Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Scotto’s Latest: Trae, Risacher, AD, Zubac, Pacers, Celtics, Cavs

January 6th, 2026 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks, Timberwolves, and Clippers are among the teams that are monitoring Trae Young‘s situation along with Washington, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

While Dallas doesn’t appear to have any interest in the Hawks‘ point guard, the Mavericks are among the clubs that have called to inquire about former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, league sources tell Scotto. However, the Hawks have been opposed to including either Risacher or their top 2026 first-rounder (the most favorable of the Bucks/Pelicans picks) in any trade discussions involving big man Anthony Davis.

If Atlanta and Dallas do pursue a deal involving Davis, the Mavericks would likely be seeking expiring contracts like those belonging to Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7MM) and Luke Kennard ($11MM), according to Scotto, who notes that Hawks senior VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham is close with Davis dating back to their time together in New Orleans.

Here’s more from Scotto’s latest rumor round-up:

Although Ivica Zubac has drawn significant interest from potential suitors, the Clippers don’t appear inclined to become deadline sellers, especially after their recent run of seven wins in eight games. Earlier in the season, there was a sense that it would take at least two first-round picks for L.A. to consider parting with Zubac, Scotto writes, adding that the Pacers and Celtics both expressed interest in the big man. Those two clubs were previously linked to the Clippers center.
In addition to Zubac, the Pacers have checked in on Nicolas Claxton of the Nets, Yves Missi of the Pelicans, Daniel Gafford of the Mavericks, and Walker Kessler of the Jazz as they seek out a long-term answer at center, league sources tell Scotto.
The Celtics, meanwhile, have been unwilling to attach a first-round pick to Anfernee Simons to move off his contract, Scotto writes. Presumably, the Celtics would be more open to that idea in a deal that nets them a quality player, but not in a pure salary-dump trade for luxury tax purposes. Scotto goes on to say that Boston isn’t looking to take back multiyear salary in any Simons trade, so if the team were exploring a deal with a trade partner like the Nets, Day’Ron Sharpe ($6.25MM team option for 2026/27) and Ziaire Williams (ditto) would hold far more appeal than Terance Mann, who is owed $31.5MM over the two seasons after this one.
The Cavaliers have rebuffed inquiries on their core players, but teams around the NBA – cognizant of Cleveland’s unfavorable cap/tax situation – are continuing to monitor the situation to see if that stance changes. According to Scotto, the belief among executives is that if the Cavs do decide to move someone like Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, it’s more likely to happen during the offseason than in the next month.

Deni Avdija, Tyrese Maxey Named Players Of Week

January 5th, 2026 at 2:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija and Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).

Avdija averaged 26.8 points, 9.8 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game while leading to Portland to a 3-1 record during the week of December 29 to January 4. This is the first time Avdija has earned Player of the Week honors. He’s the first Portland player to get the nod since Damian Lillard on Feb. 6, 2023.

Maxey averaged 34.7 points and 8.7 assists per game while shooting 61.2% from the field as the Sixers went 3-0. It’s the third time Maxey has earned Player of the Week honors, including the second time this season — he joins Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Celtics wing Jaylen Brown as the Eastern Conference’s two-time winners so far in 2025/26.

Devin Booker (Suns), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Kevin Durant (Rockets), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Kawhi Leonard (Clippers) were the other nominees in the West.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Paolo Banchero and Anthony Black (Magic), Brown (Celtics) and Cade Cunningham (Pistons) were also nominated in the East.

Celtics Notes: Brown, Walsh, Mazzulla, Stevens

January 4th, 2026 at 8:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Jaylen Brown‘s already impressive season reached a new level during Saturday night’s victory over the Clippers, writes Jay King for The Athletic.

The Celtics wing scored 50 points and dished out six assists while requesting to take the Kawhi Leonard matchup defensively. King writes that the term “two-way player” means a lot to Brown, as it highlights what he believes the game to really be about.

“Y’all focus on the wrong stuff in the media,” Brown said. “Y’all focus on offense and tough shot-making. I just think that’s not basketball. I think basketball is rebounding. Basketball is defense, defensive versatility, making plays. I know it’s entertainment and that’s what we want to push, but if it comes down to this basketball s–t, I just feel like I’m one of the best.”

