Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Celtics Rumors: Jones, Sullinger, Lee, Hunter

October 17th, 2015 at 4:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics like Perry Jones III, but may not be able to keep him unless there’s another roster move, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. Boston traded for the 24-year-old in July after he saw little playing time in Oklahoma City. Forsberg writes that the Celtics are impressed by Jones’ athleticism for being 6’11”, but aren’t convinced they have a spot for him. He left the team briefly last week to attend a funeral and has only played 17 preseason minutes. There have been calls to get rid of James Young instead, but Forsberg says the Celtics like his defensive development and are reluctant to part with a 20-year-old first-round pick.

There’s more out of Boston:

Jared Sullinger is hoping for an extension, but he has been struggling to distinguish himself in a crowded frontcourt, Forsberg writes in the same story. Even after spending the offseason on a conditioning plan, Sullinger has had a flat preseason, making just three of 14 shots in his last two games. Hoops Rumors writer Will Joseph examined Sullinger’s prospects in our Extension Candidate series.
A return to New York could be possible for David Lee when he hits free agency next summer, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Lee, who spends much of his offseason in New York, was acquired by the Celtics in a July trade with Golden State. He hopes for more court time this season than he got with the Warriors. “Hopefully I’ll get a chance to play a little bit,’’ Lee said. “That’s different from last year. It was a strange year last year, of course, with an unbelievable ending being able to contribute to a title. It was all worth it.”
Rookie R.J. Hunter, who is making a bid to be part of the Celtics’ rotation, got to show off his point guard skills Friday night, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. The columnist says coaches are considering a larger role for the 6’6″ Hunter, who had originally been slotted to spend much of the year on assignment with the team’s D-League franchise in Maine. Hunter said he hasn’t played point guard since middle school, but the move was necessitated by Marcus Smart‘s illness and Terry Rozier‘s aching knee.

Atlantic Notes: Reed, Sixers, Antetokounmpo

October 16th, 2015 at 9:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Nets big man Willie Reed underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb, the team announced. Reed is one of seven Brooklyn players without a fully guaranteed deal, but the Nets would have be required pay him until he’s healthy, even if they waived him. He is expected to be out of action for a period of six to eight weeks.

Here’s more from out of the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers’ point guard situation is unsettled, and thanks to injuries to Kendall Marshall and Tony Wroten, it is likely to remain that way after the regular season tips off, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “They are a ways away” from playing in games, coach Brett Brown said. “I feel like you always get nervous about throwing out dates. I think it would be fair to say that we are not going to see Kendall for the month of October and beyond. I hope not much further beyond. And Tony [will be sidelined] further along after that, probably not until sometime in December.“
Thanasis Antetokounmpo maintains that he won’t accept a D-League assignment from New York if he doesn’t make the Knicks‘ regular season roster, and he hopes that another NBA team will show interest if he is waived, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “First off, hopefully things works out here,’’ Antetokounmpo told Berman. “If they don’t, hopefully another NBA team. That’s the first goal. And after that, we’ll see. Hopefully everything goes well. I don’t want to think about it now. I can control what I can control — being positive and optimistic.’’ The swingman’s agents have also been in contact with overseas clubs, Berman adds.
Amir Johnson, who inked a two year, $24MM deal with the Celtics this offseason, is impressing the team’s coaching staff with his play on both ends of the court, Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders notes. “He just knows how to play both ends,” coach Brad Stevens said of Johnson. “He makes easy plays with the ball, and then on the defensive end, he makes everyone better.”

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Reed, Okafor

October 15th, 2015 at 8:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Nets‘ high-profile acquisition of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce from the Celtics prior to the 2013/14 season never worked out as planned for Brooklyn, and the team is trying to move on and rebuild as best it can despite dealing away multiple future draft picks for the two aging veterans, Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald writes. “We all made the decision to go for it,” GM Billy King said. “We made a decision, and at that point we felt it was the best decision. And now we’re headed in a different direction. I don’t think you can sit there and say, ‘What if?’ You make a decision and you move on. That’s how we did it. You make the decision, and then you adjust and you move on as you have to.”

