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East Notes: Perry, Nader, Irving

August 6th, 2017 at 7:27pm CST by Austin Kent

In a span of three months, Scott Perry went from being cast aside by a moribund Magic franchise to a sound front office hire for the Knicks. Marc Berman of the New York Post recently wrote about the underdog’s meteoric rise up the executive landscape.

While Perry did little to draw attention to himself under the tutelage of then-Orlando general manager Rob Hennigan, he quickly found himself the executive vice president of a Kings team that desperately needed reinvention.

Perry’s tenure in Sacramento, however, didn’t last. On July 13, three months after leaving the Magic and making a handful of heady decisions for Sacramento, Perry was plucked away from Vlade Divac to be the general manager of the Knicks.

During his brief stint with the Kings, Perry guided the franchise through an impressive draft that yielded the likes De’Aaron Fox, Justin Jackson and Harry Giles. He also landed notable veterans George Hill and Zach Randolph to monitor and mold those youngsters.

“One of the more amazing front-office sagas I can ever remember,” longtime NBA executive Pat Williams told Berman for his in-depth long-read. “Scott’s dismissed in mid-April, within 48 hours he’s talking with Sacramento and ends up hired by the Knicks in probably the most important front-office job in the NBA — GM of the Knicks.”

There’s more from the Eastern Conference:

  • If Abdel Nader is going to score a long-term role with the Celtics, he’ll need to establish himself as a 3-and-D player, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England writes.
  • The Knicks are Kyrie Irving‘s first choice, according to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog. Irving had previously listed four teams that he’d prefer the Cavaliers trade him to last month, the others being the Timberwolves, Spurs or Heat.
  • The fact that Pistons general manager Jeff Bower took time aside to work with then-free agent Eric Moreland on his game during summer league influenced his decision to sign a three-year deal with the franchise, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press writes. “I’ve been with like three teams now and they can be down to earth as much as they want but they not about to come out and shoot free throws with you and try to help you and see something you,” Moreland said.
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Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Carroll, Nader

July 21st, 2017 at 10:27pm CST by Austin Kent

The trade kicker built into Carmelo Anthony‘s contract may be a moot point, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. The veteran forward is apparently willing to waive the potential $8MM if the Knicks can send him to the Rockets.

According to league sources, the Knicks and Anthony have approached trade discussions under the assumption that the kicker would be waived all along, a testament to how willing Anthony is to leave New York.

Of course Anthony wasn’t always so open to leaving the Knicks. As recently as last season the forward seemed intent on remaining in the Big Apple, a famous point of contention between him and then-team president Phil Jackson.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Recently acquired Nets forward DeMarre Carroll took another shot at the Raptors, telling Brian Lewis of the New York Post in so many words that the roster in Toronto just isn’t built to share the ball. “I had my share of iso already, so team-ball is my forte,” Carroll said. “You got two great All-Stars, two great players. That’s how they play. They were playing that way before I came, and they’re going to be playing that way long after I leave. They’re not changing that for me.“
  • One of the big strengths that Brad Stevens brings to the Celtics is his impact on recruiting players from around the league, Chris Forsberg of ESPN writes.
  • In his first year with the Celtics, Abdel Nader will make $1.2MM, the 2017/18 deal will then be followed up by two non-guaranteed years and eventually a team option in 2020/21. Basketball Insiders has the full contract details.
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Celtics Sign Abdel Nader To Four-Year Deal

July 15th, 2017 at 9:02pm CST by Luke Adams

July 15: The signing is official, according to a team press release.

July 14: The Celtics and 2016 second-round pick Abdel Nader have agreed to a four-year contract, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). According to Charania, the deal will be worth $6MM, which figures to put it at – or very close to – the minimum.

The 58th overall pick in last year’s draft, Nader didn’t sign an NBA contract right away, instead agreeing to a G League deal to play for the Maine Red Claws. Nader had an excellent rookie season for Boston’s G League affiliate, averaging 21.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 3.9 APG in 40 games. The 23-year-old forward was named the league’s 2016/17 Rookie of the Year.

After waiving Jordan Mickey, the Celtics have enough cap room to finalize their maximum salary contract with Gordon Hayward and to squeeze in a long-term deal for Nader. If the club had used all its cap room, it would only have the ability to offer Nader a two-year contract using the minimum salary exception, which explains the timing of the move.

