Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Gortman, Bamba, All-Value Team, TV Ratings

December 25th, 2025 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Multiple college coaches have reached out to Jazian Gortman‘s camp to see if the 22-year-old guard, who has been playing for the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League, would have interest in playing NCAA ball, tweets Jeff Goodman of Field of 68.

Gortman was part of the Overtime Elite program in 2022/23, went undrafted in 2023, and has spent multiple years since then playing in the G League. However, unlike James Nnaji, who enrolled at Baylor this week two years after being drafted by Charlotte, Gortman has actually played in the NBA.

In addition to signing Exhibit 10 contracts with the Bucks, Mavericks, and Thunder since 2023, Gortman also spent over three months in 2024/25 on a two-way deal with Dallas, appearing in 16 NBA games during that time.

According to Goodman, Gortman conveyed that he’s not interested in going the college route. However, the fact that he generated interest at all is an indication that college programs are continuing to test the limits of the NCAA’s increasingly lenient interpretation of rules related to a player’s so-called “amateur” status.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

After recently suggesting that the Raptors should strongly consider Mo Bamba for a 10-day contract next month, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca asked sources why the former lottery pick is currently toiling in the G League rather than the NBA. The general consensus, Grange says, is that there are concerns about the consistency of Bamba’s effort. “He has every tool necessary to be an elite player … but he will always be a tease, unfortunately,” one league executive said. Bamba has averaged 16.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game in 14 outings for the Salt Lake City Stars this season.
Which NBA players are on the most team-friendly contracts? Bobby Marks of ESPN selects his 15-man “All-Value team,” singling out players like Hawks guard Vit Krejci, Celtics center Neemias Queta, Mavericks guard Brandon Williams, and the Spencer brothers (Pat Spencer of the Warriors and Cam Spencer of the Grizzlies). Marks’ team is made of players earning less than $3MM this season who weren’t signed via the first- or second-round cap exceptions.
Ahead of the NBA’s Christmas Day games, the league announced that more than 87 million people have watched games so far this season on ESPN, NBC/Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, and NBA TV (Twitter link). That figure represents an 89% increase on last season in the first year of the NBA’s new media rights deal, according to the league.

Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Brunson Named Players Of Week

December 22nd, 2025 at 2:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson were named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).

This marks the second career Player of the Week award for Jackson, who averaged 27.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.7 blocks in 32.7 minutes per game and led Memphis to a 2-1 record during the week of December 15-21.

Jackson recorded a season-high 31 points and five blocks in the Grizzlies’ 121-103 road win last Monday against the Clippers and followed that with 28 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and three blocks in Memphis’ 116-110 road victory on Wednesday against Minnesota.

Brunson racked up 31.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game as the Knicks went 2-1 after their NBA Cup triumph. He had 47 points in the Knicks’ 132-125 win over Miami on Sunday.

It’s the second major individual award for Brunson over the past week. He was also named the MVP of the NBA Cup. He also becomes the first two-time Eastern Conference Player of the Week this season, having also earned the honor on December 1.

Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers), Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Keyonte George (Jazz), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) were the other nominees for the Western Conference Player of the Week award.

Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic (Bulls), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Derrick White (Celtics) were the other nominees in the East.

Atlantic Notes: Thomas, Powell, Gonzalez, Mamukelashvili

December 21st, 2025 at 9:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Cam Thomas went through a five-on-five workout for the Nets on Saturday and experienced no setbacks, writes the New York Post’s Brian Lewis (via Twitter).

A hamstring injury has limited Thomas to just eight games this season. He hasn’t played since November 5, when he left the game less than six minutes into his night. In the seven games before that, the Nets guard averaged 24.4 points and 2.9 assists on .408/.356/.875 shooting splits, including a 41-point performance in a loss to the Spurs.

Head coach Jordi Fernandez said there is still no specific target date for Thomas to suit up for the Nets, but noted that this represented a significant step toward his return.

