The NBA really outdid itself when a three-team trade was agreed to and killed off in a span of 30 minutes.
On Friday night, a deal was in place to send Trevor Ariza to the Wizards, Kelly Oubre to the Grizzlies, and Austin Rivers, Wayne Selden, and SOMEONE named Brooks to the Suns. There was confusion, however, over whether Dillon or MarShon Brooks was to be included in the deal.
The trade went along long enough for players involved to process that they’d been dealt. Rivers and Oubre both gave postgame quotes about their shock, and the league’s top reporters sprawled the information out on Twitter. Then, it was confirmed by multiple people that the deal stalled, as Phoenix thought it was to receive Dillon, while Memphis was only willing to part with MarShon.
Finger-pointing went everywhere:
- Memphis GM Chris Wallace went on record with Woj, saying “Robert Pera did not have any conversation with Suns owner Robert Sarver about the reported 3-way trade. Our front office also didn’t have any conversations with Phoenix regarding the reported 3-team trade prior to it leaking during our game tonight. We were floored to learn of the reports involving Dillon Brooks in the reported trade. We never discussed Dillon as part of this trade with Washington – which was the only team we spoke with concerning this proposed deal.”
- Woj also said, “Washington believes it was told Dillon Brooks in conversations with Memphis.
- Washington Post reporter Candace Buckner reported, “Washington and Phoenix had understanding about all players involved in trade & knew it was Dillon Brooks as part of Memphis end. Memphis maybe got cold feet.”
- Suns sports radio host John Gambadoro reported, “The Suns never had any discussions with Memphis or Washington about MarShon Brooks. Dillon Brooks is an injured player so medical and physical information was exchanged before the trade call. Hate on the Suns all you want this one is clearly on Memphis backing out of the deal.”
The blame was officially spread everywhere, all over a deal with no All-Stars that in all likelihood would’ve had little impact on the standings. Ultimately, the Wizards and Suns did pull off a Trevor Ariza trade for Oubre and Rivers, but wow, it couldn’t have been handled worse.
It was a messy night, one with precisely one winner and infinite losers. Let’s go down the list.
Trevor Ariza
He doesn’t have to play for the very angry, not-so-good at basketball Wizards.
Everyone on Twitter
We got our jokes off!
And that’s it for our winners.
Ernie Grunfeld, Chris Wallace and Robert Sarver
Yep, the Wizards and Grizzlies’ GMs, along with the Suns’ owner who was reportedly involved in these deals, messed this one up massively. Players have to show up to work tomorrow knowing they were up for trade, and it is all these guys’ faults, no matter which one deserves the most blame.
Keeping trust in the locker room is massively important, and this is going to be tough to come back from.
Austin Rivers
Rivers just came over to D.C. over the summer via trade, and seemed optimistic about his role.
“I only had a year left on my deal anyway,” Rivers said, according to CBS Sports’ James Herbert. “It’s more so you just want things to work. You know what I mean? They traded for me for a reason. You’d like to see it work out. We’ll see what happens. I don’t even know where I’m headed to, exactly. I’ve had people tell me different things. Wherever I go, I’ll have an impact.”
Rivers also has a baby and had just moved across the country already. That’s a lot of pressure. Now, he’ll go back to the Wizards practice tomorrow.
Kelly Oubre
Oubre’s set to enter restricted free agency over the summer, so he had to know a trade might’ve been coming. Still, this hurts. He will no longer have the chance to show his skills on a new team.
Dillon Brooks
This Brooks probably hadn’t thought too deep into his future in Memphis, but now he is. Given the conflicting reports, either the Grizzlies really think highly of him, or nearly dealt him. Which one is real is anyone’s guess.
At least he had fun with it:
MarShon Brooks
Poor MarShon. In trades, players can always humble themselves by assuming a move was made because a team wanted them. But in this case, an entire trade ceased to exist because nobody wanted him.
It’s ok, man. You’re in the NBA!
The Los Angeles Lakers
Lost in all of this: according to The Athletic’s David Aldridge, Sarver was not willing to deal Ariza to the Lakers. L.A. had reportedly been interested in acquiring the veteran to bolster its playoff hopes.
Trust
Nobody has any of it in three major cities this weekend
Players with the same last name
This is pretty self-explanatory. What a nightmare.
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