- Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders suggests that the Celtics, Thunder, and Clippers could be logical landing spots for Rudy Gay, who will opt out of his contract with the Kings this summer.
The latest piece from TNT’s David Aldridge of NBA.com is ostensibly about the Celtics/Wizards series, but the story also looks ahead to the coming offseason, particularly with respect to Boston’s plans. According to Aldridge, many people around the NBA believe that Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was – and still is – “determined” to keep the Nets‘ 2017 first-round pick, which could give him the opportunity to draft a top point guard prospect.
We’ll see if Ainge remains as determined to keep that pick if it doesn’t land in the top two, or if it becomes trade bait at that point. But drafting Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball would give the Celtics a strong insurance policy in the event that the team wavers on committing to Isaiah Thomas for the long term.
The Cavaliers made quick work of the Raptors in their second round series, but they’ll have to be patient as they wait to see which team they’ll play in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics/Wizards matchup on the other side of the bracket doesn’t resume until Wednesday, and it will feature at least two more games — it’s currently tied at two games apiece.
The Celtics are the No. 1 seed in the East and hold home-court advantage, which could be important — so far in the series, the home team has yet to lose a game. In fact, that streak extends even earlier, as the home team also won all four games in the regular-season series.
Still, it’s not as if Boston is a significantly better team than Washington. The two clubs were separated by just four games in the standings during the regular season, and the Wizards came much closer to stealing one of the two games in Boston than the Celtics did in Washington. And if you believe in momentum, the Wizards have it all right now, coming off a pair of dominant victories that evened the series.
What do you think? Which team will win this series? Vote below, and then jump into the comments section to share your thoughts on this series — and on which team would give LeBron James and the Cavs more of a challenge.
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- The Celtics will have to make a tough decision this summer, choosing whether to build their future around the star who has led them to one of their best finishes in years or commit to one of the prized point guards eligible in this year’s draft. Basketball Insiders’ Moke Hamilton breaks down the scenario in his latest feature.
- Although he’s been involved in several incidents, the most recent culminating in a Kelly Oubre Jr. suspension after the guard took offense to a hard screen, Kelly Olynyk insists that he’s not a dirty player. A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England discusses the incident that transpired in the Celtics–Wizards series.
11:44am: The NBA officially confirmed that Oubre has been suspended without pay for Game 4, announcing in a press release that he received the one-game penalty for “charging and making forceful and unwarranted contact” with Olynyk (Twitter link via Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com).
11:07am: Kelly Oubre Jr. will be suspended for Sunday’s Game 4 of the Wizards-Celtics series, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. The suspension comes on the heels of the Wizards small forward’s Game 3 altercation with Kelly Olynyk.
In a Game 3 that included eight technical fouls, Oubre’s ejection was most striking. After Olynyk was called for an offensive foul for setting an illegal screen that knocked Oubre to the ground, the Wizards’ second-year player rose up and proceeded to shove Olynyk, while shouting at him. Oubre was charged a flagrant 2 and ejected from the game.
Oubre scored 12 points in each of the first two games of the series and ranks second among bench players on the team in both points and minutes per game these playoffs. Bojan Bogdanovic, who scored 19 points in 29 minutes in Game 3, figures to benefit from the extra available minutes in Oubre’s absence. During the regular season, the Wizards’ bench ranked 29th in scoring with a mere 26.9 points per game.
From the get-go, Al Horford was told to focus on helping the Celtics win rather than look to justify his max deal with big numbers, Ian Thomsen of NBA.com writes.
The C’s opted to let the 30-year-old focus on getting comfortable with the franchise and his versatility and intangibles have helped fuel one of the best Celtics squads in years.
“You don’t take a guy that’s averaging 14 points a game and expect him to average 25,” Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said. “You don’t take a .270, 20-home-run guy and expect that he’s going to hit .330 and 40 home runs. We knew what Al was, and I think he’s even been better than what we thought.”
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- Few considered that the Celtics were getting a star when they acquired Isaiah Thomas at the trade deadline in 2014/15 but the point guard has established himself worthy of the praise. Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider recently took a skeptical look at the 28-year-old and was pleased with what he found.
- An impressive postseason has shown that the Celtics can build around Thomas, says Chris Mannix of the Vertical. The journalist told CSN New England that, though much of the franchise’s direction heading forward could depend on their lottery pick, anchoring a lineup with Thomas is certainly possible.
- After initially injuring several teeth in Game 1, Celtics guard Thomas re-injured his mouth in Game 3, the team reports in a press release. When the guard was struck in the head Thursday, the bridge that was installed to facilitate the recovery was re-broken. Another temporary bridge has been put in until the guard can get a permanent bridge at some point in the future.
Aron Baynes probably won’t decide whether to opt out of his contract for next season until close to the June 20th deadline, according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. The back-up center is set to make $6.5MM next year, but has the chance to get a much larger payday on the open market. He is considered one of the top reserve big men in the league, averaging 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 72 games this season. The Pistons are limited in their offer because they only hold Early Bird Rights on Baynes. That means they can go over the cap, but can only give him a 175% raise, which would amount to about $11.3MM for next season. “He’s enjoyed himself there,” said Baynes’ agent, Entersport Management president Marc Fleisher. “He likes [Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy], he likes the organization, but he’s also got to consider the financial ramifications.”
