Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Rumors: Rivers, Jordan, McNeal, Blazers

October 5th, 2013 at 3:35pm CST by Chuck Myron

It was an oft-repeated story this summer that Doc Rivers didn't want the Clippers to part with Eric Bledsoe as the team negotiated with the Celtics to bring Rivers to L.A. The Clippers wound up trading Bledsoe to the Suns in a separate deal, and now Rivers says he was worried that another Clipper would wind up in Boston. The coach wanted to bring Kevin Garnett with him to L.A., but not if it meant giving up DeAndre Jordan, according to Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. There's more on Rivers and Jordan as we look at the latest from the Western Conference:

Rivers sees Jordan as a defensive player of the year candidate, as Markazi notes in the same piece. "[Jordan] is just too young and too gifted to let walk out your door, bottom line," Rivers said. "He's a game changer defensively. He can single-handedly change a game with his defense. There's five guys, and that number maybe too high, that can do that single-handedly with their size and athleticism and he's one of them. When you have one of those guys, you want to keep them."
Former Jazz shooting guard Jerel McNeal has signed with the Zhejiang Chouzhou Golden Bulls in China, reports Kenya Brown of NiuBBall.com. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported last month that McNeal had an agreement with a Chinese team, but it was unclear whether it was with the Golden Bulls or the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions.
The Trail Blazers have announced the hirings of Rob Werdann and Zendon Hamilton as assistant coaches for the Idaho Stampede. Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com first reported the story (Twitter link). The Blazers control the basketball operations for the Stampede, who have a one-to-one affiliation with Portland.

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Plumlee, Woodson, Lawal

October 5th, 2013 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

Nets rookie Mason Plumlee has been looking sharp this summer, but with a loaded bench in Brooklyn, he's likely ticketed to start the season with the team's D-League affiliate, GM Billy King told GoDuke.com (video link). "I think Mason has done a good job being a rookie and not getting in the way of the veterans and listening to them," King said. "For him to have Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, Brook Lopez, those guys can show him the right way to be a pro. It's going to help him for his long-term career. It's a great upside and the foundation for him will continue. This year, he'll have a chance. we're deep. But I think he'll play a lot of time in the D-League. If the opportunity arises, I'm sure he'll play for us as well." More from the Atlantic..

Knicks coach Mike Woodson says that one difference between last season and this season is that the club is stacked at both point guard and shooting guard, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post (Sulia link). Woodson relied heavily on a two point guard lineup last season but with a healthy Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, and rookie Tim Hardaway Jr., he won't have to sacrifice size or offense.
Sixers GM Sam Hinkie is excited about what Gani Lawal can do for his squad, tweets Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Gani is another young athletic player who we hope to put in our pipeline and a guy that has a chance to develop and sees opportunity here, which is why he did what he did and is willing to come here and compete for a spot," said Hinkie. The Sixers formally announced the signing of Lawal earlier today.
Assistant coach Ron Adams brings experience to the staff under new Celtics coach Brad Stevens, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.

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Boston Celtics

Atlantic Rumors: Knicks, Bogans, Novak

October 4th, 2013 at 6:48pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Sixers made a couple of moves today, reaching a deal with Gani Lawal and waiving former Raptors center Solomon Alabi to make room. Here's the latest on how a few other additions to Atlantic Division clubs stand to benefit their new teams:

The Knicks have 14 players with at least a partial guarantee, and coach Mike Woodson indicated today that the final spot is more likely to go to a big man than a wing or a point guard, notes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. That's an auspicious sign for Cole Aldrich, Josh Powell and Ike Diogu.
Keith Bogans is perhaps the most overpaid player in the NBA this season, thanks to sign-and-trade rules, but Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com looks at the ways that Bogans and his inflated deal can help the C's. They could either dangle him as a trade chip, use the trade exception his inclusion in the Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett swap facilitated, or both.
Steve Novak is the only asset the Raptors received in the Andrea Bargnani trade who'll be on the team's roster this year, and Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun examines how the former Knick can help north of the border.
Players drafted at the end of the first round are often non-factors as rookies, but Tim Hardaway Jr., whom the Knicks took 24th overall this year, has a chance to parlay J.R. Smith's five-game suspension into meaningful minutes this season. Fred Kerber of the New York Post examines the issue.

