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Celtics Notes: One-And-Dones, Hayward, Morris

January 11th, 2018 at 4:31pm CST by Austin Kent

The Celtics may represent the best example of one-and-done collegiate players thriving at the NBA level, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes, citing the recent success of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum as the reasons why.

“I’ve been real impressed with our last two guys who came from college, played one year,” said Celtics head coach Brad Stevens. “They were obviously ready for a lot of the demands of the NBA.”

Of course not every player that comes out of college early can step up for their team out of the gates, Blakely mentions former first overall pick and current Celtics G League affiliate player Anthony Bennett as one particularly notorious example.

There’s more Celtics news this afternoon:

  • Although an image circulated today of Gordon Hayward not wearing an ankle brace, the timeline for his recovery hasn’t changed, Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston says. Per president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, the organization is still of the mindset that Hayward will play next year.
  • Since his return from a knee injury last month, the Celtics have been cautious with Marcus Morris. Now, NBC Sports Boston’s A. Sherrod Blakely writes, his minute restriction has been lifted.
  • While he could have made more money by continuing to play in Europe, Celtics rookie Daniel Theis didn’t want to miss his opportunity to play in the NBA. Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald spoke with the forward about his decision to come over.
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Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Hardaway, Theis, Holmes, Booker

December 27th, 2017 at 6:30pm CST by marksuleymanov

After both Frank Ntilikina and Jarrett Jack were upstaged by T.J. McConnell in the Knicks‘ Christmas loss to the Sixers, head coach Jeff Hornacek wants both players to be more aggressive, Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes.

“We always tell our point guards, if someone is pressuring you, just drive right around them. Don’t wait for them to get into your body and try to make a move,” Hornacek said. “You see when he comes up to get you. That’s that change of pace, that change of speeds, when you go one way then slow down, then speed up. And that’s something that Frank will learn.”

Ntilikina and Jack combined to shoot just 2-for-13 from the field in the loss. Also, the 20-year-old Ntilikina had a rare off night on defense, a part of the young Frenchman’s game that has been lauded thus far. With Jack the incumbent starter, the Knicks do not have much depth at the position, meaning the Knicks will need consistency from both players as the team battles for playoff contention.

Check out other Atlantic Division stories below:

  • Tim Hardaway Jr.‘s timetable to return from a stress injury to his left shin remains a mystery, ESPN’s Ian Begley writes. The Knicks announced on Wednesday that Hardaway has made progress — which includes on-court activities such as jumping — and that he will be evaluated weekly. The exact severity of Hardaway’s injury remains unclear but the team hopes to have their prized offseason signee back at some point in January.
  • Celtics big man Daniel Theis does not like playing with a protective mask on his face but his recent performance was not impacted by the facial inconvenience, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. Theis grabbed 15 rebounds in the Celtics’ win over the Bulls last Saturday. While he maintains that the mask is bothersome, he said the current one he uses has improved his vision on the court. Theis hopes to play without the mask in three weeks.
  • Derek Bodner of The Athletic (subscription required and recommended) examined the Sixers’ recent loss to the Raptors. Bodner also highlights the disappearance of Trevor Booker and Richaun Holmes in Philadelphia’s recent skid.
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Marcus Morris Likely Out For Extended Period

December 11th, 2017 at 5:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics forward Marcus Morris is expected to miss extended time due to a left knee injury, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets.

Morris played 25 minutes against the Spurs on Friday after missing the previous game against the Mavs but was sidelined for Boston’s back-to-back on Sunday and Monday. Morris’ debut with the Celtics was delayed by eight games due to left knee soreness and the issue has lingered even though coach Brad Stevens has been careful with Morris’ minutes.

Morris has not played more than 28 minutes in any of the 16 games he’s been able to take the court. He’s averaging 12.1 PPG and 5.5 RPG. Last season with Detroit, Morris started 79 games and averaged 14.0 PPG and 4.6 RPG. Stevens had said on Sunday that Morris would be re-evaluated when the team returns home on Tuesday, according to the team’s official Twitter feed.

Morris was acquired from the Pistons this summer in a deal that sent shooting guard Avery Bradley to Detroit, a move that helped to facilitate the signing of free agent forward Gordon Hayward.

With Morris out, rookie Jayson Tatum will continue to play major minutes. Rookie Semi Ojeleye and Euro import Daniel Theis will also see an uptick in playing time.

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Southeast Notes: Hornets, Howard, Deng

November 10th, 2017 at 4:55pm CST by Austin Kent

The Hornets will soon be charged with the task of working Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Nicolas Batum back into their lineup, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. The former will return to action after a three-game absence tonight.

Batum, sidelined since October with a left elbow injury, could return to the court as early as next Wednesday. Both will be welcome additions to a Hornets lineup that has moseyed out to a 5-6 start this season.