“If we hadn’t had injuries, could we have won more? Possibly,” King continued. “And then the picks [that went to the Celtics] . . . you know, I look at it like, there’s nothing that can be done about them. So now we’re focusing on trying to gain younger assets, as we did this year. And we’ll keep doing that. It’s something similar to what I did in Philadelphia, where we gave up a lot of picks early to get to The Finals. Then after that we started retooling and drafting second-round picks like Kyle Korver. You’ve just got to take what you have and work with it.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Nets power forward Willie Reed has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb and he’ll undergo surgery on Friday, the team announced. A timetable for his return will be established following the procedure, according to the release. Reed is one of seven Brooklyn players without a fully guaranteed deal, but the Nets would have to pay him until he’s healthy, even if they waive him.
The Sixers don’t expect rookie center Jahlil Okafor to be at full strength when the regular season begins, and they intend to take it slow with his minutes as he works his way back into shape from being sidelined with a sore right knee, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “He’s been tremendously set back now,” coach Brett Brown said. “He was going to be fine, going through [training camp at] Stockton [University].” When asked about Okafor’s ideal playing weight, Brown responded by saying, “There are a few goals that we have. But like a little bit with Joel [Embiid], we will probably keep them in house. Fair question, but keep them in house.“
Rookie shooting guard R.J. Hunter has impressed the Celtics‘ coaching staff with his all-around game, and he is the likeliest of Boston’s three rookies to see significant playing time this season, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com relays. “I think it’s pretty obvious, just watching him, he really has a feel,” coach Brad Stevens said of Hunter. “It just comes pretty natural — little passes, simple plays, being able to put the ball on the money to other people, understanding spacing, understanding where his opportunities are going to come. And he’s got a pretty good feel for the game.“

Atlantic Notes: Bennett, Zeller, Williams, Grant

October 13th, 2015 at 10:02am CST by Chuck Myron

People who know Anthony Bennett speak well of his character, and it appears his mission with the Raptors is to restore his self-confidence, writes Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. So far, he’s made a positive impression on coach Dwane Casey, as Lewenberg relays.

“One thing that has impressed me is his defense,” Casey said. “His defense is ahead of his offense. That was a surprise. I didn’t know he was as good a defender as he’s showed since we’ve had him, which has been very impressive. And that’s helped get ingratiated with his teammates and the staff. He’s done a good job. The main thing for him is just to relax and play, enjoy the game, get that No. 1 pick necklace off his neck and just play basketball, have fun.”

See more from the Atlantic Division:

Tyler Zeller is glad to work with Celtics coach Brad Stevens and would like an extension before his eligibility window closes on November 2nd, but he’s OK with the prospect of not signing an extension if that’s how it plays out, as he explains to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
Derrick Williams, confident that the triangle will be the right long-term fit for him, made up his mind to join the Knicks 10 minutes after meeting with the team, and he decided not to speak to Kings coach George Karl about re-signing with Sacramento, as Williams told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. “Nope, I didn’t really care,” Williams said. “I knew where I wanted to go.”
Knicks team president Phil Jackson coached Horace Grant on the Bulls, and the Zen Master admits that connection gives him greater confidence in Knicks rookie Jerian Grant, Horace’s nephew, observes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Carmelo Anthony, who was reportedly upset to see Tim Hardaway Jr. go out in the trade that brought in Grant, has been impressed with the poise and ability to control the tempo that this year’s No. 19 overall pick has demonstrated, Berman notes.

Cavs Lead With 16 Free Agent Signings

October 12th, 2015 at 5:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavaliers have drawn plenty of attention the past few months for a free agent they haven’t signed, but even though Tristan Thompson lingers in free agency, Cleveland has taken care of more free agent business than any other team in the league during the 2015 offseason. They signed 16 free agents, three more than the Spurs, the team that recorded the next most free agent signings. The Cavs just made their latest signing this weekend, replacing Michael Dunigan with Dionte Christmas on the camp roster.

