Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Rumors: Moultrie, Humphries, Sixers

February 4th, 2014 at 10:04am CST by Chuck Myron

Arnett Moultrie hasn’t played for the Sixers all season after left ankle surgery, but he says he’s been ready to go for the past month and is frustrated that the team hasn’t activated him yet, observes Christopher A. Vito of the Delaware County Daily Times.

“It’s not my ankle. It’s not my conditioning,” Moultrie said. “But at this point, I really don’t care. I’m just sick of all the excuses. If it ain’t one thing, it’s another thing.”

Moultrie, the 27th pick in 2012, doesn’t have much leverage to force the Sixers’ hand, but his comments reflect the problems on a team in flux. Here’s more on Philly and the rest of the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics are open to moving Kris Humphries before the trade deadline if the right offer comes along, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, who examines a number of Celtics players at a crossroads.

Earlier updates:

The Sixers, reportedly amping up efforts to trade Evan Turner, would prefer to swap him or Spencer Hawes instead of Thaddeus Young, though Young has drawn significant interest, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com writes in his Insider-only “Tank Rank” piece. Ford doubts the Sixers would be able to trade either Turner or Hawes for a pick between Nos. 10 and 15 in this year’s draft, which he reports they’re trying to obtain.
Sixers coach Brett Brown was candid with reporters before last night’s loss to the Nets, saying that he recognizes the “monster that’s ahead of us,” in reference to the team’s still-nascent rebuilding project, notes Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Brown also understands trade rumors are par for the course. “It’s been an incredible surprise to have our team intact this late in the year,” he said (Twitter links).
Andrew Bynum was reluctant to sign with the Knicks last month for more than just financial reasons, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Shaun Livingston is enjoying a renaissance on a minimum-salary contract with the Nets this season, and he’ll likely command more than that this summer, which will make it difficult for Brooklyn to retain him, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

Celtics Recall Faverani From D-League

February 2nd, 2014 at 10:13am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Celtics announced today that they have recalled center Vitor Faverani from their NBA D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. Faverani, a 6-11 center, has appeared in three games for the Red Claws this season and has averaged 16.3 PPG, 12.0 PPG, 3.7 APG, and 1.33 BPG , while logging 31.3 MPG.

During his recent assignment to the Red Claws, Faverani appeared in two games and recorded 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks against Delaware on Friday, and provided 20 points, 17 rebounds and six assists against Erie last night.

Faverani has played in 37 games this season for the Celtics, and has averaged 4.4 PPG, and 3.5 RPG, in 13.2 MPG. He’ll be in uniform for today’s game against Orlando.

Eastern Notes: Brown, Irving, Bynum, Celtics

February 1st, 2014 at 6:05pm CST by Eddie Scarito

It’s not a revelatory statement to say the Cavaliers are in trouble this season. They have lost 17 of their last 24 contests, and are 16-30 on the year, leaving them four games behind in the playoff standings. There are plenty of calls going around for coach Mike Brown‘s job. But firing Brown would only worsen the team’s real problem, writes Bud Shaw of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Shaw believes that it’s the players lack of professionalism that is the issue this season, and firing Brown would only serve to enable them further. Shaw also opines that if a true professional like Luol Deng is unable to have a positive impact, then there definitely is a much deeper problem with the organization than Brown.

More from around the Eastern Conference:

Also weighing in on the Cavaliers coaching situation is Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. She thinks that the team would be better off if they ran Brown’s defense as he coached it, but if the players are tuning him out, then the team might need to make a coaching change.
In the same piece, Schmitt Boyer also spoke about some fans clamoring for the team to trade Kyrie Irving. She doesn’t believe it would be wise, stating that the team wouldn’t get equal value in NBA players in return, and the team hasn’t drafted well, so draft picks might also not be worth trading him for.
John Wall admits he’ll try to recruit Kevin Durant to join the Wizards in 2016, writes Michael Lee of The Washington Post. Wall has stated in the past that he won’t be a recruiter and beg anyone to sign with his team, but for Durant he may make an exception. Wall and Durant share a trainer in the offseason, and Wall has already started dropping Durant some hints about coming to Washington.
The Knicks made a strong push for Andrew Bynum, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Knicks personnel director Mark Warkentien tried to arrange a meeting with Bynum, but it never materialized. The Knicks only had the veteran’s minimum to offer Bynum, which pro-rated would have been $550K. Indiana had part of its mid-level exception and can pay him a full $1MM for the rest of the season, which may have been the determining factor.
The plethora of personnel changes the Celtics undergone this season have made it difficult for the team to maintain any continuity, writes Baxter Holmes of Boston.com. Between injuries, trades, and D-League signings, it has been hard for the team to be consistent. Holmes also states that the trade deadline might bring about even more changes for the squad.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Chandler, Bynum, Celtics

February 1st, 2014 at 3:45pm CST by Charlie Adams

At one point, it looked like 76ers had found a bargain in offseason acquisition Tony Wroten. He was averaging 13 PPG before missing three games as a result of an ankle injury, and he was only being paid $1.1MM. Upon his return, however, he hasn’t looked quite as strong, shooting just 24% from the floor. Wroten doesn’t seem to be worried however, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer passes along this quote from the second year guard: “You go through things like this. It’s a long season. So I’m getting back into the groove.” Let’s look at the latest out of the NBA’s Atlantic Division:

Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com gives his take on the struggling Knicks, and opines the club should try to trade Tyson Chandler for future assets (ESPN Insider link). Doolittle sees Chandler as New York’s most valuable trade chip, and he thinks it might be possible to swing the veteran center to a contender for a pick or young player.
The Knicks had interest in signing Andrew Bynum before he wound up in Indiana, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link). Berman adds they would’ve likely cut Cole Aldrich to make room for him since they’re carrying the maximum 15 players.
Avery Bradley is set to return to the Celtics tomorrow night, and with Rajon Rondo also back in action, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com examines how a healthier backcourt will stand to impact Boston. Forsberg notes that the duo has shared the floor in just 51 of 277 potential regular-season games over the last four years.

Celtics Won’t Re-Sign Vander Blue

February 1st, 2014 at 1:15pm CST by Cray Allred

1:15pm: Blue will re-join the D-League’s Delaware 87ers, tweets Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.

11:27am: Vander Blue won’t receive a second 10-day contract from the Celtics, according to Shams Charania of RealGM (via Twitter). The move makes Blue a free agent, and he can seek employment with any NBA, D-League, or overseas team. Charania notes that it’s possible the Celtics could revisit adding Blue to the roster after the All-Star break.

Blue played just 15 total minutes with Boston before his 10-day deal expired overnight. The Celtics had moved blue to the Celtics’ D-League affiliate a day ago, but apparently decided against keeping him with either club for development. The undrafted rookie has averaged 17.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in five D-League games.

Odds & Ends: Bynum, Bulls, Rondo, Sixers

January 31st, 2014 at 9:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bulls are getting calls from clubs as the trade deadline approaches, but that’s no big deal to coach Tom Thibodeau. “The way that works is, when something gets close, they will come to me,” Thibodeau said, according to Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune. “But every conversation they’re having I don’t know about, nor do I want to know about. It’s important for me to focus on the guys we do have.” More from around the Association..

Andrew Bynum and his agent are in Indianapolis to meet with the Pacers, writes Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star. However, agent David Lee says the big man hasn’t signed with anyone yet. As of earlier this week, Bynum is still seeking more than the minimum.
Rajon Rondo says he’s “intrigued” by free agency, but Celtics GM Danny Ainge isn’t sweating it. “Come on, man! They’re talking about Kevin Durant‘s free agency in 2016 already; Carmelo Anthony. It’s ridiculous,” Ainge told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. “It becomes a story because not very many people understand what free agency brings to Carmelo and Kevin Durant and [Rondo]. It gives them (the potential for) five-year max contracts which are way more significant than two-year extensions, three-year extensions. And they have to say these things. From my perspective, it’s like, ‘duh.’ If you’re around the NBA, those are like obvious things.“
The Sixers have sputtered since their hot start to the season but Hawks big man Elton Brand says they’re working hard and no one could accuse them of tanking, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media.
Zach Harper of CBSSports.com wonders if Kansas star Andrew Wiggins is starting to justify the hype.

