Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: White, Theis, Durant, Claxton, Knicks

February 10th, 2022 at 7:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics’ flurry of action prior to the trade deadline has left them with a handful of open roster spots. They’ll fill them by signing free agents to 10-day deals in the short term, then explore the buyout market as players become available, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports.

The trades that they made were done to improve the second unit, Himmelsbach adds. They view Derrick White as an upgrade in a sixth-man role, while Daniel Theis has already shown during his previous stint with the Celtics that he can mesh with this group. That deal with Houston for Theis came together at the last minute, Himmelsbach tweets.

The trades will also open up playing time for Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

How does Kevin Durant feel about the James Harden trade? In a TNT interview (hat tip to the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver), the Nets superstar said, “I’m excited for our team and looking forward to finishing the season out with this new group … The playoffs are right around the corner and we’ve got to fast track and get used to each other. I think everybody got what they wanted.”
The Nets explored trades involving Nic Claxton, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News tweets. Andre Drummond was added in the Harden deal and LaMarcus Aldridge is expected to return in the near future from an ankle sprain. Those developments will presumably eat into Claxton’s playing time.
The Knicks, who didn’t pull off a trade on Thursday, still want to compete for a play-in spot, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. They still believe they made an upgrade in adding Cam Reddish last month, even though coach Tom Thibodeau has played the young wing sparingly, and they’re expected to get Derrick Rose back in action from ankle surgery later this month.

Celtics Trade Bol Bol, PJ Dozier To Magic

February 10th, 2022 at 1:16pm CST by Luke Adams

1:16pm: The deal is official, according to a press release from the Magic. As expected, the team has waived Moore and Carter-Williams.

1:00pm: The Magic will acquire the Celtics’ 2028 second-round pick (top-45 protected) in the deal, while Boston will get the Magic’s 2023 second-rounder (top-55 protected), reports Price (via Twitter).

12:12pm: The Magic will waive veteran guard E’Twaun Moore as part of the deal, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Orlando is also cutting Michael Carter-Williams, tweets Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. Both players have been out all season due to injuries.

Brian Robb of MassLive.com confirms (via Twitter) that the second-round pick headed to Boston in the deal will be heavily protected and likely won’t convey.

11:34am: The Celtics have reached an agreement to trade injured players Bol Bol and PJ Dozier to the Magic, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). It’s a cost-cutting move for the Celtics, who will dip below the luxury tax line as a result of the deal.

Boston is sending a second-round pick and cash to Orlando and will get a second-round pick in return, Wojnarowski reports. I’d expect the second-rounder headed to the Celtics to be heavily protected, but we’ll await further details.

Bol and Dozier were sent from Denver to Boston earlier this season in a three-team trade, but neither player was part of the Celtics’ short- or long-term plans. Bol underwent foot surgery that is expected to sideline him for most or all of the season, while Dozier is recovering from a surgery of his own to repair a torn ACL and won’t play until 2022/23.

Both players are on expiring deals, with Bol earning $2.2MM this season and Dozier making $1.9MM. Orlando will acquire both players using trade exceptions, while Boston will create a pair of new trade exceptions equivalent to their salaries.

The Celtics now have a pair of open roster spots and will remain out of tax territory even in the unlikely event that Jaylen Brown is named an All-Star replacement and earns a bonus. As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), the C’s would’ve had a small tax bill of about $2MM if they hadn’t made a move, but they’re now in line to receive a potential eight-figure payout.

While Boston doesn’t have to make any more moves today, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) hears that there are still three or four teams in the mix for Dennis Schröder, with one source estimating there’s a 50/50 chance of a deal.

The Magic have a full 15-man roster, so they’ll have to make at least one more move in order to accommodate the incoming players.

Lakers Unlikely To Trade Westbrook, Targeting Role Players

February 10th, 2022 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are unlikely to make a trade involving Russell Westbrook today and are focusing more on smaller deals involving “fringe starters,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said during an appearance on Get Up this morning (video link).

A Lakers team source previously told Dave McMenamin of ESPN (video link) that he would like to see the club “rip the bandaid off” by moving Westbrook, but doing so will be extremely difficult.

“With $47 million due to him next season, there’s just not a marketplace to do that,” Wojnarowksi said, referring to Westbrook’s pricey player option for 2022/23 that no team will want to take on. “The Lakers have shown a real reluctance to incentivize a deal, meaning add draft picks to it. They have picks that are still going out in other deals. At what point do you stop just completely mortgaging your future for deals that probably don’t result in all of a sudden you having a championship contender? And now you’ve just dug yourself a deeper hole.”

