Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Rumors: Monroe, Gooden, Celtics

April 6th, 2015 at 6:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Greg Monroe becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer and Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy is eager to see how Monroe blends with point guard Reggie Jackson and center Andre Drummond before the season ends, David Mayo of MLive.com reports. Monroe is expected to return Wednesday for the team’s five remaining games after missing 11 games with a right knee strain. Jackson has appeared more comfortable playing with Drummond and Anthony Tolliver, a power forward who shoots 3-pointers, rather than a low-post player in Monroe, Mayo continues. “Reggie will have to adjust, and I’ll have to adjust, and we’ll have to figure it out,” Van Gundy said to Detroit beat reporters. “We’ve seen Reggie play real, real, well; we’ve seen Greg play real, real well. So we’ve just got to make it all fit together.” Evaluating how that alignment works in conjunction with Monroe’s impending free agency is the biggest goal the Pistons have in their remaining games, Mayo concludes.

In other news around the Eastern Conference:

Veteran power forward Drew Gooden, whose contract expires after the season, has become an important rotation player for the Wizards, according to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. Gooden has received more playing time with the team trying to rest Nene Hilario for the postseason. His ability to make 3-pointers has given more space for guards John Wall and Bradley Beal to operate, Castillo continues. “It opens avenues for John to penetrate, for Bradley to put the ball on the floor, for our wings to put it on the floor,” Wizards coach Randy Wittman said to Castillo. “That’s really big.” Not only has Gooden played himself into an important postseason role, as Castillo adds, it could also enhance his chances of remaining with Washington.
Celtics rookie forward James Young has been productive during his stint with the franchise’s D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, and remains in the Celtics’ future plans, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com reports. The No. 17 overall pick in last year’s draft is averaging 21.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 17 games with the Red Claws. Young’s development was hampered by a car accident prior to the draft that prevented him from playing on the Celtics’ summer league team, Blakely continues. Young lost his rotation spot to Luigi Datome after a deadline trade with the Pistons but the organization has kept a close watch on Young after sending him to the D League, Blakely adds. “Our front office is watching him with every opportunity,” Boston coach Brad Stevens told local reporters. “The progress is good.”

Protected 2015 Second-Rounders Up For Grabs

April 6th, 2015 at 5:28pm CST by Chuck Myron

The regular season ends a week from Wednesday, and by now most of the playoff spots and non-lottery draft order have been decided. A team’s place in the draft order can mean a lot when there are protections attached to a pick that’s been sent out in a trade. There are two first-round picks that could change hands or stay put based on the final days of the regular season, as we chronicled last week, and there are also second-round picks still up in the air. The protection clauses attached to some of them are complex, so we’ll dive in and analyze each of the three cases individually:

The Clippers owe their second-round pick to the Lakers if it falls from No. 51 through 55 and the Nuggets if it’s 56th through 60th. The Clips can’t finish with a record outside of the top 10 in the league, which they’d need to do to keep the pick. Still, whether it goes to the Lakers or the Nuggets is anybody’s guess. It would go to the Nuggets as it stands, but the Clippers are only a half-game better than the Spurs, with the Blazers and Cavs right behind them. So if any of those teams passes the Clippers, the pick goes to the Lakers.
The Wizards owe their pick to the Celtics, but only if it falls from No. 50 to No. 60. Washington would pick 49th if the season ended today, but the Raptors are only one game better, and the Mavericks and Bulls are tied at one game above Toronto. So, while the Wizards could improve their playoff seeding, it could cost them their second-rounder. Washington’s obligation to the Celtics would end if the pick doesn’t convey this year, so it all comes down to the final games of the season.
The Trail Blazers and Bulls will be giving up their second-rounders this year, but the teams that get those respective picks could switch places. The Magic get whichever pick is better, and the Cavaliers get the other one. Chances are that Chicago’s pick will be going to Orlando and Portland’s to Cleveland, since the Blazers have a four and a half game lead on Chicago. Still, the Bulls aren’t mathematically eliminated from passing the Blazers just yet.

RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

Celtics Sign Chris Babb, Waive Shavlik Randolph

April 6th, 2015 at 4:36pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics have signed Chris Babb to a multiyear contract and waived Shavlik Randolph, the team announced. Boston is immediately assigning Babb to the D-League, the statement adds. The C’s were carrying 15 players, so that’s why they needed to let someone go to bring Babb onto their roster. He’s been playing on a D-League contract with Boston’s affiliate, but even though he’ll continue to play for the Maine Red Claws, the Celtics have secured his NBA rights going into next season.

