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Celtics Notes: Turner, Bentil, Georges-Hunt

September 8th, 2016 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters recently prior to an ABCD Hoops Dream fundraiser in Boston, Celtics coach Brad Stevens admitted he’s “antsy” for training camp began, adding that he’s looking forward to putting the team’s puzzle pieces together to form the best possible roster and rotation. As Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com details, Stevens also suggested that the departure of Evan Turner will be a big loss for the team.

“That’s going to be a tough role to fill. He was a heck of a player for us,” Stevens said. “He made huge plays at the end of games. He made big, big shots. His shooting percentages were not always great but, when the game was on the line and the clock was winding down, you felt like it had a good chance of going in. He made free throws late in games and he guarded two or three positions. Time will tell; we’ll find out. We’ve got a lot of guys that will get an opportunity to step up and fill his void, but it is a void.”

Here’s more on the Celtics:

  • Do rookies Ben Bentil and Marcus Georges-Hunt have a shot at making the Celtics’ 2016/17 regular-season roster? A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tackles that question in a pair of pieces profiling the young duo, concluding that both Bentil and Georges-Hunt are probably more likely to land with the Maine Red Claws than the C’s to start the season.
  • Celtics big man Amir Johnson spoke to Dave Zarum of Sportsnet.ca about how he adjusted to a new city and a new team during his first year in Boston. Johnson also expressed optimism about Boston’s roster, calling Stevens a “brilliant” coach who is “going to put us in the right position to be successful for sure.”
  • In an interesting piece for The Boston Globe, Adam Himmelsbach explains how the Celtics’ coaches keep in touch and connect with the team’s players during the offseason. Members of Stevens’ staff frequently make one-on-one visits with individual players, including new additions like Al Horford and Jaylen Brown.
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Trade Rumors: Covering NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL

September 8th, 2016 at 11:21am CST by Tim Dierkes

The Trade Rumors Network of websites goes well beyond Hoops Rumors.  Please check out our other sites:

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Northwest Notes: Jazz, Ford, Pekovic, Nuggets

September 8th, 2016 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

After initially agreeing to terms with undrafted free agent Quincy Ford in June, the Jazz finally made the deal official this week, and according to Aaron Falk and Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune, Ford’s three-year pact includes a modest guarantee of $75K. Despite the guaranteed money though, the Northeastern alum is a long shot for a roster spot.

As Jones writes, the Jazz already have 14 players on guaranteed contracts, and Jeff Withey is the favorite to earn the final opening on the 15-man roster. That means Ford will likely be ticketed for Utah’s D-League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, to open the season.

Here’s more from out of the Northwest division:

  • In a recent episode of The Scoop podcast (hat tip to Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk), Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities notes that Nikola Pekovic worked out in front of Timberwolves personnel last week, but is “still not ready physically.” Pekovic, who continues to recover from an Achilles issue, has been plagued by health problems in recent years, significantly reducing his role in Minnesota and making him a potential release candidatae.
  • With Joffrey Lauvergne no longer in the mix, the Nuggets will likely have one open spot on their 15-man roster, so Adam Mares of DenverStiffs.com conducts a Q&A with D-League expert Chris Reichert to discuss the six prospects vying for that opening. Former Bucks and Pelicans guard Nate Wolters would be Reichert’s pick for the 15th spot on Denver’s roster.
  • Alex Roig of DailyThunder.com proposes three possible trades for the Thunder that could push the team back into contention in the Western Conference. While Roig’s ideas are probably long shots, with Paul George and Jimmy Butler among the suggested targets, it’s worth keeping in mind that Oklahoma City has a crowded frontcourt and an extra guaranteed salary, making Enes Kanter an intriguing trade chip.
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Pacers Sign Kevin Seraphin

September 8th, 2016 at 9:50am CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 8: The Pacers have formally issued a press release announcing their deal with Seraphin. Within the release, Indiana also officially confirmed the previously-reported signing of Nick Zeisloft.Kevin Seraphin vertical

SEPTEMBER 2: Kevin Seraphin will join the Pacers on a two-year, $3.6MM contract, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical. The deal includes a team option for the second season, sources tell Charania.

Seraphin held workouts for Indiana officials Monday and Tuesday, and the agreement was finalized late Thursday night. The 6’10” center/power forward is expected to sign it sometime next week.

After five years with the Wizards, Seraphin spent last season with the Knicks, averaging 3.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per night in 48 games. The Pacers will count on him to provide depth in the front court behind Myles Turner and free agent addition Al Jefferson.

The signing of Seraphin gives Indiana 16 players with guaranteed contracts heading into training camp.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Raptors Sign E.J. Singler

September 8th, 2016 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 8: The Raptors have officially signed Singler, the team announced today (via Twitter).

AUGUST 24: The Raptors are bringing another player to camp, according to Blake Murphy of Raptors Republic, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has agreed to a deal with E.J. Singler. It’s not clear whether Singler will get any guaranteed money on his new contract, but the former Oregon forward will have the chance to compete for the 15th roster spot, notes Murphy.

