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Community Shootaround: Draft Lottery Scenarios

May 15th, 2018 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2018 NBA draft lottery will take place on Tuesday night, as we noted in our lottery primer earlier today. While the odds favor the Suns, there are 14 NBA teams that could ultimately end up with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, creating some fascinating drama.

In a piece for The Ringer on Monday, Paolo Uggetti broke down some of the most interesting potential scenarios for the draft lottery. As Uggetti observes, the two teams still alive in the Eastern Conference Finals have a chance to get some great news before they take the court on Tuesday, since the Cavaliers own the Nets’ first-round pick, while the Celtics will own the Lakers’ first-rounder if it lands at No. 2 or No. 3 overall. The possibility of one or both of those teams landing a top-three pick at the same time they’re looking to advance to the NBA Finals isn’t good news for the rest of the league.

Of course, the Sixers would keep that Lakers pick if it moves all the way up to No. 1. It’s currently 10th in the lottery standings, so the odds of it becoming a top-three pick are slim, but it would create some terrific drama if it lands in the top three, since the balance of power in the Eastern Conference could shift significantly depending on whether the pick ends up at No. 1 (Sixers) or Nos. 2 or 3 (Celtics).

Uggetti’s other intriguing scenarios include big-market teams like the Knicks and Clippers getting a top pick — L.A. could theoretically move into the top three while keeping a second lottery selection, courtesy of the Pistons. Uggetti points to the Magic or Kings getting the No. 1 pick as interesting scenarios too, since neither of those clubs has had much lottery luck in the last few years — despite several appearances near the top of the draft.

Outside of the teams we’ve already mentioned, the Grizzlies, Mavericks, Hawks, Bulls, Hornets, Pistons, and Nuggets all have a chance to land a top pick.

What do you think? What would be the most interesting draft lottery scenario? Which team deserves some good luck the most (or least)? Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

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Jay Larranaga Met With Bucks About HC Job

May 14th, 2018 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

We can add another name to the list of candidates for the Bucks’ head coaching job, as Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) reports that Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga met with Milwaukee on Friday. The meeting took place between the end of the second round and the start of Boston’s third-round series against Cleveland.

The Bucks interviewed several candidates last week as part of their first round of meetings for the team’s head coaching vacancy. In addition to interviewing interim coach Joe Prunty for the permanent job, Milwaukee also spoke to Ettore Messina, Steve Clifford, David Blatt, Becky Hammon, Monty Williams, and Mike Budenholzer.

The Bucks reportedly intend to narrow down their search to three or four finalists, potentially bringing back those finalists to meet with ownership at some point this week. So far, the only candidate known to get a second meeting is Budenholzer, who is believed to be the frontrunner. He’ll meet with team ownership on Tuesday.

[RELATED: 2018 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker]

If Larranaga doesn’t land the Bucks’ job, it will be the fourth time this spring he has interviewed for a head coaching position and seen that team hire someone else. Previously, he met with the Hawks, Hornets, and Knicks. He was believed to be a finalist for the Hornets’ job before Charlotte chose James Borrego.

Having been considered in the past for head coaching jobs with the the Celtics, Sixers, and Grizzlies, Larranaga would seem to be due for an opportunity to run an NBA team of his own. Still, if Larranaga isn’t hired by another team this offseason, the Celtics will certainly be happy to have him back, as he has been a key part of Boston’s staff since 2012.

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Community Shootaround: Boston’s Point Guard Depth

May 13th, 2018 at 5:59pm CST by Austin Kent

While the absence of ex-Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving may detract from some drama in the Eastern Conference Finals, it didn’t slow the Celtics down en route to a convincing victory over his former team in Game 1 of the series on Sunday.

As a matter of fact, the Celtics have thrived despite the Irving injury all postseason thanks in no small part to the contributions of two other point guards on the roster.

In a starter’s workload this postseason, which includes 37.3 minutes per game, third-year guard Terry Rozier has averaged 18.2 points and 5.5 assists per game. The 24-year-old may not star alongside Nick Kroll in an upcoming feature film this June* like Irving will but he’s looked every bit as capable at the helm, piloting the C’s through two playoff series already.

Another major component at play this postseason, a third asset that rounds out Boston’s elite point guard depth chart, is Marcus Smart. While Smart’s playing style has always been unique, the 10.3 points and 4.4 assists per game that he brings along with his toughness and other intangibles, have made him invaluable.

Regardless of how the Celtics fare this postseason, they’ll happily welcome Irving, a bonafide star, back into the starter’s role next season. That, unsurprisingly, could put a squeeze on the rest of the players at the position. Sure, Smart’s role as a reserve combo guard allows him to slot in alongside Irving, but Rozier saw just 24.4 minutes of nightly action in the regular season prior to the opportunity created by Irving.

Our question for you this evening is which of the two guards you’d value more heading into the 2018 offseason?

Should the C’s make bringing restricted free agent Smart back this summer a top priority or could they get by with Rozier and another third-string guard? Alternatively, should Danny Ainge potentially look to deal Rozier instead given that there’s more of an overlap between him and Irving than there is between Smart and Irving?

Is there room for all three long-term?

Consider Boston’s success this postseason proof that a surplus of point guard talent is a pleasant conundrum to have. Weigh in with how you think the situation will develop below.

*Hi film studio, all commissions happily accepted.

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Ainge Happy With Celtics' Progress

May 13th, 2018 at 11:44am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics had plenty of doubters heading into the playoffs, including president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. Without injured stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, Ainge thought his team’s chances were “50-50” to get past Milwaukee in the first round.

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Shane Larkin Ruled Out For Games 1 And 2

May 12th, 2018 at 6:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics guard Shane Larkin will miss the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals and may not be available at all, tweets Jay King of MassLive.