It might be easy to presume a direct correlation between free agent activity and success, given the teams at the very top and bottom of the list below. The Cavs and Spurs are strong bets to win their respective conferences this season, while the Jazz, Timberwolves and Sixers are nowhere near the title picture. The presence of the Warriors and Thunder on the bottom half of the list and the Kings and Nets close to the top debunk that theory, however. It has more to do with the fact that the Cavs had only four players signed for 2015/16 when they ended last season, while the Jazz had 13. Cleveland simply had more jobs to hand out.

Still, other factors are at play, since free agent signings don’t encompass draft picks, draft-and-stash signings, trades or waiver claims. The Trail Blazers made significant changes to their roster, but they did much of their work via trade instead of free agency. The Rockets had 10 players under contract on July 1st, but they still wound up making 11 free agent signings.

Here’s a look at the number of free agent signings for each team. Click the team’s name to see the names of each of their signees via our 2015 Free Agent Tracker.

Eastern Notes: Fisher, Griffin, Magic, Celtics

October 8th, 2015 at 5:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks coach Derek Fisher, who was reportedly involved in a physical altercation with Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes last weekend, understands how some would question his focus on the team after he missed Monday’s practice session as a result of his West Coast jaunt, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes. “I think we all remember there are a ton of people that work in New York City that have families in other cities or back on the West Coast,” Fisher said. “You work six days, you have a seventh day off. You go back and visit family. You come back to work on Monday morning. That was my plan. It didn’t work out that way for reasons that were not in my control and I can’t change it at this point.”

Here’s more out of the East:

Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said it was the team’s wealth of power forwards that led to Eric Griffin being waived, writes Aaron McMann of MLive.com. “We thought it would be best for him to sort of give him the opportunity to move on and pursue other things,” Van Gundy said. “I really liked him, very good kid, hard worker, great attitude, really athletic. Certainly has the talent to be an NBA-level defender.“
Heat power forward Chris Bosh believes that the Magic are poised to make a jump in the standings this season courtesy of the young talent the franchise has accumulated over the past few years, John Denton of NBA.com relays. “I mean, the talent is there, but it’s on them if they want to make the next step now or a couple of years down the line,’’ Bosh said. “That core of Victor Oladipo, Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris, that’s about as young and talented as it gets. You’ve got everything there with playmaking, outside shooting, rebounding and athleticism. And with [coach] Scott Skiles and the new regime in there I’m sure they are trying to pump those guys up and tell them, `We may not be expected to win every night, but we can play hard and win games.’ I’ve been there in that spot before, but I think they will give themselves a chance to be really good this season.’’
David Lee, who was a member of the NBA champion Warriors last season, says that he sees a lot of similarities between the 2015/16 Celtics and his former squad, especially in the areas of team chemistry and depth, Tales Azzoni of NBA.com writes.

Atlantic Notes: Bennett, Fisher, Celtics, Knicks

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

Anthony Bennett doesn’t regret having become the No. 1 overall pick in 2013, but in encouraging him to move past that, Raptors GM Masai Ujiri hinted in comments to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that he can envision keeping Bennett beyond this season even if he doesn’t make a leap this year. Toronto signed Bennett to just a one-year deal for the minimum salary when the team brought him aboard last month.

“We look at giving Anthony an opportunity to actually grow and be a player,” Ujiri said. “It’s not a one-year thing here. It’s going to take time. All that No. 1 pick and all that stuff, we had a conversation with him. Let’s move on from that. Now it’s about how you become a very good NBA player, which we all know he can be.”