The brother of Thunder forward Kyle Singler, E.J. Singler spent a little time with the Raptors 905 in the D-League last season, allowing Toronto’s decision-makers to take a closer look at him. The 26-year-old has yet to appear in a regular-season NBA game since finishing his college career with the Ducks, though he has had brief preseason stints with the Trail Blazers (2013) and Jazz (2015).

In his senior year at Oregon back in 2012/13, Singler averaged 11.7 PPG and 4.9 RPG in 37 contests, shooting 35.9% from three-point range. He may be a long shot to earn a roster spot in Toronto this fall, and could end up returning to the Raptors’ D-League affiliate.

Not including Singler, the Raptors currently have 18 players under contract, including 14 on fully guaranteed salaries and two with partial guarantees.

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Bucks Sign J.J. O’Brien

September 8th, 2016 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have added a couple more players to their offseason roster, inching closer to the 20-man limit. According to RealGM’s NBA transactions log, Milwaukee has signed free agent wing J.J. O’Brien. RealGM also confirms the team’s previously-reported agreement with Orlando Johnson.

An undrafted 24-year-old out of San Diego State, O’Brien played for the Jazz in Summer League action a year ago, then later signed a 10-day contract with the team. However, he only appeared in two regular season contests for Utah. O’Brien spent the majority of the 2015/16 season with the Idaho Stampede, averaging 14.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 1.5 SPG for the D-League squad.

The Bucks already have 15 guaranteed contracts on their books, so O’Brien will have an uphill battle ahead of him as he attempts to earn a roster spot in Milwaukee. In addition to their 15 players with guaranteed salaries, the Bucks have also reportedly reached agreements with Xavier Henry, Ronald Roberts, O’Brien, and Johnson, though the team has yet to formally announce those additions.

[RELATED: Salary Cap Snapshot: Milwaukee Bucks]

While exact details of O’Brien’s and Johnson’s contracts aren’t known, it appears likely that both players got one-year, non-guaranteed deals worth the minimum.

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Southwest Notes: Davis, Pondexter, Bogut, Barnes

September 7th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pelicans GM Dell Demps told a group of fans tonight that Anthony Davis should start the upcoming season with no physical restrictions, the team tweeted. The three-time All-Star was limited to just 61 games last season and was shut down in March because of a sore left knee and a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder. Davis had surgery on the knee, but doctors determined no operation was needed on the shoulder. Davis, who was a first-team all-NBA selection in 2014/15, remained productive when he played last season, averaging 24.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per night.

There’s more news from the Southwest Division:

  • Demps addressed several other players at tonight’s event, including Quincy Pondexter, who was sidelined all of last season and underwent cartilage replacement surgery on his left knee in January. Pondexter had his first full workout today and Demps said, “We are glad to get him back in the fold.” (Twitter link). Demps also said the Pelicans are keeping regular contact with Jrue Holiday as he cares for his ailing wife, and he has the full support of the organization (Twitter link). The GM added that first-round pick Buddy Hield is at the practice court every night (Twitter link) and predicted that second-rounder Cheick Diallo “will become a fan favorite” (Twitter link).
  • The Mavericks improved defensively at both center and small forward with the addition of Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes, writes ESPN’s Kevin Pelton. In his analysis of every player on the team, Pelton writes that Bogut remains one of the league’s best rim protectors, while Barnes, who is versatile enough to defend power forwards and small forwards, represents a clear upgrade from Chandler Parsons.
  • This summer’s signings of Nicolas Laprovittola and Patricio Garino show that the Spurs‘ Argentinian pipeline is still active, according to Trevor Magnotti of Upside and Motor. Magnotti says the 26-year-old Laprovittola, who at 6’4″ primarily plays point guard, is probably the better player right now, but adds that Garino has a better shot at making San Antonio’s roster out of training camp. A “power guard,” Garino is only 23 and the author thinks he may be in the Spurs’ D-League plans.
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Poll: 2008 NBA Draft Take Two (Pick No. 19)

September 7th, 2016 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Scouting players and predicting how their skills will translate to the NBA is one of the more difficult tasks front offices have on their plates. Looking back over past drafts and how many lottery picks never evolved into stars, or even made a significant impact in the league, illustrates just how often stats, combine numbers and pure gut instinct often come up short.

Of course, we get the opportunity to critique these moves with the benefit of hindsight — a luxury that GMs don’t have on draft night. Having said that, it’s still fun to go back in time and take a theoretical look at how these drafts should have/could have gone.

We’ve been revisiting 2008 draft, which had a number of players who have gone on to post big numbers in the league. This was the year of Derrick Rose (No. 1 overall), Russell Westbrook (No. 4), Kevin Love (No. 5), Brook Lopez (No. 10) and Nicolas Batum (No. 25). Over the next few weeks, we’ll be posting a series of polls asking readers to vote on whom teams should have selected in each spot.