With Batum and Kidd-Gilchrist back in the lineup, head coach Steve Clifford will need to figure out what to do with the likes of Jeremy Lamb, Malik Monk and Dwayne Bacon, all of whom have stepped up with recent opportunities.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

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Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Embiid, Tatum

August 4th, 2017 at 6:01pm CST by Austin Kent

If you ask Carmelo Anthony, there hasn’t been a breakdown of communication between him and the Knicks. In fact, the forward says, the team’s front office knows exactly what he’s looking for and how he feels. Marc Berman of the New York Post breaks down the latest in the ongoing saga.

Put simply, Anthony would like to be traded to the Rockets and has a powerful no-trade clause that he can wave around until he gets there. The Knicks, however, don’t see a deal worth pulling the trigger on.

Despite the standstill, Anthony remains hopeful. “I’m very optimistic. I’ve had great conversations with new [Knicks] GM Scott Perry,” he says. “He understands my mindset, where I’m at. My career right now, what I’m looking for.”

Whether or not that will translate into a trade to Houston, however, remains to be seen.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • According to Jayson Tatum himself, the Celtics intended to draft him all along, even prior to trading down from No. 1 to No. 3 ahead of the June 22 draft. Tatum explained as much on a recent podcast. The Sixers, he says, were under the assumption that Boston was looking at Markelle Fultz with the top pick.
  • While he hasn’t been cleared to play 5-on-5, Sixers big man Joel Embiid is doing non-contact drills and expects to be ready for training camp, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets.
  • Offseason signee Daniel Theis could bring energy on the glass and defensive versatility to the Celtics, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe writes in a profile piece on the German forward.
  • After a solid first campaign, Ron Baker is back with the Knicks on a far more lucrative contract. Barbara Barker of Newsday writes that head coach Jeff Hornacek continues to see parallels between himself and his undrafted role player. “I may not have been the fastest guy or the strongest guy or the highest jumper. But I did things that the coach wanted to see. I got the ball to the star guys. Ron came in doing the same thing and that’s what made him earn minutes with us,” the coach said.
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Celtics Sign Daniel Theis To Two-Year Deal

July 20th, 2017 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 20: Theis made it official today with the Celtics, tweeting out a photo that shows him signing his contract with the team. “I’m so excited to join the Celtics family and to live in this great city!” Theis wrote. “I will work my heart out for Boston.”

JULY 1: The Celtics and German forward Daniel Theis are in agreement on a two-year contract, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. International basketball journalist David Pick first reported last month (via Twitter) that Theis would be joining the C’s on a deal that runs through 2018/2019.

Theis, 25, went undrafted in 2013 and his rights aren’t held by an NBA team, so he’ll join the Celtics as a free agent after his contract with Germany’s Brose Bamberg expired. In 41 German League games last season, Theis averaged 9.5 PPG and 5.7 RPG. He also appeared in 30 EuroLeague contests, recording 9.6 PPG and 4.6 RPG.

While exact details on Theis’ new deal haven’t been reported, the first year will be fully guaranteed, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (via Twitter).

If it’s a minimum salary pact, which seems likely, it could be finalized before the moratorium ends, and it won’t affect the Celtics’ cap room, since Theis’ rookie minimum would have the same cap hit as the charge for an empty roster spot.

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Celtics Notes: Ainge, Fultz, Tatum, Theis

June 18th, 2017 at 12:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Danny Ainge, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations, has risked his legacy by trading the top pick in this year’s draft, writes Chris Mannix of The Vertical. Mannix points out that Ainge gave up Markelle Fultz, a player who scouts seem unanimously sold on, for a chance at Josh Jackson or Jayson Tatum, who play the same position as Boston’s first pick from last year, Jaylen Brown. Ainge may be preparing for a larger deal, but the Pelicans seem to have no desire to move Anthony Davis, and the Bulls’ Jimmy Butler or the Pacers’ Paul George would probably be just a brief rental. Mannix believes Philadelphia now has a team that can contend for the playoffs next season and possibly grow into the East’s next power. If that happens, Ainge’s reputation will take a major hit.

There’s more news out of Boston:

  • The Celtics get an A-minus for the deal and the Sixers get an A-plus from Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated. He writes that Fultz’s skills don’t fit with Boston’s immediate needs and his presence would have complicated Isaiah Thomas‘ free agency in 2018. Ainge, who owns Brooklyn’s unprotected first-rounder next season, may have two lottery picks to work with if the Lakers’ choice falls between No. 2 and 5. If not, he will have the Kings’ first-rounder in 2019.
  • Despite reports that they are pursuing another deal, the Celtics are telling agents they plan to use the No. 3 pick, tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
  • Tatum is a strong possibility for the Celtics if the Lakers opt for Jackson at No. 2, according to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link). Boston ranks Fultz, Jackson, Tatum and Lonzo Ball as its top four prospects.
  • The trade slightly raises Boston’s cap space to $19.8MM, tweets Keith Smith of Real GM, who adds that it can still be increased with other moves. The Sixers now have $40.2MM available, second only to the Kings.
  • Tom Ziller of SB Nation examines the Celtics’ possible motives for the deal, including a desire to take Jackson, to avoid conflict with Thomas, to set up a bigger deal involving Butler or George or to build a team capable of taking over the East when LeBron James retires.
  • The Celtics have “serious interest” in German forward Daniel Theis, relays Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 25-year-old is a free agent after his contract with Brose Bamberg expired.
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Eastern Notes: Lopez, Thompson, LeBron, Bucks

May 30th, 2017 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have a combined 41-123 record over the last two seasons, but Brook Lopez remains optimistic about the franchise’s direction, and doesn’t seem eager to go anywhere, despite the trade rumors that have consistently swirled around him as the club has struggled. As Randolph B. Leongson of Inquirer.net details, Lopez believes there’s “a lot of positivity” in Brooklyn as the team builds a new foundation.