Brooklyn entered Sunday’s game against the Raptors with a 7-19 record, the third-worst mark in the Eastern Conference.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Drake Powell left the Nets‘ loss to the Heat on Thursday after playing just four minutes due to a right ankle injury. This marks the third right ankle injury Powell has suffered this season, but Fernandez says he’s not overly worried about the issue, according to Lewis (Twitter link). “Not concerned, and he’ll be back soon,” Fernandez said of last year’s 22nd-overall pick. Powell has played 19 games for the Nets this season, averaging 6.0 points in 17.7 minutes per contest while shooting 37.8% from three and hitting 20-of-21 free throw attempts.
Hugo Gonzalez has emerged as a bright spot in the Celtics‘ wing rotation and is proving to be one of the steals of the 2025 draft, opines Brian Robb of MassLive. Gonzalez posted his first double-double in a win on Saturday against the Raptors and was only limited by foul trouble. Head coach Joe Mazzulla was impressed by the young Spaniard’s performance, suggesting he doesn’t mind that Gonzalez’ play occasionally borders on reckless. “[He’s] finding the balance of knowing how to be super aggressive versus defending without fouling so we can keep you on the floor,” Mazzulla said. “You don’t want to take that away because of his instincts and ability to make plays on both ends. He has a great knack for the ball defensively and he’s learning how to play against different matchups and coverages on the offensive end.”
Sandro Mamukelashvili has gone from career journeyman to key contributor for the Raptors, who entered Sunday with the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, writes Michael Grange for Sportsnet. “My main focus was [always] like, ‘Just come in there and beat the odds and prove everybody that I can actually stay in this league,’” Mamukelashvili said. Grange notes that the two-year, $5.5MM deal the 26-year-old signed this summer created the most stable situation he has experienced during his time in the league. The versatile big man has responded by posting career highs in points and assists while shooting 39.8% on 3.1 three-point attempts per game. He has been an important part of the Raptors’ season as starting center Jakob Poeltl has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries. That trend continued on Sunday’s game against the Nets, as Poeltl exited early with back stiffness.

Celtics Notes: Hauser, Tatum, Brown, Walsh, Queta

December 20th, 2025 at 9:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sam Hauser rediscovering his long-distance shot could have a bigger impact on the Celtics than any potential trade before the deadline, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. After struggling from three-point range for most of the season, Hauser drilled 5-of-6 attempts in Friday’s win over Miami.

“It’s great to see it go down,” Hauser said. “Always. It’s just kind of the way the year’s been so far, but I’ve started like this before in past seasons. So, I’m pretty confident on getting back to where I know I can get to.”

A 42% three-point shooter throughout his career, Hauser was languishing at 34% for the season coming into Friday. Terada points out that Hauser has experienced hot-and-cold stretches before, including a year ago when he shot poorly from beyond the arc for the first month and a half, then topped 42.6% each month for the rest of the season.

“I feel like sometimes shot-making is contagious,” Hauser said. “And once you see a couple guys make a couple, then you make a couple. Then it’s like you just feed off each other’s energy. And sometimes you have quarters like that where it’s just an explosion.”

There’s more from Boston:

Count Jaylen Brown among the believers that Jayson Tatum will return from his Achilles tear and play at some point this season. Brown expressed confidence in his teammate’s recuperative powers in a stream this week with DDG, Terada relays in a separate story. “JT just always recovers,” Brown said. “He always recovers. … He’ll probably break the record for fastest recovery in Achilles history or some (expletive). I wouldn’t put it past him.”
Brown was held out of Saturday’s game at Toronto with a non-COVID illness, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Brown had 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in 35 minutes on Friday, but he wasn’t available to talk to the media after the game.
Strong starts to the season by Jordan Walsh and Neemias Queta could cause the Celtics to consider extensions with both players, Robb states in a mailbag column. The team holds a $2.4MM option on Walsh for next season, but that could be declined in favor of a long-term deal that would prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027. Queta won’t become eligible until next season, but Robb believes an extension is possible if he sustains his current level of play.
Walsh played fewer than 13 minutes on Saturday, but coach Joe Mazzulla explained that it was due to an illness he was experiencing before the game, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.

Southwest Notes: Irving, Zion, Borrego, Rockets

December 20th, 2025 at 5:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Brett Siegel of Clutch Points wrote on Friday that it “truly seems” as if Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving will be able to return from his ACL tear at some point in January. However, head coach Jason Kidd said this week that there’s still no specific timeline for Irving as he works his way through the rehab process, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.

“There’s no schedule still,” Kidd said. “He’s just still doing the things he’s supposed to… He’s in a good place. He’s rehabbing. That’s the only update I can really give you — that he’s in a good place and he’s doing everything he’s supposed to.”

Irving tore his left ACL on March 3 and underwent surgery to repair the injury on March 27. Next weekend will represent the nine-month mark since that procedure, so the window for Irving’s potential return could open in the coming weeks.

Still, it’s not uncommon for an ACL tear to sideline a player for a full year or even longer than that, and the Mavs will certainly take a cautious approach with the 33-year-old — especially since the team currently sits outside the top 10 in the West.

