Aaron Nesmith Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Harden, Sixers, Barnes, Nesmith

March 19th, 2022 at 8:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have been successful since trading for James Harden last month, but he’s still trying to find the right balance between scoring and setting up teammates, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Harden has averaged 13.7 shots per game since coming to Philadelphia, which would be his lowest total in a decade.

“You have another guy [Joel Embiid] right now who’s leading the league in scoring on my team,” Harden said after Friday’s win over the Mavericks. “Night-in and night-out, he’s used to, he’s confident of getting buckets.”

Coach Doc Rivers said earlier this week that he would like to see Harden shoot more frequently, and Embiid expressed the same sentiment on Friday, saying the former MVP needs to be more aggressive heading into the playoffs. The two players spread out the scoring duties against Dallas, with Embiid contributing 21 of his 32 points in the first half and Harden scoring 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter.

“I’m just trying to find a balance like I talked about before, when to be a play-maker,” Harden said. “I think tonight especially in that fourth quarter, me attacking, attacking, attacking, the play-making ability is going to come because we got lobs, we got threes. So that’s going to come with my aggressiveness. You just got to read the game. And tonight, I felt I read the game well.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Rivers indicated that he might consider resting some of his players, particularly with a tough back-to-back looming for the Sixers Sunday and Monday against the Raptors and Heat, per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. That wraps up a stretch of six games in nine days with two back-to-backs and a pair of one-game road trips. “You’d rather have this at the beginning of the year,” Rivers said. “But every team, at some point, goes through a stretch like this.”
A crucial mistake in Friday’s loss to the Lakers should be a learning experience for Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes, states Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Although Barnes had a great game with 31 points and 17 rebounds, his late inbounds pass was intercepted by Russell Westbrook, who hit a three-pointer to send the game to overtime. “It wasn’t just him,” Fred VanVleet said. “He really gave us a chance to be in the game, dominated both ends of the floor, had a couple unfortunate plays but … I’ve certainly had my share of them (and) it sucks in the moment but all you can do for those times is grow and get better at it, and Scottie will do that.”
Celtics guard Aaron Nesmith has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s game, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Nesmith has missed the past two weeks with a sprained right ankle.

Atlantic Notes: Bullock, Brown, Nesmith, VanVleet, Nets

March 10th, 2022 at 8:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Losing Reggie Bullock in free agency last summer is yet another what-if for the Knicks, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Bullock received a three-year deal worth a little over $30MM from Dallas.

New York’s front office chose to utilize the team’s extensive cap space by signing veterans Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. The Knicks also re-signed Derrick Rose, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to pricey deals.

Bullock was close with Julius Randle, and Bondy wonders if Bullock’s presence might have helped uplift Randle during his struggles this season. Coach Tom Thibodeau says Bullock’s skill set is valuable to any team in the league.

“Reggie’s gonna help any team,” Thibodeau said. “That’s who he is. He’s got a skill in shooting; he spaces the floor for your best players. He’s a great defender, and he’s got length. He’s a long wing. Wherever he’s been, he’s always helped the team. He’s a team-first guy, so he’s a good player. He’s been a good player for a long time in this league.”

It’s been reported multiple times that Thibodeau urged the front office to retain Bullock, but he denies being upset that the veteran wing wasn’t re-signed.

“I love Reggie. He’s a good player. When a guy earns the right to free agency, he has to do what he thinks is best for him and his family,” Thibodeau said, per Bondy. “I got great respect for him, so I wasn’t disappointed. I know that’s part of the business. For a guy who conducts himself the way he does, you’re always happy when they get good situations.

“So, I think he was a big part of what happened last year and a byproduct of when something good happens like that, everyone’s value goes up, so that’s the case. And then you have to decide what’s best for your organization. He’s gotta decide what’s best for him and his family. And hopefully, you can find something, but it doesn’t always work out that way. It’s part of the league.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Celtics coach Ime Udoka said Jaylen Brown has no more limitations relating to his sprained right ankle, but Aaron Nesmith will be out “a while” longer as he deals with his own ankle sprain, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second-year swingman is listed as day-to-day.
Fred VanVleet‘s shooting is much needed for the Raptors, but his value extends beyond that, Eric Koreen of the Athletic writes. “(VanVleet) makes it easier,” Scottie Barnes said. “It opens up a lot more space. He’s a general out there on the floor. So it helps us all when he’s out there on the floor with driving lanes being more open. When he’s there, his presence is just really big for our team.”
Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post wonders if the Big Two is all the Nets really need after the team’s 132-121 victory over Charlotte on Tuesday. “That,” coach Steve Nash said, “was about as well as we’ve played all year, both sides of the ball.” Kyrie Irving dominated the game, finishing with 50 points on just 19 shots. Brooklyn is currently 34-34, the No. 8 seed in the East.

