Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Heat, Williams, Thomas, Lowry

March 5th, 2013 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

The race for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference continues to become less dramatic by the day, as the Bucks won again on Monday night. Milwaukee now has a seven-game cushion on the ninth-place Sixers, who are at home against the Celtics tonight. If there's any drama in the East, it relates to seeding — the Bucks and Celtics are two of five playoff teams currently separated by just three games in the Eastern standings.

Here are a few Tuesday morning items out of the East:

Whether or not Chris Andersen returns to the Heat next season may depend on how much playing time he gets in the playoffs, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, noting that Ronny Turiaf left Miami last offseason after becoming an "afterthought" in the postseason.
Terrence Williams' contract with the Celtics will become guaranteed for next season if he makes the team out of camp, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
The Bobcats have told Tyrus Thomas to stay home during the team's four-game West Coast road trip for physical rehab and individual work, reports Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Thomas, who has fallen out of Charlotte's rotation entirely lately, remains a strong candidate to be amnestied this July, as I noted last week.
Kyle Lowry's first year with the Raptors hasn't been entirely smooth sailing, but after the team traded Jose Calderon, Chauncey Billups had dinner with Lowry and impressed upon the ex-Rocket that Toronto must have plenty of faith in him to hand him the point guard reins (Sulia link via Ric Bucher).

Celtics Sign Terrence Williams To Multi-Year Deal

March 3rd, 2013 at 11:35am CST by Luke Adams

SUNDAY, 11:35am: The Celtics officially announced Williams' multi-year deal in a press release. The team didn't disclose financial specifics, but Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reports the contract includes triggers that would guarantee the deal for next season in stages.

FRIDAY, 2:52pm: Wojnarowski confirms that the contract is for the minimum salary and that it isn't fully guaranteed for 2013/14.

2:01pm: Terrence Williams' 10-day contract with the Celtics is set to expire after tonight's game, but Boston will re-sign the former 11th overall pick for the rest of the season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, the Celtics will also sign Williams conditionally for 2013/14, which I assume means '13/14 won't be fully guaranteed.

Williams was one of three players signed to 10-day contracts by the Celtics after returning from China. D.J. White and Shavlik Randolph, who also spent the season in the CBA, are expected to be in uniform for the first time tonight. So far, Williams has appeared in three games for the Celtics, including playing nearly 25 minutes last Friday against the Suns, recording nine points, four boards, and four assists.

When Williams' contract becomes official, the Celtics will have 13 players on guaranteed contracts this season. For next year, Boston currently has 10 players on fully guaranteed deals. Paul Pierce also has a player option, while Williams will presumably have either a non-guaranteed or partially-guaranteed deal.

As I detailed earlier this week, the Celtics are already projected to be taxpayers this season. So even though Williams' contract will almost certainly be for the minimum salary, it will cost Boston twice as much as usual, once the tax penalty is considered.

Atlantic Rumors: Rasheed, Collins, Sixers, Celtics

March 1st, 2013 at 9:50pm CST by Chuck Myron

The top three teams in the Atlantic Division are separated by five and a half games, and with all three in action tonight, only the second-place Nets failed to keep pace, falling three games back of the Knicks. It was a busy day for Atlantic clubs off the court as well, and here's the latest:

After undergoing surgery on his left foot yesterday, Rasheed Wallace could have called it a career, a possibility he contemplated in the past week, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. However, the eight-week timetable for his return suggests Wallace and the Knicks still hope he can return during the postseason. Still, one medical expert who spoke to Berman believes Wallace will need more than eight weeks to return to 100%. Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com wonders if the Knicks will consider cutting 'Sheed to make room for another player on the roster before season's end.
Sixers coach Doug Collins was "shocked" that his Tuesday press conference got as much media attention as it did, as Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News details. "It was interesting,"Collins said. "I went back and I said, 'Wait a second. I didn't get that I slammed them or was being kind of hard.' I thought I was just talking about what I expected, and, as a coach, that's what you do. There was nobody called out."
Andrew Bynum's injury, which could cost him all of this season, might have an even longer-lasting effect on the Sixers, Cooney argues.
The Celtics signed three reinforcements to their depleted squad in the past two weeks, but coach Doc Rivers doesn't expect Terrence Williams, D.J. White or Shavlik Randolph to get a lot of minutes, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald observes.
The Rudy Gay trade and DeMar DeRozan's growth this year have left few minutes for rookie Terrence Ross, notes Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun.

Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors contributed to this post.