“Moving forward, I’m just all-in, trying to do all I can to help my team be successful,” Lopez said. “We’ve got a great group of guys who really have that team-first attitude and we really believe that we can do something special as long as we put the effort out and we put the work in.”

Here are a few more items from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson is by no means a prolific scorer, but he has developed into a key rotation piece for the club due to his ability to rebounding and defensive ability, as well as his high motor. Zach Lowe of ESPN.com takes a closer look at Thompson, providing a handful of interesting tidbits on the big man’s history with the Cavs, who considered taking Jonas Valanciunas over him in 2011.
  • LeBron James will be the subject of countless Michael Jordan comparisons by the time he retires, and those comparisons may eventually extend to endeavors beyond his playing career. As Ken Berger of Bleacher Report writes, the Cavaliers star has interested in being part of an NBA team ownership group down the road. Jordan, of course, is currently the principal owner of the Hornets.
  • Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder, who played professional ball in Germany before arriving in Atlanta, believes current Brose Bamberg big man Daniel Theis is capable of making the leap to the NBA — preferably to Atlanta. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando has the details, providing an English translation of a German report.
  • Jabari Parker is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, but it would make sense for the Bucks to table contract talks until the summer of 2018, after the former No. 2 pick has recovered from his latest ACL injury, writes Bobby Marks of The Vertical.
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International Prospects’ Draft Decisions

June 17th, 2013 at 7:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The deadline for international early entrants to withdraw from the 2013 draft arrives today at 4:00pm central time, so plenty of updates are trickling in on players deciding whether they're in or out. We'll track all of those decisions in this post throughout the day, with new updates being added to the top of each list:

In:

  • Lucas Nogueira and Raul Neto are staying in the draft, agent Aylton Tesch tells Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (on Twitter).
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo will remain eligible to be drafted, his agent announced today on Twitter.
  • German power forward Daniel Theis will be keeping his name in the draft, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com.
  • Sergey Karasev will remain in the draft, agent Justin Zanik tells Givony (Twitter link).
  • Givony reports (via Twitter) that Alex Abrines and Marko Todorovic are staying in the draft, with agent Igor Crespo saying, "That was the plan all along."
  • French forward Livio Jean-Charles will remain in the draft, tweets Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
  • Rudy Gobert will also remain in the draft, according to Ford (Twitter link), which is no surprise, considering he projects as a potential lottery pick.

Out:

  • Mouhammadou Jaiteh has decided to withdraw his name from the 2013 NBA Draft, his agent tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (Twitter link).  He'll return to France for the season.
  • French prospects Louis Labeyrie and Axel Toupane have withdrawn their names from the draft, their agent told Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (on Twitter).
  • Greek small forward Linos Chrysikopoulos has removed his name from the draft pool, agent Mike Main tells Givony (Twitter link).
  • Big man Walter Tavares has withdrawn his name, agent Guillermo Bermejo tells Givony (Twitter link).
  • Adin Vrabac, Artem Pustovyi and Bogdan Bogdanovic have also pulled out of the draft, reports Givony (via Twitter).
  • Philipp Neumann has withdrawn his name from consideration, tweets Givony.
  • Francois Affia Ambadiang has pulled out of the draft, agent Alex Saratsis tells Givony (Twitter link).
  • Givony adds four more names to the list of players exiting the draft: Nemanja Besovic, Matias Bortolin, Djordje Drenovac, and Marko Ramljak (Twitter link).
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Draft Updates: Theis, Gobert, Napier, Jefferson

April 26th, 2013 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

We heard earlier today that Miami's Shane Larkin will enter this year's draft, but he's not the only prospect making a decision on whether or not to go pro. Here are a few more Friday updates on potential early entrants:

  • German big man Daniel Theis has elected to enter the draft, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (Twitter link), who has Theis ranked eighth among 1992-born international prospects.
  • Rudy Gobert, who may be this year's top international prospect, has officially entered his name in the draft, agent Bouna Ndiaye tells DraftExpress (Twitter link). We had previously heard that the French big man, who Givony projects as a potential lottery pick, would likely declare his intent.
  • Ndiaye also confirms that two of his other clients, Louis Labeyrie and Axel Toupane, have officially entered the draft, tweets Givony.
  • Junior guard Shabazz Napier has decided to return to UConn for his senior season, the school announced today (Twitter link).
  • Baylor's Cory Jefferson has also decided to return to school rather than go pro, as Jeff Borzello of CBSSports.com details.
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