Although he now has an NBA contract, Nader is still a good bet to spend a portion of the 2017/18 season in the G League with the Red Claws.

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NBADL Announces All-NBA D-League Teams

April 25th, 2017 at 4:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA Development League has announced its All-NBA D-League teams for the 2016/17 season, headlined by league MVP Vander Blue. While Blue didn’t play in the NBA at all this season, many of the players on the NBADL’s three All-NBA D-League squads received call-ups throughout the year, and some of them finished the season on an NBA roster.

Here are this year’s 15 All-NBA D-League players, many of whom will have a decent chance of finding their way onto an NBA roster next season:

First Team:

Second Team:

Third Team:

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And-Ones: Nurkic, Durant, R. Allen, W. Bynum

April 18th, 2017 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers and Warriors will play Game 2 of their series on Wednesday night, and both sides may be missing a key player. Jusuf Nurkic, who continues to recover from a fractured leg, announced today that he won’t play in Game 2 for the Blazers, per Joe Freeman of The Oregonian (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Kevin Durant, who recently returned from a knee injury, is now battling a left calf strain and was listed as questionable on the Warriors’ injury report today (Twitter link).

As we wait to see if Durant is able to give it a go for Golden State, let’s round up a few odds and ends from around the basketball world…

  • Appearing over the weekend on ESPN’s The Jump, Ray Allen was asked about why he hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2013/14 season, and explained that contract offers he received since then wouldn’t have given him a chance to have a real role (link via Adam London of NESN). “Most of the inquiries I have received were how ready am I to accept my role as a veteran and sit on the bench and mentor the young guys,” Allen said. “I’d love to do that, it comes naturally to me, but I do want to play.”
  • Veteran point guard Will Bynum has reached a deal to play for Luoyang in China this summer, according to 24/7 Basketball (Twitter link). Bynum, who has had multiple stints in China, played with the Pistons for several seasons in the NBA.
  • Canton Charge swingman John Holland – who has spent time with the Celtics and Cavaliers – is also headed to China, having agreed to a contract with the Beijing Eastern Ducks, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net confirms. International basketball journalist David Pick first reported (via Twitter) that Holland was finalizing a deal with the Chinese club.
  • The Maine Red Claws and Raptors 905 are currently battling for the right to advance to the D-League Finals, and each team saw a key contributor take home a major award within the past few days. 2016 Celtics second-rounder Abdel Nader was the D-League’s Rookie of the Year, while Edy Tavares, who spent most of the season with the Raptors‘ affiliate, was named the NBADL Defensive Player of the Year. Tavares is now on the Cavaliers‘ roster, having been signed on the last day of the regular season.
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Atlantic Notes: Brown, Anderson, Nader

March 5th, 2017 at 5:54pm CST by Austin Kent

Now a vital part of a competitive Celtics rotation, Jaylen Brown is making a case for the Rookie of the Year award, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England. The 20-year-old swingman has gradually improved over the course of his first campaign making modifications to his game along the way.

“It’s hard because most rookies who get Rookie of the Year are playing for bad teams,” Brown’s teammate Isaiah Thomas told reporters recently. “They play 35 minutes a game, take any shot [they] want. Bigger picture, it’s better for him to be on a playoff team, understand how to win games and he knows what he brings to the table. He’s a big part of what we got going. He definitely wants to win Rookie of the Year, but it’s hard going up against guys not really playing for nothing.”

Blakely adds that the media will have a refreshing choice when it comes time to submit their votes for the award. Rather than just choose which rookie is the most productive when it comes to filling the stat sheet, they’ll be able to factor in Brown’s impact on his team’s success.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