We’ve arrived at the No. 19 overall pick, which was held by the Cavaliers. In the “real world” draft, Cleveland selected J.J. Hickson, a 6’9″ freshman center/power forward out of North Carolina State.  Hickson had three promising years with the Cavaliers before being traded to Sacramento in a deal that brought back Omri Casspi and a future first-rounder.

Cast your vote for whom the Cavaliers select and check back on Thursday to see the results, as well as to vote on whom the Charlotte Bobcats should have taken with the No. 20 pick. Also, don’t limit yourself to a simple button click. Take to the comments section below and share your thoughts on the pick and why you voted the way that you did. If we fail to list a player who you think should be selected, feel free to post that in the comments section and we’ll be certain to tally those votes as well.

  1. Bulls — Russell Westbrook [Actual Pick — Derrick Rose]
  2. Heat — Kevin Love [Actual Pick — Michael Beasley]
  3. Wolves — Derrick Rose [Actual Pick — O.J. Mayo]
  4. Sonics/Thunder — DeAndre Jordan [Actual Pick — Russell Westbrook]
  5. Grizzlies — Brook Lopez [Actual Pick — Kevin Love]
  6. Knicks — Serge Ibaka  [Actual Pick — Danilo Gallinari]
  7. Clippers — Nicolas Batum [Actual Pick — Eric Gordon]
  8. Bucks — Goran Dragic [Actual Pick — Joe Alexander]
  9. Bobcats/Hornets — Danilo Gallinari [Actual Pick — D.J. Augustin]
  10. Nets — Ryan Anderson [Actual Pick — Brook Lopez]
  11. Blazers (from Pacers) — Eric Gordon [Actual Pick — Jerryd Bayless]
  12. Kings — George Hill  [Actual Pick — Jason Thompson]
  13. Pacers (from Blazers) — Robin Lopez [Actual Pick — Brandon Rush]
  14. Warriors — Courtney Lee [Actual Pick — Anthony Randolph]
  15. Suns — Roy Hibbert [Actual Pick — Robin Lopez]
  16. Sixers— Nikola Pekovic [Actual Pick  — Marreese Speights]
  17. Raptors — O.J. Mayo [Actual Pick — Roy Hibbert]
  18. Wizards — Mario Chalmers [Actual Pick — JaVale McGee]
  19. Cavaliers — ?? [Actual Pick  — J.J. Hickson]

If you’re a Trade Rumors app user, click here to vote.

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Community Shootaround: Paul Pierce

September 7th, 2016 at 7:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

No matter when he decides to retire, Paul Pierce will probably be five years away from the Hall of Fame. However, that day may come sooner than anyone anticipated. At age 38 and with training camp less than three weeks away, Pierce is reportedly still deciding whether to return for his 19th NBA season.

That bit of insider information comes from Pierce’s coach with the Clippers, Doc Rivers, who also coached Pierce during some of his best seasons with the Celtics. Although it was reported last month that Pierce was definitely returning, Rivers said he hasn’t decided for sure.

“Depends on the day I talk to him,” Rivers said during an appearance Tuesday in Boston. “Paul has had the summer, he’s gone back and forth. … Paul didn’t have the best year last year. I don’t think he wants to go out that way. So I think that’s why he’s working to try to come back. But he still may change his mind next week. So we just have to wait. I told him if I see him at training camp, I’m assuming he’s playing.”

Rivers added that Pierce needs to retire as a Celtic, presumably with a one-day ceremonial contract. And although Pierce will always be associated with Boston, he hasn’t worn kelly green since the 2012/13 season, playing one year each for the Nets, Wizards and Clippers since then.

Pierce has been slipping for a while, as can be expected of any player in his late 30s, but the dropoff last season was sharp. He played in 68 games, but averaged just 6.1 points in 18.1 minutes, both career lows. In addition, his shooting percentages were way down — 36% from the field and 31% from 3-point range. He played less than 11 minutes per game in the playoff loss to the Blazers.

Pierce still has two seasons and $7.2MM left on the contract he signed with the Clippers last summer, but he made it clear at the time that he didn’t intend to play out the entire deal. As the clock ticks toward training camp, the question seems to be whether he wants to put his body through the rigors of one more NBA season.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Should Pierce try to play in 2016/17 or should he join all-time greats Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan in what is shaping up to be a legendary 2021 hall of fame class? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

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Hornets Sign Andrew Andrews, Rasheed Sulaimon

September 7th, 2016 at 6:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hornets officially signed Andrew Andrews and Rasheed Sulaimon, the team announced today. The signings give Charlotte 18 players under contract with training camp looming at the end of the month.

Andrews, 23, is a 6’2″ point guard who played four years at the University of Washington. As a senior, he averaged 20.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 34 games with the Huskies. Andrews received a training camp invitation from Charlotte in early August.

Sulaimon, 22, is a 6’4″ shooting guard who averaged 11.1 points, 3.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds as a senior with Maryland last season. He played with the Bulls’ summer league team and reached an agreement with the Hornets on August 7th. Sulaimon will spend the upcoming season with Charlotte’s new D-League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.

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