Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

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.

Avery Bradley Extension Appears Unlikely

September 24th, 2013 at 10:08am CST by Luke Adams

As players like Paul George and DeMarcus Cousins closing in on rookie-scale contract extensions, nothing is imminent between the Celtics and Avery Bradley, GM Danny Ainge tells Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. Forsberg tweets that the team is likely to revisit a new contract for Bradley next summer, when the 6'2" guard hits free agency.

The Celtics still have several weeks to negotiate with Bradley and agent Mitchell Butler before the October 31st deadline arrives. And just because a new deal appears unlikely at the moment, it doesn't mean the two sides won't continue talking — according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com (via Twitter), Ainge indicated that discussions may take place in October. For now though, it looks like the C's are willing to let Bradley hit the open market, where the club will have the ability to match any rival offers for the restricted free agent.

Bradley, 22, averaged a career-high 9.2 PPG for Boston last season, but saw his shooting percentages slip to .402/.317/.755, while his PER was just 8.8. Of course, Bradley's contributions on defense make him a valuable asset, but the C's would probably like to see a little more offensive production out of the former first-round pick before committing to him long-term.

When Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors examined Bradley as a possible extension candidate earlier this month, he predicted that we're more likely to see a deal next summer than this fall.

Atlantic Notes: Kidd, Powell, Knicks, Humphries

September 22nd, 2013 at 7:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Count three-time All-Star Mark Aguirre among those who believe Jason Kidd will do a tremendous job as head coach of the Nets, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram. “I like it just from the situation and understand that as a player there’s things that you have to learn how to do to manage games,’’ said Aguirre. “There’s quite a few young guys that have an incredible understanding of the game, and J-Kidd is one of them. New blood. A new situation in the game. I like it. I really like it.’’ Here's more out of the Atlantic Division..

Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal isn't thrilled with the Knicks' decision to bring Josh Powell to training camp and suggests that DeSagana Diop would have made more sense. Diop, he argues, is a very physical player who can rebound the ball well and is probably an even better shot-blocker. Even though Powell is a serviceable big man, he doesn't bring as much to the table as Diop, in Schlosser's estimation.
In an interview with Marc D'Amico of Celtics.com, Kris Humphries said that he figures to see some time at center on the small ball Celtics. Humphries came to Boston in the summer blockbuster that sent Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry to Brooklyn.
Knicks rookie C.J. Leslie could see plenty of time in the D-League in 2013/14, writes Schlosser for Ridiculous Upside.

Eastern Rumors: George, Pierce, Celtics

September 22nd, 2013 at 11:50am CST by Chuck Myron

Paul George informed Michael Pointer of the Indianapolis Star this week that he's certain he'll sign an extension with the Pacers, and George's comments in Pointer's latest piece make the deal sound like a fait accompli.

"It’s almost like now that I have this contract, I’ve got to do more work," George said."I’ve got to go out and play at the level the guys that are making this much money are playing at."

Andrew Perna of RealGM.com cautions that there's no deal yet (on Twitter), so we'll have to wait awhile longer to see whether the player that an overwhelming majority of Hoops Rumors readers believe will be the next to sign a rookie-scale extension actually ends up signing one. Here's more from the Eastern Conference:

Paul Pierce tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that he doesn't think the Celtics will continue to have the trouble they've always had attracting free agents. "The city of Boston has changed so much since I’ve been here," Pierce said. "There are so many more things to do and the city has grown. I think it would be a great place to play."
Pierce isn't upset with the Celtics for trading him, and he can envision himself working for the C's once his playing days are over, as he also says to Washburn.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel discusses the false hope that cap space gives some teams and addresses Heat-related issues in his mailbag column, while Doug Smith of the Toronto Star gives the Raptors the mailbag treatment in his latest dispatch.

Odds & Ends: Grizzlies, Sixers, Wolves, Kennedy

September 20th, 2013 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Few NBA teams had less roster turnover this offseason than the Grizzlies. As our free agent tracker shows, the only player who signed with the team for more than the minimum was Tony Allen, who has played in Memphis since 2010 and emerged as one of the club's leaders. However, the team will be in for some changes on the bench, where former assistant Dave Joerger takes over the head coaching job from the departed Lionel Hollins. Joerger tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld that while he'll stick to many of the things that made last year's team successful, he expects to add a few new wrinkles to the mix as well.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:

Former Pistons head coach John Kuester is currently the top candidate to be hired as Brett Brown's lead assistant with the 76ers, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype spoke to Ricky Rubio, who identified the Timberwolves' new deals with Nikola Pekovic and Chase Budinger as the club's best signings of the summer.
Rebuilding is often a necessary process, but it has to give way to something substantial eventually, writes Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com. Deeks examines the free agent fates of Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson, noting that the Hawks were able to land Millsap for fewer years and dollars than the Bobcats signed Jefferson in part because Charlotte is paying a sort of "Bobcats tax" based on its reputation as a perennial lottery team.
In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Larry Coon lists the Nets, Bobcats, and Rockets among the winners of the league's new CBA, while placing the Celtics, Bulls, and Thunder in the losers column.
Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside takes a look at D.J. Kennedy's persistent quest to earn a spot on an NBA roster. Kennedy will be in camp with the Mavericks in October.

Donte Greene Waived By C’s, Will Sign In China

September 18th, 2013 at 7:45am CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 7:45am: The Chinese team expected to sign Greene is the Dongguan Leopards, according to HoopsHype (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 3:06pm: The Celtics have officially waived Greene, the team announced today in a press release.

10:58am: A little over a month after they acquired him, the Celtics will waive Donte Greene, agent Chris Grier Luchey tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (Twitter link). According to Luchey, Greene has a deal lined up with a club in China, which can be finalized once his release from the C's is official.