We have more from around the Southwest:

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has come off the bench in each of his first two games back from an adductor strain and spent the final 17 minutes of Thursday’s comeback overtime win over Houston on the sidelines. The decision – and the victory – felt significant, according to William Guillory of The Athletic, who suggests it could be interpreted as a sign of the team taking steps toward a future in which Williamson isn’t the top priority.
With the Pelicans riding a three-game winning streak, Rod Walker of NOLA.com (subscription required) contends that head of basketball operations Joe Dumars should remove the interim tag from head coach James Borrego — or at least place him high on the short list of candidates to coach New Orleans beyond this season. Pelicans swingman Trey Murphy III lauded Borrego for “igniting” the team, while forward Saddiq Bey also had high praise for the interim coach. “He’s made some helluva adjustments,” Bey said. “In the game, scout and when we are going through shootaround. He’s a great mind on both ends of the floor and we really trust him.”
Tilman Fertitta‘s Rockets ownership group is engaged in “substantive” talks with the Connecticut Sun about the possibility of purchasing and relocating the WNBA, sources tell Alexa Philippou and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. A group led by Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca previously reached a tentative agreement with the Sun to move the franchise to Boston, but the WNBA effectively blocked that deal, and there’s a belief the league would prefer to see the team move to Houston, per Philippou and Shelburne.
In a feature story for ESPN.com, Michael C. Wright takes a look at how veteran forward Kevin Durant has meshed with the Rockets‘ young duo of Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, as well as the ongoing development of the chemistry between Sengun and Thompson.

Injury Notes: Poeltl, Barrett, Dante, Sixers, Bradley, Brown

December 20th, 2025 at 5:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, who has been dealing with a back issue this season, will miss a second straight game on Saturday as Toronto hosts the Celtics, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

“We have a long-term plan for him,” head coach Darko Rajakovic said, “which consists of managing this injury and which consists of building his strength, which consists of him playing through a certain level of discomfort.

“But we’re not concerned at all. It’s just something that we are dealing (with) in the middle of the season. If we were in the offseason and you shut him down for two weeks, he would be completely fine, but it’s something we’re really trying to manage day to day. At this point, it’s not to that point that we just need to shut him down. It’s not that serious.”

Meanwhile, Raptors forward RJ Barrett will miss a 12th consecutive game on Saturday due to his right knee sprain, but he’s making progress toward a return. According to Grange (Twitter link), Barrett has resumed on-court activities. The plan is for him to do live work against coaches in the coming days, then participate in practice and scrimmage with teammates.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Hawks center N’Faly Dante may have sustained a serious knee injury while playing in the G League for the College Park Skyhawks on Friday. According to John Hollinger (Bluesky links), Dante was in significant pain after awkwardly twisting his right knee following a rebound and had to be carried off the court. It was the big man’s first game since he entered the concussion protocol on December 2, tweets Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com.
Sixers center Joel Embiid (illness and right knee injury management) will miss a second consecutive game on Saturday vs. Dallas, while forward Paul George (left knee injury management) has also been ruled out, tweets Marc Stein. George hasn’t played both ends of a back-to-back set yet this season, so his absence comes as no surprise after he suited up for Friday’s win over New York.
Pacers center Tony Bradley suffered a fracture on the tip of his thumb, according to head coach Rick Carlisle, who referred to the thumb as “partially functional” with a splint on it, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter links). While it sounds like Bradley will remain active, the decision to sign James Wiseman to a 10-day contract was directly related to that injury, Carlisle said (Twitter link via Dopirak). While Wiseman will give the team some additional depth, he’s probably not in NBA game shape quite yet, Carlisle admitted.
The Celtics will be without top scorer Jaylen Brown when they take on the Raptors on Saturday night. Brown, who played in 26 of Boston’s first 27 games, has been ruled out due to an illness, per the team (Twitter link).

Celtics Notes: Chisholm, Brown, White, Christian

December 18th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Bill Chisholm was something of an underdog when the Celtics unexpectedly put the franchise up for sale in the weeks following their 2024 NBA championship, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe writes in an in-depth profile of the team’s new owner (subscription required).

As Himmelsbach outlines, there was initially hope within the organization that Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca, who already owned about 20% of the franchise, would take over majority control of the team, and there were doubts about Chisholm’s ability to raise the necessary capital. But when it became clear that the group of potential buyers didn’t include anyone who could easily outbid Chisholm, he became more confident about his odds.

“It felt like if there’s a unicorn out there, if a Jeff Bezos is in the mix, forget it,” Chisholm said. “But I just didn’t hear that. It was like, ‘I like my chances here.’ The (Pagliuca) thing was a wild card, obviously.”