  • More than just a “throw in” in last months Nerlens Noel trade, Justin Anderson is a piece that could stick around in Philadelphia. In a recent podcast, Devon Given and Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer discuss, among other things, Anderson’s ability to play defense on the perimeter for the Sixers.
  • The Raptors bench is starting to take shape, Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun writes, and Delon Wright has done an admirable job filling in as the backup point guard while Cory Joseph shifts into Kyle Lowry‘s starting position.
  • The trade that sent him from the Suns to the Celtics back in 2015 was “a Christmas gift”, says Isaiah Thomas. A. Sherrod Blakeley of CSN New England spoke with the point guard upon his return to Phoenix. Thomas performed well with the Suns but wasn’t even close to the MVP discussion that he now finds himself in with Boston.
  • Despite being recently released by the Sixers, Knicks guard Chasson Randle understands that Philadelphia’s decision to let him go was based on numbers, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Randle was released so that Philly could take on Andrew Bogut and Justin Anderson in the Nerlens Noel trade.
  • When Knicks guard Lance Thomas sat for 14 games nursing a fractured orbital bone, it allowed a lingering foot injury to heal, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. “Indirectly, this fracture in my face has been a blessing to help give me time to get my feet back under me,” Thomas said.
  • Second-round draft pick Abdel Nader could land a spot with the Celtics next season, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe speculates. Nader has flourished in the D-League and is being touted as the third best prospect in the league.
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Celtics’ Stashed 2016 Draftees Drawing Interest

February 1st, 2017 at 11:38am CST by Luke Adams

Most Celtics-related trade speculation focuses on players on their current roster, or their collection of future draft picks, but the team has another group of assets that is drawing trade interest around the NBA, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. According to Deveney, potential trade partners are keeping a close eye on the Celtics’ 2016 draft-and-stash players, including Ante Zizic and Guerschon Yabusele.

“They did a nice job of getting guys they could develop, and if you know you can’t get the big picks they have this year or next year, [then] the players they took last year, that is where you can get a lot of value,” one NBA general manager told Deveney.

Zizic, in particular, has attracted attention from teams and scouts around the league. After starting the season with Cibona Zagreb in Croatia, the 20-year-old made the move to Darussafaka, David Blatt‘s team in Turkey. It was a step up in competition for Zizic, who was selected 23rd overall in the 2016 draft, and he has responded well so far. In fact, the GM who spoke to Deveney believes Zizic would be a lottery pick if he were draft-eligible in 2017, even though this year’s draft class is viewed as deeper than 2016’s.

As for Yabusele, the 16th overall pick in 2016 has played second fiddle to Jimmer Fredette on the Shanghai Sharks this season, as Fredette has averaged a CBA-best 37.0 PPG. However, Yabusele has been a key piece for the CBA’s top team, averaging 21.1 PPG and 9.4 RPG in 31 contests.

“He is built sort of like Jae Crowder, he is big up top and is a physical player,” an international scout said of the French forward. “But he has more offensive potential. He is already a pretty good shooter from the perimeter, and he is athletic, but he needs to get smoother with his game. He is not going to back anyone down, even at his size, so he needs to work on his ballhandling. But he can rebound and he can score, he will be a very solid NBA player.”

In addition to their two first-round draft-and-stash prospects, the Celtics selected Abdel Nader in the second round of last year’s draft and had him sign an NBADL contract, stashing him in the D-League. Nader isn’t receiving the same sort of trade interest as Boston’s first-round selections, but he has arguably been the D-League’s best rookie so far this season, averaging 22.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 3.6 APG.

The Celtics, already stacked with young players and future picks, are unlikely to overload their roster next season with more first-year players, so Zizic and Yabusele will be worth keeping an eye on as this month’s trade deadline nears.

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Atlantic Notes: Holmes, Celtics, Nader, Knicks

January 26th, 2017 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Richaun Holmes was removed from the Sixers‘ rotation last month after Nerlens Noel returned to the court, but Holmes has been back in the lineup this week and has looked good — he scored 18 points on Tuesday, then grabbed eight boards to go along with nine points on Wednesday. As John Smallwood of The Philadelphia Daily News writes, Holmes is making a case that he might be an ideal backup for Joel Embiid.

