Celtics Rumors

Celtics Waive Perry Jones III, Corey Walden

October 24th, 2015 at 4:12pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Celtics have waived Perry Jones III and Corey Walden, the team announced via press release. By doing so, the Celtics will be responsible for the $2,038,206 that Jones is due for the 2015/16 season, as well as the $25K partial guarantee owed to Walden, unless either player is claimed off waivers. These moves reduce Boston’s roster count to the regular season maximum of 15 players.

Jones had been acquired by the Celtics from OKC in exchange for a protected 2018 second round pick back in July, and the team had reportedly been shopping the 23-year-old, but was apparently unable to find a taker. Through 143 career games Jones has notched averages of 3.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.4 assists.

Walden, who went undrafted out of Eastern Kentucky, appeared in two games with the Celtics’ summer league team in Las Vegas, averaging 2.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game. Walden averaged 18.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists for EKU is his senior season. He intends to play for Boston’s D-League affiliate in Maine this season, his agent tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link).

Atlantic Notes: Zeller, Lee, Ross, Faverani

October 24th, 2015 at 3:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Celtics are interested in rookie scale extensions for Tyler Zeller or Jared Sullinger only if they consent to decidedly team-friendly deals, league sources tell Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. The C’s are prioritizing flexibility and the “feeling is” that the team would be pleased to re-sign them in restricted free agency next summer if they perform well this season, Bulpett writes. The extension window for both closes at the end of November 2nd. Perry Jones is also up for a rookie scale extension, but he’s in a fight simply to preserve his roster spot for this season.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

David Lee concedes that he would have preferred to stay with the Warriors for the rest of his career, but he also makes it clear that he’s “really, really excited” to join the Celtics, Bulpett relays in the same piece.
A 50-50 chance exists that the Raptors and Terrence Ross will reach an extension deal by the November 2nd deadline, sources tell Grantland’s Zach Lowe, who takes educated guesses on Zeller and other rookie scale extension candidates.
Former Celtics big man Vitor Faverani, who reached a two-year agreement to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv back in July, is likely to be let go by the team due to knee issues, international journalist David Pick reports (Twitter link).
Wesley Saunders, who was waived by the Knicks on Friday, is expected to join the team’s D-League affiliate in Westchester, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com tweets.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Celtics Likely To Exercise Options On Smart, Young

October 23rd, 2015 at 4:03pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Celtics are expected to exercise the third-year options on point guard Marcus Smart and swingman James Young, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com reports. Both options are for the 2016/17 season, with Smart set to earn $3,578,880 that year, while Young would be paid $1,825,200. Danny Ainge, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations, declined to comment on the team’s intentions in terms of picking up team options or the status of potential extensions for fourth-year players Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger, Blakely notes in the same piece. November 2nd is the deadline this year for teams to decide on rookie scale options and extensions.

It was almost assured that Boston would pick up its option on Smart, who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. During his rookie campaign in 2014/15, the 21-year old appeared in 67 contests, including 38 as a starter, averaging 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 27.0 minutes per night. His slash line was .367/.335/.646. He remains a big part of the Celtics’ future, though he is still learning the nuances of the point guard position.

Young’s situation is not so clear, with the 20-year-old struggling with his outside shooting since arriving in the NBA. Given the presence of 2015 first-rounder R.J. Hunter, his rotation spot is tenuous, though the young player certainly still has a high upside. “James is growing as a player and as a person,” Ainge told Blakely. “He has a better work ethic and he’s a better player.”

The Celtics executive did note that injuries and bad luck have played a part in holding Young back, the CSN scribe adds. “Last year, James’ development was stunted with no training camp, no summer league and hurt a couple times when he was just getting there and would have some kind of setback,” Ainge continued. “He had some really tough luck as a rookie.” In 31 appearances last season, Young averaged 3.4 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 10.7 minutes per contest.

Top Bloggers: Brian Robb On The Celtics

October 23rd, 2015 at 10:30am CST by Chuck Myron

Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with David Zavac, managing editor of SB Nation’s Fear the Sword. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.

Next up is Brian Robb, who is the owner and editor-in-chief of Celtics Hub, part of ESPN’s TrueHoop Network. You can follow Brian on Twitter at @CelticsHub and click here to check out his stories.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics added David Lee, Amir Johnson and second-round draft pick Jordan Mickey to an already crowded mix of power forwards this summer. How can Brad Stevens divvy up playing time to get the most out of what they have?

