Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Rumors: Lowry, Wallace, Stoudemire

November 6th, 2013 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

Kyle Lowry is in the last year of his contract with the Raptors, meaning he’ll likely be the subject of a few trade rumors this season. And whether or not he’s dealt, he’s poised to hit unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career next summer. As he tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld though, he’s not letting his contract status become a distraction.

“It’s one of those things where it’s like when you’re in college and they say that you could be a draft pick,” Lowry said. “If you start thinking about it too much, you’ll play bad. So right now, I’m in a mode where I can’t think about the future. I have to think about the present and what’s happening right now.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Celtics have tried to discuss Gerald Wallace in trades, but given the three years and $30MM+ remaining on his deal, the team’s options are limited, says Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. In the meantime, Wallace continues to try to adjust to a new situation and establish a role in Boston.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News thinks the Knicks will try to convince Amar’e Stoudemire to end his career before his inflated contract expires in 2015, but he can’t see Stoudemire agreeing to call it quits (Twitter link).
With Tyson Chandler‘s status uncertain and Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin both considered ongoing injury risks, the Knicks‘ need to re-sign Jeremy Tyler has “grown mightily,” writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Erie BayHawks acquired Tyler earlier this week, allowing the big man to rehab with the Knicks’ D-League affiliate.
Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com is certain that Brad Stevens made the right call to take the Celtics job, since at worst he’ll have the $22MM from his six-year contract and the chance to either take another NBA job or a head coaching position at a college with a higher profile than Butler.
The Sixers will hire Rod Baker to coach their D-League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Baker, who had been working as an assistant for the Bakersfield Jam, has extensive coaching experience in the PBL, ABA, and NCAA.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, C’s, Raptors, Knicks

November 5th, 2013 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Tuesday morning items from around the Atlantic Division, where the Sixers still sit atop the standings despite last night’s loss to the Warriors….

Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, and Spencer Hawes are expected to be the subject of plenty of trade rumors this season, but John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News wonders why the 76ers couldn’t build around those three players. Smallwood likes Young in particular, since he’s locked up to a cap-friendly, multiyear deal. I respect Young’s point, but with Turner and Hawes hitting free agency next summer, I’m not sure it makes sense for the Sixers to pay what it would take to keep them.
The Celtics dropped their fourth consecutive game last night in Memphis, prompting Grizzlies guard Tony Allen to recall being part of the last rebuilding process in Boston. Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe has the details.
Rudy Gay has been the subject of trade rumors recently, but Tom Ziller of SBNation.com can envision Gay and DeMar DeRozan forming a solid offensive pairing with the Raptors.
Sources tell Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that owner James Dolan was “ready to erupt” during the Knicks‘ game against the Timberwolves, and tracked down GM Steve Mills to vent about the team.

Odds & Ends: Osby, Nash, Perkins, Wittman

November 4th, 2013 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics‘ D-League affiliate in Maine has acquired a pair of players who were in NBA camps last month, according to a release from the team. 2013 Magic draftee Romero Osby and Bobcats camp invitee Abdul Gaddy are now on the Red Claws’ roster. While the deals ensure that Boston’s D-League team will get a first-hand look at the two young players, there’s nothing stopping either player from signing with an NBA team besides the Celtics.

Let’s round up a few more odds and ends as the NBA regular season enters its second week….

Doug Smith of the Toronto Star is the latest writer to dismiss a rumor connecting Steve Nash and the Raptors, tweeting that it took “about four minutes” to debunk.
While he quickly removed the tweet, Kendrick Perkins said last night after playing a season-low 16 minutes against the Suns that it “might be time for a change.” Royce Young of Daily Thunder passes along a screenshot of the deleted tweet.
Tom Ziller of SBNation.com predicts the Wizards‘ Randy Wittman will be the first head coach fired this season, and suggests three potential replacements for Washington. Sam Smith of Bulls.com also identifies Wittman’s seat as the hottest among NBA coaches.
Quincy Douby was drafted 19th overall in 2006, but only lasted three seasons in the NBA before bouncing around among several international teams over the last few years. Now, he’s back in America and will play for the Sioux Falls Skyforce to start the D-League season. As he tells Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld, Douby is hoping the skills and maturity he has developed overseas will help him land an NBA job.
A subpar group of 2014 free agent point guards will ensure that Eric Bledsoe and Greivis Vasquez make out well on their next contracts, despite not inking extensions last week, writes Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops.
Oliver Braun, the GM of the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig in Germany, spoke to a German outlet about the tumultuous negotiations with the Hawks over Dennis Schröder‘s buyout, and Emiliano Carchia of Sportando provides a translation of some of Braun’s comments.
Mark Porcaro of Secret Rival breaks down the offseason player movement among the NBA and the leagues considered to be the top European domestic leagues.

