Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Have Interest In Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris

May 14th, 2019 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

While Kyrie Irving has been linked to New York for months, he’s not the only Celtics free agent that the Knicks will have their eye on this offseason. League sources tell A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston that the Knicks will also have interest in Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris.

Rozier, who is finishing his rookie contract with Boston, will be eligible for restricted free agent, meaning the Celtics will have the option to match any offer sheet he signs, assuming they issue him a qualifying offer to retain his rights. Morris will be an unrestricted free agent.

While Rozier and Morris may be among the names on the Knicks’ wish list, the team figures to use its cap room to target top-tier free agents like Irving and Kevin Durant before turning to its Plan B or C. According to Blakely, New York has also expressed some interest in Daniel Theis, but he’d be even further down the club’s list, and isn’t considered a likely target.

Rozier’s free agency should be one of the more interesting cases this summer, particularly among non-stars. He spoke at the end of the Celtics’ season about wanting a “fresh start” and a more prominent role, whether that happens in Boston or elsewhere. And during an appearance today on ESPN’s Get Up (video link via Chris Grenham of NESN), he expressed little interest in returning to Boston if the C’s plan to run it back in 2019/20 with the same roster.

“I might have to go,” Rozier told Stephen A. Smith when asked about that scenario. “I put up with a lot this year. I said what I said after the season. I think we all know that I’m not trying to step into that again.”

During the same interview, Rozier also didn’t exactly offer an enthusiastic endorsement for his experience of playing alongside – and behind – Irving in Boston.

“He’s a great guy, great leader,” Rozier said of Irving (video link via The Undefeated). “You know, you just have to adjust to his style. Whatever Kyrie wants done, he’s gonna show it, that’s what he wants done. You have to adjust to his style of play and how he goes about every game and every day.”

Celtics Notes: Horford, Irving, Stevens, Future

May 12th, 2019 at 10:30pm CST by JD Shaw

Celtics center Al Horford hopes to stay with the Celtics past this season and could take more of a team-friendly number on a new deal, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes, citing a league source.

Horford has a player option worth $30MM+ for the 2019/20 season. He could choose to opt in and become a free agent next summer, opt out and negotiate a new contract, or opt out and sign with another team for his 12th NBA season.

“I’ve enjoyed being in Boston,” Horford said after the team’s Game 5 loss to Milwaukee, according to Bobby Manning of SB Nation. “I just have to wait and see what we’re going to do as a team, and the steps that management’s going to be taken forward.”

Horford appeared in 68 games with Boston on the year, averaging 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest. He remains a key cog in the team’s gameplan on both ends of the floor.

Whether Horford stays with the Celtics could largely depend on where Kyrie Irving chooses to go in free agency, as well as whether Boston chooses to pursue an Anthony Davis trade with the Pelicans.

There’s more tonight out of Boston:

Frank Urbina of Hoops Hype examines the potential landing spots for Irving, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Urbina lists the Lakers, Clippers, Nets, Knicks and Celtics as possible destinations for Irving, one of the most talented free agents on the open market.
Brad Stevens needs to take this summer to do some soul searching on how to move forward after a disappointing 2018/19 season, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. The Celtics were eliminated in five games to the Bucks last round and now head into the offseason with uncertainty surrounding their roster, but the team has a talented coach in Stevens who could benefit from looking back on why the campaign went wrong.
David Aldridge of The Athletic examines where the Celtics can go as a franchise heading into the summer. The team has an array of future assets, current stars and competitive roster that general manager Danny Ainge could work with for next season and beyond.

Celtics Notes: Irving, Lottery, Hayward, Shrewsberry

May 12th, 2019 at 10:35am CST by Arthur Hill

Although many Celtics fans have turned on Kyrie Irving following a disappointing playoff performance, losing him in free agency would be a worst-case scenario for the franchise, writes Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Even though he damaged his reputation and alienated younger teammates this year, Irving remains among the league’s best players at a crucial position, Forsberg states, and would be very difficult to replace.

