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Atlantic Notes: Hartenstein, Pagliuca, George, Nets Rebuild

July 1st, 2024 at 9:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Money talks and that’s one big reason why Isaiah Hartenstein walked away from the Knicks in free agency. It was a difficult decision for Hartenstein, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post writes, because he wanted to stay in New York.

But as a player who had earned approximately $23MM so far in his NBA career, Hartenstein couldn’t pass up on the Thunder‘s three-year, $87MM offer, which will pay him about $30MM in year one, especially given the more favorable cost of living in Oklahoma City, Bondy writes. The Knicks held the center’s Early Bird rights, limiting them to a four-year, $72.5MM offer.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca suggested in a statement relayed by Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe (Twitter link) that he’s not looking to divest from the team. Earlier on Monday, it was made public that the team’s majority ownership group, led by Wyc Grousbeck, intended to put the franchise up for sale. Pagliuca’s statement reads in part, “Being a co-investor and managing partner of the Celtics has been a great honor and a labor of love. I hope to be a part of the Celtics moving forward and will be a proud participant in the bidding process that has been announced today.”
  • The Sixers had little choice but to pursue Paul George on the free agent market in order to keep up with the Eastern Conference contenders, Sam Amick of The Athletic opines. It was the best move available on the board, according to Amick, and keeps them alive in the chase for next year’s conference title.
  • The Nets must choose among two paths in their rebuild, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. They could make up to four first-round picks in a loaded 2025 draft and spend $80MM in free agency in an effort to accelerate the process or they could take a longer route. In that scenario, they could trade Ben Simmons, Bojan Bogdanovic and Dennis Schröder — players that come off the cap next summer — this offseason for unwanted multiyear contracts and more picks.
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Celtics’ Ownership Group To Put Team Up For Sale

July 1st, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Rory Maher

12:37pm: The Celtics confirmed in a press release that the majority ownership group plans to sell of its shares in the team (Twitter link via Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston).

“The controlling family of the ownership group, after considerable thought and internal discussion, has decided to sell the team for estate and family planning considerations. The managing board of the ownership group expects to sell a majority interest in 2024 or early 2025, with the balance closing in 2028, and expects Wyc Grousbeck to remain as the Governor of the team until the second closing in 2028.”

12:13pm: On the heels of their record-setting 18th NBA championship, the Celtics will be hitting the market, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Sources tell Wojnarowski that the team’s majority ownership group, led by Wyc Grousbeck, intends to make the franchise available for sale.

Grousbeck has been the team’s Governor since his Boston Basketball Partners group purchased the Celtics for $360MM back in 2002. Boston has won two NBA titles under his stewardship, in 2008 and just a few weeks ago.

A source tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe that while Grousbeck is selling his stake in the Celtics, other minority shareholders are expected to remain invested in the team (Twitter link).

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, the Celtics could be the most expensive team in NBA history in 2025/26, when a potential super-max extension for Jayson Tatum kicks in. Grousbeck will be looking to sell his stake just as severe roster-building restrictions are implemented in the new CBA.

As of December, Sportico had the Celtics ranked as the fourth-most valuable franchise in the NBA, with a valuation of $5.12 billion. That figure seems likely to have risen in the past eight months, given the team’s on-court success.

Grousbeck, 63, is a Massachusetts native who has built his wealth through various investments over the past few decades. His father, Irving, is a billionaire who co-founded Continental Cablevision.

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QO Decisions: Jazz, Okeke, Pacers, Krejci, Celtics, More

June 29th, 2024 at 8:09pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz declined to issue qualifying offers to guard Kira Lewis or center Micah Potter ahead of Saturday’s deadline, reports Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter links). As a result, both players will be unrestricted free agents this summer rather than restricted.