Eastern Notes: Stephenson, Jordan, Marshall

November 3rd, 2013 at 12:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

Lance Stephenson is off to a hot start for the Pacers, further underscoring the dilemma the team will face in the summer when the shooting guard’s bargain contract runs out. Stephenson nonetheless swears to Mark Montieth of Pacers.com that he’ll be back in Indiana, despite the team’s cramped financial picture.

“I don’t think about that,” Stephenson said about his impending free agency. “It’s a long season, I’m not thinking nothing about contracts. I’m going to stay with the Pacers, so I’m not even thinking about the contract.”

It’s not uncommon for a player to declare allegiance to his franchise when he’s months away from free agency, only to change his mind when the money’s on the table. While we wait to see if Stephenson is true to his word, here’s more from the NBA:

Bobcats owner Michael Jordan wants to see the NBA implement rules that would compel more draft prospects to work out for teams, and is encouraged that the new collective bargaining agreement is making it tough on superstar-laden clubs. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer shares that and more from Jordan in the leftovers from their interview this week.
Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, in his weekly roundup, believes the recently-waived Kendall Marshall could interest a rebuilding team, but counts the Celtics out as a possibility, given their luxury tax concerns.
Whether Michael Beasley and Greg Oden have an effect on the Heat won’t be evident until later in the season, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, who wonders if Chris Andersen has the stamina to produce all year long.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Bradley, Lawal

November 2nd, 2013 at 9:01am CST by Chuck Myron

The stripped-down Sixers have somehow managed to start 2-0, with wins over the Wizards and Heat. Still, not all is rosy in Philadelphia, where Evan Turner and GM Sam Hinkie appear to be suffering from a disconnect. Turner has spoken about feeling unwanted with coach Brett Brown, who doesn’t think the issue will cause problems for the team this year, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer observes. Here’s more on the Sixers and their Atlantic Division rivals:

Avery Bradley isn’t worried that he and the Celtics couldn’t come to a deal on an extension, and neither is GM Danny Ainge, notes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. “It doesn’t mean anything other than we talk next summer,” Ainge said. “He’s a big piece of our future.”
The Sixers waived camp invitee Gani Lawal last week, and he’s headed back to Italy, where he played last season. Lawal has agreed to a deal with Olimpia Milano, reports Chema de Lucas of Gigantes (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia).
Paul Pierce knew weeks before the Celtics traded him to the Nets this summer that his time in Boston was short, writes Chris Mannix of SI.com, who examines the attitudinal adjustment Pierce and Kevin Garnett have brought to the Nets.
Executives from rival teams are convinced the Celtics have some sort of clause in their six-year contract with Brad Stevens that would allow them to recoup money in case Stevens leaves early, according to Ian Thomsen of SI.com. That’s an indication of the unusually high stature Stevens has as he enters his first NBA job.

Odds & Ends: Bledsoe, Turner, Bradley

November 1st, 2013 at 11:11pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Suns might not get a discount on Eric Bledsoe this summer after passing on an extension for him last night, but team president of basketball operations Lon Babby would be OK with seeing Bledsoe’s price tag escalate if he has a breakout year. Matt Petersen of Suns.com shares that and more from Babby in the wake of last night’s extension deadline.

“I can’t say that we received an unqualified declaration of [Bledsoe wanting to stay in Phoenix long-term], but I wouldn’t expect that,” Babby said. “That’s part of the issue. He’s only been with us for a short time. But if you’re asking me is there any indication he’s not happy here, absolutely not. I think he’s very, very happy and we’ll do everything we can to make sure he’s happy. He’s an important part of this franchise for a long, long time to come.”

