Al Horford Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Rose, Horford

March 3rd, 2017 at 1:04pm CST by Austin Kent

The foundation of the Sixers franchise is cracked, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The scribe turns a spotlight on the organization for its handling of injuries to star players and even the management of its payroll this year and last.

Ambiguity and a lack of transparency with regard to the recovery times of players like Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons call into question whether the club has a management problem or just a communication problem. Regardless, the “fans and players need this organization to be run better,” he writes. Recently the Sixers revealed that both Embiid and Simmons will miss the remainder of the 2016/17 campaign after several weeks of misplaced optimism and muted details about the severity of their injuries.

Finally, Cooney acknowledges that for the second time in two years the franchise has taken on and eaten the lofty contracts of opposing teams’ veterans in bids to push their payroll closer to the salary floor. A team that doesn’t reach the salary floor is obligated to pay the difference out to the players on their roster, but by taking on Andrew Bogut‘s deal, the club absolves itself of the responsibility. The part of Bogut’s $11MM contract that the Sixers inherited in the Nerlens Noel trade, of course, is prorated relative to how much of the 2016/17 season he spent with each organization.

“Don’t think that hasn’t soured some, if not most,” of the Sixers’ players, Cooney cautions.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

A less-than-impressive showing on defense in Wednesday night’s Sixers loss has Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bob Ford wondering if “Jahlil Okafor‘s career in Philadelphia may have ended with that one play.”
Injured big man Joel Embiid is taking his setback in stride. “Be back soon,” the Sixers rookie tweeted Thursday. “The process has to be postponed.”
While the Knicks as an organization moved to embrace the triangle offense, point guard Derrick Rose isn’t so enthusiastic. “S—, do I have a choice? Do I have a choice?” he joked with Ian Begley of ESPN and reporters on Thursday.
While it wasn’t long ago that it seemed Derrick Rose was on his way out of New York, he’ll remain with the Knicks for the rest of the year and, per Laura Albanese of Newsday, is working on adding a three-point shot.
The Raptors will need to play with more energy and passion if they’re to stop their slide down the Eastern Conference standings, writes Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun. Modified minute distributions for the second unit may be in the cards as well.
The impact of Al Horford on the Celtics isn’t always measured by traditional statistics, writes A. Sherrod Blakey of CSN New England. “He makes plays, high basketball IQ, he can score, he can pass, he can rebound and the way he played (against Cleveland) we need him to play like that for us to win. He does a lot for us that doesn’t even go on the stat sheet though,” says point guard Isaiah Thomas.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Knicks, Horford

February 28th, 2017 at 6:51pm CST by Austin Kent

It doesn’t make sense for the Sixers to bring Joel Embiid back before the end of the season, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The big man has been sidelined for 17 of the past 18 games with a bone bruise and has also suffered a slightly torn meniscus.

At this point all the Sixers will say is that their rookie is out “indefinitely,” an escalation, we suppose, from the “day-to-day” label he’d been sitting under previously. For Embiid, however, the club should just come out and say that he’ll rest for the remainder of the season.

“It would be great for us as a unit to have him out there as we continue to strive forward toward winning as the season concludes,” general manager Bryan Colangelo said. “But at the end of the day, the health and performance of our athletes is first and foremost, we don’t want to jeopardize the long-term health.”

In the games that he did see this season, Embiid impressed, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per contest. He was named the Eastern Conference rookie of the month in the first three months of the season and even won Eastern Conference players of the week once in January.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks have elected to bring back the triangle offense, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The club will use the remaining months of the season to determine which players best fit the system. Head coach Jeff Hornacek tells Ian Begley of ESPN that it will be a part of this summer’s player evaluations, too.
It’s clear that the Celtics believe they need two major pieces in order to compete for a title, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. That explains, he says, why the team didn’t jump on opportunities to nab Paul George or Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline.
The Raptors‘ defense has been rebranded, writes Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun, and players have already taken notice. “I just know that the defence behind me is strong,” says guard Cory Joseph. “When the pick and roll comes I’m going to get the early calls and will understand exactly what to do. It just allows me to do what I need to do, executing the task at hand and play more aggressively.” The Raps, of course, added Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker prior to last week’s trade deadline.
Summer acquisition Al Horford hasn’t been utilized as well as he could be, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. The big man is too often left on the perimeter while the Celtics shoot threes. Washburn writes that head coach Brad Stevens ought to devise better ways to get the center involved now that the trade deadline is in the rearview mirror.

Atlantic Notes: Noah, Sullinger, Sixers

January 14th, 2017 at 9:54am CST by Austin Kent

It may have taken a while to work into a good routine with the Knicks but Joakim Noah is playing his best basketball of the season, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Over the course of the last 11 contests, the 31-year-old is averaging 8.0 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.

