Terry Rozier

Cavs Rumors: Rozier, Korver, Smith, Rotation

November 7th, 2018 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers are among the teams with interest in Celtics point guard Terry Rozier, league sources tell Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net. As we relayed earlier today, there are reportedly at least seven teams around the NBA monitoring Rozier, who is said to be unhappy with his playing time. It sounds like it’s safe to assume that Cleveland is one of those seven teams.

Of course, the Cavs used the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 draft on Collin Sexton, a player they hope will be capable of developing into their point guard of the future. Sexton’s still very early in his developmental process though, and plenty of teams around the NBA use lineups that feature more than one point guard, so that doesn’t mean that Rozier couldn’t be a fit in Cleveland.

Here’s more on the Cavs:

During a recent appearance on The Jump (video link; hat tip to AmicoHoops.net), ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said that he expects trade interest to be much stronger for Kyle Korver than J.R. Smith, but cautions that Korver would be more attractive as a trade chip if he was on a true expiring contract, rather than having a partial guarantee for next season. Wojnarowski expects the Cavaliers to be able to move both players, but suggests they shouldn’t expect more than a second-round pick for either, and may have to take on some money.
The Cavaliers don’t seem to view Larry Nance Jr. as a potential four, and Channing Frye only works in certain matchups, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who suggests that the team may lean more heavily on smaller power forwards with Kevin Love and Sam Dekker sidelined. Cedi Osman, Korver, and Smith are among the candidates.
Cavaliers veterans are happy that the team agreed to renegotiate Larry Drew‘s contract, creating some certainty at the head coaching position for this season, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “It’s just good to know they made a decision, for me,” Nance said. “It lets you go forward. I think some progress can be made.”

Terry Rozier Unhappy With Playing Time?

November 7th, 2018 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics point guard Terry Rozier has been unhappy with his playing time so far this season, according to Bill Simmons of The Ringer (Twitter link). Simmons suggests that word of Rozier’s discontent has “gotten around the league,” and that a trade of the 2019 free-agent-to-be may be necessary.

Simmons isn’t an NBA reporter in the traditional sense, but he’s plugged in, particularly in Boston, so there’s no reason to believe his intel is off here. Rozier himself admitted earlier in the season that his fluid role off the Celtics’ bench was “not the easiest” to embrace, and a report prior to last month’s rookie scale extension deadline suggested that Rozier would likely seek the “minutes and money” of a starter on his next contract

Last season, Rozier averaged 25.9 minutes per game during the regular season for the Celtics before playing an impressive 36.6 MPG during the postseason when Kyrie Irving was unavailable. With Irving and Marcus Smart both fully healthy so far this season, Rozier has seen his role reduced — he’s averaging 22.7 MPG through 10 games and has struggled to make an impact, with 7.5 PPG on 35.5% shooting.

Irving has verbally committed to re-signing with the Celtics and Smart is in the first year of a long-term deal, so the C’s may not be willing to invest heavily in a third point guard when Rozier reaches restricted free agency next summer. Still, the club will control the process and would have the opportunity to match any offer Rozier receives, potentially with an eye toward trading him later. As such, a deal before February’s deadline is far from a sure thing.

If the Celtics do make Rozier available, the Suns are one team that would have interest. An October report indicated that Phoenix would have “loved” to acquire Rozier during the offseason, as both Ryan McDonough and new interim GM James Jones attempted to make a deal. However, he was viewed at the time as “very unlikely” to be traded.

The Suns are hardly the only team that would be interested in landing Rozier. Shams Charania of The Athletic hears from sources that at least seven clubs around the NBA have been monitoring the situation and waiting to see if the Celtics will begin fielding trade calls on their backup point guard. For now, Charania notes, Boston seems happy with its roster.

Rozier: Fluid Role “Not The Easiest” To Embrace

October 24th, 2018 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have yet to hit their stride so far in 2018/19, and while their depth figures to be a strength over the course of the season, it may also be a source of frustration when things aren’t going well for players who would like more minutes. Asked after Monday’s loss to Orlando about embracing a fluid role, backup point guard Terry Rozier admitted that it’s “not the easiest,” as Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston writes.

