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Atlantic Notes: Trier, Mudiay, Butler

November 25th, 2018 at 6:57pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

With the Knicks focused on player development and youth in this rebuilding season without Kristaps Porzingis, one bright spot in the first quarter of the team’s season has been the play of Allonzo Trier. As Tommy Beer writes for Forbes, Trier has showcased his elite scoring abilities and has proven that he belongs in the league, despite going undrafted last summer.

Trier has played nearly 500 minutes so far this season and has provided a consistent scoring threat off the bench, averaging 11.5 points per game while knocking down 47.2% of his 3-pointers.

While a lot of attention has been on Kevin Knox and the surprising play of second-round pick Mitchell Robinson, Beer points out that fans shouldn’t overlook Trier and his place in the team’s young core, especially given the consistency he has provided this season.

As Porzingis works on recovering from his torn ACL and the Knicks have plans to spend in free agency, it will be interesting to see what the team’s young core looks like moving froward.

There’s more from the Atlantic division:

At his introduction press conference in May, Knicks head coach David Fizdale told Emmanuel Mudiay that “we’ll get you right.” As Marc Berman points out for The New York Post, Fizdale has kept that promise with an increased role for Mudiay, who has rewarded his coach with the best play of his career.
While Sixers head coach Brett Brown has enjoyed Jimmy Butler‘s approach to integrating himself with the team, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reveals that there are times in which Brown wants Butler to be more aggressive offensively.
Another recent Atlantic division notes post highlighted David Fizdale‘s return to Memphis and the Celtics‘ offensive struggles.

Young Players Struggle With Reduced Roles

November 25th, 2018 at 10:21am CST by Arthur Hill

The slumping Celtics are having trouble finding the right roles for the younger players who helped them reach the Eastern Conference finals last season, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Terry Rozier has struggled in his return to a reserve role, Jaylen Brown‘s shot has been off all season and Jayson Tatum is settling too often for long two-point shots.
The Celtics were counting on a draft pick bonanza in June with picks possibly coming from the Kings, Grizzlies and Clippers, but based on the current standings all of those would be later than Boston’s selection, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

Celtics Favorite To Land Anthony Davis?

November 24th, 2018 at 11:00am CST by marksuleymanov

While Kyrie Irving is currently in his prime, the Celtics‘ All-Star point guard does not see himself playing at an advanced age, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps writes.

Irving, 26, is in the midst of another characteristically strong season for Boston. In 18 games, he’s averaging 21.9 PPG and 6.2 APG as the Celtics, currently, at 10-9, try to get on a consistent winning streak. However, as Irving reaches free agency this summer, he’s also looking toward his future in the game.

While there exists a general belief that Pelicans’ All-Star Anthony Davis will end up with the Lakers down the road, the situation is a fluid one, Chris Sheridan of Get More Sports writes. Davis has reportedly expanded his personal list of preferred destinations to include the Knicks, Sixers, Celtics and Pelicans. And there are a number of indications that Boston could be the favorite, Sheridan adds.

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Atlantic Division

November 23rd, 2018 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2018/19 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

Since we last examined the Atlantic division, two of the division’s backup point guards have made headlines — one is reportedly unhappy with his role, while another is said to prefer a change of scenery. Both players (or their camps) have publicly denied those reports, but that likely won’t quiet trade speculation.

Here’s our latest look at a few possible trade candidates from the Atlantic…

Terry Rozier, G
Boston Celtics
$3.05MM cap hit; restricted free agent in 2019

Rozier and the Celtics continue to say the right things publicly, but speculation persists that the fourth-year point guard is unhappy with his role in Boston, as a report suggested earlier this month.

Rozier, who played a huge role in the postseason for the Celtics last spring, has seen his minutes per game dip to 22.7 this season with Kyrie Irving healthy. If Boston were battling for first place in the conference, that decreased role might be easier to swallow, but the Celtics’ early-season struggles have likely only exacerbated any frustrations Rozier has.

Despite their 9-9 start, the Celtics still have title aspirations, so an in-season trade involving a key contributor like Rozier seems unlikely unless they can get immediate help in return. Still, this is a situation worth watching closely. With Rozier’s restricted free agency looming and no guarantee of a long-term investment from the Celtics, the trade deadline could represent Boston’s best chance to get something of value for the young guard.