Randolph was set for unrestricted free agency this summer, so the move allows the C’s control over one extra player. Boston had given Randolph only 25 minutes total across five appearances since acquiring him in January as part of the Austin Rivers trade. It’s no surprise to see Randolph as the Celtic to go, since there were hints that he would have been the player released if the team had signed JaVale McGee, as the C’s were close to doing. Boston scheduled a meeting with Randolph when the McGee deal was close and canceled when it became clear a McGee signing wouldn’t take place, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reported last month.

Babb is a familiar face to the Celtics, who’ve had him on the NBA roster on multiple occasions the past two seasons. The shooting guard was with the C’s for training camp in 2013, and he saw brief regular season action last season after the C’s signed him to pair of 10-day contracts followed by a three-year deal. That three-year deal didn’t involve any guaranteed salary for the final two seasons, and Boston waived him just before training camp began this past fall. It’s possible that Babb once more has a contract for three or even four years, since the Celtics have a portion of their mid-level exception available, notes Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).

The 25-year-old Babb, who went undrafted out of Iowa State in 2013, has played 78 games for Boston’s D-League affiliate over the past two years, and he upped his offensive output from 12.0 points per game last season to 15.4 PPG this year, thanks in part to improved shooting. He’s lifted his shooting percentage from 38.1% to 43.2%, and he’s nailed 37.5% of his three-point attempts this year.

Northwest Notes: Lawson, Wright, Robinson

April 3rd, 2015 at 3:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

Most executives from teams around the league expect the Jazz to gauge the market for their first-round pick this year, and while front offices usually don’t give much thought to trading lottery picks before the lottery happens, Grantland’s Zach Lowe tosses out some hypothetical scenarios. The Nuggets asked for multiple first-round picks in Ty Lawson trade talks leading up to the deadline, sources told Lowe at the time, and the Grantland scribe speculates that he’s a possible fit for the Jazz. Lowe also names the Kings and Celtics as teams to watch in regard to Lawson, though it’s unclear if that’s also merely speculation. In any case, here’s more from around the Northwest Division:

Dorell Wright is expected to miss the next four to six weeks with a broken left hand, the Trail Blazers announced (Twitter link). That’s a blow for Portland, which will seemingly be without him for at least the first round of the playoffs, though the team’s deadline acquisition of Alonzo Gee, who’ll likely see more minutes, and Arron Afflalo continues to pay dividends, tweets Jabari Young of CSNNW.com. Wright will be a free agent at season’s end.
The Nuggets and Thomas Robinson mutually decided against having Robinson stick around Denver for the rest of the season after the midseason trade that brought him aboard, as Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes in his mailbag column. The Sixers claimed Robinson off waivers from the Nuggets in February.
Enes Kanter has been more productive following the trade that sent him to the Thunder than he ever was with the Jazz, and that’s in large measure because of the on-court chemistry he has with Russell Westbrook, as Josh Kopelman of Daily Thunder examines.

Atlantic Notes: Sullinger, Crowder, Amundson

April 3rd, 2015 at 2:25pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics received an unexpected boost to their playoff hopes today, as the stress fracture in Jared Sullinger‘s left foot that was to have kept him out for the rest of the season has healed so that he can return to game action, at least on a limited basis, beginning tonight, the team announced. The surprising news helps Sullinger, who’s up for a rookie scale extension this coming offseason, as well as his team, which is tied with the Heat for the final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference. Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:

Jae Crowder is grateful to the Celtics for giving him a more prominent role than he had in Dallas before the Mavs sent him out in the Rajon Rondo trade, as he tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. The swingman is content in Boston as restricted free agency looms this summer, Bulpett details, arguing that the swingman has done enough to warrant as long of a commitment as possible from the Celtics.
Knicks team president Phil Jackson praised Lou Amundson and Lance Thomas on Thursday amid his comments about the future to season ticket holders, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com points out (Twitter link). The pair will be free agents this summer, and Amundson has said he’d like to re-sign.
Trading for Thaddeus Young and putting rookie Markel Brown in the starting lineup have combined to help Deron Williams play better since the All-Star break, Nets coach Lionel Hollins asserted in an appearance with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts on WFAN-AM (transcription via NetsDaily).