Lewis, the 13th overall pick in the 2020 draft, didn’t establish himself as a rotation player during three-and-a-half seasons in New Orleans. He was traded from the Pelicans to the Pacers to the Raptors to the Jazz during the 2023/24 season, and played a limited role in Utah after arriving from Toronto as a salary-matching piece in the deal involving Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji. His qualifying offer would have been worth $7.74MM, so it comes as no surprise that it wasn’t tendered.

Potter also played sparingly for the Jazz last season while on a two-way contract, though he has shown some promise in the G League and is part of the U.S. Select Team that will scrimmage with Team USA ahead of the Olympics. His qualifying offer would’ve been for a partially guaranteed minimum-salary deal. According to Jones, a return to Utah is possible, though Potter may receive interest from other teams.

The only Jazz player eligible for restricted free agency who received a qualifying offer is guard Johnny Juzang, Jones reports (Twitter link). Since he has finished each of the past two seasons on a two-way contract with Utah, Juzang wasn’t eligible for another two-way qualifying offer, so his QO is for a partially guaranteed one-year minimum deal.

Here are more qualifying offer updates from around the NBA:

  • Former Magic first-round pick Chuma Okeke didn’t receive a qualifying offer that would’ve been worth about $7.4MM and will become an unrestricted free agent, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Okeke, 25, has played good defense since entering the league in 2020, but hasn’t contributed much offensively, averaging 6.3 points per game on .383/.318/.789 shooting in 189 career contests (20.3 MPG).
  • The Pacers have tendered qualifying offers to Obi Toppin ($7.74MM), Oscar Tshiebwe (two-way), and Quenton Jackson (two-way), according to a pair of stories from Tony East of SI.com. All three players will now be restricted free agents.
  • The Hawks have issued a two-way qualifying offer to guard Vit Krejci, making him a restricted free agent, a league source tells Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). Krejci is a candidate to negotiate a standard contract with Atlanta after finishing the 2023/24 season as a rotation player. He could also sign an offer sheet with another team, but the Hawks would have the right to match it.
  • After declining Neemias Queta‘s team option for 2023/24, the Celtics tendered him a qualifying offer, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Two-way player Drew Peterson also got a qualifying offer from Boston, but JD Davison didn’t, Smith adds. Queta’s QO will be worth approximately $2.37MM, while Peterson’s will be for another two-way contract.
  • The following players also received two-way qualifying offers, according to Smith: Lakers big man Colin Castleton (Twitter link), Bulls forward Adama Sanogo (Twitter link), Spurs wing David Duke (Twitter link), and former Warriors guard Nico Mannion (Twitter link), whose RFA rights continue to held by Golden State as he continues his career overseas. San Antonio issued a $2.7MM qualifying offer to big man Sandro Mamukelashvili too, making him a restricted free agent, tweets Smith.
  • The Clippers opted not to extend qualifying offers to two-way players Xavier Moon and Moussa Diabate, according to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter links). The door isn’t closed on a new deal for either player, but it sounds like they’ll explore their options as unrestricted free agents, per Murray. The qualifying offers for Moon and Diabate would have been partially guaranteed minimum-salary offers, since they were ineligible for another two-way QO.
  • Neither Nate Hinton nor Jermaine Samuels received a two-way qualifying offer from the Rockets, tweets Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Both players will be unrestricted free agents.
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Atlantic Notes: Stevens, Celtics, Sixers, George, Nets

June 29th, 2024 at 7:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Since the Celtics won the NBA title 12 days ago, team president Brad Stevens has watched other contenders make roster moves to try to catch up, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The battle to keep Boston from repeating next season will kick into high gear when free agency starts Sunday evening.

The Celtics won’t be very active because their status as a second-apron team places restrictions on what they’re permitted to do. The offseason focus will be on extensions for Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Sam Hauser and possibly re-signing one or more of their free agent big men. Stevens understood the limits his team would face when he traded for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday last offseason.