While he isn’t necessarily as talented as Noel or Jahlil Okafor, Holmes also wasn’t a top draft pick, and didn’t come with the same expectations as the Sixers’ other bigs, making him a better fit as a backup. In the view of Jake Fischer of Liberty Ballers (Twitter links), Holmes’ trade value is also very much on the rise, given his extremely favorable contract. As Fischer notes, that doesn’t necessarily mean Holmes will be moved, but teams will likely inquire on the big man, who is under contract through 2018/19 on a minimum salary deal.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • In the wake of a report suggesting the Knicks have reached out to the Celtics to gauge their interest in Carmelo Anthony, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe argues that the Knicks forward isn’t the right fit for the C’s. Acquiring Anthony wouldn’t help shore up Boston’s defense, and would significantly limit the team’s flexibility to pursue free agents going forward, Himmelsbach writes.
  • The Celtics are taking a unique approach with the development of 2016 second-round pick Abdel Nader, writes Chris Reichert of The Step Back. Nader appears to be the top candidate for the NBA D-League’s Rookie of the Year honors, and may get an opportunity to crack Boston’s NBA roster in 2017/18.
  • Brett Koremenos of RealGM.com takes a closer look at the Knicks in an attempt to determine why the team’s current roster has disappointed, and what steps the club should take going forward.
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Celtics Notes: Trade Market, Nader, Green

December 1st, 2016 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Although he does have conversations with rival teams about potential trades at this time of year, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich show that things won’t really begin to heat up until mid-December. For now, any discussions with possible trade partners are more about getting the lay of the land, and potentially laying the groundwork for a future move, according to Ainge (link via A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com).

“There’s a lot of talk that leads nowhere and there’s sometimes groundwork that leads to something,” said the Celtics GM. “Teams are still trying to feel what their team is, who are they, what direction they’re headed, what the mix is, the fit.”

As the Celtics continue to determine what their own rotation looks like and assess their needs, let’s round up a few more items out of Boston…

  • Celtics second-round pick Abdel Nader agreed to play in the D-League this season since there was no room for him on Boston’s NBA roster, and he has thrived with the Maine Red Claws in the early going, averaging 24.3 PPG and making more than 45% of his three-point attempts. Red Claws head coach Scott Morrison spoke to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe about Nader’s performance so far and what he has to do to earn a shot at a rotation role with the Celtics in 2017/18.
  • After signing a one-year contract with the Celtics in the offseason, Gerald Green is waiting patiently for an opportunity to contribute to the team and a more frequent and consistent basis, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com. The veteran swingman has averaged just 10.9 minutes per game in 10 contests so far.
  • WEEI’s Logan Mullen examines the roles being played by Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko for the Celtics so far, and what the team expects from the duo. Boston guaranteed Johnson’s and Jerebko’s 2016/17 salaries back in July, and both players will be free agents at season’s end.
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Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Covington, Lin, Celtics

November 24th, 2016 at 8:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers center Joel Embiid and Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons have bonded on social media because of their history with injuries, writes Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly. Embiid, who is playing for the first time in three seasons and remains on a minutes limit, has commented on several of Parsons’ posts. Parsons, who spent the offseason rehabbing from microfracture surgery, can sympathize with the rookie’s plight. “Him coming off surgery and me coming off surgery, he asked me a lot of questions about the recovery,” Parsons said. “He’s an awesome listener. … A lot of guys kind of get complacent, get used to being hurt, don’t work as hard. But he takes his rehab very, very seriously and he takes care of his body. He does all the right things and you see it paying off now with the success he’s hard early this season.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Robert Covington has found ways to contribute even as he suffers through a long shooting slump, writes Robert Cooney of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Sixers fans are starting to turn against the fourth-year small forward, who is shooting just 29% from the floor and 27% from 3-point range, but coach Brett Brown recognizes his value in other areas. “Somebody had given me a stat, I believe was produced by ESPN, and they had him as the third-ranked small forward in the NBA as far as his defensive efficiency rating,” Brown said. “He really has improved his defense.” The Sixers have a $1,087,745 team option on Covington for next season.
  • The Nets have nosedived since Jeremy Lin‘s injury, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. After a 2-3 start, Brooklyn has just two victories since Lin went down with a strained hamstring in early November. The Nets’ offensive and defensive ratings are both significantly worse without Lin. “Offensively it’s just the challenges with different lineups and different stuff just getting on the same page,’’ coach Kenny Atkinson said. “But we’ve done it before with different lineups, so [we have to] focus in on our execution, making sure that we’re doing all the little things, in the right spots and making the right pass and making the right play.” There is still no timetable for Lin to return.
  • A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE checks in on four players whose draft rights are owned by the Celtics. Abdel Nader is with the team’s D-League affiliate in Maine, while Marcus Thornton, Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic are all overseas.
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