Determined Wizards trade for Ariza
Washington swaps Oubre, Rivers for 6-foot-8 swingman
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WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards were determined to get swingman Trevor Ariza. Even if that meant entering into a three-team deal Friday night that would later unravel into an unsightly mess. Even if they had to sacrifice the athleticism and upside of a 23-year-old who was still months away from potentially leaving. And even if they had to give up on the veteran guard acquired via trade last summer to improve the chemistry in the locker room.
Wizards Team President Ernie Grunfeld went for it Saturday, reaching an agreement with the Phoenix Suns to land Ariza for Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers.
“One of the best veteran teammates I’ve had,” John Wall said of Ariza, 33, who baltimoresun.com/weather previously played in Washington from 2012-14. “It’s just great. Especially a guy who won a championship. You get more from what he understands and what it takes. “Guys need that.” Washington, occupying the 11th spot in the conference only because the bottom of the East is laughably bad, will finalize the deal Monday. The Wizards engaged in talks with the Suns for several days before landing the 15-yearveteran. He will be a defensive upgrade they think can help turn the spiraling 11-18 season and the veteran voice that even their allstars will hear.
“Everybody has to be held accountable. No matter if it’s me, John, all the way down the line. We all have to be held accountable. No man is better than the next man,” Bradley Beal said. “I don’t think it’s a matter of necessarily bringing Trev in to say that’s what we need, but it does help.”
The Wizards had to endure an awful lot over the weekend just to get the 33-year-old Ariza.
On Friday night, the Wizards, Suns and Memphis Grizzlies came to an agreement on a three-team deal that would have sent Oubre to Memphis and Rivers to Phoenix for Ariza, with several other players and draft picks included. However, the deal crumbled late into the night. Though breakdowns are not unprecedented in multi-team trades, the context behind the dead deal — teams backed away because there was confusion over which"Brooks” on the Grizzlies' roster, Dillon or MarShon, would be involved in the trade to Phoenix — became a punchline over social media.
“Well, officially, I guess when they were discussing the trade, they were just saying ‘Brooks,’ and because Memphis has two Brooks, there was a mix-up on which Brooks they were talking about,” said Wallace Prather, the agent for MarShon Brooks.
According to one person with knowledge of the negotiations, the Grizzlies and Suns had talked directly for at least a week about a deal centered on Grizzlies second-year player Dillon Brooks. Prather said he was later told Washington entered the picture for the purpose of getting Ariza, and the team served as the conduit between Memphis and Phoenix. Another league source backed up Prather’s account and expressed a theory as to how the trade was rushed so players could be informed immediately following their games. Both Washington and Memphis played Friday night.
“It was an innocent thing,” said an agent with a player involved in the original deal. “You’ve got teams that are trying to get better. There were some oversights because it was hasty.” candace.buckner @washpost.com twitter.com/ CandaceDBuckner