Celtics Notes: Stauskas, Tatum, White, Nesmith

March 6th, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics were among several teams that expressed interest in Nik Stauskas, coach Ime Udoka told reporters before today’s game (Twitter link from Tim Bontemps of ESPN). Stauskas signed a two-year contract with Boston on Friday after scoring a combined 100 points in his last two G League games. Udoka said the C’s reached out to Stauskas because they need more shooting.

Stauskas has a chance to see playing time as a floor spacer for the rest of the season, adds Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Many fans were hoping Isaiah Thomas could be brought back to fill the roster opening, but Thomas has signed with the Hornets and Himmelsbach doesn’t think he would have been a good fit because of his defensive liabilities. He suggests that signing Thomas would have been a distraction and could have ultimately harmed his reputation in Boston.

There’s more on the Celtics:

When Nets forward Kevin Durant became the all-time leading scorer for Team USA at the Summer Olympics, he speculated that Jayson Tatum may someday break that record, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston recalls in a preview of today’s matchup between the two stars. Forsberg notes that Durant made a strong impression on Tatum during their time as international teammates. “It means a lot [to hear Durant’s praise]. I mean he’s definitely somebody I looked up to growing up,” Tatum said. “Getting to have that matchup with him during the playoffs and then being his teammate and having conversation with him overseas, is something I will always remember.”
The Spurs‘ decision to trade Derrick White last month took him completely by surprise, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. White has turned out to be a perfect fit for the defensive-minded Celtics, but he expected to spend more time in San Antonio. “He was sad, it’s hard to say goodbye to some of those guys you’ve had good relationships with,” said Alex Welsh, White’s friend and former college teammate. “But then he was pumped. We got him all fired up. It was a great day for him in Boston to be able to play that next day. But it was a total shock.”
Jaylen Brown has been cleared to play today after missing time with a sprained right ankle, but Aaron Nesmith‘s ankle sprain will keep him out for a while, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Atlantic Notes: White, Theis, Durant, Claxton, Knicks

February 10th, 2022 at 7:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics’ flurry of action prior to the trade deadline has left them with a handful of open roster spots. They’ll fill them by signing free agents to 10-day deals in the short term, then explore the buyout market as players become available, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports.

The trades that they made were done to improve the second unit, Himmelsbach adds. They view Derrick White as an upgrade in a sixth-man role, while Daniel Theis has already shown during his previous stint with the Celtics that he can mesh with this group. That deal with Houston for Theis came together at the last minute, Himmelsbach tweets.

The trades will also open up playing time for Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

How does Kevin Durant feel about the James Harden trade? In a TNT interview (hat tip to the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver), the Nets superstar said, “I’m excited for our team and looking forward to finishing the season out with this new group … The playoffs are right around the corner and we’ve got to fast track and get used to each other. I think everybody got what they wanted.”
The Nets explored trades involving Nic Claxton, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News tweets. Andre Drummond was added in the Harden deal and LaMarcus Aldridge is expected to return in the near future from an ankle sprain. Those developments will presumably eat into Claxton’s playing time.
The Knicks, who didn’t pull off a trade on Thursday, still want to compete for a play-in spot, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. They still believe they made an upgrade in adding Cam Reddish last month, even though coach Tom Thibodeau has played the young wing sparingly, and they’re expected to get Derrick Rose back in action from ankle surgery later this month.

Lakers, Wolves, Jazz Eyeing Josh Richardson

February 8th, 2022 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are the latest team to be linked to Celtics wing Josh Richardson, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

There are conflicting reports on what the Lakers are willing to offer for Richardson. Keith Smith of CelticsBlog.com hears from a source that talks between Los Angeles and Boston went nowhere because the Celtics don’t have much interest in Talen Horton-Tucker and the Lakers weren’t eager to add a draft pick to their trade offer.

However, Brian Robb of MassLive.com reports that L.A. offered Horton-Tucker and a draft pick for Richardson. The details on that pick are unclear, but the Lakers’ first-rounders are tied up for the next few years, so a 2027 pick is the earliest one they could unconditionally offer. A first-rounder may be necessary to entice Boston — Horton-Tucker’s trade value has “significantly cooled” since last season, per Bill Oram and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

The Timberwolves are another potential suitor for Richardson. Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who previously reported that Minnesota hadn’t shown much interest in a possible deal that would’ve sent Richardson and either Romeo Langford or Aaron Nesmith to the Wolves in exchange for Malik Beasley, says those discussions are once again gaining some momentum.

