Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Celtics Notes: Irving, Hayward, Stevens

August 28th, 2018 at 7:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Celtics have the ability to offer Kyrie Irving the most money next summer when he hits free agency. They can also offer him a familiar situation and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski believes Irving will ultimately look at the situation in Boston and stay put.

“I still would take Boston against the rest of the field,” Wojnarowski said on The Woj Pod (h/t NBC Sports Boston). “I still think in the end there comes a moment of truth when you look around, and you have to make a decision about somewhere else. And when you really start inspecting the questions that are in almost any other circumstance he would go to, you would say: ‘Boy, it’s pretty good here.’ … I still think it is going to be really hard to walk away from this [Boston].”

The Knicks loom as a possible destination for Irving, so would any team with enough cap space to fit him and Jimmy Butler on a pair of max deals, as the duo has been rumored to have interest in teaming up.

Here’s more from Boston:

Both Gordon Hayward and Irving will enter camp ready to play at full speed, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com relays. “I don’t want to hype it up too much, but I’m saying that if our training camp were starting today that they would be here today going full speed,” GM Danny Ainge said. “It’s not like they need an extra month. I think that they know they have an extra month, so they are sort of pacing themselves. They’re playing as if to build up to that opening day of training camp [Sept. 26].”
Brad Stevens will face more pressure this season than any of his previous five in Boston, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports writes. The scribe believes the Celtics have the talent and depth to live up to the expectations.
Hayward’s health will be a key storyline for the Celtics this season, Blakely writes in a separate piece. The team will need his versatility on the court if they are going to compete with top teams like the Rockets and Warriors.

Ainge: Irving, Hayward Should Be At ‘Full Speed’ For Camp

August 28th, 2018 at 9:39am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are returning from major leg injuries, but team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is confident that both players will be ready to go when training camp gets underway next month. Ainge told ESPN’s Chris Forsberg that Irving and Hayward already appear close to 100% after finishing last season on the shelf.

“I don’t want to hype it up too much, but I’m saying that if our training camp were starting today that they would be here today going full speed,” Ainge said of the two veterans. “It’s not like they need an extra month. I think that they know they have an extra month, so they are sort of pacing themselves. They’re playing as if to build up to that opening day of training camp (September 26).”

Hayward only played five minutes in his first season as a Celtic, with his year coming to an abrupt end when he landed awkwardly and suffered a bad break of his left ankle on opening night. As for Irving, he was nagged by knee issues and eventually underwent season-ending surgery in April on his troublesome left knee.

The Celtics won two playoff series and pushed the Cavaliers to Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals without Hayward and Irving, and now have their sights set on bigger goals with both players on the road to recovery. Ainge, who says he’s “really excited” about seeing the duo back on the court, told Forsberg that the team will ramp up activity for Hayward and Irving during camp. Boston will have the luxury of easing its stars back into key roles since the team has a ton of depth it can lean on in the early going.

“They’ll both be here within the next week or so; by the time Labor Day is over, they will all be playing 5-on-5,” Ainge said of Hayward and Irving. “I think it’s just a matter of, if they’re not playing 5-on-5 now, then it’s only because they want it more of a controlled environment, I guess. They’re doing everything — dunking the basketball off both legs and playing one-on-one live and jumping and cutting and defending. I’m excited for them.”

Blakely: Don't Expect Smart To Regress After Big Payday

August 27th, 2018 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston doesn’t expect Marcus Smart‘s lucrative new contract with the Celtics to have any negative effects on his on-court production or effort in 2018/19, pointing out that Smart is still hungry for greater individual and team accomplishments.

Atlantic Notes: Erving, Weaver, Celtics

August 26th, 2018 at 2:56pm CST by marksuleymanov

As an ambassador for the Sixers, Hall of Famer Julius Erving is as aware and in touch with the state of the franchise as anybody. Dr. J spoke to reporters at a recent appearance and gave his candidate thoughts on Philadelphia’s young players and aspirations entering the 2018/19 season.

Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Erving believes the Sixers could fall anywhere from the first to the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

“The team is not complete,” Erving said. “I think the team has the core, which is very important to have, and now you have to get the tentacles, you have to get the role players and then you have to get the surprise guys that are better than you thought they were.”

Erving also weighed in on the Sixers’ two top young guns: Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Simmons, the reigning Rooke of the Year, does not have much of a mid-range game at this point and Erving stressed the need for him to improve in that area.

