Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Kidd, Frank, Rondo, Sixers

December 7th, 2013 at 6:33pm CST by Luke Adams

An Eastern Conference executive who spoke to Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News points to Nets coach Jason Kidd as a prime example of why the Knicks can’t replace Mike Woodson with Allan Houston, a possibility broached earlier this week. Houston, like Kidd, has no previous coaching experience, and “would be a disaster,” in the exec’s opinion. Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:

Within the previously linked piece, Lawrence writes that he heard Lawrence Frank “regularly honed in on other assistant coaches’ work and often acted like he was in charge,” which was one reason for his re-assignment. Lawrence adds that Kidd won’t really be in trouble unless he gets a fully healthy roster and still struggles to win games.
Frank has hired attorney David Cornwell, who also represents Jonathan Martin of the Miami Dolphins and Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. As we heard on Wednesday, Frank intended to retain legal counsel to help work out a buyout agreement with the Nets.
Asked about a report suggesting that Carmelo Anthony had been recruiting him to sign with the Knicks in 2015, Rajon Rondo was bemused, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. “[Steve Smith] must know something that I don’t know,” Rondo said of his old Oak Hill Academy coach, the source of the rumor.
It looks like Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel will each be a part of the Sixers‘ future, but Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier-Times wonders if there are any other “keepers” currently on Philadelphia’s roster.

Atlantic Notes: Carmelo, Rondo, Shumpert

December 7th, 2013 at 10:34am CST by Zachary Links

Derrick Rose refuses to recruit, but Carmelo Anthony (reportedly) might be willing to woo stars to New York. Oak Hill Academy coach Steve Smtih told USA Today’s Jason Jordan that Anthony is trying to convince Rondo to sign with the Knicks in the summer of 2015 when he is a free agent. Here’s more on that and other news out of the Atlantic Division..

Anthony refused to discuss the report, writes ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian Begley. “C’mon, man. In my book, that’s tampering,” he said. If the report is true, however, that’s a promising sign for Knicks fans if the pending free agent is working to get stars to join him at MSG.
Iman Shumpert is clearly uncomfortable with all of the trade talk surrounding him and Knicks teammate J.R. Smith empathizes. “Nobody wants to be traded,” Smith said, according to Begley. “To be in the situation he’s in with a hell of a team and the teammates that we have, it’s tough to go through that.” Shump took his anger out on the Magic last night, scoring 10 points in 25 minutes in the Knicks’ 38-point win.
Despite uneven playing time in Boston, Gerald Wallace says that Celtics teammate Kris Humphries won’t be requesting a trade. “That’s not his personality,” Wallace said, according to the Boston Herald. “I think a lot of people are trying to push him to that edge, but knowing Kris, that’s not his personality. He’s not going to demand a trade. He’s not going to blow up and go all off in the media. The thing he’s going to do is keep working hard every day and continue to get better as a player and wait for his opportunity.”

Odds & Ends: Bryant, Rose, Crawford, Hawes

December 6th, 2013 at 5:00pm CST by Charlie Adams

Kobe Bryant took to Facebook to announce he will make his long awaited season debut this Sunday, rejoining the Lakers to face the Raptors in Los Angeles. Bryant has been sidelined since last April but that didn’t stop him from signing a controversial $48.5MM extension late in November. Here are a couple more tidbits from Friday afternoon:

Recently injured Bulls superstar Derrick Rose has yet to decide whether or not he will play for Team USA in the 2014 FIBA World Cup. “I haven’t really thought about it,” Rose said. “That would be a good idea, but if I’m not ready, there’s no need.” The Bulls have said they would support him playing in the FIBA World Cup if it aided in his rehabilitation process. K.C. Johnson from the Chicago Tribune has the details.
Trading Jordan Crawford represents an alternative to dealing away Rajon Rondo if the Celtics are adamant about deflating this season’s record and pursuing a high draft pick, as Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com examines in an Insider piece.
Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News figures Spencer Hawes will see $8MM in annual salary on his next contract if he maintains his performance from the first month of the season.
Kenny Kadji has inked a deal to play in Germany with the New Yorker Phantoms, notes Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Kadji went undrafted out of the University of Miami and failed to make the Cavaliers‘ opening day roster out of training camp.
Dale Kasler from the Sacramento Bee has the latest on the Kings’ project for a new arena. City officials will vote on whether or not to suspend bid requirements for the arena, saying competitive-bid procedures will impede the current construction schedule. Kasler points out that if the construction falls behind more than one year, the NBA reserves the right to relocate the Kings from Sacramento.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Carmelo Anthony Recruiting Rajon Rondo?

December 6th, 2013 at 9:35am CST by Chuck Myron

Rajon Rondo can’t become a free agent until the summer of 2015 and remains sidelined after an ACL tear, but his high school coach claims the recruitment process has already begun. Oak Hill Academy coach Steve Smith tells USA Today’s Jason Jordan that Carmelo Anthony is trying to woo Rondo to New York. Anthony also played under Smith at Oak Hill, but the Knicks star seems intent on opting out of his contract this summer, making his interest in recruiting a class of 2015 free agent to New York a potential sign that he wants to re-sign with the Knicks.

New York reportedly tried to trade for Rondo earlier this season in a deal involving Iman Shumpert, only to meet with refusal from Celtics GM Danny Ainge, who denies that any talk of a Rondo swap took place. It could be that the high school coach is making reference to these talks rather than free agency, insinuating that Anthony is lobbying the Knicks front office to pursue trading for Rondo and that the two stars have had their own private discussions about it. That’s just my speculation, of course.

Rondo is set to become one of the most sought-after free agents in 2015, assuming he returns to form after the injury and doesn’t sign an extension with the Celtics. The Knicks are set up to shed most of their bloated payroll after the 2014/15 season, making a Rondo signing a possibility.

Eastern Links: Rose, Sanders, Anderson

December 5th, 2013 at 8:58pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Derrick Rose was asked to comment on the idea that the Bulls should look to move on without him after his latest injury, and he had this to say: “What do you mean?…You can be a fool if you want to…I know I’m going to be alright…I know I am (going to be the same player). A better player…If anything, this should even me out. When I think about it, the injury, I just turned and this happened, kind of like a freak accident. I put all I had into coming back and if this was to happen 10 more times I’d be able to deal with it” (Sam Smith of Bulls.com).

Here’s more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

Earlier today, we made note that Rose wouldn’t rule out a return to the court if he managed to get healthy in time for the postseason. On the other hand, head coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t seem willing to entertain the thought of looking that far ahead: “To me, he’s out for the season…If something changes along the way…We want him to be completely healthy before he moves forward…We can’t worry about whether he may come back. Right now, it’s been determined that he’s out for the season, so that’s the way we’re going to approach it” (Sean Highkin of USA Today).
In responding to one of his Twitter followers, Steve Kyler of Hoopsworld said that the notion of dealing Larry Sanders for a lottery pick next year would not even be a consideration (Twitter link).
Keith Pompey of Philly.com talks about how James Anderson has excelled in his reserve role as of late after beginning the season as a starter for the 76ers.
We’ve relayed quite a bit from the Knicks and Nets this evening, and five ESPN writers decided to chime in on why both teams have been playing poorly, who has the hotter seat between Mike Woodson and Jason Kidd, which team will be worse in April, and which has a rougher future ahead.
Hawks GM Danny Ferry voiced his support for Cavaliers coach Mike Brown, telling FOX Sports Ohio’s Sam Amico: “(Brown’s) a relentless worker and a quality, high character person. He is a good teacher and holds players accountable. His will and passion for defense will always give any team a strong chance to be successful. This will have such a strong impact for a team establishing a foundation for years to come.”
There may have been a chorus of boos for Kidd tonight at the Barclays Center during the pre-game introductions, but the Nets coach gets a vote of confidence from his former teammate J.R. Smith: “Criticism is going to come…He’s a first-year coach and he’s a great basketball mind. Just unfortunately, he’s going through it early. Some coaches have success early, some struggle early. He just happens to be struggling right now…I think he’s the best fit for that job and he knows how to get out of it. He’s got a great core of vets, so he’ll be fine” (Roderick Boone of Newsday).
The Celtics sit atop the Atlantic Division, but the team isn’t letting their early success get to their head and remains focused on continuing to work hard (Marc D’Amico of Celtics.com).

