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Three-team swap could send Rivers to Clips
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
The New Orleans Pelicans agreed to send Austin Rivers to the Celtics as part of a five-player trade that would send Jeff Green from Boston to Memphis.
Rivers, the son of former Celtics coach Doc Rivers, was the 10th overall pick in the 2012 draft, and is expected to be dealt before he ever plays in Boston according to Yahoo Sports.
A trade call with the teams and the NBA that would finalize the deal was set for Monday.
Austin Rivers could be dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers, where his father is head coach and team president. Doc Rivers said Saturday he was open to coaching his son after talks with his coaching staff.
Rivers has an expiring $2.4 million contract — the Pelicans decided not to exercise a team option on him for the 2015-16 season — and is averaging 6.8 points and 2.5 assists per game this season.
The Pelicans apparently were recruited to join the trade struck Friday by the Celtics and Memphis by sending Rivers to Boston and taking guard Quincy Pondexter from the Grizzlies.
On Friday, Boston and Memphis came to terms on the larger elements of a deal, with the Celtics agreeing to send Green, a forward, to the Grizzlies for forward Tayshaun Prince’s $7.7 million expiring contract and a future first-round pick.
Green is averaging 17.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game this season. He averages 14.4 points and 5.1 rebounds during his career.
The Pelicans also will send point guard Russ Smith to Memphis as part of the transaction and receive a future second-round pick from the Grizzlies.
On Friday, the Celtics shipped newly acquired center Brandan Wright to the Phoenix Suns for a 2015 conditional first-round draft pick, some three weeks after landing him from Dallas as part of the Rajon Rondo trade to the Mavericks.