Helping to light a fire under Noah, it seems, have been match ups with his former team. The Knicks center has posted averages of 14.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per in two games against the Bulls, most recently on Thursday night.

Though Noah continues to nurse a sore shoulder, his ability to contribute will play a factor in whether the Knicks decide to be buyers or sellers at the deadline.

That’s not it out of the Atlantic Division:

It was easy for Raptors fans to get excited about the news that Jared Sullinger has been cleared to practice, but general manager Masai Ujiri has reiterated that he has plenty of work to do yet. Sullinger will have a tough time working back into game shape this time of year, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN, and could even spend some time in the D-League working on his conditioning.
After a bumpy return to the lineup, 22-year-old Nerlens Noel is “definitely satisfied” with his role in Brett Brown‘s Sixers‘ rotation, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Of course Noel’s minutes didn’t come from thin air, earlier this week we wrote about Jahlil Okafor‘s demotion and the DNP-CDs that have come with it. Worth noting, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer, is that Philly has managed to hit its stride defensively. “If this program is going to go anywhere close to where we want it, it’s going to have to start with the defense,” Brown told Cooney. “There is no way around that.“
The Celtics made it their mission to get Al Horford a win in his first game against the Hawks team with which he played nine seasons, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN. While the C’s would ultimately accomplish their goal thanks to an Isaiah Thomas buzzer beater, the veteran Horford was surprised to hear so many boos in his return to Philips Arena.

Atlantic Notes: Sullinger, Wright, Horford, Hollis-Jefferson

January 13th, 2017 at 1:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Power forward Jared Sullinger and point guard Delon Wright have both been cleared to practice, according to a tweet from the Raptors. Sullinger, who signed with Toronto over the summer, was hurt in the team’s first preseason game when his left foot was stepped on. He had surgery in October and was given a two- to three-month timetable to return. Wright has been out of action since August, when he had surgery to fix a labral tear in his right shoulder. The 20th pick in the 2015 draft, Wright spent much of his rookie season in the D-League and appeared in just 27 games for the Raptors.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Raptors president Masai Ujiri told SportsNet the team got “tons of calls” last week in the wake of the Kyle Korver deal between the Cavaliers and Hawks. Ujiri said teams were expecting a flood of trades after that one broke, but he plans to be cautious about making any moves. “There is a window with Kyle Lowry, DeMar [DeRozan] and DeMarre [Carroll] with those kind of guys in their prime and we will take advantage,” Ujiri said. “But we’re not making bad deals. It doesn’t help business, it doesn’t help your future. Trust me, if a deal is not made just know there was nothing on the table for us that would really enhance our team.”
Raptors center Lucas Nogueira credits lifestyle changes for his breakthrough third season, writes Gregory Strong of The National Post. Nogueira has become a regular part of Toronto’s rotation after playing just 35 games combined in his first two NBA seasons. Motivated by the birth of a baby daughter, Nogueira is spending more time in the gym, going to bed earlier and giving up alcohol. “The sky is the limit for the kid because he’s got a lot of God-given talent,” said coach Dwane Casey. “He just needs to make sure he continues to work at it, to seriously approach his job in that way because he’s a great kid.”
Al Horford‘s Celtics teammates are focused on giving the longtime Hawk a victory in his return to Atlanta tonight, relays A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. Horford spent nine years with the Hawks before signing with Boston in July. “He’s level-headed no matter what,” said Isaiah Thomas. “He’s the calm one in this room. But at the same time you know those games are big. You think about it, you want to play well, you want to beat your former team. But that’s our job. We have to take care of business for him, make sure he plays well. And most important, get the win.”
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has improved under coach Kenny Atkinson’s system, but the Nets will still listen to offers for him, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. The second-year small forward is averaging 7.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game as a part-time starter, but Brooklyn is concerned about his shot as he is hitting just 38% from the field.

Atlantic Notes: Noel, Knicks, Booker

December 26th, 2016 at 4:45pm CST by Austin Kent

No matter how you want to look at the frontcourt logjam in Philadelphia, the Sixers will almost inevitably have to make a move eventually. Today, TNT analyst David Aldridge broke down several scenarios that he thinks could play out involving notably disgruntled big man Nerlens Noel.

In 2013, Noel was drafted by the Pelicans and immediately shipped to Philly in exchange for Jrue Holiday. It was one of then general manager Sam Hinkie’s first big splashes in the executive driver’s seat. A reversal of such a deal, Aldridge posits, could help both teams in 2016. While the Sixers’ need for a point guard is no secret, Noel’s presence as a stopper could take some of the defensive load off of Anthony Davis.

