Terry Rozier Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Smart To Start In Lieu Of Thomas

May 21st, 2017 at 6:09pm CST by Austin Kent

The Celtics will have a tough time replacing the injured Isaiah Thomas for the remainder of their Eastern Conference Finals matchup with the Cavaliers but don’t expect interim starter Marcus Smart to shy away from the opportunity.

“Everybody has to step up once again. This is an opportunity for everybody to make a bigger impact on the game,” Smart told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England. “It’s devastating not to have Isaiah. Not just because of his scoring ability, but just because he’s a big part of our team. He’s one of our brothers and he’s down. We understand it. We respect everything that he’s done. But now is the time for everybody else to step up.”

In 15 postseason games for the Celtics so far this season, Smart has averaged 7.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. More important than any statistical contribution, however, is his presence as a disruptive, physical force.

As we wrote yesterday, Thomas has been ruled out for the remainder of the postseason and Blakely shares that the guard will take the next few days to discuss his injury with hip specialists.

Blakely also notes that the absence of Thomas will allow rookie point guard Terry Rozier to see more time on the court, a bittersweet gift for the Ohio native.

Celtics Exercise Marcus Smart’s 2017/18 Option

October 31st, 2016 at 1:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have exercised their 2017/18 team options on Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. The team’s decision on Rozier had been previously reported, while there was never a question that Smart’s option would be picked up.

Smart, 22, continues to battle a sprained ankle and has yet to make his 2016/17 regular-season debut. In his first two seasons with the Celtics, he averaged 8.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 1.5 SPG, shooting just 35.7% from the field but providing solid perimeter defense.

Smart will earn about $3.579MM this season, and his $4.538MM salary for 2017/18 will now be fully guaranteed, since the Celtics have picked up his fourth-year option. Assuming Smart remains in Boston, the C’s will have the opportunity to sign him to a rookie-scale extension next offseason. If he doesn’t sign an extension, the former OSU guard will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2018.

With the options for Smart and Rozier exercised, the Celtics still have one decision to make on James Young. The former first-rounder beat out R.J. Hunter to earn the Celtics’ final roster spot, but according to Blakely (via Twitter), he has yet to be informed one way or the other if the club is picking up his fourth-year option. If the C’s decide not to exercise Young’s option, he’ll hit unrestricted free agency in July.

Celtics Notes: Hunter, Horford, Smart, Young

October 30th, 2016 at 12:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

When the Celtics waived former first-round pick R.J. Hunter on Monday, they lost their compensation for allowing Doc Rivers to join the Clippers, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. While only Josh Richardson might have been a better choice among available players at No. 28 in last year’s draft, Hunter is still part of an uneven draft record that Boston has produced with its recent wealth of picks. While the Celtics have brought in Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley and Jaylen Brown, they have misfired with Hunter, Fab Melo, and the trade for JaJuan Johnson. They are also haunted by the 2008 selection of J.R. Giddens ahead of DeAndre Jordan, Mario Chalmers and Goran Dragic.

“Right now, the hardest thing is I like R.J. and we’ve invested time in him,” said Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “I see Jaylen and Terry [Rozier] and Jordan Mickey and Demetrius Jackson and Abdel Nader, who had a terrific summer with us, and the two kids over in Europe that are playing fantastic right now. The draft is the draft, as we all know. You have some good selections and some that don’t fit and don’t work for you. So I’m not disappointed in that regard at all. I’m glad that we have another [Nets] pick next year and we’ll keep taking our swings and trying to find the right guys.”

There’s more today out of Boston:

ABC/ESPN analyst Mark Jackson believes the Celtics will benefit greatly from the free agent signing of Al Horford, Washburn adds in the same piece. “They did a great job of adding Horford, a big that brought to the table what they did not have — a defensive, tough, hard-nosed leader — and you can see that … already,” Jackson said.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens was happy to see Hunter find a new team so quickly, relays Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. Hunter signed with the Bulls on Wednesday, shortly after clearing waivers. “I think he’s a really good player,” Stevens said. “His ability to shoot the ball and his ability to pass the ball are two great strengths … I don’t know how he fits from a rotation standpoint; that would be a [Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg] question. But he’s certainly a good player that can help any team.”
The Celtics are taking their time with decisions about extensions for Smart, Rozier and James Young, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. The deadline is Monday to pick up the fourth-year guaranteed options for Smart and Young and the third-year option for Rozier. Bulpett believes the team is certain to pick up the $4,438,020 for Smart and the $1,988,520 for Rozier. However, the team is still examining trade options for Young, who would be owed $2,803,507 for 2017/18, and may save that decision until the last minute.

