Despite being one of the NBA’s marquee franchises, the Celtics haven’t hosted the All-Star Game since Bill Russell played for the team, back in 1964. According to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, the team may be interested in changing that. Sources tell Washburn that the Celtics’ ownership group is taking steps to submit an application to host the event.
As Washburn writes, the Celtics don’t own the TD Garden outright, which is a logistical hurdle that must be overcome, and the locales for the next two All-Star Games – Utah in 2023 and Indiana in 2024 – have already been set. But the fact that Boston is taking steps toward applying is noteworthy, according to Washburn, who says the ownership group’s interest level in hosting the game has long been “tepid” until now.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Marc Berman of The New York Post argues that Tom Thibodeau shouldn’t be the fall guy for a disappointing Knicks season, observing that the front office made multiple roster moves Thibodeau wasn’t gung-ho about, including adding Kemba Walker and letting Reggie Bullock walk in free agency. Thibodeau also reportedly wasn’t exactly pushing for last month’s Cam Reddish trade. “They haven’t collaborated with him like they did last year,” a coaching source tells Berman.
- Sean Deveney of Heavy.com spoke to one rival general manager who thinks Mitchell Robinson‘s next contract will be in the range of the full mid-level exception, projecting a three-year, $33MM deal. The Knicks center, who is currently extension-eligible, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- Eric Koreen of The Athletic looks at some of the questions facing the Raptors for the rest of the 2021/22 season, including how important Precious Achiuwa and Dalano Banton are to the franchise, both in the present and future. As Koreen notes, Achiuwa and Banton have played well enough to warrant regular roles, but they don’t contribute much in the half-court offense, which has been Toronto’s biggest Achilles heel.
- Within the same story, Koreen suggests the most likely outcome for the Raptors‘ open 15-man roster spot is that two-way player Justin Champagnie is promoted to fill it.
At TD
Knicks planned to trade with Lakers, if not happening, they stay pad
Next season
Knicks would learn from Lakers: run it back
Why?
Really hope we resign Mitch. 33/3 is a pretty good value
Not compared to Rob Williams deal! But In all seriousness I would think he’s a sign and trade candidate. Everyone has regressed so much and you hope noel gives you 85 percent since they overpaid for him last year. You can’t have a below average center combo for 20 mil in today’s NBA.
Let’s resign the Big Fella because besides RJ Barrett Mitch has been a Bright spot to a horrendous season and horrendous coaching job by Thibs who is a stubborn delusional grumpy coach who I hope gets let go so Jonny Bryant or Kenny Attikson can take over. Thibs is running Mitch Randle and RJ Barrett into the ground and thank God RJ Barrett didn’t blow out his knee still playing in a blow out loss that he had no business still being in the game. And can someone send a Morse code to Leon Do Nothing Rose and tell him we have better chance of being struck by lightning ⚡ then hearing him utter a dam word on the direction of our beloved NY Knicks. Leon and World Wide Mess can’t even have a cup of coffee with potential all star caliber free agents and the only trade they pulled off was the deadline trade for Derrick Rose who is way past his prime even though he has been a Bright spot for us. The three stooges Thibs ,Leon,and Wes are all a mess.
Barrett’s regressed in every area. Fg%,3p%,ft%,at/to ratio, defensively.
Thibs should be the fall guys because he’s a terrible coach who can’t seem to do anything but put players in the one system he seems to know and tell them to try harder.
Who cares if other employees are imperfect?
He’s hurting the team and he wants to focus on guys like Rose and Take even though they have nothing to do with the teas core.
How is any of this even a question?