Brian Robb: It’s all been about finding the right combinations. There’s an array of guys worthy of minutes, but certain guys complement each other better. For instance, Lee is a great passer and can initiate offense, so he’s a better fit with the likely starting backcourt of Marcus Smart/Avery Bradley, since that’s not a strength for either of those guys. Minutes will probably fluctuate game-to-game though, based on matchups and how particular players are performing.

Hoops Rumors: Which of the three Celtics draftees from this year has impressed you the most so far, and how much of an impact do you think he’ll make this season?

Brian Robb: R.J. Hunter has looked the smoothest of the rookies, even though all three have had their moments. Hunter’s quick release has been a weapon (even though his accuracy has been off). He’s also been a better defender than advertised. The Celtics finished toward bottom of league in 3-point shooting last year, so Hunter should get his chances if he can help there. Mickey and Rozier have also looked sharp at times, but both players have too much veteran depth in front of them to make a major impact.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics and the Sixers are similar in the respect that they’ve each collected a slew of future draft picks and young players, but the Celtics have remained competitive, in stark contrast to Philadelphia. Do you think the Celtics would be better served pursuing a more aggressive rebuild, or are they on the right track with what they’re doing?

Brian Robb: I think they are on track. They’ve been patient waiting for the proper time to use all their draft picks in a big deal, but they are also building a solid reputation around the league with the way they have gone about things as an organization. Players seem to respect Brad Stevens and his scheme and players have fallen in line with his game planning. If Boston can continue to step forward in the East this year, they could be in line to make a big-name addition via trade/free agency next summer.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics reportedly offered four first-rounders to both the Hornets and the Heat in an effort to move up and draft Justise Winslow this summer. Would that have been a fair price to pay for Winslow, or did the Celtics dodge a bullet when Charlotte and Miami turned them down?

Brian Robb: I think the Celtics dodged a bullet there, especially when you consider one of the unprotected picks from Brooklyn would have been headed to Charlotte in that deal. Given the state of that franchise, that pick could have been higher than the No. 9 selection on its own. Winslow is a promising prospect, but the Celtics already have Jae Crowder signed long-term at the small forward. Winslow would have helped but could have been redundant with Crowder around.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics certainly didn’t have trouble pulling off trades last season, when they engineered 11 swaps between July 1st and the February trade deadline. Is there anyone they would have been better off keeping?

Brian Robb: I don’t think so. I think it was pretty clear last year that Ainge sold on Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green at the right time. Everyone else dealt away was expendable, so the team shouldn’t really have any seller’s remorse in the interim.

Hoops Rumors: The Celtics improved their roster this summer, but so did several other teams that finished in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference last year. Are the Celtics in any better position now than they were going into the offseason?

Brian Robb: I think they will be better overall because of the continuity they can build upon with 10 returning players from last year’s roster. The rest of the East improved, but the Celtics played at such a high level in the final three months of the regular season, finishing the year with a 24-12 record in their final 36 games. They won’t match that pace, but should still be a 45-plus win team after adding Lee and Johnson into the equation.

Atlantic Notes: Clarke, Fisher, Wood, Young

October 22nd, 2015 at 8:14pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Derek Fisher experienced a difficult rookie season as Knicks head coach, but he feels that 2014/15’s growing pains are merely part of the learning process, and Fisher, who defied expectations throughout his playing career, may end up doing the same as a coach, writes Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report. “Just continuing to chip away at what my vision is for coaching and teaching and leading,” Fisher told Ding of his approach this season, “Last year, coming in, I was learning and trying to figure out the best leadership styles. How do you work with players? How do you criticize players in a constructive way? All these things were unknowns. Just really learning as I went along. Not that I know the world of basketball a year later, per se, but I’m just more confident in what it is I expect and better able to articulate that to our players. Being really clear about what I want and not so much me trying to find that vision.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Combo forward Coty Clarke, who was waived by the Celtics on Tuesday, will play this season for Boston’s D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, Adam Johnson of D-League Digest relays (via Twitter).
Being passed over in this year’s NBA Draft is what is driving Sixers power forward Christian Wood throughout the preseason, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Wood, who is signed to a partially guaranteed deal, believes that he has a solid shot to make the team’s regular season roster, Breen notes. “I want to show every team what they missed out on,” Wood said. “I’m hustling on every loose ball. Giving it my all and giving it my 100% on every possession. I’m lucky to have a shot with the 76ers.”
Celtics swingman James Young chalks up a hefty chunk of his rookie difficulties last season to growing pains and believes he’s now on the correct path as a player, Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald writes. “Last year, I just wasn’t thinking straight about the game,” Young said. “Now, I feel like I’m by that and I can just play my game.” When asked what was weighing on his mind last season, Young told Bulpett, “Hesitating, going back and forth to the D-League, off the court issues with my mom, family stuff. Everything’s caught up now, so I’m good.”