As Wojnarowski points out, the Lakers’ problems run deeper than just Westbrook. The former MVP didn’t play on Wednesday due to back tightness and L.A. still lost to a retooling Portland team missing several players. Rather than trying to trade Westbrook, the Lakers are exploring the market for ways to improve the roster around him, says Wojnarowski.

“Right now, the deals the Lakers are really looking at, they’re around the fringes,” Woj said. “Players like Alec Burks in New York, Dennis Schröder in Boston. Any number of role players, of fringe starters, that they might be able to cobble together the assets to get. But the idea of a Westbrook trade? Listen, nothing’s impossible, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”

An earlier report stated that the Lakers, Knicks, and Raptors had discussed the framework of a three-team trade that would involve Burks. However, Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) hears from one party with interest in the situation that those talks were stalled as of Thursday morning.

Schröder, of course, was formerly a Laker before leaving as a free agent during the 2021 offseason to sign with the Celtics. Bill Oram of The Athletic reported earlier this week that Schröder had some interest in returning to Los Angeles as Westbrook’s backup last summer, but the team brought in Kendrick Nunn to fill that role instead. Nunn has yet to make his Lakers debut due to a knee injury.

Celtics Rumors: Trade Deadline, Schröder, Stevens

February 9th, 2022 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics‘ recent hot streak appears to have shifted the team’s perspective heading into the trade deadline, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who hears from sources that Boston has gone from being a possible seller to a potential buyer.

Celtics head coach Ime Udoka likes what he has seen from his team lately and doesn’t sound particularly eager to break up the current group, but he acknowledged that Boston’s eight wins in its last nine games, including six victories in a row, may change the deadline equation for the front office — especially since the Celtics’ strong recent play may boost the trade value of some of their players.

“We’re happy with how we’re playing, happy with what the guys are doing and seeing our full group together now,” Udoka said, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.“I’m sure it changed some of the [trade] conversation based on what we’re doing lately.”

Here are a few more Celtics-related notes and rumors:

According to Mannix, Boston continues to shop Dennis Schröder in trade talks, but teams that have talked to the Celtics say they’re asking for a player and draft capital in any deal involving the guard. The C’s seem unlikely to part with Schröder unless they get a rotation player in return, says Mannix, adding that the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Mavericks remain in the mix. We wrote on Tuesday about what a Milwaukee or Cleveland deal for Schröder might look like.
Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com has also heard that the Celtics want something of value back for Schröder and aren’t just looking for a deal that gets them under the luxury tax line. “He’s been playing well, and he’s been a good part of what they’re doing lately,” one league exec said to Bulpett. “I still think they might prefer to move him, but now they’re looking for an asset in return. They don’t feel like they HAVE to trade him now, and they’d like to turn him into an asset for next year.”
Some people in the organization would like to keep Schröder for depth purposes, while others would be comfortable using Josh Richardson and Payton Pritchard to replace his minutes, says Bulpett. According to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link), Boston also expects veteran point guards to be available on the buyout market, which could be an option if the team trades Schröder without receiving a point guard in return.
Rival teams seem to enjoy talking trades with new Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens more than they did with Danny Ainge, Smith adds (via Twitter). “It’s less like you’re giving up rights to your first-born,” one opposing executive said. Another said Ainge had a tendency to try to “get blood from a stone and squeeze for ‘one more thing.'”

Lakers, Wolves, Jazz Eyeing Josh Richardson

February 8th, 2022 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are the latest team to be linked to Celtics wing Josh Richardson, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

There are conflicting reports on what the Lakers are willing to offer for Richardson. Keith Smith of CelticsBlog.com hears from a source that talks between Los Angeles and Boston went nowhere because the Celtics don’t have much interest in Talen Horton-Tucker and the Lakers weren’t eager to add a draft pick to their trade offer.

However, Brian Robb of MassLive.com reports that L.A. offered Horton-Tucker and a draft pick for Richardson. The details on that pick are unclear, but the Lakers’ first-rounders are tied up for the next few years, so a 2027 pick is the earliest one they could unconditionally offer. A first-rounder may be necessary to entice Boston — Horton-Tucker’s trade value has “significantly cooled” since last season, per Bill Oram and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

The Timberwolves are another potential suitor for Richardson. Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who previously reported that Minnesota hadn’t shown much interest in a possible deal that would’ve sent Richardson and either Romeo Langford or Aaron Nesmith to the Wolves in exchange for Malik Beasley, says those discussions are once again gaining some momentum.

According to Weiss, the Wolves are “warming up” to the idea of a deal involving Beasley and Richardson, since it seems increasingly unlikely they’ll be able to land an impact player such as Ben Simmons.