Even if they subtract Irving’s $21.3MM salary for next season, the Celtics won’t have much cap room to work with, assuming Al Horford opts for one more season at $30.1MM. Losing Irving would also leave Boston without a superstar presence who might attract other stars or inspire Anthony Davis to sign a long-term deal if the Celtics trade for him.

A sign-and-trade deal involving Irving probably isn’t realistic, Forsberg adds. The Celtics wouldn’t be able to offer a fifth season in that scenario and it would only benefit a team that doesn’t have the cap space to sign him. Teams where Irving might be headed, such as the Knicks, Nets, Clippers or Lakers, can already offer a max deal.

There’s more out of Boston:

Tuesday’s draft lottery will help define the Celtics’ plans for the offseason, notes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. With the Clippers’ pick at No. 20 and their own selection at 22 already in hand, Boston will wait to see what happens with the Kings’ and Grizzlies’ choices. The Celtics will receive Sacramento’s pick unless it lands at No. 1 and Memphis’ choice if it’s outside of the top eight. All those selections could be valuable in a potential trade for Davis.
Gordon Hayward is eager for another offseason to continue his comeback from a devastating ankle injury, Bulpett relays in a separate story. “I’m definitely looking forward to having a good summer, not dealing as much with rehab but still definitely working on the ankle and all that type of stuff,” he said. “But that’s going to be nowhere near as much as before. I’m a lot of time removed from the surgery, and that’s for sure exciting. Now I can do what I’ve always done every summer, and I’m for sure looking forward to that, getting back to that and really digging in and trying to have a really good summer.”
Micah Shrewsberry tells Dustin Dopirak of The Athletic that his decision to leave the Celtics’ staff for a job at Purdue was simply a matter of preferring the college game. “My personality is more geared toward the college side,” Shrewsberry said. “I’m a relationships guy. If you would ask anybody that’s run across me, I value relationships, continuing and maintaining and having those. That’s something you get in college.”

Pelicans Notes: Celtics Trade, Knox, Gentry, Trainer

May 11th, 2019 at 3:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics’ flameout in the postseason may have reduced the possibility of the Pelicans trading Anthony Davis to Boston, according to Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate. A package of forward Jayson Tatum and a handful of the Celtics’ first-round draft picks would have been considered a fair return for Davis, who can become a free agent after next season. However, Tatum regressed in his second season and struggled during the postseason, Kushner continues. Boston’s incentive to acquire Davis has diminished with the likely departure of Kyrie Irving and the lack of enough quality pieces around Davis after a potential trade to make a championship run, Kushner adds.

We have more on the Pelicans:

The team’s front office has quietly gathered intelligence on the Knicks’ first-round pick, forward Kevin Knox, Ian Begley of SNY TV reports. Knox averaged 12.8 PPG in his rookie campaign and improved his shooting percentage as the season went along. If the Knicks win the lottery, that pick plus Knox and other assets could be attractive to New Orleans. However, there’s no consensus within the Knicks organization about trading that pick, even for a shot at Davis, Begley adds.
Alvin Gentry’s personality is the main reason why new VP of basketball operations David Griffin retained him, Kushner reveals in a separate story. Gentry’s lighthearted, professional and charismatic persona held the locker room together after Davis’ trade request, and Gentry also deftly handled the situation in the media, Kushner continues. Gentry and Griffin developed a longstanding friendship when they worked together with the Suns, Kushner adds.
Griffin said new athletic trainer Aaron Nelson changed the way he approached scouting, as he detailed to The Athletic’s William Guillory. Griffin poached Nelson from the Suns staff. They have been friends since 1993. “As I watched Aaron and his staff do what they were doing, it changed the way I scouted players,” Griffin said. “It changed what I looked for in players. My devotion to what they were doing in terms of changing player bio-mechanics was really complete. It literally impacted every part of my career after that.”

Latest On Kyrie Irving

May 10th, 2019 at 6:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Would Kyrie Irving truly consider joining forces with LeBron James again? According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, it’s a real possibility (hat tip to Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype). Windhorst believes a reunion could be in the works, especially if the Lakers hire Jason Kidd as their head coach. Irving has even talked about it, according to Windhorst.

