Austin Rivers to Celtics to Complete Jeff Green Deal

Austin Rivers is reportedly part of trade deal involving the New Orleans Pelicans, Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies.

The Pelicans reportedly agreed to send Austin Rivers a former lottery pick, to Boston to help finish Boston’s pending trade with Memphis for Jeff Green.

Sources have said that New Orleans was picked to join in on the trade that was setup on Friday between the Grizzlies and Celtics, by trading Rivers to the Celtics and taking Quincy Pondexter a guard from Memphis.

It was first reported Friday night that Memphis and Boston reached terms on the bigger parts of the deal, with Boston agreeing to trade Green to Memphis for the expiring contract of Tayshaun Prince and a first round pick in the future.

Memphis has sought Green for some time and felt they had been close last season in acquiring him as part of a trade that sent Courtney Lee to the Grizzlies, but a third team was needed to cut down more salary in that transaction to avoid complications with luxury tax.

Therefore, the Grizzlies looked to New Orleans who has shown interest in Pondexter.

The deal likely will not be official until Monday when the league office will be reopened again.

Sources also said that New Orleans will be sending Russ Smith to the Grizzlies in the deal and receive a second round pick from Memphis.

Rivers is the son of Doc Rivers the former coach of the Celtics and current Los Angeles Clippers coach. He was draft No. 10 overall in the draft of 2012.

However, sources indicate that Boston will not keep Rivers and will make in available immediately through a trade. One insider said the Clippers would be interested so the player could play for his father.

When Austin Rivers’ part in the trade Boston was mentioned to his father following the Clippers win on Saturday over Dallas, he joked by saying, “I guess I should have kept my condo.”

The Rivers stated on previous occasions that they would not be in favor of being in the same organization, but when father was asked if he would consider coaching his son, if that opportunity presented itself, he seemed more open to that than at any time prior.

Boston was busy with trades prior to the season starting and has started again the past few weeks. Friday night, they sent Brandan Wright their newly acquired center to Phoenix only three weeks after he came to the team as part of the trade for Rajon Rondo.

In the trade Friday, Boston acquired a Phoenix first round pick for Wright and created a $5 million trade exception.

With the trade, Boston will have six selections in the first round and 14 overall over the next two NBA drafts.