However, it’s unclear whether the Wolves and Celtics agree on Beasley’s value. Smith has heard that the C’s want more than just Beasley from Minnesota in a swap for Richardson, due to his past legal issues and the fact that he’s earning a higher salary ($14.5MM) than Richardson ($11.6MM). Adding Langford ($3.8MM) or Nesmith ($3.6MM) would close that salary gap.

Meanwhile, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says rival executives believe Minnesota wants a first-round pick for Beasley. That seems like an unrealistic asking price, given Beasley’s underwhelming performance this season, but it suggests the Wolves still value him — it’s unclear if they’d be willing to move him for a package like Richardson and Nesmith.

Finally, the Jazz also remain in the hunt for Richardson, according to Robb. A report last week indicated that the veteran swingman is on Utah’s radar.

Any offer from the Jazz would likely have to be centered around Joe Ingles‘ expiring contract and a future first-round pick, says Robb. Given the Celtics’ recent hot streak, that sort of framework may not appeal to the team, since Ingles is out with a torn ACL and wouldn’t be able to contribute this season.

Eastern Trade Rumors: Cavs, Schröder, Beal, Dinwiddie, Burks, Magic

February 8th, 2022 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

Before acquiring Caris LeVert from Indiana, the Cavaliers talked to the Clippers about a possible deal involving Luke Kennard, according to reports from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Meanwhile, Jared Weiss of The Athletic suggests the Cavaliers may not be done dealing yet, writing that they remain in the mix for Celtics guard Dennis Schröder. A Cleveland offer for Schröder would likely include a draft pick and two players from a group that includes Ed Davis, Dylan Windler, and Kevin Pangos, says Weiss.

Even as the Cavs remain in the market for more backcourt help, it doesn’t appear likely they’re prepared to move on from injured guard Collin Sexton. According to Scotto, teams have called to inquire on Sexton, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, but Cleveland would prefer to keep him.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the Eastern Conference:

There’s still no indication the Wizards will do anything this week with Bradley Beal, who is getting his injured wrist evaluated, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The team still wants to keep him long-term and hasn’t heard anything from Beal that indicates he’s not committed to the franchise, sources tell ESPN.
The Wizards have, however, continued to communicate their interest in trading their other starting guard, Spencer Dinwiddie, says Fischer. According to Fischer, it’s unclear what sort of market exists for Dinwiddie, who is having a poor season in D.C.
As the Knicks continue their attempts to move a veteran or two, they’ve exhibited interest in acquiring players on expiring contracts, says Windhorst. Among the vets being shopped by New York, Alec Burks has generated the most interest, Fischer reports.
According to Fischer, league personnel think the Magic will end up trading Terrence Ross in a deal similar to the Evan Fournier move from a year ago, which netted them a pair of second-round picks. Fischer adds that Gary Harris is considered a buyout candidate if he’s not traded at the deadline.

Bucks, Celtics Have Discussed DiVincenzo, Schröder

February 8th, 2022 at 8:23am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks and Celtics have discussed the idea of a trade involving Boston guard Dennis Schröder, according to reports from Brian Windhorst of ESPN and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Windhorst hears from sources that the Celtics have some interest in Bucks wing Donte DiVincenzo, and Fischer confirms that DiVincenzo has been discussed in the talks between the two teams. According to Fischer, Milwaukee has also expressed interest in acquiring Celtics forward Grant Williams in a deal involving Schröder and DiVincenzo.

Jared Weiss of The Athletic provides some additional context, reporting that the Celtics initially offered Schröder for DiVincenzo, with the Bucks countering by asking for Williams. The two teams continue to explore possible frameworks, says Weiss.

According to Windhorst, the Bucks have recently been gauging the value of DiVincenzo, who was a key part of Milwaukee’s starting lineup in 2020/21 but sustained an ankle injury in the first round of the postseason and wasn’t part of rest of the Bucks’ title run. He has played in just 16 games since returning from ankle surgery and hasn’t looked like his old self, shooting just 32.4% from the floor (28.6% on threes). He’s also a free agent at season’s end.

Still, DiVincenzo will be eligible for restricted free agency, so he’ll be relatively controllable going forward. And he had a strong season in ’20/21, averaging 10.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 3.1 APG with a .379 3PT%. Acquiring a player like that in exchange for Schröder, whose days in Boston appear numbered, would likely appeal to the Celtics.

The Bucks, meanwhile, could be in the market for a backup point guard, with George Hill having a down year, and they could afford to part with a wing, given how well Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton have played. However, they probably have a greater need in the frontcourt, where Semi Ojeleye has been ineffective and Brook Lopez has been sidelined since opening night, which explains why they’re after Williams.