“That door, which was deadbolted, has been un-deadbolted and has now been cracked open,” Windhorst said. “… It might even be opening more by the day. And I say that just because I think it’s on Kyrie’s radar, it’s on Kyrie’s board. He has had discussions with people about playing for the Lakers.”

We have more on Irving, who becomes an unrestricted free agent once he declines his $21.3MM player option:

Irving’s poor performance against Milwaukee in the conference semifinals should concern the Knicks, Marc Berman of the New York Post opines. The Knicks will try to sign two top-level free agents but if they don’t get Kevin Durant or trade for Anthony Davis, Irving might be a poor fit because he’s only proven he can be the No. 2 star on a championship-caliber team, Berman continues. There is genuine debate within the front office whether they’d be better off chasing Hornets All-Star guard Kemba Walker instead of Irving, Berman adds.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart defended Irving against critics who believe Irving’s leadership skills led to poor chemistry in the locker room, according to an ESPN report. Smart feels Irving was thrust into a difficult situation. “Probably a few amount of people in this world know what Kyrie goes through. It was hard for him as well,” Smart said. “He was forced into a situation where it was business over the friendships. … This is Kyrie Irving we’re talking about it, and he’s worried about coming in and disrupting us. We took him in with full arms. We tried to understand. But like I said, we never really understood because we’re not in his shoes.”
It seems almost inevitable that Irving will sign elsewhere this summer, David Aldridge of The Athletic writes. When Boston’s president of basketball operations Danny Ainge traded for Irving two years ago, it was a safe bet that he’d emerge as a mature and credible leader of a title-contending team, Aldridge continues. Irving came up well short of the mark, as he was AWOL emotionally much of this season, Aldridge adds.

Draft Notes: Zion, Norvell, Ponds, Tinkle

May 9th, 2019 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s a ton at stake this offseason for many of the teams involved in next week’s draft lottery, but there’s plenty at stake for consensus top prospect Zion Williamson as well. As ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, Kevin Pelton, and Bobby Marks outline in an Insider-only article, not every team that has a shot at Williamson would be an ideal fit for him.

In the view of ESPN’s insiders, the Hawks, Mavericks, and Pelicans would be the most preferable landing spots for Williamson. The opportunity to play with up-and-coming play-makers – Trae Young in Atlanta, or Luka Doncic in Dallas – would help unlock Williamson’s potential.

On the other hand, ESPN’s panel doesn’t consider the Lakers, Bulls, and Sixers great fits for Williamson. Spacing is the primary concern for the Lakers and Sixers, and it’s unclear how a pairing with Joel Embiid would work. For the Bulls, Zach LaVine‘s ball dominance and Jim Boylen‘s “outdated” offense are viewed as red flags.

Here are several more draft-related notes:

Gonzaga sophomore guard Zach Norvell Jr. told reporters today that he intends to keep his name in the 2019 NBA draft, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. Norvell was one of 66 prospects announced on Wednesday as a 2019 draft combine participant.
St. John’s guard Shamorie Ponds, another one of those 66, has workouts lined up with the Warriors, Bulls, Kings, Jazz, Celtics, and Mavericks, tweets Michael Scotto of The Athletic. Ponds is ranked as the No. 51 prospect on ESPN’s big board.
After working out for Utah and Philadelphia, Oregon State forward Tres Tinkle has auditions this week with the Raptors, Celtics, and Hornets, and will work out for the Hawks next week, writes Nick Daschel of The Oregonian.
After turning in an impressive performance at the Portsmouth Invitational, forward Jarrell Brantley (Charleston) has workouts lined up with 10 teams, including the Celtics, Nets, Timberwolves, Hornets, and Clippers, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.

Celtics Notes: Irving, Rozier, Davis

May 9th, 2019 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics understood the chance they were taking with Kyrie Irving when they traded for him two years ago, writes Jeff Goodman of Stadium. Irving wanted to leave a successful situation in Cleveland because he was tired of playing a supporting role to LeBron James. Boston’s front office knew Irving had a reputation that might make him a tough fit, but was willing to accept the risk.

