Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Ojeleye Will Have To Be Patient This Season

September 14th, 2018 at 7:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kyrie Irving tops the Knicks’ wish list in free agency next summer because he’s their most realistic target, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston opines. Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard would elevate the franchise even more than Irving but both of those potential free agents would be much harder to land, Blakely continues. Securing Irving’s services won’t be easy, either, but the Knicks have a better chance with the Celtics point guard, who grew up in New Jersey. It’s not only his ability but potential availability that makes him attractive to the Knicks’ front office, Blakely adds. Blakely declared that Irving topped the Knicks’ wish list during a podcast this week.

Semi Ojeleye was probably the biggest beneficiary of Gordon Hayward’s injury last season but he hasn’t established a steady spot in the Celtics rotation, Blakely examines in a player profile. While Ojeleye has shown the ability to defend multiple frontcourt positions and switch out on guards, he’ll simply have to be ready to contribute any way he can with the return of Hayward, Blakely adds. Ojeleye appeared in 73 regular -season games last season.
With the return of Hayward and Irving from injuries, it’s tough to find any reason why the Celtics won’t roll to the Eastern Conference title, Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports opines. The team’s closest competitors – Toronto, Milwaukee and Philadelphia – can’t match the Celtics’ depth and overall talent, Mannix continues. Even the team’s projected second unit of Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris and Daniel Theis could compete for a playoff spot, Mannix notes.

Williams Should Dominate G League

September 13th, 2018 at 6:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Dominating at the G League level would make for a successful rookie season for Celtics first-rounder Robert Williams, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. That’s where Williams will spend a good portion of the season, Blakely notes, and the big man must prove the left knee injury he’s dealing with won’t be a major issue. Williams also needs to show more maturity off the court, Blakely adds.

Jabari Bird Arraigned On Assault Charges

September 13th, 2018 at 3:35pm CST by Arthur Hill

3:35pm: Bird has issued a statement saying he’s “taking some time away from the team as I deal with my legal and medical issues,” ESPN’s Chris Forsberg relays. He also apologized to his family, teammates, fans, organization and league for the “unnecessary distraction” but that “information that has been released does not tell the full story.”

12:30pm: The Celtics have issued a statement saying the organization “deplores domestic violence of any kind,” tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The team promises to work with the NBA and law enforcement officials in their investigation.

12:03pm: Celtics guard Jabari Bird was arraigned today on charges of assaulting and kidnapping his girlfriend, reports Travis Andersen of The Boston Globe. Bird pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held on $50K cash bond.

The woman claims Bird choked her about a dozen times, kicked her and held her against her will while the couple was arguing Friday. She said he began suffering mental distress before police arrested him Friday night.

Bird, 24, had been hospitalized for an “evaluation” until today, when doctors ruled that he was healthy enough for a court appearance. The victim was taken to a separate hospital.

The Celtics have declined to comment on the arrest since last weekend, Andersen adds. The team signed Bird to a two-year, $3MM contract following his strong performance in Summer League play. The first year is fully guaranteed for $1.55MM, while the second year is non-guaranteed.

Gordon Hayward Expects To Be Ready For Opener

September 13th, 2018 at 1:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics forward Gordon Hayward declared himself almost fully recovered in a meeting with the media today and said he believes he’ll be ready to play on opening night, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Hayward says he feels almost 100 percent, and explosion and cutting are the only remaining physical challenges, relays Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link).

Hayward was Boston’s prize free agent addition last summer, but he suffered a severe ankle injury on opening night. He still has two seasons left on his contract at nearly $64MM, plus a player option worth nearly $34.2MM for 2020/21.

“With each step I get some joy,” Hayward told reporters. “Now we’re at the final step.”

Hayward hopes to regain the form he had in Utah, where he made his first All-Star appearance in his final season with the Jazz. He averaged a career-best 21.1 PPG that year, along with 5.4 RPG and 3.5 APG.