Brown is currently second league-wide in opponent field goal percentage, holding players to 39.4% from the field, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter). That puts him just behind Cason Wallace and just ahead of Victor Wembanyama.

Brown’s coaches and teammates were impressed by the performance, but they weren’t surprised.

“When I saw that Player of the Month (decision), with the stats (Brown posted in December), I knew what was coming,” Luka Garza said. “I’m not like LeBron, I’m not saying I knew he would have 50. I’m just saying I knew he would come out and try to prove a point.”

We have more from the Celtics:

After having some big games earlier in the season as a starter, Jordan Walsh came off the bench for the first time since November 11 on Saturday after being benched in the second half of Thursday’s win over the Kings, writes King. “I feel like the other team has to feel me. The other staff has to feel me,” Walsh said in response to the move. “The other organization has to feel me. Every time I’m on the court, I’ve got to constantly make it hard for everybody else to kind of survive on the other team. I feel like I hadn’t been doing that. So, I’ve gotta make sure that I am doing that.” The third-year wing responded by scoring 13 points with 13 rebounds in just under 30 minutes off the bench in the win over the Clippers. “I’m no stranger to this, you know what I’m saying?” said Walsh. “I started where I had to always stay ready for my next opportunity. And if that’s the situation I’m in again now, that’s what I got to be ready for.”
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla believes that the recent stretch of play has allowed his team to find itself and understand what makes it special, Chris Mannix writes for Sports Illustrated. “We’ve developed our identity over the last month, month and a half,” Mazzulla said. “We know what it looks like and we have to be able to do it every night.” Mannix writes that what was meant to be a gap year is turning into the league’s feel-good story. “I think we’re just hungry,” said Derrick White, who scored 29 points against the Clippers. “Everybody kind of doubted [us]. We got a lot of guys that have that chip on their shoulder. Guys that have been waived haven’t really had the opportunity in the NBA and now they’re getting that chance … it’s been a lot of fun.”
It was unclear coming into the season – and even throughout most of the fall – whether team president Brad Stevens would consider the Celtics a buyer or a seller, but this recent road trip has answered some of those questions, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Robb suggests that the Celtics have proven Stevens should be in acquisition mode rather than seeking a cost-cutting move, given the openness of the Eastern Conference. Boston is currently just a half-game out of second place.

Celtics Notes: Brown, Bench, Walsh, Roster Opening

January 3rd, 2026 at 7:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jaylen Brown reacted in disbelief to the NBA’s announcement that Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was selected as Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe relays in a subscriber-only piece. The Celtics star responded to the Twitter post with “Smh,” which is online shorthand for “shaking my head.”

Himmelsbach points out that Brown had better numbers during the month than Brunson, and the teams finished with similar records as Boston went 9-3 and New York was 10-4. However, the Knicks captured the NBA Cup, which may have tilted the race in Brunson’s favor.

Brown also lamented that so much of the discourse surrounding the game, especially in the media, is focused on offense. He argues that his overall value should be considered in awards balloting.

“On any given night I can pick up guys full court,” he said. “I guard a (power forward), I can guard a (small forward), I can guard a (shooting guard). And I’ve guarded (point guards), so being able to be versatile on offense but also versatile on defense. There’s not a lot of guys who are the top of our league who can do that, who is capable of even doing that. And night to night, it’s difficult.

“Any given night I can take over a game, defensively, and take over a game, offensively. We don’t measure the game like that. It’s however many points you score, how many threes you hit. I guess that’s how good you are. I think a real impact on the game of basketball is if you can dominate on both offense and defense and, any given night, I think I can do both.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Improved bench play may change the team’s outlook heading into the trade deadline, suggests Brian Robb of MassLive. Coach Joe Mazzulla relied heavily on his starters early in the season, but lately he’s been getting production throughout the lineup. Robb points out that Luka Garza, Sam Hauser and Anfernee Simons all scored in double figures off the bench in Thursday’s win at Sacramento, while fellow reserve Hugo Gonzalez led the team with a +20 net rating.
The bench production resulted in a five-minute night for Jordan Walsh, who started the game but didn’t return after being subbed out, notes Souichi Terada of MassLive. Walsh has played well since assuming a starting role, and Mazzulla emphasized that he didn’t do anything wrong. “It’s just we can go to so many different things,” Mazzulla said. “I think you saw what Sam was able to do in the first half. Coming out of halftime and making a change I think can throw a team off to start a game. … It’s really just taking any advantage we can with the entire roster that we have, and just trying to win segments of the game and kind of go runs and catch opponents off-guard with different matchups and different opportunities there.”
In a mailbag column, Robb speculates that the Celtics won’t fill their open roster spot until very late in the regular season. He adds that the move will be determined by injuries or need. If they’re short on big men, Robb sees two-way player Amari Williams as the favorite if the team decides to promote from within. Otherwise, it could be Ron Harper Jr., who already has three years of NBA experience.