“Doesn’t want to listen to anybody,” a Cavaliers source told Goodman. “I’ve been around more selfish guys, but when you add up those three – moody, immature and tough to coach – he doesn’t have a leg to stand on.”

There’s speculation that Irving’s time in Boston might be done as he gets ready to opt out of a $21.3MM salary and test the free agent market. If he leaves, his final game in a Celtics uniform will be a 6 for 21 shooting performance in a 25-point loss in Milwaukee.

“Everyone respects his talent,” a Celtics player told Goodman earlier this season, “but he’s hard to play with. It’s all about him.”

There’s more today out of Boston:

A breakup would be best for both Irving and the Celtics, contends Ben Golliver of The Washington Post. Boston needed to add a star when president of basketball operations Danny Ainge pulled the trigger on the Cleveland deal, but it hasn’t worked out the way he hoped. Facing his first playoff test with the Celtics, Irving wilted badly, playing well in just one of the five games against the Bucks. On top of that, he teammates seemed to take on his personality, pointing fingers at each other throughout the season and not fighting back when things got tough in the playoffs.
Restricted free agent Terry Rozier didn’t hold back in addressing the issues that affected the team, relays Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. “I sacrificed the most out of anybody,” said Rozier, who was moved to a backup role after a stellar performance in last year’s playoffs. “I’m a top point guard in this league. I feel like it’s a fresh start, whether I’m here or whether I’m gone.” Rozier admitted that coach Brad Stevens was in a difficult position “dealing with all these guys with attitudes” and said he saw warning signs on the first day of training camp.
The Celtics’ offseason focus will turn not only to Irving, but also to Anthony Davis trade talks, writes Bobby Marks of ESPN. Boston was considered to be the favorite to land Davis once the trade deadline passed, but Marks notes that two important changes have occurred since then. David Griffin has taken over as head of basketball operations in New Orleans and will make an effort to get Davis to reconsider his trade demand, and Irving, who would be a selling point to get Davis to sign a long-term deal in Boston, may be on the way out.

Community Shootaround: What Went Wrong With The Celtics?

May 8th, 2019 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

“I did a bad job,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters after his team was emphatically eliminated by Milwaukee tonight with a 25-point loss in Game 5. “I’ll do a lot of deep dives into how to be better.”

If Stevens was a problem this year, he certainly wasn’t the only one in Boston. A year that began with the Celtics as clear favorites to win the East ended in a non-competitive effort with the season on the line.

“I’ve been a coach for 12 years and we let go of the rope, and cracked the rope, probably more than we should have,” Stevens says in the rest of the quote tweeted by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “As far as any year I’ve been a coach, it’s been the most trying.”

Chemistry issues were the main problem in Boston, causing several players to say they didn’t feel like everyone was on the same page. Marcus Morris proclaimed in February that the season “just hasn’t been fun for a long time.” Kyrie Irving complained numerous times about the difficulty of being a leader on a young team, even reaching out to LeBron James to apologize for his actions when he was a young player in Cleveland.

Players unwilling to accept their roles seemed to be at the heart of the Celtics’ misery. With Irving and Gordon Hayward both sidelined by injuries last year, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier stepped up to lead the team to the conference finals. The theory was that the Celtics would be much better with Irving and Hayward both back, but it turned into a season-long chore to make the pieces fit.

Another concern is that too many players may have had their eyes on the future. Irving’s next stop has been a topic of speculation as he slowly stepped back from a preseason promise to re-sign in Boston. The idea that the team could pay him and Rozier after giving big money to Marcus Smart has always seemed doubtful. Then there’s the matter of Anthony Davis, whom the Celtics are expected to aggressively pursue this summer. Trade rumors may have had the same effect on Boston’s locker room as it did on the Lakers’.

We want to get your input. Why do you think the Celtics underachieved this season? Please leave your responses in the space below.

Celtics Losing Assistant Coach Micah Shrewsberry

May 8th, 2019 at 10:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics assistant Micah Shrewsberry will leave the NBA to rejoin the Purdue coaching staff, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. The news broke shortly after Boston’s season ended tonight with a Game 5 loss in Milwaukee.