See more from the Atlantic Division:

It was Derek Fisher who was the victim when Matt Barnes reportedly attacked him, but the Knicks coach invited scrutiny when he skipped practice to travel 3,000 miles away, ostensibly to see his children, and wound up at the home of Barnes’ ex-wife, opines Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. The missed practice and the distraction brought upon his team will make Fisher’s job performance a more common subject for criticism this season, Isola believes.
The first-round picks that the Nets, Timberwolves and Mavericks owe them and the playoff appearance from last season signal that the Celtics would be well-served to put more of an emphasis on winning this year, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald argues. Bulpett points to this summer’s moves as evidence that the C’s feel the same way.
The Knicks formally hired Mike Miller as the coach of their D-League affiliate, the team announced. Miller, who’s not the player by the same name, is a former associate head coach at Kansas State. Isola first reported in August that the move was close.

And-Ones: Cavs, Celtics, Nuggets

October 4th, 2015 at 10:30pm CST by Will Joseph

With plenty of health concerns regarding the team, it is imperative that the Cavs and Tristan Thompson strike a deal as soon as possible, especially after LeBron James called the situation a distraction, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group opines. Kevin Love isn’t cleared for full contact, Timofey Mozgov is around 60% and Anderson Varejao is still working his way into shape from an Achilles tear while Thompson appears to be in very good shape, Haynes writes.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Marcus Smart appeared in 67 games last season with 38 starts, but he is well aware that there is a competition for the Celtics‘ starting point guard job, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com relays. In addition to Smart, the Celtics are also giving serious thought to having Isaiah Thomas in the starting unit, Blakely adds.
With the Nuggets in search of a long-term solution at shooting guard, second-year player Gary Harris seems primed to receive more playing time, Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post relays. “It’s a huge season,” Harris said. “I don’t think it because other people are saying it. I just think it’s going to be a huge season for myself personally, just for me.”
With the addition of Tyson Chandler, the Suns‘ defense has the potential to represent one of the team’s greatest improvements, along with perimeter shooting, from the offseason as Phoenix tries to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes.

Eastern Notes: Sullinger, Zeller, Blair

October 4th, 2015 at 7:30pm CST by Will Joseph

Celtics president Danny Ainge said he will continue to have contract extension conversations with the agents for forwards Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger, but he added “there’s nothing imminent,” Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports.

The two players are eligible for rookie scale extensions between now and November 2nd. Ainge reportedly began negotiating with both players’ camps in August.

Here is more out of the Eastern Conference:

Jonas Jerebko re-signed with the Celtics over the summer on a two-year, $10MM deal because he felt comfortable with the team and now he is eager to compete for the spot as the first small forward off the bench, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes.
Wizards backup center DeJuan Blair believes he needs to rebound from his disappointing campaign last season for the sake of his career and his own dignity, J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic details. Blair’s career took a major hit last year because he was relegated to mop-up duty in blowouts and never even made an appearance for the Wizards during the playoffs.
Andrew Nicholson‘s scoring and playing time both diminished after he stopped attempting shots in the low post with his back to the basket, but with a new coaching staff in place for the Magic, Nicholson expects to be used more effectively, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Sixers, Celtics

October 4th, 2015 at 5:15pm CST by Will Joseph

Terrence Ross is entering a huge season because he has not received a contract extension and while the Raptors could offer one, it is more likely that they decide that they would rather pay more for a sure thing next summer than less for an enigma now, Eric Koreen of The National Post writes. Ross would need to display more consistency this season to drive up his market value, Koreen writes. That might be more challenging this year, Koreen adds, because DeMarre Carroll essentially took Ross’s starting spot and now Ross will be counted on to provide an offensive spark off the bench.

Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Perry Jones, who was once considered a can’t-miss lottery pick, understands his long-term future in the league is at stake right now with the Celtics, especially considering how prospects like Anthony Bennett have been cut loose lately, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes. Jones, whom the Celtics acquired from the Thunder, is not guaranteed to make the regular season roster, Washburn adds. Jones’ best opportunity, according to Washburn, would be at small forward.
David Lee is eager to play in Boston this season following his trade from the Warriors because he is a fan of the Celtics‘ history and tradition, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald details.
Jerami Grant, who was drafted 39th overall out of Syracuse, and JaKarr Sampson, who went undrafted out of St. John’s, are two players surprisingly expected to make an impact defensively for the Sixers, Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Daily News writes.