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PLAYER A scored 25.6 points per 36 minutes on 63% True Shooting.
PLAYER B scored 26.7 points per 36 minutes on 58% True Shooting
Player A is Kristaps Porzingis who played 65 games for the Wizards last season. Player B is Jaylen Brown, expected to sign the largest contract in NBA history this summer. Brown played 67 games for the Celtics, helping them post the best net rating in the NBA and earning All-NBA second-team honors. They might be teammates by the time you are reading this article.
In an explosive development, sources reveal the Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, and Washington Wizards are in the midst of negotiating a three-team trade deal. The Celtics are hoping to grab Kristaps Porzingis and the Grizzlies are gaining Marcus Smart, but the deal is not yet finalized. Okay, now it is.
Porzingis put up those excellent numbers adjusting to an uneven roster last year in Washington. According to data from pbpstats.com, the Wizards who provided Porzingis with the most assists were Monte Morris, Deni Avdija and Kyle Kuzma.
Monte Morris, 91 assists (from a total of 215 attempts, 42%) - 61 Starts.
Deni Avdija, 49 assists (from a total of 113 attempts, 43%) - 40 Starts.
Kyle Kuzma, 47 assists (from a total of 116 attempts, 41%) - 64 Starts.
Without any All-NBA guards to pass him the ball, Porzingis still managed to shoot 49.8% from the field, and 38.5% from 3-point range. In Boston, Porzingis will receive open looks off drive-and-kicks from any combination of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, & Derrick White (now that Marcus Smart has moved on to Memphis).
According to a consensus of five sportsbooks from Pregame.com, the Celtics' odds to claim the NBA championship moved from +550 on Monday to 5/1 Wednesday as trade rumors began to circulate. And even as low as +460 at Fanduel Sportsbook after the report by ESPN breaking the story. At many sportsbooks the Celtics are now co-favorites with the defending champion Denver Nuggets.
Porzingis' exceptional performance in Washington is seen as a significant boost to the Celtics' championship run.
For Washington, despite the massive roster reshuffle, the Wizards' odds remain unmoved at 500/1.
The Celtics' ambitious acquisition of Porzingis, paired with their ability to offer All-Star forward Jaylen Brown a significant contract extension, may well steer the franchise toward their 18th NBA championship.
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