The Boston Celtics have acquired guard Josh Richardson from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for center Moses Brown.
A six-year NBA veteran, Richardson, 27, has posted career averages of 12.3 points (42.7% FG, 35.8% 3-PT, 83.2% FT), 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocked shots, and 30.6 minutes in 373 career games (299 starts) with Miami, Philadelphia, and Dallas. He has averaged at least 10.0 points in each of his last five seasons from 2015-16 to 2020-21, including a career-high 16.6 points per game with Miami in 2018-19.
Richardson produced 12.1 points (42.7% FG, 33.0% 3-PT, 91.7% FT), 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and 30.3 minutes in 59 games (56 starts) with the Mavericks last season, marking the fourth time over the last five seasons he has recorded at least 10.0 points and 1.0 steals. The Oklahoma native was one of four NBA players to average 10.0 points and 1.0 steals while shooting at least 91.0% from the free throw line in 2020-21 (Paul/Curry/Irving).
Brown (7-2, 245) holds career averages of 7.3 points (.540 FG%), 7.6 rebounds, 0.9 blocks and 18.3 minutes in 52 games (32 starts) with Portland and Oklahoma City.
The 21-year-old averaged 8.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks and 21.4 minutes in 43 games (32 starts) with the Thunder last season. He recorded 21 points (8-10 FG) and a career-high 23 rebounds, including 17 points and 19 boards in the first half alone, against Boston on March 27. Brown became the first player since Shaquille O’Neal in 1998 to produce 17 points and 19 boards in a single half. His 19 first-half boards also set a Thunder franchise record for most in a half and were the most by any NBA player in a half in 2020-21.
After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, Brown spent the 2019 preseason with Portland and signed a two-way contract with the club on Oct. 17, 2019. He appeared in nine games for the Trail Blazers as a rookie while also seeing action in 30 G League games for the Mavericks’ affiliate, the Texas Legends, that year.
Brown signed a two-way deal with the Thunder on Dec. 8, 2020, and went on to earn All-NBA G League First Team and NBA G League All-Defensive Team honors for the Oklahoma City Blue in the bubble. After his 21-point, 23-rebound effort against the Celtics on March 27, he signed a multi-year deal with the Thunder the following day.
On June 18, Brown was traded along with Al Horford to Boston in the deal that sent Kemba Walker to Oklahoma City.
A native of New York City, Brown played one collegiate season at UCLA and earned Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors for the Bruins in 2018-19.