Shrewsberry, 42, has been with the Celtics since 2013, when Brad Stevens was hired as head coach. He served as an assistant with the Boilermakers for the previous two years and was an assistant under Stevens at Butler prior to that.

The move has been planned for about a month, according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium (Twitter link). Shrewsberry is hoping to someday become a head coach at the college level.

NBA Announces 2019 Draft Lottery Representatives

May 8th, 2019 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA’s 2019 draft lottery set to take place next Tuesday night, the league has now officially confirmed who will represent each team on stage and in the lottery room on May 14.

While there are only 14 picks in the lottery – including four determined by the drawings of ping pong balls – there will be 15 team representatives in attendance due to various trades. The full breakdown of each club’s odds in this year’s lottery can be found right here.

Here’s the full list of 2019 lottery representatives, with each team sending two reps — one will be in the lottery room during the actual draw, while the other will be on stage for the broadcast portion of the event.

New York Knicks
- On stage: Patrick Ewing (former player)
- Lottery room: Allan Houston (special assistant to the GM)
- Top-four odds: 52.1%
Cleveland Cavaliers
- On stage: Nick Gilbert (son of team owner)
- Lottery room: Brock Aller (senior director of basketball operations)
- Top-four odds: 52.1%
Phoenix Suns
- On stage: Deandre Ayton
- Lottery room: Jim Pitman (CFO)
- Top-four odds: 52.1%
Chicago Bulls
- On stage: Horace Grant (special advisor to president/COO)
- Lottery room: Joey Reinsdorf (son of president/COO)
- Top-four odds: 48.0%
Atlanta Hawks
- On stage: Jami Gertz (co-owner)
- Lottery room: Michelle Leftwich (VP, salary cap administration)
- Top-four odds: 42.1%
  - Note: The Hawks will also land a second lottery pick if the Mavericks’ pick doesn’t move into the top four.
Washington Wizards
- On stage: Raul Fernandez (vice chairman)
- Lottery room: Tommy Sheppard (senior VP of basketball operations)
- Top-four odds: 37.2%
New Orleans Pelicans
- On stage: Alvin Gentry (head coach)
- Lottery room: David Griffin (executive VP of basketball operations)
- Top-four odds: 26.3%
Memphis Grizzlies
- On stage: Elliot Perry (minority owner / director of player support)
- Lottery room: Zach Kleiman (executive VP of basketball operations)
- Top-four odds: 26.3%
  - Note: The Grizzlies will lose their pick if it falls outside of the top eight (42.6% chance).
Dallas Mavericks
- On stage: Cynthia Marshall (CEO)
- Lottery room: Keith Grant (assistant GM)
- Top-four odds: 26.3%
  - Note: The Mavericks will lose their pick if it doesn’t move into the top four.
Minnesota Timberwolves
- On stage: Gersson Rosas (president of basketball operations)
- Lottery room: Brad Ruiter (VP of communications)
- Top-four odds: 13.9%
Los Angeles Lakers
- On stage: Kyle Kuzma
- Lottery room: Rob Pelinka (GM)
- Top-four odds: 9.4%
Charlotte Hornets
- On stage: James Borrego (head coach)
- Lottery room: Buzz Peterson (assistant GM)
- Top-four odds: 4.8%
Miami Heat
- On stage: Alonzo Mourning (VP, player programs)
- Lottery room: Andy Elisburg (senior VP of basketball operations / GM)
- Top-four odds: 4.8%
Boston Celtics
- On stage: Rich Gotham (president)
- Lottery room: Mike Zarren (assistant GM)
- Top-four odds: 3.8%
  - Note: The Celtics will receive the Grizzlies’ pick if it falls outside of the top eight and the Kings’ pick if it falls between 2-14.
Philadelphia 76ers
- On stage: Chris Heck (president)
- Lottery room: Ian Hillman (VP, strategy & analytics)
- Top-four odds: 1.0%
  - Note: The Sixers will only receive a pick if the Kings’ first-rounder jumps up to No. 1.