Spurs’ Johnson, Celtics’ Mazzulla Named Coaches Of The Month

January 2nd, 2026 at 3:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson is December’s Coach of the Month in the Western Conference, while Joe Mazzulla of the Celtics is the Eastern Conference recipient of the award, the NBA announced today (Twitter link).

Johnson guided the Spurs to an 11-3 record in December, not including the NBA Cup final, which doesn’t count toward the regular season standings. San Antonio’s big month, which included three separate victories over the defending champion Thunder, occurred despite Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle each missing multiple games due to injuries.

In addition to posting the NBA’s best record for the month, the Spurs also had the fifth-best offensive rating (118.9) and sixth-ranked defensive rating (112.0), which helped earn Johnson Coach of the Month recognition over fellow nominees David Adelman (Nuggets), Mark Daigneault (Thunder), and Chris Finch (Timberwolves), per the league (Twitter link).

As for Mazzulla’s Celtics, they ranked eighth in the East entering December, but finished the month as the No. 3 seed in the conference after going 9-3.

Even without perennial All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum, Boston had the NBA’s best offensive rating (124.3) and second-best net rating (+11.0) in December en route to wins over the Knicks, Lakers, and Raptors (twice), among others.

J.B. Bickerstaff of the Pistons, Mike Brown of the Knicks, and Jordi Fernandez of the Nets were also nominated for the award.

Daigneault and Bickerstaff earned the monthly honor for games played in October and November.

Jalen Brunson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Win Player Of The Month Awards

January 2nd, 2026 at 2:14pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of star point guards and MVP candidates have been named the NBA’s Players of the Month for December, with Jalen Brunson of the Knicks winning the award in the East and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder claiming it in the West, per the league (Twitter link).

Brunson was named Player of the Week twice in December and led the Knicks to an NBA Cup championship. He averaged 30.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per contest in 13 December outings, posting a strong shooting line of .475/.405/.826 and leading his team to a 10-3 record in the games he played.

Those stats don’t include the NBA Cup final, which doesn’t count toward the regular season, but he was excellent in that game too, racking up 25 points and eight assists as the Knicks toppled the Spurs.

Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, continued to strengthen his case for a second consecutive Most Valuable Player award in 12 December appearances, with averages of 31.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game, and a scorching-hot .594/.436/.882 shooting line.

Gilgeous-Alexander now ranks second in the NBA in scoring (32.1 PPG), while his Thunder – following a 9-4 December – hold the league’s best record at 29-5.

It’s the third time Brunson has won a Player of the Month award and the fifth time Gilgeous-Alexander has earned the honor. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were the NBA’s first Players of the Month this season, for games played in October and November.

Cunningham was also nominated for the Eastern Conference award in December, along with Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Raptors forward Brandon Ingram, Hawks forward, Jalen Johnson, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., and Brunson’s teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

The other Western Conference nominees were Jokic, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, Jazz guard Keyonte George, Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, Trail Blazers teammates Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe, Timberwolves teammates Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, and Lakers teammates Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.

Holmgren, Stewart Named Defensive Players Of The Month

January 2nd, 2026 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

A Thunder player has been named the Western Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month for a second consecutive time. After guard Cason Wallace won the award for October/November, big man Chet Holmgren has earned the honor for December, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

The Thunder, who entered December with a 20-1 record, have looked more mortal in recent weeks, winning nine of 13 games over the course of the month. However, they still posted the conference’s top defensive rating (106.2) in December, with Holmgren acting as the team’s anchor and rim protector.

Holmgren’s 2.0 blocks per game in December ranked second in the conference, while his 8.5 contested shots per game placed him seventh among Western players. Oklahoma City’s defense this past month was nearly six points per 100 possessions better when Holmgren was on the court (101.7) than when he wasn’t (107.6).