Atlantic Notes: Joseph, Calderon, Rozier

October 20th, 2015 at 6:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Point guard Cory Joseph, who inked a four-year, $30MM deal with the Raptors this summer, has been impressing the team with his solid two-way game, Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun writes. Joseph said he wasn’t feeling any added pressure to perform up to his new deal, Wolstat notes. “I don’t know how to answer that because I don’t really base my game on what people think,” Joseph said. “I just try to get better every day. I try to maybe prove that I can play within the organization, but outside the organization, I don’t really look at that stuff.”

Joseph’s new teammate, Luis Scola, praises the reserve playmaker’s ability, and predicts good things for Joseph this season in Toronto, Wolstat adds. “He’s a good player, he’s trying to explore his game, take his game to the next level,” Scola said. “I think he’s going to have a lot of opportunities here. He’s in great shape right now, he looks very good, very confident, so, hopefully he can keep that momentum going into the season. We’re expecting a great year from him.”

Here’s more from out of the Atlantic Division:

Knicks point guard Jose Calderon noted that there were some teams this offseason that were interested in trading for him, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com tweets. New York was reportedly trying to find a taker for the veteran this summer as the team attempted to free up cap space.
2015 first-rounder Terry Rozier‘s place in the Celtics‘ rotation is unclear with a number of players ahead of him on the depth chart currently, but coach Brad Stevens has noted the impact that former third-string point guard Phil Pressey had on Boston teams in recent seasons, a role that Stevens hopes the rookie can fill, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com writes.
While injuries have kept Arron Afflalo on the shelf for the bulk of the preseason, the Knicks are banking on his skill as a post player to help him thrive in the triangle offense this season, Begley writes in a separate piece. “Post-ups aren’t as popular of a scoring opportunity in terms of efficiency and points per possession. But we still view it as penetration,” New York coach Derek Fisher said. “The ball is still closer to the basket than it is if you’re standing out by the line. And we believe we have some guys who are good enough to force teams to make a decision on how they’re going to defend us. [We] think Arron’s good enough.“

Celtics Waive Clarke, Miller, Randolph

October 20th, 2015 at 4:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:12pm: All three players have officially been released, the Celtics announced.

3:07pm: The Celtics will waive Coty Clarke, Malcolm Miller and Levi Randolph today, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). Corey Walden, the team’s other camp invitee, will remain for the time being, but all are expected to end up signing with Boston’s D-League affiliate, Bulpett says. Miller, Randolph and Walden have matching $25K guarantees, while Clarke is on a non-guaranteed contract. The release of Clarke, Miller and Randolph will take Boston down to 17 players, 16 of whom have fully guaranteed deals, as our roster count shows.

Clarke, a 23-year-old combo forward, and Miller, a 22-year-old small forward, went scoreless in preseason cameos that encompassed less than a minute of playing time, while the 23-year-old Randolph, a shooting guard, managed three points in slightly more time on the court. The Celtics also got a look at Miller on their summer league team in July, when he averaged 4.0 points in 12.1 minutes across seven appearances.

More pressing for the Celtics is their decision regarding the final preseason cut, which will involve letting go of a full season’s salary unless they work a trade. Perry Jon es III has appeared to be most at risk for a release among the 16 Celtics with full guarantees, as Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe said to Hoops Rumors last month, but Jones has drawn praise from Celtics coach Brad Stevens and others.

Who do you think should be the final cut for the Celtics? Leave a comment to let us know.

Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Jones, Hernangomez

October 19th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Amir Johnson‘s production fell off last season with the Raptors, but the Celtics regard their free agent signee as a steal, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge is enamored with his versatility and the way he can complement any of the team’s other big men, as Forsberg notes. Johnson is just as sold on his new home.

“I like the vision, I like that we are young, and I like what they did last season coming into the playoffs,” Johnson said. “I felt like they were doing their best to get better. Just talking to [Celtics president of basketball operations] Danny [Ainge] and [coach Brad] Stevens, I love what they got going on here.”