Eastern Notes: Celtics, Raptors, Pacers, Heat

October 3rd, 2013 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

With Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett now playing in Brooklyn, and Rajon Rondo still making his way back from an ACL injury, expectations aren't high for the Celtics in 2013/14. In fact, GM Danny Ainge tells Ian Thomsen of SI.com that he frequently hears from C's fans who want the team to lose games and pick up a top draft pick for 2014. Ainge suggests that fans hoping for losses should be careful what they wish for, and also says he doesn't believe there's necessarily a franchise-altering player in next year's draft.

"If Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was out there to change your franchise forever, or Tim Duncan was going to change your franchise for 15 years? That might be a different story," Ainge said. "I don't see that player out there."

Here's more from around the Eastern Conference:

While there's no clear frontrunner yet for the 15th and final spot on their regular season roster, it seems the Raptors will indeed carry a full 15-man roster, says Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Julyan Stone, Carlos Morais, and Chris Wright are in the running for the last opening.
The Pacers have done an admirable job building their roster into one capable of title contention without ever bottoming out, but theirs is hardly a blueprint for other small-market teams to follow, writes Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com at SBNation.com.
Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe spoke to 2013 second-rounder Colton Iverson about spending this season in Turkey, and the possibility of joining the Celtics down the road.
In his latest mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman explores how the Heat's addition of Michael Beasley could impact the roles of Rashard Lewis and James Jones, who are both in contract years.

Odds & Ends: Gasol, Evans, Stern, Beaubois

October 1st, 2013 at 9:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Pau Gasol is in his walk year and while he has yet to discuss a new deal with the Lakers, he's made it clear that he wants to come back, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. "It's nice to be here in the last year of my contract," Gasol said. "I'd love to continue to play with the Lakers [next year]. We've been through so much together. Mostly amazing moments and some hard moments too. It's like a relationship. If you're still together, it shows improved strength and consistency and how solid the relationship is. Hopefully we'll see if we can extend it." Here's more from around the Association..

Offseason acquisition Tyreke Evans says that he would like to fill a "Manu Ginobili kind of role" for the Pelicans, writes Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype. Evans was also asked about why things didn't work out in Sacramento, but he took the high road and concluded that it was "just time for a change."
As David Stern enters his final season as commissioner, he says that he is most proud of the game's international growth, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
In a piece for The Score, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com focuses on free agent guard Rodrigue Beaubois, who looked like a promising up-and-coming prospect three years ago, and now can't find NBA work.
More and more teams are stashing picks overseas, according to a recent numbers crunch from HoopsHype. This year, there was a record-setting eight stash picks in the draft.
Forward Jeff Green had high praise for new Celtics coach Brad Stevens today, tweets Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe.

Odds & Ends: Brooks, Evans, Wallace, Clippers

September 30th, 2013 at 11:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

MarShon Brooks requested a trade from the Nets last spring, a source tells Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, and the team accomodated him, throwing him into the Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett blockbuster in place of Reggie Evans, who was in an early version of the deal. The result pleased Evans and Garnett, who said the Nets' decision to keep their rebounder extraordinaire was even more important than landing free agent Andrei Kirilenko. There's still more fallout from that Nets-Celtics trade as training camps open around the Association:

Gerald Wallace admits he was "in shock" when he found out Brooklyn traded him to the Celtics, but he's pleased to be in Boston and says he's OK with spending the twilight of his career on a team that isn't a title contender, notes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
Brandon Davies, whose contract is partially guaranteed for $50K, and Lou Amundson, who's on a non-guaranteed deal, are the Clippers training camp invitees most likely to make the opening-night roster, a source tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link).
The Clippers announced a number of front office moves today, and added Brendan O'Conner to the coaching staff, notes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times (on Sulia).
Suns center Channing Frye missed all of 2012/13 with a heart ailment, but with training camp ushering in the final season of his contract, the sharpshooter has been medically cleared to play, as Matt Petersen of Suns.com details.
Manu Ginobili wasn't sure the Spurs wanted him back when he hit free agency this summer, but a brief meeting with GM R.C. Buford convinced the veteran swingman that the team still values him highly, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
John Salmons didn't enter the offseason expecting that he'd remain with the Kings, but he says team officials assured him over the summer that he's still in their plans, as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee notes via Twitter.

Rondo On Trade Rumors, Pierce, KG, Stevens

September 30th, 2013 at 9:32pm CST by Chuck Myron

Last year, Rajon Rondo entered the season healthy and an indispensable part of a perennial playoff team. Now, Rondo is a trade candidate on a stripped-down roster as he continues rehabbing his torn right ACL. The All-Star point guard told reporters at media day that he'll return to action when he's "mentally ready," a refrain familiar to that of Derrick Rose from last season, when the Bulls point guard never made it back from his torn ACL. Rondo was vague about a timetable for when he might play again, but he was much more forthcoming about other issues. We'll pass along some of his juicier comments, courtesy Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com

On speculation that he'll be traded:

"Those are things that are out of my control. I don’t tend to worry about those things. I have to live my life. Whatever the case may be, whenever that may happen, that’s what will happen. But until then, I’m a Celtic, and I’ll play as hard as I can for this organization."

On the trade that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets:

"It wasn’t difficult at all. I didn’t feel anything. I actually landed in L.A. the night of the draft, and I got about 45 text messages coming through my phone. I thought I was traded. You never know."

"It’s part of the business. They’re not the first teammates that I’ve been close to who have been traded away — Perk [Kendrick Perkins], Tony Allen — so it’s part of the process."

On new Celtics coach Brad Stevens

"Me and Brad have become best friends. We talk every day, we laugh and joke. We just had dinner the other night. I’m going to help him; he’s going to help me. He has my full support. I told him from day one, when he came to my camp, that I’m behind him 100%. Whatever he wants to do, whatever he wants to change, I have an open mind. I’m ready to listen and to be accountable for what he has for me to do."

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Toronto, C’s, Bogdanovic

September 30th, 2013 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

According to 76ers owner Josh Harris, a full-scale implosion of the roster was always the plan in Philadelphia, but it was delayed in part due to the club's success in 2011/12 (link via Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News).

"When I first bought the team, there were elements of the decision-making that I noticed weren't how I would have done it," Harris said. "But at the same time we did so well that first season ('11/12) that I chose to stick with the plan. The second season was a big disappointment and that made me feel empowered that it was the right time to make a bunch of changes. I've always had the same vision, but I took it a little more slowly given the success of the first season."

As the new-look Sixers prepare to get their training camp underway, let's take a look around the rest of the Atlantic Division….

In a press conference in Toronto, the NBA and the Raptors officially announced that the city will be hosting the 2016 All-Star Game. The Toronto Sun first reported the story last week.
There are no quick fixes on the way for the Celtics, but the importance of this developmental stage for the team shouldn't be undersold, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
Danny Ainge's phone remains "active," but the Celtics GM is looking forward to seeing which of the club's current players stand out, as he tells Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. "I wouldn’t say this is a perfect mesh of players, but I would like to see how they play together, and win jobs and opportunities, and just how players fit our system and Brad [Stevens]’ style of play," Ainge said. "I like the competitiveness in camp, and I also like the team because there are so many questions to be answered, so many unknowns."
NetsDaily passes along a report out of Turkey indicating that Bojan Bogdanovic has rejected a contract extension offer from Fenerbahce. If Bogdanovic doesn't ink a new deal, he'd be a free agent next summer, meaning there's a decent chance the Nets' 2011 second-rounder could come stateside.
Earlier today, we learned that the Knicks exercised Mike Woodson's 2014/15 contract option and that the Nets have signed Marko Jaric to a camp deal.