D-League Moves: Varnado, Scott, Jones, Baynes

March 1st, 2013 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll track today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

Jarvis Varnado has been sent to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat announced today in a press release. Varnado averaged a double-double in the D-League earlier this season, recording 14.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 3.9 BPG for Sioux Falls.
The Hawks have assigned rookie Mike Scott to the D-League, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Consitution. Scott will join the Bakersfield Jam, who have a home-and-home set against the Los Angeles D-Fenders on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

Earlier updates:

The Cavaliers have recalled Kevin Jones from the D-League just a day after re-assigning him, the team announced in a press release. Jones led the Canton Charge with 24 points and nine rebounds in last night's game, helping the team defeat the Idaho Stampede, 115-109. The rookie forward will be available for the Cavs tonight against the Clippers.
Aron Baynes also led his D-League team to victory last night during his one-game assignment. The Spurs announced today in a press release that Baynes had been recalled from the Austin Toros after recording 16 points and nine boards in the club's Thursday win.
The Celtics have assigned Fab Melo to the Maine Red Claws, according to a team press release. With D.J. White and Shavlik Randolph expected to be ready to play tonight, the C's didn't need Melo on the bench in Boston.

Celtics Sign Shavlik Randolph

March 1st, 2013 at 10:39am CST by Luke Adams

10:39am: The Celtics have officially announced the signing in a press release.

8:47am: Shavlik Randolph has received his letter of clearance from China and has signed a 10-day contract with the Celtics, agent Joel Bell tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com. According to Charania, Randolph is participating in the Celtics' morning shootaround today, so it sounds as if the team will announce the signing later today, making Randolph eligible for tonight's game against the Warriors.

Randolph, 29, has been out of the NBA since the 2009/10 season, when he briefly appeared in three games each with the Heat and Trail Blazers. However, as Ryan Raroque of Hoops Rumors noted last night, the former Duke Blue Devil had a tremendous season in the Chinese Basketball Association in 2012/13, averaging 32.0 PPG and 14.6 RPG in 28 games for the Foshan Long Lions.

The Celtics now have a full roster of 15 players, though three of those 15 are currently on 10-day contracts, as our 10-day tracker shows. Terrence Williams' deal is set to expire after tonight's game, while D.J. White and Randolph are locked up until next weekend. All three players landed in Boston after spending the season with Chinese clubs.

Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge first reported yesterday (via Twitter) that Randolph was seeking his letter of clearance from China and was close to signing with an NBA team.

Bulls Frontrunners To Sign Lou Amundson

February 28th, 2013 at 10:51pm CST by Luke Adams

10:51pm: The Bulls are in talks to sign Amundson, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who adds that a decision is expected on Friday.

8:16pm: Amundson's agent, Mark Bartelstein, acknowledges that while the Knicks are currently in the mix, his client is currently "close" to signing with another team (Ian Begley of ESPN New York tweets).

1:51pm: Since being cut by the Timberwolves nearly three weeks ago, Louis Amundson has yet to find another NBA job. However, the big man tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that a few teams are interested in him, including the Heat, Knicks, Celtics, and Bulls.

The Heat, Celtics and Bulls all have open roster spots, while the Knicks would have to clear room on the roster to make a move. According to Amundson, New York is waiting to see how things work out with Kenyon Martin before making a decision. The Knicks could also waive Rasheed Wallace to clear a roster spot. As for the Heat, Amundson told Tomasson that there may be too much overlap between his skillset and Chris Andersen's. The Birdman recently signed with Miami for the remainder of the season.

While four Eastern Conference teams remain in the mix for Amundson, he was nearly sent to another Eastern club earlier this season. According to Amundson, a trade that would have sent him and Luke Ridnour to the Sixers for Spencer Hawes was nixed by Minnesota, out of concern that dealing Ridnour would leave the team thin at point guard while Ricky Rubio worked his way back to 100%.

Since he was released earlier in February, Amundson will be postseason-eligible for his next team even if he signs after tomorrow's buyout deadline.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Nets, Collins, Rasheed

February 28th, 2013 at 10:16pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made his weekly appearance on WEEI radio in Boston to talk about what transpired during the trade deadline as well as his thoughts on the team moving forward. Greg Payne of ESPN Boston has the highlights, including Ainge's thoughts on why Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce weren't dealt, the CBA having a significant impact on the trade deadline, the long-standing interest in Jordan Crawford, and whether or not he would have been able to convince Garnett to waive his no-trade clause. Here's more out of the Atlantic Division tonight:

Guard/forward Terrence Williams received a vote of confidence from his former coach at Louisville Rick Pitino, who tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald that Williams may have possibly found the perfect situation in joining the Celtics.
Roderick Boone of Newsday notes that Deron Williams and Joe Johnson are still trying to figure out how to mesh with one another in the Nets backcourt. Seth Walder of the New York Daily News believes that Williams' recent emergence with strong performances will be key in carrying the team for the remainder of the season, especially with Johnson recovering from injury.
With the team's recent struggles, Matt Moore of CBS Sports wonders if Doug Collins' days as the 76ers head coach are numbered. Tom Haberstroh of ESPN (Insiders only) discusses why Philadelphia has been disappointing this season, pointing to the team's shot selection, lack of playing time for Arnett Moultrie, and the offseason departure of two key veterans.
Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Rasheed Wallace's decision to have surgery on his left foot instead of letting it heal on its own indicates that the 6'11 veteran plans on making a possible return during the postseason for the Knicks.