Odds & Ends: Robinson III, Wiggins, Kidd

December 5th, 2013 at 8:53pm CST by Ryan Raroque

According to Jeff Goodman of ESPN, several “NBA guys” (presumably scouts and/or executives) who were in attendance for a recent matchup between Michigan and Duke were disappointed in Glenn Robinson III‘s lack of assertiveness. Goodman adds that they consequently wondered if the current Wolverine should be considered in the top 20 during the upcoming draft or could possibly fall out of the first-round, with one proposing that Robinson III needs one more year in school (Twitter links).

Here are more of tonight’s miscellaneous news and notes:

Rajon Rondo doesn’t appear close to a return date, according to Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge: “I don’t think he’s close…Meaning, I don’t think [his return is] going to happen the next few weeks. We’re not on pins and needles about it. We’re being very cautious with Rondo. I think he’s still got a little bit of a limp, his strength is not quite there, but he is making progress. We’re not close” (Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston).
Although there may be a split between NBA executives on who they would choose between Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker for the number one overall pick, Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com writes that the general consensus seems to associate Wiggins with the higher ceiling. Even after a less-than-stellar performance last week in the Bahamas, many are said to still be high on Wiggins’ potential.
During tonight’s matchup between the Knicks and Nets on TNT, one video segment included coach Jason Kidd‘s comments on Lawrence Frank’s recent re-assignment from his assistant coaching duties: “Philosophies, sometimes things don’t work out…You have to accept that. I could accept that. At the same time, there’s a brand, the Brooklyn Nets that has to move forward. I have to find a way to make them better. For coaches, it happens just like players. It could be a disagreement, or an understanding that we don’t get along. But I have to do what’s best for the brand, and that’s what I had to do” (hat tip to Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated).
Tom Haberstroh of ESPN looks at the rebirth of Michael Beasley‘s NBA career in Miami, as the Heat have presented the type of environment that will give the former lottery pick a chance to expedite his development (Insiders only).
RealGM’s Shams Charania takes a compelling look at Tre Kelley of the D-League’s Austin Toros, whose challenges in trying to fulfill his NBA dream over the last several years only pale in comparison to the tragedies he’s had to endure away from the court.

Poll: Who Will Win The Atlantic Division?

December 3rd, 2013 at 3:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The futility of the Eastern Conference has been a major theme of the first few weeks of the NBA season. Eastern teams have now played the equivalent of a full season’s worth of games against Western Conference clubs, and have compiled an abysmal 23-60 record, good for a .277 winning percentage.

As bad as the East has been, the Southeast and Central divisions at least each have an elite team at the top of the standings. The Pacers are off to a 16-2 start, while the defending champions in Miami have gone 14-3. In the Atlantic, however, the division-leading Raptors are just 6-10.

Toronto was expected to be a borderline playoff contender this season, and many pundits pegged the Celtics and 76ers for spots near the bottom of the conference. The Atlantic’s two New York teams have been the real disappointments, combining to go just 8-25 so far. The Knicks have lost nine games in a row and are now tied for the NBA’s worst record at 3-13, and the Nets’ 5-12 mark isn’t much better.

It’s easy to say that at least one of the New York teams will turn things around, but we’re nearly a quarter of the way through the season, and neither team has shown signs of improvement so far. When we asked over the weekend whether the Nets and Knicks would make the playoffs, the most popular answer suggested neither team would earn a spot.

