Brown
Bledsoe, #4 overall, Dragan Bender, 2018 Heat 1st rounder, 2021 1st rounder, 2017 phoenix 2nd round pick, and Jared Dudley for Porzingis, Lance Thomas, Noah, and the Knicks 2019 1st round pick
I gave Phoenix the Knicks 2019 pick for taking on Noah, although some of that is offset by them getting Thomas’ value and sending out Dudley’s contract….I pretty much saw it as Anthony Davis trade value minus 2-3 good assets b/c there isn’t much reason for the knicks to trade Porzingis on his rookie scale deal
Or boston could offer Jae Crowder’s contract, Rozier, #3 overall, the pick they got from Philly, their own 2018 1st round pick or 2019 Clippers or Memphis pick or maybe the rights to one of their 3 stash players in some sort of deal with the knicks. Maybe the assets I mentioned plus Jordan Mickey and Demetrius Jackson to match salaries for Porzingis and Lance Thomas? Or maybe they add Tyler Zeller instead, and they can take back Courtney Lee, instead of Thomas. The only way they should give up all those pieces, the ones mentioned by Phil Jackson, in a deal, is if they’re getting Anthony Davis with a coupleasure of the other assets as well.
Maybe Porzingis, Lance Thomas, and Courtney Lee to Minnesota for Dunn, Rubio, Bjelica, #7 overall, 2019 1st round pick, and the 2021 1st rounder?
But I don’t see a reason for the Knicks to move Porzingis other than Phil Jackson’s ineptitude. If they can’t build correctly around their guys though, it would make sense to take 1 of the deals mentioned. Like I said, his value is high, but he isn’t Anthony Davis, and if you can get the assets mentioned, it would technically speed up the rebuild
And autocorrect strikes me again and for some reason chose that. At least it wasn’t total gibberish this time. I’m probably going to have to figure out how to turn that off at some point
Drafting and keeping Josh Jackson while keeping Crowder and Brown then pursuing Hayward? No. 3 pick is going somewhere before the night is over.