While DiVincenzo ($4.7MM) could be traded straight-up for Schröder ($5.9MM) from a salary-matching perspective, adding Williams to any deal would complicate matters. Trading a minimum-salary player along with DiVincenzo wouldn’t be quite enough for Milwaukee to take back both Schröder and Williams ($2.6MM), and the Celtics will likely be uninterested in making any deal that adds salary to their books rather than taking them below the luxury tax line.

Trade Rumors: Harden, Rubio, Grant, McCollum, Smart

February 7th, 2022 at 10:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

James Harden isn’t going to wear a Sixers uniform this season. That’s what a Nets source told Jordan Schultz of Schultz Report (Twitter link). Brooklyn feels that dealing Harden at this point would damage its chances of winning a title, according to Schultz.

“James [Harden] isn’t going to Philly; I’ll tell you that with absolute certainty,” the unnamed source said. “They called and we didn’t listen. We want to win a championship and trading James does nothing but hurt that goal.”

We have more rumors from around the league:

The Pacers have a good chance of trading Ricky Rubio‘s expiring contract, which they just acquired from Cleveland, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today (video link). “The Pacers are probably going to be able to flip that Rubio contract and get back some more assets as they kind of reshape this roster,” Wojnarowski said.
In the same segment, Woj said the Pistons could wait until the offseason before moving Jerami Grant. “They don’t have anything right now,” he said regarding a satisfactory trade offer.
As some recent reports indicated, the Knicks and Pelicans are interested in CJ McCollum and have been “fairly aggressive” in pursuit of the Trail Blazers’ high-scoring guard. “McCollum has a lot of value around the league,” Wojnarowski said. “You know what you’re getting with him.”
Add the Hawks to the list of potential suitors for McCollum, Chris Kirchner of The Athletic reports, citing sources. Atlanta is also interested in the Celtics’ Marcus Smart, Kirschner adds. Both of the guards are signed to hefty long-term contracts.

LaMelo Ball, Dejounte Murray Named All-Star Replacements

February 7th, 2022 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball will replace injured Nets forward Kevin Durant in the All-Star Game, while Spurs guard Dejounte Murray will take the place of injured Warriors forward Draymond Green, the NBA announced today in a press release. Commissioner Adam Silver named Ball and Murray as replacement players.

Previous reported had indicated that Durant (MCL sprain) and Green (back/disc) would miss the All-Star Game in Cleveland on February 20 due to their respective injuries, so it comes as no surprise that a pair of replacements have been added to the 12-man rosters for the event. There’s no indication at this point that any other All-Stars will have to miss the game, though that could change in the next couple weeks.

Ball has averaged 19.6 PPG, 7.5 APG, and 7.1 RPG in 47 games (32.1 MPG) this season for the Hornets. He beat out a handful of worthy candidates – including teammate Miles Bridges, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Pacers center Domantas Sabonis, and Raptors forward Pascal Siakam – to be named Durant’s replacement.

Like Ball, Murray has filled up the box score this season in a breakout season in San Antonio. He has put up 19.6 PPG, 9.2 APG, and 8.4 RPG with a league-leading 2.1 SPG in 47 games (34.4 MPG). Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Lakers big man Anthony Davis, and Suns forward Mikal Bridges were among the other candidates to be named Green’s replacement.

Since Durant was a starter, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been moved into the starting lineup, per the league. Tatum was the next-highest vote-getter among Eastern Conference frontcourt players.

Durant is still one of the two All-Star captains, along with LeBron James, and will be responsible for drafting his All-Star roster.

Timberwolves Eyeing Marcus Smart

February 7th, 2022 at 12:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Timberwolves remain interested in Celtics guard Marcus Smart, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News said during an appearance on the Mackey & Judd podcast on SKOR North (Twitter link). However, Boston’s asking price for Smart may be too high for Minnesota.

“Here’s what I was told, I’m reading this verbatim: ‘Minnesota (is) definitely trying to trade for Marcus Smart,'” Wolfson said, quoting a source. “‘But unless they include a first-round pick or Jaden McDaniels in addition to Malik Beasley, (it) most likely doesn’t get done.'”

Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report said last week that Smart was on the Timberwolves’ radar, especially in the event that they move Patrick Beverley in a separate deal. However, Beverley still seems more likely to stay put than to be moved, in which case the Wolves probably wouldn’t make another defense-first guard like Smart their top priority.

While Boston and Minnesota may not end up making a deal involving Smart, the two teams have apparently been having a variety of trade discussions leading up to the deadline. A previous report stated that the Celtics explored a possible deal that would’ve sent Josh Richardson and either Romeo Langford or Aaron Nesmith to Minnesota in exchange for Beasley. The Wolves reportedly weren’t interested in that concept at the time.