Coach Brad Stevens provided a medical update today on Larkin, who sprained his left shoulder in Game 5 of the series with the Sixers. Larkin had expressed hope that he could return at some point in the conference finals, which could run through May 27, but Stevens considers that doubtful.

The 25-year-old developed into a rotation player during his first season with Boston, playing 54 games and averaging 4.3 points in 14.4 minutes per night. He will be a free agent this summer after signing a minimum-salary deal last year.

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Poll: Boston Celtics Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

May 12th, 2018 at 3:51pm CST by clarkcrum

Seven months ago, nobody would have been surprised to learn that the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals would pit the Celtics against the Cavaliers. In fact, most probably would have expected these two teams to be where they are.

Yet, after a season filled with drama for both franchises, with the Cavs trading away half of their team midway through the season and the Celts losing both Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving to injuries, the match-up isn’t quite what many would have expected in the preseason.

The Cavaliers, looking to reach their fourth consecutive NBA Finals, are considered to be the favorite by most, as they still have the best player in the world on their side. LeBron James is averaging a ridiculous 34.9/9.4/9.0 so far this postseason and the Celtics and head coach Brad Stevens will have their hands full trying to contain him throughout the series.

The regular season series finished in favor of Cleveland, with the Cavaliers blowing out the Celtics in Boston back in February after the teams each won a game on their home floor earlier in the season.

However, the first game the teams played – in the season opener – was marred by Hayward’s injury, and the win in February by Cleveland saw huge contributions by newly acquired players Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, and Larry Nance – players who have seen their minutes reduced this postseason.

So what do you think? Which team do you expect to represent the East in the NBA Finals? Place your vote, then jump into the comment section below to discuss the series.

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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Larkin Hopes To Play In Eastern Conference Finals

May 12th, 2018 at 9:21am CST by marksuleymanov

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said the team is operating under the impression that injured guard Shane Larkin will be unavailable for the entire Eastern Conference finals, per ESPN’s Chris Forsberg (Twitter link).

  • With the drama in San Antonio involving Kawhi Leonard, there have been reports and speculation that if he is traded, the Celtics may be a strong possibility. The team has several young players to offer in a deal and Boston is always seeking upgrades. ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes that the Celtics are unlikely to deal Jayson Tatum straight-up for Leonard unless Boston gets a clean bill of health and long-term commitment from Leonard.
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Celtics’ Shane Larkin Out For ‘Foreseeable Future’

May 9th, 2018 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics guard Shane Larkin will miss Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals after leaving Game 4 with a shoulder injury, the team announced today (Twitter link). Larkin, diagnosed with a left shoulder sprain, had his status downgraded in advance of Wednesday night’s game.

Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said today that the imaging results on Larkin’s ailing shoulder suggested surgery likely won’t be required (Twitter link). However, the veteran guard is still “very, very sore” and will remain sidelined for the “foreseeable future,” according to Stevens.

Larkin, 25, averaged just 14.4 minutes per game in 54 regular season contests for the Celtics this season. However, the team leaned on him a little more heavily early in the postseason, with both Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart on the shelf with injuries of their own. Larkin had continued to play a rotation role in the second round against the Sixers, but now seems unlikely to return for the rest of the series.

With Larkin out, Terry Rozier and Smart figure to shoulder an even greater workload in the Celtics’ backcourt. Boston currently holds a 3-1 lead over Philadelphia in the series.

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Draft Notes: Washington, Ward, Brown, Hudson

May 8th, 2018 at 10:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kentucky freshman forward PJ Washington is working out for the Clippers this week and will meet with the Timberwolves and Bucks before next week’s draft combine, Fletcher Page of the Louisville Journal Courier reports. Washington, who has already visited the Celtics and Nets, has a pinky finger injury that will require surgery, Page continues. Father Paul Washington told Page that his son isn’t assured of staying in the draft.

“It’s real simple — if he’s guaranteed a first round pick, then he’ll stay in the draft,” Paul Washington said. “If he doesn’t get that, we’ll have to make a decision. It’s PJ’s decision.”

The 6’8” Washington is listed at No. 51 among Jonathan Givony’s top 100 prospects at ESPN.com. He averaged 10.8 PPG and 5.7 RPG for the Wildcats.

In other draft developments:

  • Michigan State sophomore center Nick Ward will work out for the Pistons this weekend, Brendan Quinn of The Athletic tweets. Ward has already worked out for the Knicks and Thunder and at least eight other teams are interested in bringing him in, Quinn adds. He averaged 12.4 PPG and 7.1 RPG for the Spartans. He is not listed among Givony’s top 100 prospects.
  • The Hawks are bringing in six prospects on Wednesday, according to a team press release. South Carolina forward Brian Bowen, Auburn guard Bryce Brown, Purdue guard Nojel Eastern, Maryland forward Bruno Fernando, Florida shooting guard Jalen Hudson and Utah Valley center Akolda Manyang are the players visiting Atlanta. Hudson, ranked No. 45 by Givony, is the most prominent member of the group.
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Draft Notes: Ponds, Lakers, Grizzlies, Cavaliers

May 8th, 2018 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA draft lottery is still a week away, but teams have already started bringing in prospects for pre-draft workouts. Those workouts are especially important for early entrants who are still testing the waters, since they’re a great opportunity for those players to find out where they stand with NBA teams.

One of those players is St. John’s guard Shamorie Ponds, who entered the draft process this spring as a sophomore, and will have until May 30 to decide whether to withdraw and return to school for his junior year. According to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link), Ponds has already worked out for the Celtics, and has auditions for the Nets and Cavaliers lined up this weekend.

Here are a few more draft-related updates, with a focus on workouts:

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