D-League Notes: Hairston, Faverani, Siva

January 31st, 2014 at 7:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Chris Mannix of SI.com reported that executives around the league believe the Cavs are hesitant to send No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett to the D-League because they think it would look like an admission of failure on their part. Meanwhile, the forward still hasn’t turned things around for the Cavs’ varsity squad. Here’s tonight’s look at the D-League..

P.J. Hairston is impressing scouts and his stock is rising, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Now with the Texas Legends, the former UNC standout is averaging 27.4 ppg and shooting 43% from three-point range in five D-League games. Hairston is currently ranked No. 26 on the most recent mock draft from DraftExpress.
The Celtics announced that they have assigned center Vitor Faverani and guard Vander Blue to the Maine Red Claws of the D-League. Faverani, a 6’11” center, has appeared in 37 games for the Celtics this season and has recorded 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 13.2 minutes per game. Blue, a 6’5” guard, has appeared in three games for the Celtics this season and has totaled five points, three rebounds, and an assist in 15 minutes of play. Faverani is expected to be back with the Celtics on Sunday, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
The Pistons announced today that the team has re-assigned rookie guard Peyton Siva and rookie forward Tony Mitchell to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League. Siva averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.6 steals in five games during his first stint with the Mad Ants from December 28 through January 8. In six games with the Mad Ants, Mitchell averaged 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game. They’ll likely be there for two weeks, according to David Mayo of MLive.com.

Atlantic Notes: Rondo, Bargnani, Blue

January 31st, 2014 at 1:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

Rajon Rondo says he hasn’t put much thought into the notion of becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2015, but it nonetheless intrigues him like “college recruitment” did, as he told reporters, including Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). Rondo recently indicated he’d like to remain with the Celtics long-term, but it doesn’t sound like it’s a certainty he’ll end up doing that. Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Knicks coach Mike Woodson is comfortable with traditional lineups and says that’s part of the reason the team traded for Andrea Bargnani this past summer, observes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Still, Woodson isn’t so sure he’ll stray from small-ball even when Bargnani returns from an elbow injury.
The Celtics will assign 10-day signee Vander Blue to the D-League, Danny Ainge says, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com (Twitter link). Unless they merely plan to send him down for tonight’s game and let him go, since today’s final day of his contract, this appears to signal that the C’s will give him another 10-day deal, though there’s still no decision about that, Blakely notes (on Twitter).
The Knicks have sent Toure’ Murry to the D-League, the team announced via Twitter. Murry will play with the Erie BayHawks tonight and return to the Knicks on Saturday, the team also tweets.
The Blazers have dropped Dorell Wright from their rotation, but he’s not pouting, and he’s still glad he signed with Portland this summer after spending last season with the Sixers, as he tells Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. “I’d rather be here, winning, out the rotation right now and back in the rotation later, than in Philly, cold, muggy and ugly,” Wright said. “I’ll take this any day.”
Khalif Wyatt and the Guangdong Southern Tigers have parted ways, according to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia. The shooting guard spent camp with the Sixers. Royal Ivey, who spent last year with the Sixers, is replacing him.

Eastern Notes: Irving, Rondo, 76ers

January 30th, 2014 at 8:03pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Earlier today, we made note of the rumblings that Kyrie Irving privately wants out of Cleveland. Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown told Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer that Irving has never approached him to complain about the team or wanting out (Twitter link). Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio may not be sure of what Irving has or hasn’t said behind-the-scenes, but he does know that Drederick Irving – Kyrie’s father – has been very vocal about his irritation with how the Cavaliers are utilizing his son this year. As the plot thickens in Ohio, you can read more of what’s going on elsewhere in the Eastern Conference tonight:

As recently as Tuesday, Schmitt Boyer writes that Irving came to Brown’s defense when reporters asked if Cavs players were starting to tune out their head coach: “I’m leaving my trust with coach Brown…I’m riding and dying with coach Brown. We’re going through ups and downs together. We’re all in this together, everybody in the locker room. We’re all going through this together. I have my teammates backs and I know they have mine.”
Howard Beck and Ric Bucher of the Bleacher Report discuss Rajon Rondo‘s future and tackle the topic of whether the Celtics should trade or build around the four-time All-Star.
Marc Narducci and Keith Pompey of the Inquirer talk about Michael Carter-Williams‘ historic rookie season and the mood of the 76ers locker room as the team has gone 3-10 over their last thirteen games. More from Pompey about the roster: “A lot of these (guys) are marginal NBA players and they came here for the opportunity to (showcase themselves) for next year…they know it’s not about wins and losses at the end of the day, it’s about attracting the eye of another GM so you can get another job somewhere else.”
The Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett says to look for Vitor Faverani to have a two-day stint with the Red Claws on Friday and Saturday before being called up again to the Celtics on Sunday (Twitter link).

Broussard’s Latest: Carmelo, Rondo, Love

January 30th, 2014 at 10:39am CST by Chuck Myron

Most of the executives to whom ESPN Insider’s Chris Broussard has spoken believe the Bulls will make a run at Carmelo Anthony this summer. Some are “completely convinced” Chicago will go after him, Broussard writes. A rival GM thinks the team’s confidence in Nikola Mirotic‘s ability will play heavily into the team’s decision regarding Anthony. A report in recent days indicated the Bulls are among the front runners for last year’s scoring champ. Broussard has plenty more in latest piece, and we’ll round it up here:

Rajon Rondo quickly ended extension talks with the Celtics, and the discussions didn’t even get to the numbers stage, according to Broussard, who says the point guard wants to keep his options open as he seeks a payday and a winning situation. Rondo has expressed his commitment to Boston, but the Knicks, who remain interested in trading for him, view him as the perfect complement to Anthony.
A GM tells Broussard that it’s “a 100% certainty” that Kevin Love will sign with the Lakers after next season. Most executives who’ve spoken to the ESPN.com scribe also believe the former UCLA star is headed for the purple-and-gold.
The Lakers might be willing to overpay Eric Bledsoe to bring him aboard via restricted free agency this summer, a source tells Broussard. Suns owner Robert Sarver has indicated he’s willing to match any offer for the point guard, so it’d be a surprise if Bledsoe wound up back in L.A.
If the Celtics, who are looking to clear cap room, can find takers for Gerald Wallace, Jeff Green and Avery Bradley, “they’re gone,” Broussard says. It’s not a surprise that GM Danny Ainge would be quick to unload Wallace, but his apparent enthusiasm for moving Green and Bradley is noteworthy.
The Raptors had engaged in trade talk with other clubs about DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry before their run to the top of the Atlantic Division, but Toronto is no longer looking to move DeRozan, barring an substantial offer. Broussard hears the Raptors are not high enough on Lowry to offer him a sizable contract when he hits free agency this summer, but an opposing GM thinks Toronto will hang on to Lowry through the trade deadline because of fears about alienating the fan base.
The Pacers will only trade Danny Granger if another team “blows them away” with an offer, Broussard writes.
Broussard detects a strong sense around the league that the Pistons are eager to trade Josh Smith.
The Sixers would be willing to take back a little bit of salary to acquire draft picks for their veterans, according to Broussard. I assume he’s referring to long-term salary commitments rather than players on expiring deals.
The strong play of the Grizzlies has quieted chatter surrounding Zach Randolph, Broussard reports.
The Heat are interested in Andrew Bynum, but they’re unwilling to pay him more than the minumum salary, an executive tells Broussard. Bynum is reportedly holding out for more than that.
GMs who spoke to Broussard identified the following players as candidates to be traded before the deadline: Andre Miller, Jameer Nelson, Emeka Okafor, Kenneth Faried, Shawn Marion, Dion Waiters, Jarrett Jack, Francisco Garcia and Arron Afflalo.