So what do you think? Which team ultimately ends up at the top of the division that’s on pace to be the worst ever in any major North American sport?

Who will win the Atlantic Division?

Toronto Raptors 23.68% (292 votes)

Brooklyn Nets 22.30% (275 votes)

New York Knicks 21.01% (259 votes)

Boston Celtics 19.22% (237 votes)

Philadelphia 76ers 13.79% (170 votes)

Total Votes: 1,233

MarShon Brooks Hasn’t Requested A Trade

December 2nd, 2013 at 8:15pm CST by Zachary Links

As a rookie out of Providence, MarShon Brooks had a good amount of hype surrounding him for his athleticism and scoring ability. Cut to a few years later, Brooks had his fourth-year option declined after being on the opposite end of a deal that shipped Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets. Even though Brooks isn’t seeing much playing time in Boston and one has to imagine that he’s frustrated, he says that he hasn’t requested a trade, writes Jay King of MassLive.com.

“It’s too early for that. It’s way too early for that,” Brooks said after Monday’s practice. “I trust (coach) Brad Stevens. He told me I’m going to get my opportunity, so I’m just waiting on my opportunity, honestly.”

So far, Brooks has appeared in just six of Boston’s 19 games, averaging 2.2 points over 6.8 minutes per contest. After getting four points and two boards late in Saturday’s loss to the Bucks, Stevens acknowledged that Brooks could get more minutes eventually, but wouldn’t put a timetable on increasing his role.

Brooks, 25 in January, saw 29.4 minutes per contest in his rookie season for the struggling Nets, but saw his minutes drop to 12.5 per game last season. Over those two seasons with New Jersey/Brooklyn, Brooks averaged 8.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG, and 1.6 APG.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Raptors, DeRozan, Knicks

December 2nd, 2013 at 5:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Will the Knicks trade Iman Shumpert? Two Knicks beat writers who don’t agree on much seem to think that the strong play of Tim Hardaway Jr. coupled with Shumpert’s recent confrontation with star Carmelo Anthony makes him even more available. Tonight’s look at the Atlantic Division..

When Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett moved on from the Celtics, they warned Avery Bradley that the rebuilding process wouldn’t be easy, writes Shams Charania of RealGM. “They told me this was going to be hard,” Bradley said. “At some point in their careers, they both played on teams that were very young, and that’s how our team is now. It takes time, but if everybody buys into what we’re trying to do, everything works out.”
With the Raptors‘ struggles starting to wear on DeMar DeRozan, Eric Koreen of the National Post wonders if it’s time for Toronto to trade him. Outside of the struggling Jonas Valanciunas, DeRozan is likely the most valuable commodity on the Raptors’ roster and he is playing the best basketball of his career.
As if the Knicks didn’t have enough problems, offseason pickup Metta World Peace got into it with teammate Kenyon Martin, sources tell Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. One has to imagine that the club’s recent discord doesn’t bode well for coach Mike Woodson.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Garnett, Rondo, Young

December 1st, 2013 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics are just 7-12, but they could have moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with a win last night. Instead, they lost to the Bucks, the worst team in the woeful Eastern Conference. That leaves the Raptors on top of the Atlantic at 6-9. Here’s more on the four teams chasing Toronto:

Knicks management has scolded coach Mike Woodson for his public criticism of trade candidate Iman Shumpert, notes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Kevin Garnett looked all of his 37 years at the start of the season, but more recently he’s shown why the Nets traded for him this summer, fellow Post scribe Tim Bontemps observes.
Rajon Rondo is a long way from the end of his playing career, but he’s spoken to Brad Stevens about getting involved in coaching some day, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald examines.
In a piece for Philly.com, SB Nation’s Michael Levin tries to peg Thaddeus Young‘s trade value, opining that his contract won’t discourage other teams from taking him on. Young’s deal runs through 2015/16 and has $28.2MM left on it, including this year.