“You saw a couple of moves today where people are setting themselves up to sign the next contract or to do things they can to dance around that second apron,” he said. “Obviously, we’re projected to be a little bit above, but we projected to that last year when we made those trades and we knew what we were getting ourselves into. We just have to all navigate it. We all know the basketball penalties that are associated with it. We have to look at A) How are we going to be able to navigate that world from a financial standpoint, from a basketball standpoint, from a penalty standpoint, and B) Put the best roster together than you can.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Stevens also talked about the importance of hitting on draft choices for second-apron teams and expressed confidence that first-round pick Baylor Scheierman and second-rounder Anton Watson will both have a future with the Celtics, Washburn adds. “The draft is important, and if you have a chance to get a really good player, it could make a huge difference,” Stevens said. “We’re hopeful that these two guys come in with the right mindset. I have no doubt that they’ll have good careers and we look forward to playing a part in it.”
  • Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer examines the Sixers‘ chances of landing Paul George in free agency now that he has declined his $48.8MM option for next season. George will meet with Sixers officials Sunday night, but Pompey notes that the Magic are also a strong contender and there’s a chance he’ll remain with the Clippers if they add a fourth year to their current offer. Sources tell Pompey that George is expected to be involved in helping to recruit role players if he signs with Philadelphia.
  • With the Nets over the salary cap, their significant moves are likely to happen on the trade market, observes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Lewis points to Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith as players who would be better fits on contenders and states that the Cavaliers, Kings and Lakers have expressed interest in Johnson.
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Celtics Decline Team Option On Neemias Queta

June 29th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Celtics have decided to decline the player option of reserve center Neemias Queta, making him a free agent, reports Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (via Twitter).

The move doesn’t necessarily mean Queta’s days in Boston are over, according to Himmelsbach, who suggests the two sides could explore a new deal.

Queta was initially selected by the Kings out of Utah State with the No. 39 pick in 2021. After two seasons in Sacramento, the seven-footer jumped ship to join the eventual champs. He averaged a career highs of 5.5 points and 4.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per night with the Celtics across 28 contests, earning a promotion from his two-way contract to the 15-man roster.

He was not part of the club’s rotation during its title run, appearing for cameos in just three contests.

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Celtics Picking Up Sam Hauser’s Option, Will Work On Extension

June 29th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Celtics are picking up Sam Hauser‘s team option worth $2.1MM ahead of Saturday’s deadline, The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach reports.

The move puts Hauser on track for unrestricted free agency in 2025. The Celtics could have made him a restricted free agent this summer by declining his team option.

However, the two sides are expected to begin negotiating a contract extension when the window to do so opens on July 9, according to Himmelsbach. Hauser would remain extension-eligible for the entire 2024/25 league year if he doesn’t agree to a new deal right away.

“I will say we want Hauser to be here for a long time,” president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said this week.

Hauser became a key player for the Celtics off the bench after originally joining the team on a two-way contract in 2021. This past season, he averaged 9.0 points on 42.4% shooting from deep (5.9 attempts) in 79 regular season games. He appeared in 14 playoff games and helped the Celtics win their 18th title.

We’re tracking all of the 2024/25 team option decisions right here.

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Celtics May Have Replacement Ready If Sam Hauser Doesn't Re-Sign

June 28th, 2024 at 2:54pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • With Sam Hauser entering the final season of his minimum contract, the Celtics may have drafted his eventual replacement when they took Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman at No. 30, notes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Scheierman is a similar type of player, and Weiss points out that he ran some of the same sets in college that Boston uses to create shots for Hauser. The Celtics will be well into tax territory for multiple seasons after expected extensions for Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, so they’ll have to decide whether it’s worth the extra tax bill to re-sign Hauser. Team president Brad Stevens appears willing to make that commitment, telling reporters, “We want him to be here for a long time.” (Twitter link from Brian Robb of MassLive)
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USA Basketball Announces 15-Man Select Team

June 28th, 2024 at 11:46am CST by Luke Adams

USA Basketball has announced in a press release that a 15-man Select Team will train with the U.S. Olympic squad as it prepares for the upcoming Olympics. The Select Team, which is made up mostly of younger players and some who have previous Team USA experience, will work out with the men’s national team in Las Vegas from July 6-8.

