The Wizards are getting Trevor Ariza after all.
Washington agreed in principle Saturday to acquire Ariza from the Phoenix Suns for Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because it had not been announced by either team.
This Ariza trade came together hours after a potential three-way deal involving the Memphis Grizzlies fell apart late Friday night. Wizards players went through the emotional roller coaster of the failed trade after their loss at Brooklyn as Oubre and Rivers were still on the team bus to the airport and the flight home.
"We all understand it's a business," guard John Wall said after practice Saturday. "You never know what's going to happen, when it's going to happen. The first time I've ever seen a trade go dead and guys are on a bus talking about it. Kind of devastating for those guys."
Memphis General Manager Chris Wallace said Saturday he was very disappointed someone with either Washington or Phoenix or both teams leaked the trade while the Grizzlies were playing Miami on Friday night. Wallace made it very clear that Dillon Brooks, in his second season since being the 45th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, was never part of any discussions for this deal.
Wallace said the leaks forced him to do something for the first time in more than 30 years of working in the NBA: pulling MarShon Brooks and Wayne Selden Jr. out of a locker room to tell them they had been traded only to have to backtrack and say they hadn't been traded. Wallace also called a report that Memphis sent out medical information a "falsehood."
"What happened last night was unfathomable," Wallace said. "I've never experienced this before. And we were very clear about who was in this deal, and Dillon Brooks never was intended to be a part of this, was not from our standpoint, and we made it very clear this was not Dillon Brooks."
Ariza, 33, returns to Washington, where he played the 2012-2013 and 2013-14 seasons. The 6-8, 215-pound swing man is averaging 9.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 26 games with the Suns this season,.
To get Ariza, the Wizards gave up the 23-year-old Oubre, who was the 15th overall pick in 2015 and is averaging 12.9 points per game in his fourth NBA season.
Rivers goes to Phoenix after Washington acquired the 26-year-old from the Los Angeles Clippers over the summer. Rivers was not aware of the details Friday night but believed he was departing, putting him and Oubre in an awkward spot.
"It's kind of unreal in a way," Washington guard Bradley Beal said. "You don't see that a lot. I kind of feel for Kelly and Austin to be put in that trick bag in a way of not knowing.
"I think they handled it well, like professionals. I think anybody else would have been a little more frustrated."
SPORTS QUIZ
For what college program did Trevor Ariza play?
ANSWER
UCLA Bruins for the 2003-2004 season
Sports on 12/16/2018