“Me being a competitor and me being who I am, I wake up every day and want to be the best I can be, want to win and everything,” said Rozier. “It’s tough when I don’t get the minutes that I may want. [Monday] night, for example, I didn’t play that many minutes.”

Beyond simply being a competitor and wanting to win, Rozier has another important reason to prefer a regular, prominent role this season. After having failed to reach an extension agreement with the Celtics, he’ll be a restricted free agent in 2019, so his play on the court in the coming months will go a long way toward determining what his next contract looks like. Still, he made it clear that he’s not unhappy and he understands the challenge facing head coach Brad Stevens.

“Coach does not have the easiest job. He has the toughest job out of all of us,” Rozier said of Stevens. “And I can respect that. I control what I control. I still come in every day and I bust my butt because I know it may be different on Thursday. I just have to stay ready. And it’s tough because, like I said, I’m competitive. But [Stevens] has a tough job.”

As Forsberg notes, Monday was likely the exception for Rozier and the Celtics rather than the rule. After seeing at least 23 minutes of action in each of the team’s first three games, Rozier played only 15 on Monday — Stevens used 12 different players in an effort to find the best lineup combination for a C’s team that came out flat. Those 15 minutes were the fewest Rozier had played in a game since last November, and that’s unlikely to be repeated anytime soon.

Still, a report prior to this month’s rookie scale extension deadline suggested that Rozier would likely seek the “minutes and money” of a starter on his next contract after averaging 36.6 minutes per contest in the postseason for the Celtics last season. As long as Kyrie Irving remains healthy, Rozier won’t be playing starter’s minutes in Boston this season, and as long as Irving and the C’s remain on track for a long-term deal next summer, it’s not clear if the club will be willing to offer Rozier a lucrative multiyear contract too.

If and when the Celtics start piling up wins, Rozier will certainly find it easier to accept his fluid role, but this is still a situation worth keeping an eye on over the course of the season as his free agency nears.

Sixers Turned Down Suns’ Trade Offer For McConnell

October 17th, 2018 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns, who were on the lookout for a point guard for much of the offseason, approached the Sixers in recent weeks to inquire on T.J. McConnell, league sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. According to Pompey, Phoenix was willing to part with a second-round pick for McConnell, but the 76ers passed on that offer.

Philadelphia’s decision to turn down a second-round pick for McConnell comes as no surprise. The 26-year-old has developed into a regular part of the Sixers’ rotation, providing backup minutes at point guard and serving as one of the club’s only reliable ball-handlers. With the 76ers still unsure about what they’ll get from Markelle Fultz this season, it would take a strong offer to pry away McConnell, who is earning just $1.6MM.

It’s also worth noting that the Sixers probably don’t need to add any more second-rounders to their overflowing stash of draft picks. In addition to holding all its own selections, Philadelphia has also acquired two extra second-round picks for 2019, two more for 2020, and three for 2021. The team has even added the Pistons’ 2023 second-rounder for good measure.

The Suns have been linked to several point guard trade targets since sending Brandon Knight to the Rockets over the summer. Cory Joseph, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Patrick Beverley are among the veteran point guards the team has reportedly looked into, but Phoenix is said to be reluctant to part with a first-round pick in any deal.

Terry Rozier‘s name is another one that has been frequently connected to the Suns, and John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 tweeted this week that the club would have “loved” to acquire the Celtics point guard. According to Gambadoro, both Ryan McDonough and new interim GM James Jones attempted to make a deal for Rozier, but he’s “very unlikely” to be traded.

Extension Roundup: Rozier, Portis, Jones, Russell

October 15th, 2018 at 5:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics point guard Terry Rozier turned down a rookie scale extension offer prior to Monday’s deadline and will become a restricted free agent next summer, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston reports. Boston offered Rozier approximately $12MM annually, according to Blakely, but chose to take his chances in free agency. Talks were cordial and the two parties will revisit each other when Rozier hits the market, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

“I’m in a great situation,” Rozier told Blakely. “My team (representatives) felt it wasn’t good for me to sign an extension right now. It opens my options a little bit, but I’m focused on what’s happening right now.”