Clippers guard Kris Dunn and a trio of former Defensive Players of the Year – Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Draymond Green (Warriors), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies) – were also nominated in the Western Conference, per the league (Twitter link).

An unlikely winner claimed the Eastern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month award for December, with Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart taking it home despite coming off the bench in 12 of his 13 games and averaging just 23.0 minutes per night during the past month.

Despite his limited role, Stewart ranked second in the East in blocks (2.2) and contested shots (9.4) per game, helping lead Detroit to a 9-4 record and the league’s third-best defensive rating (109.8) in December. The Pistons’ defensive rating with Stewart on the floor was 104.5, compared to 112.2 when he sat.

Knicks teammates OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, and Celtics guard Derrick White were the other nominees in the East. Notably, the Nets didn’t have a nominee despite posting the NBA’s best defensive rating (105.4) in December.

Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown Named Players Of Week

December 29th, 2025 at 2:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and Celtics forward Jaylen Brown have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).

Leonard led the Clippers to three wins during the week of December 22-28 while posting averages of 41.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals per contest. The star forward erupted for a career-high 55 points against the Pistons on Sunday.

It’s Leonard’s fourth Player of the Week award as a Clipper and the 10th of his NBA career, but it’s the first time he has earned the honor since the 2023/24 season.

Kevin Durant (Rockets), Keyonte George (Jazz), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) were the other Western Conference nominees.

The Celtics, meanwhile, went 2-1 last week with Brown averaging 32.7 points on 55.9 percent shooting from the field while also grabbing 6.3 rebounds per game.

Boston’s star wing has scored at least 30 points in all nine games he has played this month and has now been named the East’s Player of the Week twice in December — he also claimed the award on Dec. 8. Brown and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson have traded the award back and forth in recent weeks, with no other Eastern Conference player winning it since Nov. 24.

LaMelo Ball (Hornets), Scottie Barnes (Raptors), Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Josh Giddey (Bulls), Michael Porter Jr. (Nets) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) were all nominated in the East.

Celtics Notes: Simons, Holiday, Brown, Gonzalez

December 29th, 2025 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Anfernee Simons said it was odd to find himself in the visitors’ locker room as he made his return to Portland Sunday night, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Simons spent the first seven years of his career with the Trail Blazers before the Celtics acquired him over the summer in a cost-cutting deal that sent Jrue Holiday to Portland.

“It kind of felt a little weird,” Simons said. “Being a visitor and going to the opposing locker room, coming out of the other tunnel. But it was fun to see everybody that you built strong relationships with in the organization. It was fun embracing the moment and embracing the love … knowing that you made some type of impact here.”

Along with a new team, Simons has been adjusting to a different role. After being a full-time starter with the Blazers for the past three seasons, he’s now a sixth man for Boston, averaging 12.8 points per game off the bench and playing just 23.5 minutes per night. He expected a long future in Portland after signing a $100MM extension three years ago, but he discovered that things can change quickly in the NBA.

“Obviously, it’s a business at the end of the day,” Simons said. “And at any point you can be here and then somewhere else. So you just have to enjoy each and every moment that you spend. And I think I did that last year. I enjoyed all the moments I had with our whole team, organization, and I won’t regret anything for sure.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Holiday wasn’t surprised that he was one of the players moved in Boston’s effort to escape the second apron, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe states in a subscriber-only piece. Holiday recognized that his contract, which pays $32.4MM this season and $34.8MM next year, was too pricey for a team with major cap and tax concerns. “I think we know basketball a little bit in terms of how the money is,” he said. “And how not everybody can stay and we knew there was going to be a change. You just don’t know what the change might be. But I don’t think I speculated or saw what was going to happen or where everybody was going to go. I think when you look at the business side of it, you kind of know that some changes are going to happen.”
Jaylen Brown scored 37 points on Sunday, matching Larry Bird‘s franchise record of nine consecutive 30-point games, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Brown has taken over as the team’s primary scorer with Jayson Tatum sidelined by an Achilles injury and is averaging a career-high 29.7 PPG.
In a mailbag column, Robb examines the quick development of 19-year-old forward Hugo Gonzalez, who’s thriving in his rookie season with the Celtics after barely playing with Real Madrid last year. Robb also states that the team might be reluctant to commit big money to a center in the trade market with Neemias Queta playing so well. He cites Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe as a potential low-cost option.

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.