There’s more news out of Detroit:
- Restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has an evidentiary hearing set for May 18th in connection with his March arrest for DUI, Ellis adds in the same piece. Caldwell-Pope may face a suspension from the league if he is convicted.
- Pistons GM Jeff Bower is considering the $8.4MM mid-level exception as a way to upgrade the roster, Ellis writes in a separate story. Detroit has made good use of the MLE in the past, signing Chauncey Billups in 2002 and Antonio McDyess in 2004, but Ellis notes that the league’s changing salary structure has made it harder to find good players at that level. He mentions Boston’s James Young and Golden State’s Ian Clark as possible targets.
- The Pistons will face difficulty in building a contender without a high draft pick on the roster, writes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Detroit’s highest draftees are Caldwell-Pope and Stanley Johnson, who went with the eighth pick in their respective drafts. Andre Drummond, who was taken ninth in 2012, and Marcus Morris, who went 14th in 2011, are the Pistons’ only other lottery picks. “We’re one of two teams that don’t have a top-seven pick anywhere on their roster,” Van Gundy said. Detroit is slotted at No. 12 heading into the May 16th lottery.
- As he heads for free agency, Amir Johnson remains positive despite dwindling playing time for the Celtics, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe relays. While Johnson got the start for Boston tonight in Game 2, he has been a liability on both sides of the court for most of the postseason. Johnson led the Celtics in games (80) and starts (77) in the regular season and maintains he’s trying to work out of his slump. “If things aren’t working out for you, you know you’ve got to do the next thing,” Johnson said.
The Clippers’ latest playoff flameout — and Blake Griffin‘s latest playoff injury — have raised the chances of a major offseason shakeup in Los Angeles. Griffin and Chris Paul are both expected to opt out this summer and seek maximum deals, and the organization would face major luxury tax payments if both are re-signed.
While Paul is believed to be likely to stay in L.A., the Clippers may not be as committed to retaining Griffin, despite owner Steve Ballmer’s pledge to spend whatever it takes to keep the current team together. Mitch Lawrence of Forbes examines five possible landing spots for the Clippers forward.
- Knicks — Carmelo Anthony may be ready to leave New York and join his friend Paul in Los Angeles, where he already owns a home. Knicks president Phil Jackson could be interested in adding Griffin through a sign-and-trade deal for Anthony if both players are willing to consent to the move.
- Thunder — Griffin played college ball at Oklahoma, and the franchise needs a second star to pair with Russell Westbrook. The Thunder are nearly $12MM over the cap for next season, so they would have to be creative in opening space. Lawrence suggests letting Andre Roberson leave in free agency and finding a team willing to trade for Enes Kanter, who still has two years and about $36.5MM left on his contract.
- Nuggets — Cap room won’t be a problem in Denver, which will have about $40MM available if Danilo Gallinari opts out as he has indicated. The Nuggets have made trade offers for Griffin in the past, Lawrence writes, but never enough to tempt the Clippers. If a sign-and-trade is in play, Lawrence states that Denver would be willing to part with anyone except Nikola Jokic to make it work.
- Celtics — Boston has the cap space to make a max offer to Griffin and the assets to swing a deal. The Celtics have a wealth of future draft choices, including the potential No.1 pick this year and the Nets’ unprotected first-rounder next season. Even though Boston was the top seed in the East, the front office is searching for star players to build around.
- Pacers — Paul George‘s desire to play in L.A. has become an open secret around the league, and this could be the Clippers’ chance to land him before the Lakers do. George, who turns 27 this week, would be a new young star for the Clippers, while the Pacers could build around a formidable front line featuring Griffin and Myles Turner.
When the Clippers fell to the Jazz in Game 7 of their first-round series the legendary, 19-year career of former Celtics forward Paul Pierce officially came to an end. The man had made no secret of the fact that the 2016/17 campaign would be his final campaign in the NBA.
For nearly two decades Pierce routinely established himself as one of the game’s deadliest offensive weapons in the clutch, decorating his resume with a laundry list of accomplishments along the way.
Although he was the 2008 Finals MVP when the C’s knocked off the Lakers in an instant classic battle, it’s the endurance and longevity that he showed throughout his time in the league that stands out the most.
A Top 20 all-time scorer with 26,397 total points, Pierce showed up year in and year out to lead Boston’s offense. From 1998-2013, Pierce averaged 21.8 points per game all while wearing Celtics green.
Though not quite as memorable as his legacy with the C’s franchise, Pierce also reaffirmed his spot in NBA history by emerging as a critical factor in postseason appearances with the Nets and Wizards.
Simply put, there’s no denying that Pierce was an icon of his generation and an exemplary pro. Where there may be some debate, however, is what Pierce story or chapter stands out as the most memorable.
Was it the late-nineties dynamic duo he formed along with Antoine Walker? His incredible return to the court at age 22 after being stabbed in a nightclub? His brief tenure as a Raptor killer in the twilight of his career? The back-to-back Finals battle with the Lakers? The Infamous Wheelchair Incident of 2008?
Sure, there are too many to choose from, but we’re going to ask you to do it anyway.
We’ll miss you Truth.