The swap that sent Greene to Boston and Fab Melo to Memphis was one of the more unusual trades of the summer, since Melo was also released by the Grizzlies following the deal. The Celtics included more than enough cash to cover Melo's $1.31MM salary in the trade, but the money they sent to the Grizz doesn't count for cap or tax purposes. Greene's salary, meanwhile, is non-guaranteed, so Boston won't be on the hook for any of it once the move is official, and should slip below the tax line in the process.

By waiving Greene, the C's will reduce their roster count to 18 players, including 14 on guaranteed contracts. For Greene, it won't be the first time he signs to play international ball. Before he reached an agreement with the Grizzlies last season, the 25-year-old forward briefly spent time with Atleticos de San German in Puerto Rico.

Eastern Notes: Celtics, Bulls, Bucks

September 17th, 2013 at 10:15pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes from around the Eastern Conference.

According to a tweet from Boston Globe scribe Baxter Holmes, the Celtics training camp invites are all set. Chris Babb, Damen Bell-Holter, DeShawn Sims, and Kammron Taylor round out the list.
Trey McKinney Jones, a former guard for the Miami Hurricanes, will participate in the Bucks training camp, according to Hoopshype.com.
According to the team, the Bulls have made several changes to their staff, promoting Randy Brown to assistant GM, Nick Papendieck to head strength coach, and Ivica Dukan to director of international scouting, as well as special assistant to the general manager.

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Stone, Morais, 76ers

September 16th, 2013 at 11:10am CST by Zachary Links

The Celtics pushed the reset button this offseason when they sent Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry to Brooklyn in a package that will give them MarShon Brooks, draft picks, and a whole lot of financial flexibility. On the surface, it looked like a smart way for Danny Ainge & Co. to jump start the rebuilding process. However, Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com has another theory as to why KG and Pierce were jettisoned from Boston after unearthing a picture of the duo wearing sunglasses at night and posing with Lakers legend Magic Johnson. Here's today's look at the Atlantic Division..

Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun sees an interesting chase for the Raptors' 15th and final spot unfolding in the weeks ahead (Twitter links). Julyan Stone, Chris Wright, and Angolan standout Carlos Morais will audition for the last bench position and Wolstat expects Stone, if healthy, to be the frontrunner for the gig. Wright might be the least likely of the three to stick with small forwards Rudy Gay, DeMar DeRozan, and Terrence Ross in the fold with Quincy Acy also possibly seeing some time at the three. Wolstat says that the Raps could use both a scoring guard like Morais and a defensive guy like Stone (link).
No real surprise here, but Doug Smith of the Toronto Star doesn't expect anyone competing for the Raptors' final spot to get a fully guaranteed deal.
Commissioner David Stern is hoping that the 76ers make the playoffs this season, writes Roy Burton of SBNation. Some fans might be behind the "Riggin' For [Andrew] Wiggins" campaign, but Stern certainly doesn't endorse that line of thinking. "That is so… small," said Stern at the Beyond Sport Summit. "I hope they have a great season and don't have the chance for the No. 1 pick." Of course, the worst record only gives you a 25% chance at the top pick in the draft lottery.
Agent Charles Briscoe told HoopsHype (via Twitter) that former Sixers combo guard Xavier Silas will work out for the Jazz today and tomorrow. Silas appeared in two games for Philly in 2011/12 and suffered a concussion in summer league with the 76ers later that year.

Odds & Ends: Fratello, Draft, Wright

September 15th, 2013 at 9:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Mike Fratello, who is in charge of Ukraine's national team at EuroBasket, believes that now is the time for a European head coach to break the barrier and take the reins of an NBA team, writes Mark Woods for ESPN.com. "It will take a GM from somewhere who has a very understanding owner, a GM believing and trusting in the person that he's going to select and convincing his owner to trust that this guy can coach," the veteran coach said. Italian coach Ettore Messina has been linked to several jobs in recent years – including the Nets and Hawks – but he remains overseas. Here's more from around the Association..

Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld runs down the picks that have changed hands in the 2014 Draft. The Jazz, Magic, and Celtics are all guaranteed multiple first-round picks, meaning that they're not dependent on anyone else's performance in 2013/14. Meanwhile, the Suns have their fingers crossed that they'll wind up with three first round picks in the talent rich draft.
Tommy Dee of Ridiculous Upside explains why Chris Wright is ready to stick with the Raptors. The athletic tweener showed that he has talent in his time in the D-League, but he'll be going against guards Julyan Stone and Carlos Morais for the 15th and final spot. Of course, the Raptors could also roll with 14 players to start the season.
Last week, Hoops Rumors debuted the brand new International Player Movement Tracker with the help of Mark Porcaro of Secret Rival. Be sure to check it out today.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Humphries, 76ers

September 15th, 2013 at 5:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Will Delonte West find a home in 2013/14? Last night, Spencer Lund checked in on the stock of the troubled guard, who had some good times and some not so good times with the Celtics. Here's more out of the Atlantic Division..

New Celtics acquisition Kris Humphries is in camp earlier than ever and determined to turn things around this season, his business manager tells Jared Zwerling of ESPN.com. Hump says that he's excited for a new start in Boston and is happy to know that the C's have no intention of tanking this season despite their efforts to build for the future.
Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside wonders how the 76ers will utilize their D-League team this season. The 76ers will be starting from the ground up with their new team, the Delaware 87ers. Philly is obviously in rebuilding mode and one has to imagine that they'll want to get their young players as much run as possible.
Forward Darington Hobson was one of the more talented players drafted by the Sixers' D-League affiliate this year, but he's now shifting his attention to finding a gig in the Chinese Basketball Association, a source tells Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside. As sixth man for the Warriors' Santa Cruz D-League affiliate that went all the way to the D-League Finals, the forward averaged 9.2 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists through 36 games.