Celtics To Pick Up Terry Rozier’s 2017/18 Option

October 24th, 2016 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics will exercise the third-year option on Terry Rozier‘s rookie contract, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, who tweets that the team will make it official soon. The move will lock in Rozier’s $1.989MM salary for the 2017/18 season.

Rozier, the 16th overall pick in the 2015 draft, played sparingly for the Celtics in his rookie season, averaging 8.0 minutes per contest in 39 games. He saw more action during his 14 games with the D-League’s Maine Red Claws, racking up 19.4 PPG, 8.0 APG, and 6.4 RPG in 33.7 minutes per contest.

When the Celtics do officially announce that they’ve exercised Rozier’s option, they’ll likely announce at least a couple more option decisions. Boston also has fourth-year options for Marcus Smart and James Young to exercise or decline, along with R.J. Hunter‘s third-year option.

Smart’s option will certainly be picked up, but the options for Young and Hunter remain up in the air, since they’re on the roster bubble. The C’s will likely trade or waive one of those two players, then perhaps pick up their option on the other one.

Atlantic Notes: Rose, Yabusele, Celtics, Sixers

October 4th, 2016 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The federal civil trial involving Knicks point guard Derrick Rose gets underway today, and Adrienne Lawrence of ESPN’s Outside The Lines has the details on what to expect from the case. As Lawrence writes, the trial is expected to take about eight to 10 business days, which would put it on track to be finished before the NBA’s regular season, though it could be delayed or shortened for various reasons.

Rose is currently with the Knicks as they prepare to play a preseason game against Houston, but he’ll head to Los Angeles for the trial tomorrow, per Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter links). The veteran guard said today that he may have to miss a practice or two, and he doesn’t anticipate reaching a settlement with his accuser, according to Berman.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:

Guerschon Yabusele, the 16th overall pick in this year’s draft, will play overseas this season rather than joining the Celtics right away, but he got some action stateside this week, as his Shanghai Sharks faced the Rockets in Houston. As Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe details, the Sharks signed Yabusele to a one-year contract that can be worth up to $1.5MM with bonuses, and sold him and the Celtics on their advanced training and sports medicine program. Once the season begins, the Chinese club will send weekly reports to Boston updating the C’s on Yabusele’s performance and his fitness.
As he prepares to enter his second NBA season, point guard Terry Rozier talks to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net about vying for minutes in a crowded Celtics backcourt.
Although the team isn’t viewed as a strong playoff contender, there was an air of excitement surrounding the Sixers this summer, which has been dulled in the wake of Ben Simmons‘ foot injury, writes Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News.

Celtics Notes: Green, Young, Rozier, Brown

September 30th, 2016 at 8:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

One of the main reasons Gerald Green decided to sign with the Celtics this offseason was the impression that Isaiah Thomas left on him when the two were teammates with the Suns, Mike Petraglia of WEEI 93.7 FM notes. “It kind of began in Phoenix,” Green said. “He was a genuine guy, came in really humble. I see the talent was there I knew he could be one of the best point guards in the league, and right away when we both stepped on the court we both had the same mentality. By any means necessary, go get a bucket and go get stops. We both had the same mentality, just try to push the first team because we were both coming off the bench. Just try to make the first team better and that’s what we did every day. We were able to finish games as a unit at both ends of the floor. Now, me teaming up with him here, we’re gonna try to do the same thing.”

Thomas is also a fan of Green’s, noting that he had no doubts about the swingman’s value to the franchise, Petraglia adds. “We needed someone like him,” Thomas said. “A guy that can shoot the ball, a guy that can space the floor, and he’s just an instant scorer — whether he starts, whether he comes off the bench, that’s what he’s going to do. And he’s explosive. We needed somebody like him and, when we played in Phoenix, it was like we played together for years because we clicked so easy. I know where he likes the ball, I know where his hot spots are. He’s just somebody that’s very excited and something we need. I just put my magic on it and usually it works. I can’t tell you my secrets.”

Here’s more out of Beantown:

James Young is entering his third year in the league and will need to impress the Celtics’ coaching staff in order to land a roster spot for 2016/17. The swingman feels that he’s off to a solid start in training camp and isn’t focusing on what may happen if he doesn’t make the team, Marc D’Amico of NBA.com relays. “I’m playing well so far, so I’m not worrying about [the final roster spot]. Just going out here and playing my game,” Young told D’Amico. “I’m grabbing boards, I’m making the right plays and I’m just knocking down shots. Those are the main things, and things have been clicking so far.”
Another player who’s on the bubble for a regular season roster spot is Terry Rozier, but the point guard has impressed coach Brad Stevens thus far with how his game has improved from a season ago, Logan Mullen of WEEI 93.7 FM writes. “You can see Terry’s a different guy year two than he was in the first couple of days of year one, he just stands out right now,” Stevens said. “And I think that’s probably pretty typical because of the comfort level of going through camp again, for the first time versus again.”
Jaylen Brown is trying to manage the expectations that come along with being the No. 3 overall pick on a team that is expected to compete for an NBA title, Mullen relays in a separate piece. “There’s going to be highs, there’s going to be lows. Just the peaks and valleys,” Brown told Mullen. “But, just to stay with the process, just to keep confidence and keep working. Just stay with the process. Defensively I think I add it right way. I think I talked to Brad [Stevens] a lot about that. Just being able to get on the floor, defending at a high level. It would be one thing, and just hitting open shots would be another. Those are two key things to get me on the floor and that will help me add to this team.”

Atlantic Notes: Noel, Sixers, Jennings, Rozier

September 19th, 2016 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

After passing along a few items from out of the Atlantic division on Sunday afternoon, we’ve got a few more notes to round up this morning, so let’s dive in…

Nerlens Noel remains a trade candidate for the Sixers, but if the 22-year-old remains in Philadelphia for the final year of his rookie contract, head coach Brett Brown wants to see him emulate another big man who just parlayed a breakout contract year into a big new contract: Bismack Biyombo. As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer details, Brown compared Noel to Biyombo and Hall-of-Fame center Dikembe Mutombo, praising his physical gifts. “Do your job and we will help you,” Brown said. “The league will reward that. The 76ers will reward that. He will be rewarded for playing like that.”
Given the massive rebuild undertaken by the franchise, Brett Brown‘s record during his first three seasons with the Sixers can’t really be held against him. However, with excitement and expectations increasing in Philadelphia, the job Brown does with this year’s roster may go a long way to determining whether he’ll be the team’s long-term coach, suggests Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News.
Having signed a one-year deal with the Knicks this summer, Brandon Jennings recently said on The Stashed’s 33rd & 7th podcast with Anthony Donahue that he’s “more hungry than ever” to prove what he can do on the court (link via Ian Begley of ESPN.com).
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com identifies Terry Rozier as a Celtics player worth keeping an eye on in camp. Rozier is one of 16 players with guaranteed contracts heading into camp, and Blakely thinks Rozier may be a potential trade candidate if the C’s don’t plan on having him get regular playing time this season.

Atlantic Notes: Fisher, Simmons, Rozier

August 12th, 2016 at 8:46pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks team president Phil Jackson opened up to Charley Rosen of TodaysFastbreak.com about what went wrong in New York with former coach Derek Fisher, noting the two had markedly different philosophies on how to develop and train players. “Almost from the start, this was a difficult time for Derek. Derek did have a situation that took some focus away from his coaching during the preseason, but I never doubted that his focus was on coaching the team,” Jackson said regarding Fisher’s off the court run-in with Matt Barnes. “A divorce and coast-to-coast move with children does put pressure on a person’s life, but that’s the NBA. However, Derek did move the team forward. He was dedicated and he worked hard. The players hustled and, for the most part, stayed as positive as was possible. And Derek did manage to survive last season and to deal with the heavy pressure of the constant losing, which is probably more intense in New York than in any other NBA city.”

Jackson also noted that Fisher’s inability to settle on a rotation became an issue, Rosen relays. “When I was coaching, I liked to play a lot of players and usually found a rotation of nine, 10 players to play, but it was hard for Derek to find a workable rotation,” Jackson said. “Nevertheless, the team did develop under him, and we have enough pieces in place to give us a chance to compete every night.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft by the Sixers, noted that the league’s mandatory Rookie Transition Program was a great help to him as he kicks off his professional career, Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com relays. “[I learned] a lot, from fans to financial advice, family issues, everything,” Simmons said. “Financially, that’s one of those things I’ve been looking at. I definitely want to be one of those guys who’s not in one of those statistics of not having money. So that’s big for me. You’ve got to look toward the future because you don’t play basketball forever. It’s one of those things you need to take seriously and listen.”
The Celtics are hoping the playoff experience that guard Terry Rozier gained this past season will help his development moving forward and allow the player to earn more minutes in the rotation, Josue Pavon of WEII 93.7 FM relays. “One of the things I said before training camp is that I’m smarter [now],” Rozier said. “I felt like I could always play, but I just feel that my opportunity came late obviously in the playoffs [last season]. I got to see that as a rookie early and it made me smarter to just see things. Then, this summer I went over a lot of things and touched on things I could do as a point guard. I think I just became smarter more than anything.”

Atlantic Notes: Sullinger, Okafor, Knicks

July 11th, 2016 at 6:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Raptors got themselves a bargain in ex-Celtics power forward Jared Sullinger, even though he’s not an ideal fit, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun opines. Sullinger agreed to a one-year deal with Toronto on Monday after Boston renounced his rights. He’s not an ideal partner for either Jonas Valanciunas or Jakob Poeltl because of his lack of foot speed but he’ll contribute with his rebounding and low-post game, Wolstat continues. Sullinger will be motivated to have a productive season in order to get a big payday next summer, Wolstat adds, noting that approach worked last season for Bismack Biyombo.

In other news around the Atlantic Division:

Sixers big man Jahlil Okafor denied via his Twitter account that he’s angry that they shopped him this offseason, according to CSNNE.com report. Okafor responded to a story by Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times that he and his handlers were upset that Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo listened to offers for the second-year power forward. Okafor called the story “fraudulent” and declared that “I love where I am.” The Celtics, who made a big free-agent splash by signing Al Horford, could still try to deal for Okafor this summer, CSNNE.com adds.
Celtics guard Terry Rozier has positioned himself for more playing time with his postseason play and summer-league performances, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Rozier could help fill the void left by Evan Turner, who agreed to a four-year deal with the Trail Blazers, and even take some minutes from starting point guard Isaiah Thomas, Blakely adds. The 6’2” Rozier averaged 1.8 points in 39 regular-season games as a rookie, then averaged 4.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 19.8 minutes during the playoffs.
Expectations of a Knicks playoff run are tempered by health issues, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. New York’s offseason acquisitions of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Brandon Jennings improved its outlook but all have been hampered by major injuries in recent years, Berman notes. Team president Phil Jackson doesn’t dispute that injury concerns are the team’s biggest issue, Berman adds.

Sixers Notes: Noel, Okafor, Simmons, Ingram

May 28th, 2016 at 3:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers’ need at point guard and the Celtics’ desire for help in the front court make them natural trading partners, says Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly. In a TV interview, she addressed rumors of a possible swap between the teams that would include Boston’s No. 3 pick and one of Philadelphia’s young big men, Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel. Camerato thinks the Celtics would have to throw in a player — someone like Marcus Smart or Avery Bradley — and it would be a fair exchange because Boston would be getting a recent draftee who already has NBA experience. The Sixers would probably target Kris Dunn of Providence or Jamal Murray of Kentucky with that third pick.

There’s more out of Philadelphia:

If the Celtics have a choice in the deal, they should take Noel, opines Josue Pavon of WEEI. Pavon believes the 22-year-old Noel would be the rim protector that Boston needs and would be a better alternative than chasing Hassan Whiteside or Bismack Biyombo in free agency. Pavon speculates that the Sixers would ask less for Noel than for Okafor, and that the Celtics might be able to obtain him for the No. 3 pick, multiple second-round choices and a prospect such as Terry Rozier or James Young.
The Celtics shouldn’t give up too much for either Noel or Okafor, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. Blakely notes that Boston has been slowly working its way into contender status, and he doesn’t believe either player significantly accelerates that process.
Ben Simmons hasn’t made a public comment since the Sixers won the draft lottery last week, writes John Smallwood of The Philadelphia Daily News. Smallwood says he can’t find a statement from Simmons on anything since he signed with the Klutch firm in March. In contrast, Duke’s Brandon Ingram, considered the other top candidate for Philly’s No. 1 choice, interviewed with the Sixers at the draft combine earlier this month. Smallwood says Simmons’ actions add to the perception that he wants Philadelphia to bypass him so he can go to the Lakers with the second pick. Still, the Sixers have a “strong preference” for Simmons, tweets Derek Bodner of PhillyMag.com, and he should be considered a heavy favorite to go at No. 1.