There’s more on a pair of players who’ll also hit restricted free agency this summer as we round up the latest from the Association:

Evan Turner said earlier that he and Sixers GM Sam Hinkie didn’t have any talks about an extension, and that silence extends to any mention of Turner’s future in Philadelphia, as Turner told reporters, including Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. Turner isn’t sure if that future includes the Sixers after seeing the team trade Jrue Holiday, a player he called a “walking legend.” (Twitter links).
Avery Bradley isn’t concerned that the Celtics passed on what reportedly would have been a four-year extension, telling Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald and other assembled media today that he’d love to stay in Boston.
We already knew that the Rockets had protected B.J. Young from tonight’s D-League draft, and Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle notes the team did the same for fellow camp casualties Jordan Henriquez and Troy Daniels (Twitter link).
In an interview with the YES Network, Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov shared his enthusiastic response when informed of the prospect of the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce trade and explained that his desire for a non-traditional coach led him to Jason Kidd. Newsday’s Roderick Boone has the details.
Commissioner-in-waiting Adam Silver spoke with Jared Weiss of CLNS Radio about the this season’s leaguewide rollout of SportVU cameras, expressing the league’s desire to create a level playing field in terms of the data and technology available to teams.

Odds & Ends: Mavs, D-League, Collins, Dragic

November 1st, 2013 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Dirk Nowitzki publicly questioned Mark Cuban‘s approach to retooling the Mavericks back in January, and the team struck out on its top target again this summer when Dwight Howard decided to join the Rockets. But Nowitzki tells Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that he’s pleased with the roster Cuban and Donnie Nelson put together this offseason, and he’s encouraged by the club’s direction.

“I think as a franchise, we’ve moved on,” Nowitzki said of the failed attempts to recruit star free agents. “We didn’t go for the whole cap space deal again, like we did last year, so I was obviously pleased to see that.”

Here are a few more Friday afternoon odds and ends:

With the D-League draft set to get underway at 6:00pm CT tonight, the Iowa Energy traded the third overall pick as part of a deal with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Heat camp invitee and NBA champion Jarvis Varnado headed to Iowa in the move, as Keith Schlosser writes at Ridiculous Upside.
One player who won’t be playing on a D-League squad anytime soon is free agent big man Jason Collins, according to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein. Stein hears from a source that Collins isn’t considering playing overseas or in the D-League, since he still believes he’s an NBA player and prefers to continue his workout regimen at home in Los Angeles.
In a separate ESPN.com story, Stein writes that the Suns are comfortable with Eric Bledsoe heading into free agency next summer. However, it sounds like Phoenix hasn’t ruled out the possibility of facilitating a sign-and-trade involving Bledsoe in July if he gets too pricey, so the team likely won’t shop Goran Dragic for now.
John Jenkins tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld it “feels great” that the Hawks elected to exercise his third-year option for 2014/15 yesterday.
$14MM over four years is a reasonable price for Quincy Pondexter, but he’ll have to continue to develop for his new contract to be a good investment for the Grizzlies, says Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com.
DeShawn Sims, who was in camp with the Celtics in October, has signed with Galil Gilboa in Israel, agent Mike Silverman tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Since being released by the Rockets, Tim Ohlbrecht has remained in the U.S. in hopes of landing another NBA job, but continues to consider overseas offers, according to Schlosser at Ridiculous Upside.

Eastern Rumors: Turner, Celtics, Raptors, Bulls

November 1st, 2013 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Two title hopefuls meet in Brooklyn tonight, as the Nets prepare to host the Heat in their home opener. While we look forward to what could be a playoff preview, here are a few of the latest items from around the Eastern Conference:

Although other extension candidates negotiated right up until last night’s deadline, Evan Turner told reporters, including Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, that he had no talks whatsoever with the Sixers. “I didn’t expect anything, because [Sam] Hinkie is not my GM,” Turner said. “I didn’t come up with Hinkie or anything. He has his own plan for stuff, and that’s pretty much it.”
The Celtics are viewed league-wide as a strong candidate to pursue Gordon Hayward next summer, given Hayward’s ties to coach Brad Stevens, writes Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
Following up on Marc Stein’s report about the Raptors exploring trade options, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford tweets that no one covets Canadian prospect Andrew Wiggins more than Toronto GM Masai Ujiri.
Within Stein’s piece on Jameer Nelson, the ESPN.com scribe also noted that the Bulls had been trying to acquire a first-round pick for Marquis Teague throughout October, to no avail.
Howard Beck of Bleacher Report spoke to Bucks owner Herb Kohl and GM John Hammond about Milwaukee’s roster-building model and the franchise’s aversion to tanking.
Solomon Jones suffered a torn meniscus and will be sidelined indefinitely after he undergoes surgery, according to a press release from the Magic. The injury is bad news for Jones, who had beat out several other camp invitees to earn a roster spot, and for the Magic, who may end up having to guarantee Jones’ non-guaranteed contract depending on how much time he misses.
I didn’t expect anything, because Hinkie is not my GM,” Turner said. “I didn’t come up with Hinkie or anything. He has his own plan for stuff, and that’s pretty much it.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20131102_Sixers_pick_up_contract_options_on_Wroten__Moultrie.html#RdDCwEmmje8mZ2qB.99