“I always thought you work on the skills you are weak in and you work also to improve the skills where you are strong and then you just try to be a consistent force night in and night out,” he said. “So with Ben’s shooting, mid-range, long-range, I am sure he has put a lot of time in practicing that.”

Finally, Erving spoke glowingly of Embiid’s on-court potential but said the first-time All-Star needs to be a stronger leader.

“Joel is really a guy who has shown no weakness from a skill standpoint, offensively or defensively, so I think he just has to be more of a leader, maybe more of a vocal leader and probably in terms of night in and night out, doing things with matchups on the court that would allow him to be a consistent force,” Erving said.

Check out more Atlantic Division notes below

The Nets‘ G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, will have a new head coach as Will Weaver is slated to take the reins. Net Income of Net Daily highlighted the new coach and what he will face coaching the team.
The Celtics are expected to enter the upcoming season as one of the favorites – if not the favorite – in the Eastern Conference. However, Drew Maresca of Basketball Insiders writes that Boston could have a much tougher season than expected. The Celtics will rely heavily on Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, two players returning from serious leg injuries. Also, the chemistry and playing time split between Terry Rozier, Jayson Tatum and others will be key.

Rozier, Brown Will Accept Bench Roles

August 25th, 2018 at 6:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

“Scary Terry” isn’t afraid of returning to a bench role now that Celtics teammate Kyrie Irving is healthy again, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN. Terry Rozier became a postseason star in Boston with Irving sidelined after knee surgery, starting all 19 games and posting a 16.5/5.3/5.7 line as the Celtics reached Game 7 of the conference finals. Irving’s recovery will make Rozier a reserve again, but he won’t let that affect his outlook for the season.

Rozier’s attitude should help the Celtics, but it may not keep him in Boston beyond this season. He will be a restricted free agent next summer, and the organization may not want to make a large financial commitment to another guard with Irving also headed for free agency and Marcus Smart re-signing last month for $52MM over four years.

Jayson Tatum, who is coming off a stellar rookie season, expressed similar sentiments in an interview with Nicole Yang of Boston.com. Tatum was also outstanding for the Celtics in the playoffs, averaging 18.5 points per game, but he’s expected to lose his starting role whenever Gordon Hayward is healthy enough to take over. “I understand how deep our team is,” Tatum said. “I just care about winning and doing what I can while I’m on the floor.”

Atlantic Notes: Fizdale, Knox, Tatum, Sixers GM

August 25th, 2018 at 9:31am CST by marksuleymanov

The Knicks‘ new head coach, David Fizdale, has yet to coach a single game with the team, but he’s optimistic about the direction the organization is going. Fizdale spoke with NBC New York’s Bruce Beck and spoke glowingly of his relationship with Kristaps Porzingis and the team’s talent acquisitions in the NBA Draft (via the New York Post).

“It’s already happening,” Fizdale said about the Knicks’ franchise rebirth. “Kristaps will come back healthy. He was already having a big-time season last year when he got knocked down. We had an awesome draft with Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson and Allonzo Trier — our two-way player. Scott [Perry] and these guys are sticking to an awesome plan, bringing in guys maybe that didn’t work out at a place before but are high draft picks. [With] good player development, good culture, they can turn into something they were expected to be. We’re doing it the right way.”

Fizdale was hired to replace Jeff Hornacek, who was relieved of his duties after the season. After a tumultuous exit from the Grizzlies last season, Fizdale himself is seeking a fresh start in New York.

Check out more Atlantic Division notes below:

Former NBA player Jimmy Jackson spoke to Marc Berman of the New York Post ahead of Big3 Finals on Friday about the Knicks’ selection of Kevin Knox. Jackson spoke highly of Knox and compared to him to one budding NBA superstar. “He’s a bigger version of Devin Booker,’’ Jackson said. “He’s got all the same skills but he’s taller.”
The Celtics originally held the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft but decided to trade down. Boston still got their target in Jayson Tatum, who joked that Danny Ainge‘s decision cost him some money due to the NBA’s rookie scale. “I joke with Danny all the time, he should’ve just took me No. 1,” Tatum said on The Bill Simmons Podcast at The Ringer. “I could’ve kept a few dollars of my paycheck. Tell (Ainge), ‘You owe me some money.'”
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer appeared on Chris Mannix’s podcast at Yahoo Sports and discussed the Sixers‘ search for a general manager (via NBC Sports). Pompey said that Philadelphia’s search is focused on a person who will not necessarily have the final say on personnel decisions, but instead be part of a group decision. Pompey named David Heller – who worked with former GM Sam Hinkie and is part of the ownership group – as one voice in those collaborative decisions. Pompey has previously indicated the Sixers hope to hire someone who will be able to work together with other front office members to make decisions.