Chisholm grew up as a Celtics fan and impressed governor Wyc Grousbeck and other team executives with his genuine passion for the team. More importantly, Chisholm’s bid for the franchise came in about $100MM higher than the next-closest offer. It was also $500MM above Pagliuca’s bid, though that offer was fully funded.

The Celtics ultimately decided to go with Chisholm and reached a deal in March of 2025, which included an agreement that he would have until December 31 to fully fund the transaction. Chisholm spent the next few months working the phones to bring in minority investors and raise the capital necessary to finalize the deal, which was officially approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors in August.

The new Celtics owner told Himmelsbach that he would have had to pay a break-up free worth “several hundred million dollars” if he hadn’t fully funded his bid — he’s relieved that it ultimately wasn’t an issue.

“That was my biggest calculated risk of the whole deal,” Chisholm said. “I wouldn’t say it was irresponsible, but it was a risk.”

We have more on the Celtics:

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown racked up 34 points on Monday vs. Detroit but also missed seven free throws in a game the team lost by seven points. He shouldered the blame for the defeat, as Jay King of The Athletic writes. “I’ve got to do better to get my team over the hump,” Brown said. “In my mind, I didn’t have my best game tonight, so that’s on me. Especially in the fourth quarter, just some mindset plays. Foul. Staying down on the shot fake. Had a turnover in the fourth and then just too many missed free throws. Just mentality-wise, mindset-wise, I needed to be more for my team. I wasn’t tonight.”
Informed of Brown’s post-game comments, guard Derrick White said his teammate was being too hard on himself, according to King. “I think that’s kind of what makes him special,” White said on Monday. “He had 30-something (points) and still wants to do better for us, and so that’s what makes him special. He’s probably his toughest critic, and we know that he’s going to bounce back and continue to do special things for us. And so, obviously, this loss isn’t on him. It’s on all of us, and we got his back, but that’s just kind of the guy he is in this and why we love playing with him.”
Jarell Christian, the general manager of the Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine, is leaving the team to become an assistant coach for the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Christian has past coaching experience, having held assistant positions at multiples colleges, in the G League, and with the Wizards. He also spent one year as the head coach of the Capital City Go-Go (2018/19) and another coaching the Maine Celtics (2021/22).
As the Celtics prepare for trade season, Brian Robb of MassLive.com takes a look at the assets available to the team, where Boston stands in relation to the tax and apron lines, and what the club’s goals should be. Finding another true center figures to be a top priority for the Celtics, who will also likely assess whether it makes sense to try to duck out of the tax, Robb writes.

Stevens: Celtics May Consider Buying At Trade Deadline

December 17th, 2025 at 8:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Celtics have been one of the surprise stories of the 2025/26 season, boasting the 10th-best record in the league through their first 26 games despite seeing superstar forward Jayson Tatum tear his Achilles in last season’s playoffs and then losing most of their big man rotation in free agency and trades.

That success has given team president Brad Stevens more flexibility as he considers whether to push chips in or accumulate more assets at the trade deadline, Jay King writes for The Athletic.

“We will not put a ceiling on this group,” Stevens said. “If it makes sense for us to look for things that can help us, we certainly will. But it all has to be within good deals, and it all has to be within the ultimate goal, which is the North Star of retooling so we’re in a position to compete for what we want to compete for (a championship).”

King notes that Boston is currently around $12.1MM over the luxury tax line, so a move to shed salary could help the team’s financial situation. However, the Celtics have won 15 of their last 23 games, fueled in large part by Jaylen Brown, who is sixth in the league in scoring at 29.3 points per game, and may find themselves too good to compete for a high draft pick.

“I think everybody, or a lot of teams, are really still very much in, ‘Let’s see how everything looks as time goes on,'” Stevens said. “Everybody’s a work in progress. What’s the difference between third and ninth in the East right now? There’s hardly anything, right? And I think that we’re all still trying to figure out who we are and what we can be.”

Stevens declined to specify what areas he could target via trade, but King speculates that a move to shore up the frontcourt would make the most sense. Anfernee Simons, on an expiring $27.7MM contract, stands out as a trade candidate should the team seek to improve its roster.

One detail that will likely play a determining role in how the Celtics proceed this season is Tatum’s status as he looks to return from an Achilles tear that has kept him off the court since May.

Tatum has reportedly looked better than expected during his rehabilitation, but there are still no concrete expectations.

“We’re not putting a timeline on it as we haven’t the whole time,” Stevens said. “One of the things that everybody can see (is) that we didn’t apply for a (disabled player exception) this year, which was a conscious decision for a lot of reasons. But the reality is he’s not going to be back until he’s 110 percent healthy and he feels good about it.