According to Weiss, the Wolves are “warming up” to the idea of a deal involving Beasley and Richardson, since it seems increasingly unlikely they’ll be able to land an impact player such as Ben Simmons.

However, it’s unclear whether the Wolves and Celtics agree on Beasley’s value. Smith has heard that the C’s want more than just Beasley from Minnesota in a swap for Richardson, due to his past legal issues and the fact that he’s earning a higher salary ($14.5MM) than Richardson ($11.6MM). Adding Langford ($3.8MM) or Nesmith ($3.6MM) would close that salary gap.

Meanwhile, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says rival executives believe Minnesota wants a first-round pick for Beasley. That seems like an unrealistic asking price, given Beasley’s underwhelming performance this season, but it suggests the Wolves still value him — it’s unclear if they’d be willing to move him for a package like Richardson and Nesmith.

Finally, the Jazz also remain in the hunt for Richardson, according to Robb. A report last week indicated that the veteran swingman is on Utah’s radar.

Any offer from the Jazz would likely have to be centered around Joe Ingles‘ expiring contract and a future first-round pick, says Robb. Given the Celtics’ recent hot streak, that sort of framework may not appeal to the team, since Ingles is out with a torn ACL and wouldn’t be able to contribute this season.

Celtics Rumors: Schröder, Richardson, Smart, Williams

February 2nd, 2022 at 9:26am CST by Luke Adams

There appears to be “a wave of momentum” toward the Celtics completing a Dennis Schröder trade in advance of the February 10 trade deadline, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

In the latest HoopsHype Podcast, Michael Scotto singled out the Bulls as a team to watch for Schröder, noting that Chicago could use some backcourt help with Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso sidelined.

Both Scotto and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report mentioned a possible package of Troy Brown Jr. and a second-round pick in exchange for Schröder, with Fischer suggesting that framework has been circulating around the league.

Here’s more on the Celtics:

The Celtics explored a possible deal that would’ve sent Josh Richardson and either Romeo Langford or Aaron Nesmith to the Timberwolves in exchange for Malik Beasley, according to Jared Weiss and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Minnesota, right up against the tax and hoping to maintain roster flexibility for bigger deadline moves, wasn’t interested at the time, The Athletic’s duo says.
Marcus Smart‘s name has come up recently as a possible target for the Timberwolves, especially if they move Patrick Beverley in another deal, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Weiss suggests the Celtics could probably move Smart for an expiring contract and a first-round pick right now if they wanted to, but adds that “there’s a lot more that goes into moving him beyond finding matching value.”
Celtics big man Robert Williams is believed to be on the Raptors‘ list of potential targets as they explore the market for a center, per Fischer. According to Weiss, Boston appears to be rebuffing interest in Williams for now, but anyone on the roster outside of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could theoretically be had.
As we relayed earlier this morning, Richardson is considered a possible trade target for Utah.

Celtics Heavily Involved In Trade Discussions

January 24th, 2022 at 6:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics have been extremely active in trade talks with the aim of improving the pieces around stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, longtime beat writer Steve Bulpett reports in a Heavy.com story.

President of basketball operations Brad Stevens is looking to at least improve the team’s salary cap sheet and free up more playing time for young players such as Payton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith and Romeo Langford.

The Celtics already made one move this month to improve their salary cap situation and reduce their chances of paying the luxury tax, dealing Juancho Hernangomez and his $7MM salary to San Antonio in a three-team trade.

Boston has been exploring the trade value of Al Horford, who is making $27MM this season and has a partial guarantee of $14.5MM on his $26.5MM contract next season.

Though Bulpett didn’t specify which other players the Celtics are looking to deal, it stands to reason that Dennis Schröder (a free agent again this summer), Josh Richardson and Marcus Smart would have the types of contracts they’d like to move. Richardson’s contract runs through next season and Smart signed a four-year extension last summer.

Another interesting nugget in Bulpett’s report is that Celtics had targeted big man Alperen Sengun if they had kept their first round pick last year. They wound up dealing it to Oklahoma City, which eventually ended up drafting Sengun and trading him to the Rockets. Boston shed Kemba Walker‘s contract in the trade with the Thunder. Sengun is averaging 8.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 2.6 APG with Houston in 39 appearances.

COVID/Injury Notes: Batum, Hawks, J. Murray, Celtics, More

January 21st, 2022 at 5:43pm CST by Rory Maher

Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters, including Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link), that forward Nicolas Batum will be available Friday night at Philadelphia. Batum had been placed in the health and safety protocols as a result of an inconclusive test, missing Wednesday’s 130-128 overtime loss at Denver, but obviously has been cleared by testing negative twice since.