Atlantic Notes: Garnett, Robinson, Datome

April 2nd, 2015 at 10:33am CST by Chuck Myron

Nets players aren’t saying so on the record, but they’re a looser, happier bunch since the team traded Kevin Garnett at the deadline, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. It’s an odd juxtaposition, since the Timberwolves made it clear that they brought him in with the idea that he’d be a positive influence on their locker room. The Nets, though they have a number of young pieces, are more a team of veterans than the Wolves are, so that seems as plausible an explanation as any for the split opinions. While the KG-less Nets look to secure a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, here’s more from their Atlantic Division rivals:

Thomas Robinson has bounced around quite a bit since he became the No. 5 overall pick in 2012, but with unrestricted free agency looming in the summer, he hopes he’s found his niche with the Sixers, and he tells Andy Jasner of Sixers.com that he’s “all in” with the team. “I’m getting a lot of minutes and the coaching staff has shown incredible trust in me,” Robinson said. “I know we haven’t won a lot of games here, but I’m getting my chance. To get this kind of opportunity is a great feeling. I want to be as consistent as possible and hopefully be able to stay here for the long term.”
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was unsure a month ago of how soon-to-be free agent Gigi Datome fit into the team, but it sounds at this point like coach Brad Stevens is sold, notes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. “He’s our best shooter, and one of the better shooters I’ve seen,” Stevens said. “I hope we can continue to find opportunities for him, because he’s earned that. I really like him. I’m in his corner, and I’ve had that conversation with all of our people in the front office as well.”
Sixers rookie Nerlens Noel clarified earlier remarks he made about Ish Smith that seemed to serve as an indictment of Michael Carter-Williams, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “Nah, I’d never do that,” Noel said of the idea he would take a cut at his former teammate. “He’s a playmaker. There are times when you need a scoring point guard that’s going to get in the lane, create and make scoring opportunities.” Noel’s numbers are up since the team traded Carter-Williams at the deadline and claimed Smith off waivers two days later, Pompey notes.

Eastern Notes: Napier, Lopez, Tavares

April 1st, 2015 at 7:57pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Shabazz Napier underwent successful surgery to repair a sports hernia, the Heat announced. The point guard is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season, though no mention was made about Napier’s availability for the playoffs, should Miami hold onto its postseason spot. The Heat currently hold a half game lead over the Nets for the seventh seed in the East. In 51 appearances for the Heat as a rookie, Napier averaged 5.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports hears estimates that Brook Lopez would draw offers with annual salaries of $13-14MM in a new deal this summer if he turns down his player option, as Wojnarowski said in a radio appearance with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts on WFAN-AM (transcription via NetsDaily). Lopez’s option with the Nets is worth more than $16.744MM, but a long-term deal would guarantee him more.
A report Tuesday linked Brad Stevens to the University of Texas opening, but the idea that he’ll be coaching any team other than the Celtics anytime soon is far-fetched, as Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com explains. Stevens has indicated that he has no intentions of leaving Boston, flatly telling reporters today, “I’ll be in Boston,” as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com relays.
The Hawks intend to bring 2014 draftee Edy Tavares, who is also known as Walter Tavares, to the NBA next season, David Pick of Eurobasket.com tweets. Tavares’ deal with CB Gran Canaria contains NBA outs, Pick adds. The 7’3″ center was selected with the No. 43 pick in last year’s NBA draft.
The Cavs have recalled guard Joe Harris from the Canton Charge, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. Harris has played in nine games for the Charge this season, averaging 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 31.7 minutes per contest.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Eastern Notes: LeBron, Irving, Stevens, Shved

March 31st, 2015 at 10:58am CST by Chuck Myron

The relationship between LeBron James and Kyrie Irving was “rocky” at points earlier this season, Irving admits, but it’s grown into a bond that appears much stronger than the one between James and Kevin Love, as Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group details. Love and James say it doesn’t matter whether they become as tight as Irving and James are as long as they can develop a greater on-court connection, Vardon writes.

“People get so infatuated with the best of friends, things of that nature,” James said. “First of all, I’ve got three very good friends in this league, and that’s Carmelo [Anthony], and that’s C.P. [Chris Paul], and that’s [Dwyane Wade] Wade. And after that I have a bunch of teammates. I have guys I ride for every day. But Kyrie is a guy I understand how important he is to this team, how important he is. And the same with Kev as well.”