Markelle Fultz, G
Philadelphia 76ers
$8.34MM cap hit; guaranteed $9.75MM salary in 2019/20; $12.29MM team option for 2020/21

Fultz’s agent Raymond Brothers denied a report suggesting that his client wants to be traded out of Philadelphia, but it wouldn’t exactly be shocking if the former No. 1 overall pick prefers a fresh start elsewhere. His first 17 months with the Sixers have been disastrous, and it’s not clear where he fits into a long-term core that will likely include Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, and Joel Embiid.

If you’re the Sixers, you don’t want to sell low on a player like Fultz, who is still just 20 years old and was an extremely highly regarded prospect just a year and a half ago. But the team applied that same thinking to Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, and ended up practically giving those players away for nothing in trades as their stocks dipped even further. If Fultz can get healthy, maybe now is the time to move him, when other teams still believe in his upside.

If Philadelphia does consider dealing Fultz, he’d give the team a mid-level salary-matching chip to shop in trade talks, which could be important. Currently, the only non-core pieces on the roster with cap hits exceeding $2.7MM are Wilson Chandler ($12.8MM), J.J. Redick ($12.25MM), and Mike Muscala ($5MM) — those three are important rotation players that the Sixers would presumably prefer to keep.

It’s also worth noting that clearing Fultz’s $9.75MM guarantee for 2019/20 from their books could put the Sixers in a prime position to go after another top free agent next summer, even after accounting for Butler’s cap hold.

DeMarre Carroll, F
Brooklyn Nets
$15.4MM cap hit; unrestricted free agent in 2019

During the summer of 2017, when the Raptors needed to cut costs to re-sign Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, the Nets received a pair of draft picks from Toronto and dumped Justin Hamilton‘s unwanted expiring contract as incentive for taking on Carroll. The veteran forward responded with a nice bounce-back season in 2017/18, averaging a career-best 13.5 PPG on .414/.371/.764 shooting.

Carroll’s solid showing last season rebuilt his trade value and even made him a positive asset heading into his contract year, but health problems – which marred his time in Toronto – have slowed him again this season. Limited to eight games so far due to an ankle injury, the 32-year-old has shot just .309/.286/.885.

Unless Carroll can rebound again in a big way, finding a trade partner may be tricky. The Nets would want an asset in return for the veteran, and wouldn’t want to compromise their projected cap space for 2019. That may be too much to ask, but if Carroll plays well leading up to the deadline and there’s a team out there in desperate need of a three-and-D wing, a deal is a possibility.

Previously:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Kyrie Irving Says He Wants To Play Until Early-To-Mid-30s

November 23rd, 2018 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics guard Kyrie Irving said today that he only wants to play in the NBA until his early-to-mid-30s, tweets Marc D’Amico of Celtics.com. Irving is still only 26 years old, so it’s probably worth checking back in and gauging his stance again a few years from now.

Celtics Notes: Stevens, Horford, Lineup Change, Morris

November 22nd, 2018 at 12:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

After watching his team fall to .500 with its third straight loss Wednesday, coach Brad Stevens wondered if maybe the Celtics were overrated all along, relays Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston.

“I just don’t know that we’re that good. Maybe it’s not a wakeup call if you keep getting beat,” Stevens said after a home loss to the Knicks. “We have to play better. It’s not because we’re not capable of being good. It’s not because we weren’t good at one time in our lives. It’s you’re good if you play good and the results are speaking for themselves.”

The Celtics entered the season as the favorites in the East and were considered a legitimate threat to win the NBA title after reaching Game 7 of the conference finals last year without injured stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Instead, they have experienced struggles on both offense and defense as Stevens has tried to work out effective combinations of his veterans and younger players.

“It’s not one guy. It’s not two guys. It’s all of us,” Stevens said. “We’re not playing with the same personality we played with last year. That’s the easiest way to describe it. And then the 50,000 issues that are below that, we have to tackle one at a time.”