Aldridge also discusses packages that would hypothetically send Noel from the Sixers to the Trail Blazers, Raptors or Thunder.

That’s not all to trickle in from the Atlantic Division today:

The Celtics could be a top-three team in the Eastern Conference and their solid, come-from-behind showing on Christmas Day served as a perfect reminder of it. According to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, Al Horford‘s contributions both tangible and otherwise, will play a major role in how the rest of the 2016/17 campaign pans out.
After another disappointing loss at the hands of a plus-.500 opponent, Marc Berman of the New York Post suggests that the Knicks‘ record is hollow. After Sunday’s defeat, New York is just 3-10 against teams sitting .500 or better.
The Nets are a rebuilding team and veterans like Trevor Booker could be just what the franchise needs to make sure that its young core develops the right way. Zach Lowe of ESPN suggests that Booker’s bully style of play will benefit young assets like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Caris LeVert.

Atlantic Notes: Horford, Rose, Raptors 905

December 19th, 2016 at 10:42pm CST by Austin Kent

Al Horford has enjoyed one of his best individual seasons as a professional so far this year and he owes it to increased time at the four. The big man has lined up as the Celtics power forward alongside the springier and lankier Amir Johnson.

Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe recently explored the new opportunities created by head coach Brad Stevens when he made the decision to utilize this type of lineup.

“When I was playing [center] for many years, one of the things was I wasn’t able to impact as many shots as I wanted at the defensive end, because I was always having to go against bigger guys,” Horford told Himmelsbach. “Now, I feel like I’m seeing guys more my size, and I’m able to play more freely, which just opens up my game.”

Horford’s 2.3 blocks per game, nearly one block more than he’s averaged in any other season prior to 2016/17, rank fourth in the NBA. His 5.4 assists per game are nearly two higher than he ever averaged in nine seasons with the Hawks. The Celtics currently sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 15-12 record.

There are a few more headlines from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors are making the most of their D-League affiliate in nearby Mississauga, Ontario and point guard Fred VanVleet is a shining example of the value that having such a resource can bring. Doug Smith of the Toronto Star explains how the franchise has found success shuttling players back and forth.
Derrick Rose has emerged as a critical piece of the Knicks, writes the New York Post’s Fred Kerber. Head coach Jeff Hornacek says the team has been “scrambling” ever since the point guard went down with back spasms last Tuesday. The team expects Rose back in the lineup Tuesday.
With Rose sidelined for much of the past week, undrafted rookie Ron Baker has made the most of his time as the Knicks‘ backup point guard. Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Baker and his coach, a late draft pick out of Iowa, see themselves in one another and consider themselves to be cut from the same cloth.

Thunder Notes: Horford, Westbrook, Donovan

December 11th, 2016 at 9:16pm CST by Will Joseph

Al Horford considered signing with the Thunder during free agency this past summer in part because of his relationship with Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan, who coached Horford at Florida, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). Horford instead signed a four-year deal with the Celtics. Horford added that his decision may have been impacted by the uncertainty around Kevin Durant‘s future at the time.

“I didn’t say this to anybody, but I was strongly considering [OKC] and just the possibilities of playing under coach again,” Horford said. “Those were realistic things, but at the end of the day I made my decision to be here with Boston.”

Here is more on the Thunder:

Mavs owner Mark Cuban reaffirmed his belief that Russell Westbrook is not a superstar despite the guard averaging more than 30 points per game and a triple-double per game, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman relays. Cuban beleives a superstar needs to carry a team to 50 wins and a postseason series victory, per Horne.
Donovan has used a small lineup at times featuring small forwards Jerami Grant at center and Andre Roberson at power forward, guard Anthony Morrow at small forward and a backcourt of Westbrook and Victor Oladipo that the coach beleives should help against teams that spread the floor, Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman writes. Donovan hasn’t used the lineup, which does not feature big men Steven Adams or Enes Kanter, much, but the team is on board with the idea of being more versatile, Dawson adds.

Atlantic Rumors: Noel, Horford, Jackson, Nets

December 8th, 2016 at 9:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers big man Nerlens Noel could make his season debut on Sunday against the Pistons, coach Brett Brown told beat reporters, including Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. Noel has been rehabbing from the arthroscopic left knee surgery. “We want to integrate him with the team, watch a lot of tape, with the understanding that we have a chance to see him soon,” Brown told Cooney. Once Noel returns, all eyes will be on how Brown juggles his Big Three of Noel, Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor, as well as veteran Ersan Ilyasova. Noel recently expressed trepidation over the impending logjam in the frontcourt.