Rozier is expected to have multiple suitors even as a restricted free agent, since Kyrie Irving recently announced that he plans to re-sign with the Celtics next summer, Blakely notes. Rozier broke out last season, particularly after Irving went down with a knee injury. He was especially potent in the playoffs, averaging 16.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 5.7 APG.

We have more extension decisions:

The Timberwolves and point guard Tyus Jones did not reach a rookie scale extension agreement. Jones will be a restricted free agent, and that’s been the expectation all along, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. Minnesota would have to make a $3,573,205 qualifying offer before free agency next summer, otherwise Jones would be unrestricted. Jones saw action in all 82 regular-season games last season, including 11 starts, and averaged 5.1 PPG and 2.8 APG in 17.9 MPG.
The Bulls and forward Bobby Portis couldn’t come to an extension agreement before Monday’s deadline, Wojnarowski tweets. Agent Mark Bartelstein and Chicago GM Gar Forman had lengthy negotiations as the deadline approached, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets, but couldn’t close the financial gap. “We had very positive talks,” Bartelstein told Johnson. “These are hard extensions to get done.” (Twitter link). Portis will be a restricted free agent if Chicago gives him a $3,611,813 qualifying offer. He averaged 13.2 PPG and 6.8 RPG in 73 regular season games after returning from his eight-game team suspension following his well-publicized dust-up with former teammate Nikola Mirotic.
Nets guard D’Angelo Russell and forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson did not receive extensions, Michael Scotto of The Athetic tweets. Neither player was aware of Monday’s deadline, according to Scotto, suggesting that the Nets never made a serious pitch to lock them up before free agency. The Nets would have extend a $9,160,706 qualifying offer to Russell to make him a restricted free agent. Hollis-Jefferson’s qualifying offer would be $3,594,369.

No Extension Expected For Celtics, Terry Rozier

October 12th, 2018 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics can keep backup point guard Terry Rozier off the 2019 restricted free agent market by locking him up to a contract extension before Monday’s deadline, but that’s not expected to happen. Multiple sources tell Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe that the two sides won’t agree to an extension in the coming days.

“There’s not going to be any extension,” one source said to Himmelsbach. “It wouldn’t make any sense for Terry to do that.”

One source tells Himmelsbach that Rozier is determined to become a starting point guard in the NBA and figures to seek the “minutes and money” of a starter in 2019. Himmelsbach suggests Rozier’s asking price could be in the neighborhood of $20MM per year.

That could be problematic for the Celtics. They recently received a verbal commitment from Kyrie Irving, who said he’ll re-sign with the team when he reaches free agency next summer. Boston already committed approximately $13MM annually to Marcus Smart on a four-year deal earlier this year, so huge new contracts for both Irving and Rozier are probably unpalatable.

Assuming the Celtics and Rozier don’t unexpectedly reach a compromise at the 11th hour, the 24-year-old will enter the season as one of the leaders of the second unit, with the team knowing it can count on him to step into a larger role if Irving and/or Smart battle injuries again. The former Louisville standout averaged an impressive 16.5 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 5.3 RPG in 19 postseason contests (all starts) in the spring.

Next summer, the C’s will have the right of first refusal on Rozier as a restricted free agent, so they could try to re-sign him outright and would have the option to match any offer sheet he signs with another team. While a $20MM-per-year offer seems awfully ambitious, the NBA’s salary cap is projected to increase by another $8MM for 2019/20, and there should be no shortage of teams with significant cap space, so Rozier should have several suitors.

Celtics Notes: Rozier, Smart, Rotation, Irving

October 10th, 2018 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

Despite Kyrie Irving‘s verbal commitment to re-signing with the team next summer, the Celtics have explored a potential contract extension for Terry Rozier, a source tells Brian Robb of BostonSportsJournal.com. The two sides have until next Monday to complete a deal. If they don’t, Rozier will remain on track to reach restricted free agency in 2019.