Extension Deadline: Hayward, Bledsoe, Vasquez

October 31st, 2013 at 11:33pm CST by Alex Lee

As the Gordon Hayward negotiations inch forward and tonight’s deadline draws closer, let’s take a look at the latest on Hayward as well as a few other members of the draft class of 2010:

As expected, Phoenix and Bledsoe were unable to come to an agreement, making the Suns’ recent acquisition a restricted free agent come next summer, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
We haven’t heard much recently about the possibility of an extension for Avery Bradley and the Celtics, but Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe confirms that the sides were unable to agree on what was to be a four-year deal (via Twitter).
While we already know a Hayward extension didn’t happen, Stein tells us the sides were negotiating a four-year deal that was for less than the maximum amount, yet they still couldn’t get it done despite the Jazz CEO’s support. (Twitter links)
Shams Charania of RealGM tweets that the Jazz and Hayward never discussed a five-year pact.

Earlier updates:

ESPN’s Marc Stein reports that the entire Jazz organization is “absorbed” by the extension talks with Hayward, adding that the expectation inside the organization is that it will get done since team CEO Greg Miller is fully behind it. Miller conceded Monday that it would probably be a distraction, and Stein senses that it already is one for Hayward. (Twitter links here)
Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report quotes an opposing general manager, who says the “Jazz had better lock up Hayward.” As Bucher notes, the implication is that Hayward would be a highly sought after restricted free agent next summer. (Twitter link)
On that topic, Jody Genessy of the Deseret News says that the Jazz could be forced to match a “toxic” contract next summer to retain Hayward, making this a “risky game of chicken.” Genessy assumes the sides must be far apart considering that Hayward is expected to be a team leader. (Twitter links here)
Grantland’s Zach Lowe suspects that the five-year extension Paul George signed in September might be “infecting” the Hayward situation, adding that it was inevitable that Hayward’s representation would use that deal as a benchmark since they are similar players. (Twitter links)
Meanwhile, Stein also tweets that the situation in Phoenix is similar to the one in Utah, as the Suns and Eric Bledsoe are apparently far apart in talks despite general manager Ryan McDonough being previously hopeful of a deal getting done. We heard earlier tonight that there are “no indications” that the sides will agree to a pact before tonight’s deadline.
Despite not inking him to an extension, we heard earlier from Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports that the Kings feel strongly about Greivis Vasquez and will likely match any offer sheet he signs next summer. It appears the feeling is mutual, as Spears has since spoken with Vasquez, who told him, “Hopefully everything works out with the Kings and I’m confident it will.” (via Twitter)
Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee agrees, tweeting that the Kings “love” Vasquez and would have done the deal had the price been right. Citing Vasquez’s love for Sacramento, Jones adds that he doesn’t foresee the point guard going anywhere next summer.

Celtics Pick Up Option On Sullinger, Decline On Brooks

October 31st, 2013 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 1:48pm: The Celtics have officially exercised their 2014/15 option on Sullinger, the team announced today in a press release. As Ainge suggested on Wednesday, Brooks’ option was not picked up.

WEDNESDAY, 1:43pm: Celtics GM Danny Ainge confirmed today that his team will exercise its 2014/15 option on Jared Sullinger‘s rookie contract, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com (via Twitter). However, the C’s will turn down their option on offseason acquisition MarShon Brooks, says Forsberg.

The decision to pick up Sullinger’s third-year option comes as no surprise, following a productive rookie season that was cut short by back surgery. As our rookie contract option tracker shows, he’ll be in line for a 2014/15 salary of only about $1.42MM, so it will have a negligible impact on Boston’s cap flexibility.

As for Brooks, his $2.18MM fourth-year option is fairly inexpensive as well, but it seems the former Net isn’t in the Celtics’ long-term plans at the moment. Although the team will still be able to re-sign Brooks if he impresses in Boston this season, he’ll now be an unrestricted free agent next summer.