In other news around the Atlantic Division:

Al Horford is thriving in his new role as a point forward in the Celtics’ offense, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com notes. Horford is averaging a career-high 5.3 assists and has notched eight or more assists three times after doing that just seven times previously in his career, Forsberg adds. “Coach is calling my number to make plays, and honestly, the guys are just cutting great to the basket, and I’m finding them,” Horford told Forsberg. “It’s a lot of easy looks.”
Knicks president Phil Jackson has to stop feuding with Carmelo Anthony or the team’s season could fall apart, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines. Jackson cannot afford to have a strained relationship with his top player, considering he was the executive who decided to re-sign Anthony to a long-term deal, Vaccaro continues. The drama between them is silly and counterproductive, Vaccaro adds.
Nets shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick credits GM Sean Marks for his emergence from an unheralded D-League addition to a high-scoring starter, Chris Mannix of The Vertical writes. Marks told Kilpatrick to be aggressive offensively and he’s developed into Brooklyn’s second-leading scorer after signing a multi-year deal in March, Mannix adds. “As soon as I came to the team, he told me, flat out, just to play my game, just to continue to do the things I’d been doing the last couple of months in the D-League,’ Kilpatrick told Mannix. “I think when you have that type of confidence in a player, coming from your GM, it’s a big boost, at least it was to me.”

Al Horford Says Rockets Were His Second Choice

December 5th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics star Al Horford thought hard about joining the Rockets this summer before opting to go to Boston, relays A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. Horford listed his finalists as Boston, Houston and Washington, in that order, if he decided to leave Atlanta.

“[Houston] and Boston were probably the two teams I was really, really looking at,” he said before today’s game in Houston. “Just a lot to consider. … “At the end of the day, I just felt I was better off being here in Boston.”

The Celtics haven’t been disappointed after giving Horford a four-year, $113MM deal. He has displayed the versatility that made him a two-time All-Star with the Hawks, averaging 14.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists through 20 games.

James Harden was part of the recruiting team that nearly convinced Horford to sign with the Rockets.

“I thought we had a chance,” Harden said. “I thought we had a real good chance, but obviously it didn’t work out. Which is fine.”

After Horford turned them down, the Rockets used their cap space to sign Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon and are off to a 14-7 start.

Someone who didn’t take the news quite as well as Harden was Horford’s father Tito, a former NBA player who went to high school in Houston, tweets ESPN’s Calvin Watkins. Al Horford said his father was “heartbroken” by the decision, but has since gotten over it.

Eastern Notes: Magic, Horford, Haslem

November 24th, 2016 at 10:02am CST by ChrisCrouse

Happy Thanksgiving, NBA fans! If you’re worried about overeating on this day of thanks, you’re not alone. Eating too much on Thanksgiving is a real issue in the NBA, as Josh Robbins of NBA.com details. “Every year, I warn our team against overeating and overdrinking, because you still have to have the mindset [of], ‘Yeah, it’s the holidays, but we have a game tomorrow,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said.

“If you overeat, you’re gonna feel all slow tomorrow, especially with turkey,” Nikola Vucevic added. “Yeah, you’ve got to be careful. The last few years, we did have a game right after Thanksgiving. I wish we didn’t. It’s much more fun when you don’t have a game the next day.”

Luckily, most of us won’t have to worry about preparing for an NBA game tomorrow, so enjoy the day and check out some notes from the Eastern Conference:

Jeff Green, whom Orlando signed to a one-year. $15MM contract during the offseason, believes the Magic need to correct their issues now and start playing better if they want to be in the playoff picture, Robbins relays in the same piece. “It’s got to come to a point where we’ve got to fix it now in order for us to be there at the end,” Green said. The 30-year-old hasn’t played especially well this season, as he only has a positive plus-minus in three of the team’s 15 games
The Celtics appreciate Al Horford‘s leadership and the way he plays the game, A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportsnet writes. “Al can score the ball. But it’s all the little things that he does and how he gets the ball moving; it’s so contagious,” teammate Avery Bradley said.“He’s a leader; he speaks up. Sometimes the ball sticks. For Al to say something and us actually go out and move the ball around and it starts with him, it means a lot.”
Udonis Haslem always knew David Fizdale, who left the Heat to coach the Grizzlies during the offseason, was going to be a head coach in the league, as the Sun Sentinel passes along. “He was definitely head coach material. I expected him to leave a lot earlier,” Haslem said. The power forward added that Fizdale is players-coach and he can easily relate to what players have gone through to make it to the NBA.