The members of the Select Team are as follows:

Perhaps the most notable name on the list is Flagg, who has committed to Duke and will begin his first college basketball season in the fall. He’s viewed as a strong candidate to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

Duren, Galloway, Murphy, Murray, and Pritchard were part of the U.S. Select Team that trained with the national team ahead of the 2023 World Cup.

It’s possible some of these players will use their Select Team experience as a springboard to represent Team USA in international competitions down the road. Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Haliburton are among the players on this year’s Olympic team that were members of a Select Team earlier in their respective careers.

The select team will be coached by Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, who will be joined by assistants Jim Boylen and Matt Painter. Boylen, a former Bulls head coach and current Pacers assistant, was Team USA’s head coach during the qualifying contests. Painter has been the longtime head coach at Purdue.

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Celtics Sign Tristan Enaruna To Exhibit 10 Contract

June 27th, 2024 at 9:36pm CST by Luke Adams

July 11: Enaruna’s Exhibit 10 deal with Boston is official, per RealGM’s log of NBA transactions.

June 27: Undrafted rookie free agent Tristan Enaruna has agreed to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics, reports Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link).

A 6’8″ Dutch-born wing, Enaruna spent his first two college seasons at Kansas from 2019-21 before transferring to Iowa State for 2021/22 and then to Cleveland State for 2022-24. After playing a modest role through his junior year, he broke out with the Vikings over the past two seasons as a starter, averaging 19.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 33.2 minutes per game across 35 outings in 2023/24.

Enaruna, who has been named to the All-Horizon League first team in each of the past two years, was the No. 40 prospect on ESPN’s list of undrafted rookies. He also earned MVP honors at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this spring, notes Chepkevich.

An Exhibit 10 contract is a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract that doesn’t count against a team’s cap unless the player makes the regular season roster. It can be converted to a two-way contract before the season begins or can put a player in line for a bonus if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with his team’s G League affiliate. The maximum Exhibit 10 bonus was $75K last season and will increase at the same rate as the salary cap in 2024/25.

No free agent contracts for the 2024/25 season can be signed until July, so Enaruna’s deal with Boston is just tentative for now.

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Kristaps Porzingis Will Be Sidelined 5-6 Months Following Surgery

June 27th, 2024 at 9:42am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics have announced that Kristaps Porzingis will be sidelined for five to six months after undergoing surgery for a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN. His projected recovery timeline means he’ll miss at least the first month or two of next season.

Porzingis wasn’t available for most of the Celtics’ playoff run because of a strained right calf he suffered in the first-round series against Miami. He was able to return for the start of the NBA Finals, but was knocked out of action in Game 2 with the new left leg injury that forced him to have surgery. He made a brief return as Boston won the title in Game 5, but he admitted that he probably made his condition worse by playing.

Injuries have plagued Porzingis throughout his career, but he was relatively healthy for most of the regular season, appearing in 57 games and averaging 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 29.6 minutes per night. He negotiated a two-year, $60MM extension after being traded to Boston last summer and is under contract through 2025/26.

Porzingis’ early-season absence increases the Celtics’ urgency to keep at least one of their backup centers. The team will want to be careful with Porzingis when he does return, along with veteran big man Al Horford, who recently turned 38.

Boston holds a $2.2MM team option on Neemias Queta, but Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman are unrestricted free agents.

Brian Robb of MassLive suggests the front office should be aggressive on the free agent market in trying to find another big man willing to accept a veteran’s minimum contract, which is all Boston can offer as a second-apron team. He lists former Celtic Daniel Theis as one possibility, along with Mason Plumlee, Andre Drummond and Drew Eubanks.

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