Kyrie Irving Tops Knicks’ Summer Wish List

September 13th, 2018 at 9:28am CST by Arthur Hill

Kyrie Irving will be the Knicks’ top target in free agency next summer, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston said in an appearance on the Bulls talk podcast (hat tip to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports).

Irving is expected to opt out of a $21.3MM salary for next season and become part of a stellar free agent class that will also include Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson. The Knicks will have enough cap room to make a maximum offer if they use the stretch provision on Joakim Noah, and team officials see Irving as the best fit and most accessible target.

“I can tell you right now, the New York Knicks, he is their No. 1 target,” Blakely said. “I’ve spoken with people within that organization. They have made it absolutely crystal clear to me that, if they had their pick of guys that are going to be in the free agent market this summer, Kyrie would be their first, second, third and fourth choice.”

Irving is about to enter his second season with the Celtics after being acquired from Cleveland last summer. He missed the playoffs after having surgery on his left knee late in the season, but has reportedly made a full recovery and is expected to be ready for training camp. Irving posted a 24.4/3.8/5.1 line in 60 games last season.

Boston is hoping to re-sign Irving, of course, but the team will be faced with some tough financial choices. Terry Rozier, who excelled in the playoffs in Irving’s absence, is entering a contract year, Marcus Morris will be a free agent and Al Horford and Aron Baynes can join Irving in opting out of their 2019/20 deals.

Celtics Notes: Irving, Horford, Baynes

September 11th, 2018 at 4:20pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Celtics hold the second spot in ESPN’s Future Power Rankings, with a roster full of players with All-Star potential and as many as three extra first-round picks coming their way next June, as Kevin Pelton details. One of those picks will be Sacramento’s unless it lands at No. 1.

However, the franchise could take a long-term hit this offseason should Kyrie Irving depart in free agency. The Celtics will be capped out and won’t have the ability to sign a major replacement should Irving leave the New England area. If the point guard does stick around, the team will face luxury-tax concerns, though Pelton is confident in GM Danny Ainge’s ability to properly navigate through the potential woes.

Here’s more from Boston:

We have yet another indicator that Irving should be healthy heading into the Celtics‘ training camp with the point guard playing fullcourt basketball over the weekend, as Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe passes along. Irving was on the court in Miami playing alongside Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kelly Olynyk among others.
The Celtics will continue to give Al Horford some run at the four, pairing him with Aron Baynes on the court, and A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports believes the duo will provide elite defense in the paint. Baynes and Horford played 13.3 minutes per game together last season and they had the best defensive rating (95.0) among all of Boston’s pairings with at least 10 minutes per game together.
The Horford-Baynes pairing also provides the team with top 3-point range, as Blakely notes in the same piece. The Celtics shot 44.4% from downtown when the two bigs were on the floor, the best among all the team’s two-man combinations.

Jonathan Gibson Signs With Chinese Team

September 11th, 2018 at 11:01am CST by Dana Gauruder

Former Celtics point guard Jonathan Gibson and ex-Thunder big man Dakari Johnson have signed contracts to play in China during the upcoming season, according to a Sportando report.

The duo will join the Qingdao Eagles. Gibson signed with Boston late last season after its backcourt was depleted by injuries. He appeared in four games, averaging 8.5 PPG in 10 MPG. The former New Mexico State standout played 38 games for Qingdao last season, averaging 33.7 PPG with 6.8 RPG and 4.7 APG.

Gibson, 30, also appeared in 17 games for the Mavericks during the 2016/17 season but has otherwise spent his professional career playing for a variety of international teams since going undrafted in 2010. His resume includes stops in Turkey, Israel, Italy and Iran as well as China.

News of Johnson’s decision to play in China broke on Monday and the latest Sportando report confirms he’s officially heading overseas.

The 7-foot center was traded twice this summer before the Grizzlies waived him at the end of August. Oklahoma City shipped him to Orlando in exchange for Rodney Purvis on July 20. Three days later, the Magic sent Johnson and the rights to 2015 second-rounder Tyler Harvey to Memphis for Jarell Martin and cash.