“… Obviously, he’s itching to play. Obviously he hates watching. But he’s also very cognizant of the need to meet every threshold and why there are those things that are put in place. … There’s the strength thresholds he has to meet. And then, after that, several weeks of progressions, right, from the standpoint of scripted against small groups, scripted against bigger groups, scripted in 5-on-5, unscripted random, all the way up through those. But it’s a long progression, and it’s almost like, once you hit the strength, then you do your thresholds of a progression of play, and then you’re also reconditioning to play real minutes, whatever that looks like.”

Celtics Notes: Queta, Tatum, Walsh, Trade Options

December 13th, 2025 at 7:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

Neemias Queta has solved the Celtics‘ center problems this season, but he has been disappointed with his free throw shooting, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. There were concerns about what Boston would do in the middle after trading Kristaps Porzingis and seeing Al Horford and Luke Kornet leave in free agency, but Queta stepped into the starting role and has provided consistent scoring, rebounding and defense. However, he’s connecting at just 61.2% from the foul stripe after being a 71.3% career shooter coming into the season.

“I can get better,” Queta said. “It’s been a tough year for me at the line. I usually feel pretty confident when I’m out there. I don’t know what’s going on. Maybe it’s repetition or maybe it’s just getting my legs under it. But something I need to get better at, most definitely, because that’s unacceptable. … I’m too good of a shooter to shoot that bad.”

Terada adds that Queta’s breakout season has been massive considering that backup big men Luka Garza and Xavier Tillman have both dropped out of the rotation. Coach Joe Mazzulla has gone with smaller lineups when Queta rests, using Josh Minott and other players in the middle.

There’s more from Boston:

Jayson Tatum posted several lengthy workout videos to his Instagram account this week, but Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscription required) cautions that doesn’t mean the All-Star forward will be returning soon. It’s been seven months since Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon, and Himmelsbach states that he continues to remind team officials that he wants to play this season. However, a league source tells Himmelsbach that Tatum still has to reach several milestones in the recovery process before that can be considered.
Doc Rivers is the latest opposing coach to be impressed by Jordan Walsh, Himmelsbach adds in the same piece. The third-year forward has established himself as an elite defender this season, and his shooting has been outrageous lately as he’s 30-of-37 from the field and 9-of-12 from three-point range in December. “It seems like they just put him on anybody to pressure,” Rivers said of Walsh after Thursday’s game in Milwaukee. “His energy is infectious, man. If you don’t want to play hard when you’re watching him play, then there’s something wrong with you.”
The prospect of Tatum returning could prompt the Celtics to be more aggressive about finding another center at the trade deadline rather than waiting for the offseason, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Robb responds to a question about Ivica Zubac, saying the team may be hesitant to part with multiple first-round picks for a big man and is likely to pursue minimum-salary options if a player of that caliber isn’t available.

Kerr, Spoelstra, Lue Top List Of NBA’s Highest-Paid Coaches

December 10th, 2025 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is the NBA’s highest-paid head coach, with an average annual value of $17.5MM on his current contract, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico. Erik Spoelstra of the Heat and Tyronn Lue of the Clippers round out the top three at $15MM per year, Badenhausen adds.

While Kerr is the highest earner among head coaches in the short term, his deal with Golden State expires at the end of the 2025/26 season, whereas Spoelstra (eight years) and Lue (five years) signed longer-term extensions in 2024, so they’re assured of far more overall guaranteed money.

After that top three, there are several coaches in the range of $11MM annually, per Badenhausen: Doc Rivers of the Bucks, Ime Udoka of the Rockets, Joe Mazzulla of the Celtics, and Rick Carlisle of the Pacers.

The Knicks‘ Mike Brown is the only other coach with an average annual value of at least $10MM, with Mavericks coach Jason Kidd coming in at $9.5MM per year and Lakers coach JJ Redick at $9MM annually.

Interestingly, while Spoelstra, Kerr, and Lue are three of the NBA’s four longest-tenured head coaches, the other member of that group – Billy Donovan of the Bulls, the league’s third longest-tenured coach – doesn’t crack the list of top 10 salaries shared by Badenhausen.

Details on the other 20 NBA head coaches’ contracts aren’t included in Badenhausen’s report, but he notes that the lower end of coaching salaries is approximately $4MM per year. Presumably, that figure applies only to coaches who have the title permanently, rather than assistants who have received in-season promotions and are serving as interim replacements, such as James Borrego in New Orleans or Tiago Splitter in Portland.

For what it’s worth, the NBA’s estimated average salary for players in 2025/26 is $13.87MM, so just three of 30 head coaches are earning more than an average player in the league.