While Robb describes the Celtics as having been engaged and “active” in extension negotiations, it’s hard to imagine the two sides reaching an agreement in the coming days. With Irving expected to stick around long-term and Marcus Smart already locked up to a long-term deal, the Celtics would be committing a ton of money to point guards if they were to extend Rozier as well. Additionally, it’s not clear whether Rozier would be comfortable accepting a bench role for the next several years of his career by re-upping with the C’s.

“That’s something I’m really going to have to sit down and think about,” Rozier told Robb on Tuesday.

Here’s more out of Boston:

The NBA hit Marcus Smart with a $25K fine earlier this week for his role in an on-court altercation with J.R. Smith, the league announced in a press release. The incident, which resulted in Smart’s ejection, occurred during Saturday’s game against the Cavaliers. Smith was fined $15K.
The Celtics continue to work on figuring out their rotation for the regular season, as head coach Brad Stevens acknowledged after that Saturday loss to the Cavs. Taylor C. Snow of Celtics.com has the story.
Asked about the Celtics’ struggles during the preseason, Kyrie Irving said that he and his teammates “have to be a lot smarter,” as Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston details. “We have to be a lot more diligent in what we’re doing out there, a lot more communicative,” Irving said. “And it’s going to take some time for us to figure that out because we don’t have 1-2-3-4-5 set in stone. Like 2, 3, and 4 is like up in the air for us so you can see that our wings are having somewhat of a struggle just figuring out, ‘OK, who is the 4, who is the 3 here?'”
In a separate piece on Irving, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe passes along some of the point guard’s observations on his time in Cleveland and what he learned from playing with LeBron James.

Community Shootaround: Terry Rozier’s Future

October 5th, 2018 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

On Thursday night, Kyrie Irving announced to fans at a Celtics event that he plans to re-sign with the club next July when he can become a free agent. Irving’s verbal commitment to the Celtics doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything, since a lot can change between now and July 1. But it was a rare declaration for a star free-agent-to-be — even if a player ultimately intends to re-sign with his current team, he’ll usually hedge his bets this far out, talking about how he wants to “focus on the season” or how he knows the NBA is “a business.”

Irving stating in no uncertain terms that he intends to remain a Celtic going forward is great news for the franchise, but it also casts some uncertainty on Terry Rozier‘s future with the team. If Irving receives a maximum-salary contract from Boston next summer, the club would be committing an estimated $45MM to Irving and Marcus Smart in 2019/20, with that number projected to increase to $52MM+ by 2021/22.

That’s already a lot of money to invest in a pair of point guards, and adding a lucrative new deal for Rozier on top of that would probably be financially irresponsible. After all, based on what he showed down the stretch last season, Rozier should have a great chance to match – if not exceed – Smart’s four-year, $52MM contract as a restricted free agent in 2019. By re-signing him, Boston would be looking at using well over half of its cap room on point guards.

We don’t know for sure that Irving will get the full max from the Celtics. And it’s possible that the team could consider moving Smart to create additional cap flexibility. It’s even conceivable that the C’s could bite the bullet and re-sign Rozier without cutting costs elsewhere, since no cap rules prevent them from doing so — it would simply result in a big tax bill.

Still, it seems like something’s got to give.

Trading Rozier in advance of the 2019 deadline might allow the team to maximize his value, but that seems unlikely as long as the Celtics are vying for a title. Waiting until free agency in 2019 and hoping to negotiate a trade at that point is another option, but it’s a risky one, since there would be nothing stopping Rozier from signing an offer sheet outright with a rival suitor. Matching an offer sheet for Rozier with the intent to cut costs later would also be dangerous, since potential trade partners could drive a harder bargain knowing that the C’s are anxious to reduce their tax bill.