There’s more today out of Boston:

Al Horford said the team’s “effort” isn’t where it needs to be, relays A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. However, he suggested that the early-season struggles could benefit the team down the road. “These are the times I feel like make teams stronger,” Horford said. “I feel last year, what made us stronger was that adversity that we faced with different injuries and things like that. Different situations make teams tougher. Right now, as much as I don’t like losing and going through this, I feel like this is what’s making us stronger as a unit.”
Hayward came off the bench for the second straight game Wednesday as center Aron Baynes remained in the starting lineup, Blakely notes in a separate story. In addition to improving the first-team defense, Stevens explained that the move puts players in their more natural positions. “There’s a comfort level to that,” he said. “As we continue to try and grow and get to the best version of ourselves, we’re going to have to be able to play both ways. We’re gonna have to be able to play small; we’re gonna have to be able to play big.”
With the Wizards contemplating a sell-off, Tom Keegan of The Boston Herald suggests that the Celtics might benefit from acquiring Markieff Morris to play alongside his brother, Marcus.

LeBron’s Return And The Kyrie Irving Trade

November 22nd, 2018 at 10:16am CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers believed LeBron James was eventually headed to the Lakers as far back as 2016, but they missed an opportunity to send him off with another championship by mishandling the Kyrie Irving trade, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.

Irving and the Cavs were both trying to protect themselves from the fallout of LeBron’s departure, Lloyd adds. Irving submitted a trade request that eventually landed him in Boston. Cleveland’s front office started the rebuilding process by making the Nets’ unprotected first-rounder the key part of an otherwise underwhelming package from the Celtics that also brought Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a second-round pick in 2020.

James was criticized for not reaching out to Irving and trying to change his mind about leaving the team, but he doesn’t believe he could have made a difference.

“I think by the time it got to me he wanted to be traded, I think he was already gone,” James said. “He was already gone and it was up to the organization to do their job and try to keep him as well. The guy still had two years left on his contract. They didn’t have to give him up. It could’ve been repaired then. Bring him in, let’s see what happens. I don’t think his stock drops if he still comes to Cleveland, see what happens and at the trade deadline you could still do it then.”

The Cavaliers were able to make their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals without Irving, but they were swept by the Warriors. Lloyd recalls that many of the Cavs’ players thought Golden State was beatable last year, but they didn’t have enough star power to make it happen.

There’s more from LeBron’s triumphant return to Cleveland:

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert opted to skip Wednesday’s game, Lloyd adds, which underscores the state of his relationship with James. Although Gilbert’s reaction to James’ departure this time was more dignified than the letter he wrote in 2010, the relationship between owner and player has never fully recovered.
James received a loud ovation from Cavaliers fans during pre-game introductions and was grateful for a highlight video the organization put together, relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The video highlighted James’ accomplishments on the court and in the community, including the I Promise School that his foundation helped to establish. “They did it the right way,” Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson said of the video. “I think everyone understood and was almost like, We appreciate this guy, he’s given us so much, he’s given us everything he’s got, so we appreciate it. If he wants to move on and start another chapter in his life, we’re all for it.'”
Last night’s warm reception was a stark contrast to how James was received when he returned to Cleveland with the Heat, notes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. In 2010, James was viewed as a traitor by fans and was portrayed as a villain by the team. “From the time we landed yesterday, it just felt a different way,” he said. “I’m a different person. We’re all different from eight years ago, I think, both good and bad.”

Celtics Notes: Stevens, Irving, Morris, Rozier

November 21st, 2018 at 8:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Coach Brad Stevens altered the starting lineup for Monday’s game at Charlotte, and he told A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston that it will probably happen again. Stevens opted for more size in the matchup with the Hornets, inserting center Aron Baynes into the starting five in place of Gordon Hayward.

“We’re not done probably tweaking the lineups,” Stevens said. “And so, I do think you’ll see more.”

Stevens is trying to spark a team that has stumbled to a 9-8 start after being the preseason favorite to win the East. Few of the combinations he has used this season have provided any consistency, so he continues to mix and match in hopes of shaking things up. Even so, Blakely adds that the Celtics are remaining patient and a major move is unlikely, at least for a while.