Atlantic Notes: Rivers, Williams, Martin, Raptors

February 28th, 2013 at 3:09pm CST by Luke Adams

With Mike Krzyzewski likely having coached in his last Olympics, there's a "near-unanimous feeling in basketball circles" that Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is the logical choice to replace him for 2016, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. But a source briefed on internal discussions regarding Coach K's replacement tells Berger that Celtics coach Doc Rivers shouldn't be ruled out.

"With Doc, I think it would keep the same chemistry going," a source told Berger. "If Pop comes in, he would want his own way of doing it – kind of the Spurs' secretive way of doing things – and out of Jerry [Colangelo]'s norm."

As Rivers and the Celtics prepare for tomorrow night's game against the Warriors, let's check in on a few other items from around the Atlantic Division:

Former Celtics coach Rick Pitino, who coached Terrence Williams at Louisville, tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald that he believes Williams could be a great fit in Boston.
Kenyon Martin isn't losing sleep over whether or not the Knicks will hang on to him beyond his first 10-day contract, as he tells Al Iannazzone of Newsday. "If what I do merits for me to be here the rest of the year, then I will be," Martin said. "And if not, then I won't. But I think the way my game is and the way I play, I'll let my play speak for itself."
Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun acknowledges that it will hurt Andrea Bargnani's offseason trade value if the Raptors bench him now. However, Wolstat thinks it must be done, since Bargnani's current performance isn't helping the team or his trade value anyway.
The Sixers helped create their current mess by sending a message to the team that Andrew Bynum was the only player who mattered, opines Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Daily News.

Celtics Sign D.J. White

February 28th, 2013 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 11:31am: The Celtics have officially signed White to a 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release.

WEDNESDAY, 2:12pm: D.J. White has finally received his letter of clearance from China, opening the door for him to sign with an NBA team, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Now that he's been cleared, White will sign with the Celtics in the next 24 hours, tweets Wojnarowski.

White, 26, signed a contract to play in China this season, and averaged 21.6 PPG and 9.7 RPG in 32 games for the Shanghai Sharks before his team was eliminated from postseason contention. The 6'8" forward has played four NBA seasons with the Thunder and Bobcats, and was actually fairly productive for Charlotte last season, averaging 6.8 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 18.9 MPG over 58 contests.

Head coach Doc Rivers confirmed this past weekend that the Celtics were expecting to sign White once he became eligible, while GM Danny Ainge indicated on Monday night that the deal would be a 10-day contract.

Ainge also pointed out that 10-day deals are often timed to maximize a player's time with the team, so I wonder if the Celtics will wait until Friday to finalize White's deal — that would mean his 10 days would include five games rather than four. Boston may prefer to get him signed before then, however, in order to get him some extra practice time with the club.

Terrence Williams is also currently on a 10-day contract with the C's. His deal is set to expire after Friday's game.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Collins, Knicks, Celtics

February 27th, 2013 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

We've already had plenty of news out of the Atlantic Division today, as the Knicks announced Rasheed Wallace will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the regular season, while the Sixers look to bounce back from Doug Collins' post-game rant last night. We have a few more Atlantic-related links to pass along though, so let's round them up below:

Collins is "clearly a very good coach," but when it comes to the Sixers' roster construction and performance, he shouldn't be shifting the blame elsewhere, writes Zach Lowe of Grantland.
Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth believes it would be very risky for the Sixers to offer Andrew Bynum more than a two-year contract in free agency this summer.
In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton revisits the Knicks' summer decision to bring in Raymond Felton rather than re-signing Jeremy Lin. While Felton got off to a hot start in New York, the fact that Lin may have already pulled even suggests the current Rocket will be the better long-term choice, writes Pelton.
Yesterday, we passed along the key quotes from Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck's WEEI appearance, in which he suggested that Boston had discussed several major deals leading up to the trade deadline. Grousbeck made a number of other interesting comments on WEEI though, including his thoughts on the new CBA and on retiring Paul Pierce's and Kevin Garnett's numbers. Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com has the details.
In his latest mailbag for ESPNBoston.com, Forsberg also fielded questions relating to the Celtics' non-moves and 10-day signings, among other topics.