Report: Celtics To Deal Jeff Green To Grizzlies For Prince & First-Round Pick

It’s not even February and it’s already feeling like deadline season. Or maybe it’s just because Danny Ainge is determined to hold every first-round draft pick the next four years after dealing Brandan Wright to the Suns. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports the Grizzlies have been in discussion for weeks — something we noted two night’s ago — to acquire Jeff Green from the Celtics. Right now they’re in the process of a deal that would send Green to Memphis in exchange for a future first-round pick and Tayshaun Prince‘s expiring $7.7 million contract, but they’re awaiting a third team’s finalization to make it official.

Woj also reports the first-round pick will be protected and likely won’t come until 2018 or 2019.

As noted previously, the Grizzlies at first tried to wrestle Luol Deng from the Heat, but once that fizzled — as ESPN.com’s Marc Stein notes — they convinced Boston to part with Green for a single first-round pick:

Boston had originally balked unless they could get two first-round picks in the exchange, per Woj:

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com says the Clippers had engaged in discussions to acquire Green from the C’s, but LA didn’t have the expiring contracts to bring it to fruition:

Green did not take the floor against the Pacers tonight, lending credence to the idea the trade will be finalized before the weekend:

Green can score — though he struggles going to his left – and defend both forward spots. He’s averaging 17.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per game this season. His overall field goal percentage is up from 41.2 percent last season to 43.4 this year, but his three-point percentage has dropped from 34.1 percent in 2013-14 to 30.5 so far this season in 33 starts. Green will make $9.2 million this year and has a player option for the same amount next season.

The Grizzlies are receiving another forward who can spread the floor. Tayshaun Prince is no longer an elite defender, and hasn’t been for some time. Plus, his janky jumper made their spacing claustrophic in the half-court — even with Courtney Lee shooting so well (.496/.494/.904 shooting splits so far this season) when he replaces Tony Allen in the lineup.

The deal also means Memphis keeps pace with the Western Conference playoff teams — Dallas, Phoenix, Houston — who have already made moves during this trade season to try and improve their rosters.

Who won the trade?

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