Passing On Leonard Was Right Thing To Do

August 23rd, 2018 at 11:01am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics made the right decision by holding onto Jayson Tatum rather than dealing him to the Spurs to Kawhi Leonard, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston opines. Boston would likely have needed to give up Tatum to land Leonard with no assurances that Leonard would stay beyond the upcoming season, Blakely continues. With Leonard’s questionable health and the Celtics already considered the Eastern Conference favorite, it didn’t make sense for Boston to roll the dice, Blakely adds.

Celtics Notes: Irving Trade, Hayward, Morris, Brown

August 22nd, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

One year has past since the Cavaliers traded Kyrie Irving to the Celtics, and the aftershocks are continuing throughout the league, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Irving demanded a deal last summer because he was tired of being in LeBron James‘ shadow in Cleveland. He wound up going to Boston in a move that may have launched a rebuilding project for the Cavs and set the Celtics up to be an elite team for several years.

The final deal sent Irving to Boston in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and Brooklyn’s unprotected first-rounder that became Collin Sexton. The Cavaliers received a 2020 second-round pick as added compensation when they claimed Thomas’ hip was in worse shape than they were led to believe.

The addition of Irving changed the Celtics’ prospects, Blakely notes. It gave them more size in the backcourt and ended the need to compensate for Thomas on defense. It upgraded the talent level and gave Boston a chance to compete with the Warriors if they should meet in the Finals. And it validated Danny Ainge’s decision not to go all in with trade offers for Paul George or Jimmy Butler earlier in the summer.

There’s more tonight from Boston:

Gordon Hayward has made significant progress in recovering from a severe ankle injury, but his greatest challenges still lie ahead, Blakely notes in a separate story. Blakely talks to Chauncey Billups and Reggie Jackson, who have both been through long rehab processes, about the difficulty involved. “You’re a shell of yourself when you first come back,” Jackson said. “That’s the toughest part … every player that makes it here, has some type of greatness. So, you can’t be that until you’re full-go again.”
Marcus Morris is the latest NBA player to speak out about mental health issues, sharing his story with Jackie MacMullan of ESPN in her five-part series running this week. Morris discusses the trauma of growing up in a violent North Philadelphia neighborhood and said he never sought help until Ainge and coach Brad Stevens urged him to see a psychologist. “I know lots of guys who are dealing with some kind of anxiety and depression — not knowing if they have a job next season, not knowing if they’re going to get traded,” Morris said. “It’s so stressful. Everyone is pulling at you. They want your time, your money, a piece of your fame. … If you have depression, you should be trying to get rid of it instead of bottling it up and letting it weigh on you and weigh on you and weigh on you.”
Jayson Tatum looks ahead to training camp and talks about his offseason work with Kobe Bryant in a question-and-answer session with Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

Blakely: How Raptors, Sixers Can Topple Celtics

August 21st, 2018 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics will enter the 2018/19 season as the favorites to win the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference, but the Raptors and Sixers won’t make things easy. A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston identifies five keys that could help Toronto or Philadelphia knock off the C’s next season.

Celtics Sign P.J. Dozier To Two-Way Deal

August 21st, 2018 at 8:15am CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 21: The Celtics have officially signed Dozier to a two-way contract, according to RealGM’s NBA transactions log.

AUGUST 3: The Celtics will sign free agent guard P.J. Dozier to a two-way contract, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (Twitter link). While Deveney classifies it as a done deal, there has been no confirmation yet from the club.

Dozier, who went undrafted out of South Carolina in 2017, spent training camp with the Mavericks last fall, then signed a two-way deal with the Thunder after being cut by Dallas. The 6’6″ shooting guard made his NBA debut in February, but appeared in just two games for the Thunder, spending most of his rookie year with the team’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue.

In 43 NBAGL contests (28.5 MPG), Dozier averaged 12.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.3 SPG. He posted a shooting line of .465/.340/.653. Dozier stuck with OKC for Summer League action last month, recording 11.0 PPG on 52.2% shooting in five games in Las Vegas.

Looking to turn over their two-way contract slots this summer, the Thunder didn’t tender qualifying offers to Daniel Hamilton or Dozier earlier this offseason, freeing them up to sign anywhere. Dozier will join a Celtics team that has already filled its other two-way spot with Walter Lemon Jr.