What do you think? What path will the Celtics take with Rozier, with Irving now on track to re-sign? What should the team do with him?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Atlantic Notes: Rozier, Celtics, Powell, Redick

October 3rd, 2018 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

With Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart battling injuries down the stretch last season, Terry Rozier stepped into a starting role and showed why the Celtics used their first-round pick on him in 2015. Although Rozier will return to a bench role to start the 2018/19 season, Marcus Morris tells A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston that the 24-year-old is still “a starting point guard in this league.” Meanwhile, head coach Brad Stevens acknowledges that he’ll need to try to find Rozier as many minutes as possible (link via Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston).

As Stevens and the Celtics explore how best to use Rozier on the court, the franchise will also face a looming decision on him off the court, notes Shane Rhodes of Basketball Insiders. If he doesn’t sign a new extension by October 15, Rozier will be on track for restricted free agency in 2019, and he’s not a slam dunk to be re-signed, since Boston has already committed big money to Smart and will need to re-sign Irving too. Rhodes outlines the options the C’s will have with their young point guard, which include letting him walk, matching an offer sheet, or trading him.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Celtics have been a popular pick to win the Eastern Conference and challenge for an NBA title in 2018/19, but – based on his team’s preseason performances – Brad Stevens wants to pump the brakes on that hype. As Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston relays, Stevens said he “couldn’t be more unimpressed” with the C’s at the moment. “We’re not as good as advertised right now,” Stevens said after a Tuesday loss to Cleveland. “So at least we know that.”
Norman Powell has the sixth-highest cap hit on the Raptors‘ roster for the 2018/19 season, but he’ll be hard-pressed to crack the team’s rotation, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. In Smith’s view, Powell will have to recapture his 2016/17 form or “capitalize on the misfortune of others” in order to regain a significant role. Otherwise, he’ll likely remain a trade candidate.
Sarah Todd of The Philadelphia Inquirer examines the importance of veteran guard J.J. Redick on a young Sixers team. Redick inked another one-year deal with Philadelphia as a free agent this summer.

Atlantic Notes: Rozier, Knicks, Sixers, Kurucs

September 7th, 2018 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Terry Rozier is entering a contract year and is one of several productive point guards on a Celtics roster that also features Kyrie Irving, Marcus Smart, and EuroLeague star Brad Wanamaker. As such, it makes sense that his name would pop up in trade rumors, as it did last week when a report indicated he may be on the Suns’ wish list. For his part though, Rozier is unfazed by those rumors, as A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston details.

“It’s only going to get crazier every year, I feel,” Rozier said. “You just have to try and control what you can control. Try to focus on getting better every summer. Getting wiser, thinking about the game. I’m ready to get it going, ready to start the season.”

Even if he remains in Boston through the 2018/19 season, the summer of 2019 will be a big one for Rozier. With Smart locked up to a lucrative new long-term contract, and Irving a candidate for a new maximum-salary deal, the Celtics may not be able to retain Rozier if he draws serious interest from other teams in restricted free agency. Again though, the fourth-year guard isn’t focused on his long-term future for now.

“I mean, I’ll see how it goes for myself,” Rozier said, per Blakely. “I’m not really going crazy. I got a season to worry about. I’m not worried about what’s next for me individually; I’m just worrying about how special this team can be.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

During an appearance on SiriusXM Radio, Enes Kanter said he’s “love to see” Kevin Durant on his team again, adding that he’ll “try to recruit” his former Thunder teammate to the Knicks in 2019 (link via Marc Berman of The New York Post). Of course, Kanter’s recruitment of LeBron James this offseason wasn’t particularly effective, and there’s no guarantee the center will even be a Knick a year from now — Kanter hopes to remain in New York for the long term, but will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are the only long-term certainties for the Sixers, so the team’s new general manager should be a creative thinker who isn’t afraid to shake up the rest of the roster if it moves the team closer to title contention, writes David Murphy of Philly.com. The 76ers are considering both external and internal candidates as they seek a new head of basketball operations.
Nets second-round pick Rodions Kurucs said during an interview with LTV Sport Studio in Latvia that he expects to spend some time with the Long Island Nets in the G League during his rookie season, as relayed by NetsDaily. Kurucs, the 40th overall pick in the draft, signed a four-year deal with Brooklyn, so the club figures to be patient with his development.

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