See more on the Celtics amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

Stevens distanced himself from roster decisions, but he complemented Perry Jones III, who’s on the chopping block as the Celtics must offload at least one fully guaranteed salary to trim to the 15-man regular season roster limit within the week, relays Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. “I think the biggest thing for Perry is, Perry has a chance to be a very, very good multi-positional defender, and he’s got a chance to be a guy that can play off closeouts, make shots or post switches,” Stevens said. “So being able to do those things regularly is a huge key. But I’ve been impressed with what Perry can do, what he has done, especially in practice.”
Knicks draft-and-stash prospect Guillermo Hernangomez wants to play for Real Madrid of Spain for many years before considering a move to the NBA, as he said to Emilio V. Escudero of ABC.es (translation via HoopsHype). An earlier report indicated that the Knicks were planning to sign him before the 2016/17 season. New York acquired the NBA rights to the 6’11” center via trade after the Sixers selected him 35th overall in June.
The Sixers‘ rebuilding process is enduring criticism, but even though GM Sam Hinkie has presided over three offseasons, it’s still too early to judge the success of his plan because so many of the assets he’s acquired are for the future, opines Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.

Atlantic Notes: Early, Thomas, Jones

October 18th, 2015 at 6:45pm CST by Will Joseph

Cleanthony Early, who struggled as a rookie last year with the Knicks, seems to be more comfortable offensively and is playing tougher defense, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Berman adds that Carmelo Anthony has helped groom the small forward into becoming a two-way force.

“[Early] looks more confident this year,’’ Anthony said, per Berman. “I think it was good for him to go through the season last year, this offseason and even right now he looks a lot more confident.’’

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

As the 16th player with a guaranteed contract added to the maximum 15-contract mix, Perry Jones has roughly a week to win a roster spot with the Celtics, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald writes. Jones did not play Friday against the Knicks, as Murphy points out. “Always keep the faith. That’s part of basketball,” Jones said. “I can’t tell you why I didn’t see the floor, that’s a question for Brad, but I just have to stay ready for the next game.”
Isaiah Thomas is adding some creativity to his offensive repertoire and Celtics coach Brad Stevens believes that is one reason why the team acquired the point guard last year, Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com relays. “First of all, I thought he’d really impact our team,” Stevens said. “I thought his ability to get into the paint would be like a shot in the arm for our team. From an efficiency standpoint, on the offensive end of the floor, both at the end of last year and through the first four preseason games, he’s just playing at such a high level; he’s such a good fit. I think that I thought he’d have a huge impact, but I think he’s probably — and my expectations were high — but I think he’s probably been at the top of those at least.”

Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Joseph, Reed, Celtics

October 17th, 2015 at 8:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The mental challenges of the upcoming season will determine whether the Raptors‘ James Johnson can survive in the NBA, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. As Johnson enters the final year of a contract that will pay him $2.5MM this season, one of those challenges will be a shortage of playing time. Johnson is stuck behind Luis Scola and Patrick Patterson at power forward and behind Jonas Valanciunas and Bismack Biyombo at center. It’s a familiar situation for Johnson, who has never averaged more than 28 minutes per game in his six years in the league. “It’s very difficult because I know how hard James has worked, my heart goes out for him, but he’s got guys in front of him here so he’s always going to be in that role,” coach Dwane Casey said. “That’s what’s going to keep him in the league for a long time . . . him embracing that role in a positive way and being able to play multiple positions because he is such a valuable tool.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

New Raptor Cory Joseph sees the benefit of the “role cards” Casey hands out to players to remind them of his expectations, according to Mike Gantner of The Toronto Sun. The practice is new to Joseph, who signed with Toronto in July after four years in San Antonio. “It creates some structure,” he said.
Willie Reed‘s injury leaves the Nets short on frontcourt players, writes Tim Bontemps of The New York Post. The rookie will miss six to eight weeks after having surgery to fix a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb, leaving Brooklyn with just four healthy big men — Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young, Thomas Robinson and Andrea Bargnani.
Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck told Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com that the organization has been adding the right type of players to build a winner. “I think we’ve brought in guys, just as an example, David Lee and Amir Johnson, we’re not bringing in divas,” said Grousbeck. “We’re bringing in guys who have been in the league and know how to do it right. And Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley, those guys aren’t worried about individual stats and they are not going to pout. They are going to get after you and try to strip the ball and try to pass it to somebody else.”

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