James and Love can opt out to hit free agency this summer, while Irving will enter year one of his five-year extension next season. Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Seth Davis of Sports Illustrated and CBS hears “some Brad Stevens chatter” in connection to the University of Texas coaching job (Twitter link). It’s unclear whether there’s interest on either side, though Texas athletics director Steve Patterson has spoken with NBA coaching agents of late, tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com. Davis identifies Avery Johnson as a possible sleeper for the job. Stevens is just finishing up the second season of a six-year, $22MM deal and there have been no indications that he wants to leave the Celtics. Further, the Celtics would probably deny him permission to go, as Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com surmises (Twitter link).
Alexey Shved loves playing for coach Derek Fisher and is open to re-signing with New York after his contract expires this summer, sources tell Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link). The Knicks can make Shved a restricted free agent if they tender a qualifying offer of nearly $4.103MM.
The Cavs have assigned Joe Harris to the D-League, the team announced. It’s the eighth time Cleveland has sent last year’s 33rd overall pick to its affiliate, though none of the seven previous assignments have lasted as long as a week, as our leaguewide assignments/recalls log shows.

Atlantic Notes: Bradley, Thomas, Ish Smith

March 31st, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Multiple executives from other teams around the league are impressed with all of the trades that the Celtics have made the last two years, but there’s no grand design behind it, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge tells Grantland’s Zach Lowe.

“We don’t have any master plan,” Ainge says. “You just hope you have the assets when a deal comes along.”

Ainge pledges an active run in free agency this summer, though he believes some of the team’s existing players could grow into the sort of star-level performers who usually are among the top three players on a contender, as Lowe details. The Celtics love Marcus Smart, last year’s No. 6 overall pick, Lowe writes, and while multiple teams offered expiring deals and picks toward the back end of the first round for Avery Bradley, Ainge turned them away, several league sources tell Lowe. There’s more on the Celtics amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics think Isaiah Thomas is a better asset to trade than the protected 2016 first-round pick from Cleveland that they gave up to get him from the Suns at the deadline, according to Lowe. The C’s talked about waiting to do the Thomas deal to avoid winning too many games down the stretch this year, but decided against that, with Ainge informing coach Brad Stevens, whom he normally keeps in the loop, of the deal just an hour before it happened, as Lowe examines. “Ideally, he might have been someone you pick up in the summer,” Ainge said. “But someone else might trade for him. You might be in a bidding war. You have to move while the iron is hot.”
Nerlens Noel on Monday called Ish Smith “the first real point guard I’ve ever played with” and expressed a desire that Smith, a free agent at season’s end, return to the Sixers, notes Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Of course, Noel spent the first half of the season with reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams at the point. In any case, Noel’s development has taken off since Smith arrived shortly after the deadline trade that sent Carter-Williams out, notes Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Daily News, who refers to the big man’s growth as the team’s most important mission this season.
Marc Berman of the New York Post wonders just what the Knicks‘ D-League coaching change Monday means for the future of assistant GM Allan Houston, once seemingly a GM-in-training. Houston’s duties with the NBA team had already been curtailed under Phil Jackson, Berman writes.

Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Calipari, Turner, Knicks

March 30th, 2015 at 1:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

Brook Lopez says he’s undecided about his player option worth more than $16.744MM for next season, but Lionel Hollins made it clear today that he wants Lopez back one way or another, as the Nets coach told reporters, including Alex Raskin of The Wall Street Journal (Twitter link). There were conflicting reports earlier this season about which way the big man was leaning, and the Nets appeared close to trading him to the Thunder in January and again at the deadline, but he’s having a resurgent March, averaging 20.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game this month. There’s more on the Nets amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

There are still some advocates for John Calipari within the Nets organization, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports said last week in an appearance on WFAN-AM with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts (audio link), as Robert Windrem of NetsDaily transcribes. It still appears unlikely that either the Nets would pursue him or Calipari would want to leave Kentucky, Wojnarowski believes.
Evan Turner isn’t a perfect match for any particular role, but Celtics coach Brad Stevens sees him as versatile rather than a misfit, as USA Today’s Howard Megdal examines. “I’ve been a fan of Evan Turner since his high school days,” Stevens said. “He played for my first boss [Ohio State coach Thad Matta], so I’ve known him, inside and out, for a while. I felt really good about the opportunity to sign him this summer, and was an advocate of that.” The C’s signed Turner for two years and more than $6.7MM this past offseason.
The Knicks fired D-League coach Kevin Whitted and named assistant Craig Hodges his replacement on an interim basis, the team announced, confirming an earlier report from Marc Berman of the New York Post (on Twitter). The move was the result of tension between Whitted, whom Knicks assistant GM Allan Houston hired, and Hodges, a former player under Jackson, as Berman details in a full story. Hodges spoke to Zach Links of Hoops Rumors at the start of the season.