Here are more COVID-19 and injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Hawks head coach Nate McMillan told reporters, including Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter), that starting center Clint Capela will return to action Friday night against Miami, but will be on a minutes restriction. Capela had missed Atlanta’s last six games with an ankle injury and the team went 2-4 in his absence. Spencer also tweets that the Hawks will be without Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) and Danilo Gallinari (sore Achilles), while Gorgui Dieng will be available (non-COVID illness).
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, who’s still rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered last April, has entered the health and safety protocols, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets.
Celtics head coach Ime Udoka told reporters that Marcus Smart and Aaron Nesmith will miss Friday’s game vs. Portland, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link). Smart is still ramping up his conditioning after battling COVID-19, while Nesmith is dealing with a sprained ankle.
Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is out Friday vs. Toronto with a sprained neck, per Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated (via Twitter). Kuzma is having a solid first season with Washington, averaging 15.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 43 games, all starts.
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley and top assistant coach Nate Tibbetts have both cleared the protocols and will be coaching Friday’s game against the Lakers, Orlando’s PR department tweets.
Grizzlies forward Killian Tillie has been upgraded from questionable to available for Friday’s game at Denver, so he has cleared the health and safety protocols, Memphis’ PR department tweets.

Celtics Explore Trading Al Horford

January 19th, 2022 at 8:36am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics are exploring the idea of moving Al Horford, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who says the team is in the market for another center at this year’s trade deadline.

Horford’s trade value will likely be limited. The 35-year-old has been Boston’s starting center this season and is averaging 10.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 3.6 APG in 36 games (29.0 MPG), but his .442 FG% is a career low and his 3PT% (.285) has dropped significantly. He’s also earning $27MM, a cap figure that won’t be palatable for some clubs.

As Weiss observes, Horford’s $26.5MM salary for 2022/23 is only partially guaranteed (for $14.5MM), which could appeal to teams looking to move a longer-term contract. Still, it’s hard to imagine Boston getting positive value for the veteran big man.

According to Weiss, the Celtics have been “surprisingly open” to discussing both Horford and Josh Richardson, both of whom were acquired during the 2021 offseason. Dennis Schröder, another offseason addition, has also been repeatedly mentioned as a trade candidate, and Weiss confirms that league sources consider the point guard to be available.

The Celtics are believed to be seeking another impact play-maker to complement Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, says Weiss. However, it may be a challenge to put together a package for such a player without relying heavily on draft assets. Due to their uneven development, former lottery picks like Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith don’t have as much trade value as they would have earlier in their careers.

At 23-22, the Celtics are currently the No. 10 seed in the East, hanging onto a play-in spot. Although they’ll likely approach the trade deadline as buyers, it remains to be seen whether the C’s are capable of making any noise in the playoffs. Weiss says multiple people in the locker room have suggested there’s a “lack of desperation” present, with attempts at vocal leadership from players like Brown, Marcus Smart, and Grant Williams sometimes being tuned out.

Celtics Rumors: J. Green, Schröder, Nesmith, J. Smith, Hernangomez

January 12th, 2022 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have expressed interest in reacquiring forward Jeff Green, Michael Scotto said on the latest episode of the HoopsHype Podcast. Green was a Celtic from 2010-15 and was coached by Brad Stevens from 2013-15. Stevens is now Boston’s president of basketball operations.

It’s unclear how motivated the Nuggets would be to trade Green after signing him in free agency this past offseason. He has started 24 games and averaged 24.7 minutes per contest in Denver this season while playing primarily at power forward and center. Still, the Nuggets have other options at power forward – including Aaron Gordon, JaMychal Green, and Zeke Nnaji – and are reportedly in the market for a backup center with more size, so it’s possible Jeff Green could be had.

Here are a few more notes on the Celtics:

In addition to reiterating that Boston would be open to moving Dennis Schröder, Scotto said on the HoopsHype Podcast that he’s heard Aaron Nesmith is also available. Nesmith, 2020’s No. 14 overall pick, had a decent rookie year but has seen his playing time and production decline this season.
The Celtics have made several trade calls out of due diligence, including inquiring on Suns center Jalen Smith, according to Scotto. Smith had his third-year option for 2022/23 turned down by Phoenix, so he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but whichever team has his Bird rights won’t be able to offer a starting salary higher than $4,670,160, the amount of that declined option.
Scotto suggests Oklahoma City is a team to watch if and when the Celtics look to trade Juan Hernangomez to sneak below the luxury tax line. The Thunder are more than $20MM below the NBA’s minimum salary floor, so any team looking to dump a contract will likely call them first.