There’s more news out of Boston:

Kyrie Irving made a verbal commitment last month to stay with the Celtics when he becomes a free agent next summer, but Blakely wonders in another story if he might be rethinking his decision. Blakely notes that when Irving made his announcement he believed there was enough talent in place that he wouldn’t have to carry the team every night. However, that may not turn out to be true.
There are concerns about the locker room atmosphere in Boston in the wake of the disappointing start, relays Jay King of The Athletic. Veteran forward Marcus Morris suggests that the anxiety may be a result of having so many young players on the roster. “The mood swings are really high,” he said, “and I think that’s the difference between having a veteran team and having a young team. Veterans, game over, you get rid of it, you throw it in the trash, you get ready for the next game. I think our mood goes game by game. And I think to be a successful team down the road you can’t be that way.”
Stevens is dismissing a social media message from Terry Rozier that some interpreted as a sign that he wants traded, writes Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston. “Let’s do us ALL a favor,” Rozier tweeted Tuesday, before saying later that it had nothing to do with basketball. “I’m not going to pretend to read into tweets,” Stevens said. “I guess I don’t pay attention to that that much.”

Markelle Fultz Has Bad Wrist, May Prefer Trade

November 21st, 2018 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

6:20pm: Fultz’s agent is denying that his client is seeking a trade, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “I have given no indication to [Sixers GM] Elton Brand or anyone else that Markelle would prefer to be traded,” Brothers said. “My focus is to get Markelle healthy. End of story.”

5:52pm: Sixers guard Markelle Fultz is being treated for a wrist problem as well as his right shoulder issue and would prefer to resume his career with another team, report Jared Weiss, Derek Bodner and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The injury has affected Fultz’s ability to hold onto the ball while shooting. Specialists have been working to increase his strength in the wrist.

The problems with the wrist and shoulder vary in severity from day to day, according to the Athletic writers, which is why his shot is more effective in some games than in others. The dual injuries have prompted changes in Fultz’s shooting motion, but he has continued to struggle from the field (.419) and the foul line (.568) during his second season in the NBA.

As we noted yesterday, Fultz and his agent, Raymond Brothers, made an appointment with a specialist in New York for Monday. Fultz will have his shoulder and wrist examined and will not return to the lineup until after that visit.

Fultz reportedly still experiences pain when lifting the ball above his chest to shoot, although the Sixers say they don’t know of any physical problem that would prevent him from being medically cleared to play.

The writers trace the history of Fultz’s physical difficulties to his lone season at Washington, where he suffered right knee soreness and opted for having the knee scoped instead of meniscus surgery. As he recovered, he worked to change the trajectory on his shot to make it more effective from the NBA 3-point line. However, it was noticeably off in his first workout with the Celtics, which prompted the team to trade its No. 1 pick to Philadelphia.

Fultz has been wearing a specialized undershirt to help stabilize the shoulder area, but any progress is on hold until after he sees the specialist next week.

LeBron: Kyrie Trade Was Beginning Of The End In Cleveland

November 19th, 2018 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

With LeBron James‘ return to Cleveland right around the corner, Joe Vardon of The Athletic revisits the 2017 trade that sent Kyrie Irving to Boston and contributed to James’ decision to leave the Cavaliers for the Lakers in 2018. As LeBron tells Vardon, the Irving deal with the Celtics helped signal the end of an era in Cleveland.

“Everyone knows that when Kyrie got traded it was the beginning of the end for everything,” James said. “It’s not a secret.”

In his account of how that Irving deal got done, Vardon writes that James spoke on the phone to Cavs general manager Koby Altman the day the trade was agreed upon. Vardon cites four separate people present for the conversation who say that – at the end of the call – Altman told LeBron the trade wouldn’t happen. However, the deal was completed shortly thereafter.

Cavaliers officials who spoke to Vardon denied that Altman gave James any assurances that the deal wouldn’t happen, adding that Altman asked LeBron if he’d commit long-term to the Cavs if they kept Irving, and he said no. In any case, James doesn’t feel as if Altman lied to him, according to Vardon — instead, the GM may have simply been overruled by team owner Dan Gilbert.

“You realize at that point in time, take nothing from Koby, because Koby (was just named GM),” LeBron said. “But at that point in time, you realize that Koby’s not the only one running the team, as (former GM David Griffin) had done, and that’s why Griff was let go pretty much.”

While the Cavaliers still earned a spot in the NBA Finals without Irving, they were quickly dispatched by the Warriors, prompting James to seek a new challenge in free agency. Now a Laker, the four-time MVP will make his return to Cleveland this week, with the Cavs scheduled to host the Lakers on Wednesday.

As for Irving, he declined comment today when asked about his response to James’ comments, telling reporters that he’s done talking about his time in Cleveland (video link via Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston).