Atlantic Notes: 76ers, Celtics, Love, Clark

Philadelphia sports fans are notoriously impatient, but Tom Moore of The Intelligencer has found that many are taking a glass-half-full view of things with the Sixers under GM Sam Hinkie.  “There is no guaranteed path to a title,” one fan said to Moore. “But I like that they have a plan and are sticking to it. I choose optimism.”  Here’s more out of the Atlantic..

  • The Celtics could get in the mix for Kevin Love or another superstar, but they won’t make a deal that they don’t feel is worth it, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.  “Danny [Ainge] has been very disciplined,” Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca said. “He could have made a lot of deals by now, but not for the kind of player we want.”   And while C’s owner Wyc Grousbeck famously predicted that there would be “fireworks,” Pagliuca says that refers more to Ainge’s tireless efforts to improve rather than a guarantee of a blockbuster deal.
  • Because the Celtics are in rebuilding mode, Ainge can now afford to bring in players with either soiled reputations, tradeable contracts, or the ability to blossom.  That thinking has led the C’s to Evan Turner, who should be a strong fit for Boston, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.  Agent David Falk believes that Turner and coach Brad Stevens will be a particularly solid match.
  • Earl Clark has received interest from a number of teams since free agency started three weeks ago, but he continues to weigh his options, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.  “I’ve been hearing from a few teams, but it’s not anything that I’m jumping at right now,” said Clark, who spent last season with the Knicks and Cavs. “It’s been different, man. I’ve been a free agent a few times and this summer seems like it’s going in slow motion. I’m just giving it time and going through the process. I just want the right situation and the opportunity to play. That’s all I want – the opportunity to get out there, play, help the team and prove myself again.”
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