The 48th pick in the 2015 draft, Johnson spent the first two years of his career in the G League with Oklahoma City Blue. He saw his first action for the Thunder last season, appearing in 31 games.

Celtics Work Out Marcus Georges-Hunt

September 11th, 2018 at 10:00am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics are working out free agent shooting guard Marcus Georges-Hunt today, Jay King of The Athletic reports.

The 6’5” Georgia Tech alum appeared in 42 games for the Timberwolves last season, averaging 1.4 PPG in 5.3 MPG, after making his NBA debut with the Magic in 2016/17. Georges-Hunt is well-known in the Celtics organization, King notes. He was on their 2016 training camp roster and then playing that season with their G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, averaging 15.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 4.4 APG.

The 6’5” Georges-Hunt worked out for the Timberwolves last week, even though they made him a free agent by declining to extend him a qualifying offer earlier in the summer. The Cavaliers also brought him in during a free agent tryout last week, while the Nuggets worked him out last month.

The Celtics currently have 15 players on guaranteed contracts but shooting guard Jabari Bird‘s future with the organization is in doubt. Bird was arrested on Friday night in a domestic incident and has been under a guarded watch at a Boston-area hospital.

Jabari Bird Still Hospitalized; Charges Expected Upon Release

September 10th, 2018 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nets first-rounder Dzanan Musa has been bulking up since the draft in hopes of being physically prepared for the NBA, relays NetsDaily. In a weekend interview with with Radiosarajevo in Bosnia, Musa said he has been focused on “physical progress” and has gained 15 pounds this summer.

“As far as my physical predisposition is concerned, no one has to worry,” he said. “I have put on seven kilograms in a 25-day period, so I do not have to have any disadvantages by the start of the season, and I will try to give my team immediate input.”

The 29th overall selection has spent most of the summer at the Nets’ training facility, but recently returned home to Bosnia to participate in a pair of FIBA World Cup qualifying games.

There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:

Trade restrictions on the Nets‘ Jared Dudley will expire September 20, according to a separate story on NetsDaily outlining important upcoming dates for the team. That date will mark the two-month anniversary of the trade that sent Dudley from Phoenix to Brooklyn, and it will lift the restriction that he can only be dealt in one-for-one trades.
The Knicks picked up a pair of promising young players on one-year deals while preserving their cap space for next summer, writes Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders in the season preview for New York. The Knicks signed Mario Hezonja for $6.5MM and Noah Vonleh for a non-guaranteed $1.6MM, giving them a year to see how much they can contribute before making long-term decisions. Blancarte also believes David Fizdale was the right choice to take over as coach.
Jabari Bird is under guarded watch at a Boston-area hospital following his arrest Friday on a “domestic incident,” tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Bird is expected to be released from the hospital today or tomorrow and will be officially charged for his role in the incident.
The Raptors have scheduled a press conference for September 21 to introduce Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link). Both were acquired from the Spurs in a mid-July trade.

Irving, Hayward Looking Good In Pickup Games

September 8th, 2018 at 5:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward have made significant progress in their return from injures, according to Ashith Mathur of AmicoHoops. A source who watched them play pickup games at the Celtics‘ practice facility said both players “look impressive” with a little more than two weeks to go until training camp. Irving had knee surgery in April that forced him to miss the playoffs, while Hayward suffered a season-ending ankle injury on opening night. Both have been training at full speed for about a month, Mathur adds, and Hayward should be cleared for five-on-five action next week.
With the Celtics poised to add another top prospect to their collection of young talent, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston takes a look ahead to next year’s draft. Boston could have as many as three first-rounders in June and will get the better pick from the Kings or Sixers [No. 1 protected], which is almost certain to be Sacramento’s. Blakely tabs Duke’s R.J. Barrett and Zion Williamson, North Carolina’s Nassir Little, Arkansas’ Daniel Gafford and Sekou Doumbouya of France as potential future Celtics.