Pacific Links: Nunnally, Bogut, Rivers, Lakers

September 29th, 2013 at 10:05am CST by Chuck Myron

James Nunnally was a sought-after commodity before he agreed to join the Suns for training camp. The Grizzlies also extended a camp invitation, and he went through workouts out for the Spurs, Jazz and Pelicans this month. Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside examines the 6'7" forward's journey from the D-League's Bakersfield Jam to the Suns, one of four NBA franchises that counted Bakersfield as one of their affiliates last season. There's more from Phoenix amid our roundup of the latest from the Pacific Division:

The Warriors are taking a "wait-and-see approach" to a possible contract extension for a reinvigorated Andrew Bogut, writes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. An extension doesn't appear to be chief among Bogut's priorities, which is the case for most NBA veterans, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors explained.
New Clippers boss Doc Rivers admits being "wishy-washy" as he recounts the back-and-forth decision process that led him to L.A. from the Celtics in a one-on-one with Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Dwight Howard might be with the Rockets now, but he still casts a shadow over the Lakers as they open camp, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News details.
The past 12 months have been unusually disappointing for a Lakers franchise that's been so successful, and with GM Mitch Kupchak's admission that the new CBA makes it difficult to attract free agents, the outlook is bleak for the purple-and-gold, opines Jeff Miller of the Orange County Register.
Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic looks back on an offseason of sweeping change for the Suns.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Wizards, Hawks

September 26th, 2013 at 10:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune discusses the health of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, Luol Deng's uncertain long-term future with the franchise, how Mike Dunleavy Jr. will look to mesh with the roster, and how Jimmy Butler will handle a move to starting shooting guard as five things to look at for the Bulls going into fall. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago (via Twitter) says that Chicago's official training camp roster is expected to be released tomorrow but doesn't expect Malcolm Thomas or Chris Wright to be on the list.
Michael Lee of CSN Washington wonders if John Wall is ready to lead the Wizards to the playoffs, who will step up in the absence of Emeka Okafor, if Bradley Beal is primed for a breakout season, what to expect from Otto Porter, and the health of Nene as the team's top storylines heading into training camp.
Hawks GM Danny Ferry wouldn't set a timeline for the return of Louis Williams (who is still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery), though he did say that the eighth-year guard has been playing one-on-one games and has had no restrictions in doing so. Ferry also appeared encouraged about what Dennis Schröder can contribute to the team now as a promising prospect and said that Lucas Nogueira and Mike Muscala still need to continue their development overseas (USA Today via the Associated Press).
As Tom Layman of the Boston Herald points out, Celtics coach Brad Stevens will look toward Avery Bradley to be the team's floor general while they wait for the return of Rajon Rondo. In another piece, a handful of college coaches had positive comments for Stevens regarding how they believe he'll be able to transition to the NBA game (NBA.com via the Associated Press).
With Steve Mills in place as the Knicks' newest GM, Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld thinks that it will be important for Mills to start forming a strong relationship with Carmelo Anthony now, especially with the possibility that he could become a free agent this upcoming summer.
Since arriving in New York City, Anthony has been able to build his brand and explore plenty of business opportunities, writes Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report. From the sound of it, Zwerling doesn't think that Anthony will be leaving New York anytime soon, even with an opt-out clause at the end of the season.
Ian Begley of ESPN New York examines the orange and blue's current situation at small forward.
With the rest of the NBA's power elite growing tired of the Heat's dominance, Sam Amick of USA Today delves into why the 2013/14 season could be Miami's toughest campaign for a title yet. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes that the Bulls are especially eager to put a halt to the Heat's reign as the NBA's top dog.