Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Amare, Nets, Celtics, Brooks

December 22nd, 2012 at 10:49am CST by Zachary Links

The Knicks expect to have Amare Stoudemire back in action early next week and coach Mike Woodson says that they intend to plant him in the post, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. It was reported this week that the Knicks were practically looking to give Stoudemire away this summer, but after flying the Erie BayHawks to New York for the express purpose of practicing with the forward, it would appear that they are committed to him. Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division, including the cross-town rival Nets.

MarShon Brooks has been buried on the Nets bench after a breakout rookie campaign, but the youngster says he isn’t unhappy with the franchise over it, writes Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld. Brooks scored 12.6 PPG in almost 30 minutes per game last season but is now averaging 5.3 PPG in eleven minutes per contest as he plays behind Joe Johnson.
The Celtics‘ Leandro Barbosa is another guard who would like to see some more burn, Brigham writes. Barbosa isn’t sure why the Suns and Pacers didn’t look to bring him back this year, but he says that he was happy to join the Celtics, even if it meant seeing less time on the floor. “They called me,” Barbosa said. “They gave me the opportunity and I was very appreciative that they wanted me to be a part of this team… I knew that my game would fit with this team. I wasn’t really worried about the amount of minutes I would play.”
Nets coach Avery Johnson says that he isn’t concerned about job security, but he is willing to point the finger at himself somewhat, writes Roderick Boone of Newsday. The coach confessed that he is the man to blame for the club’s inability to close out quarters.

D-League Moves: Jackson, Moultrie, Marshall

December 21st, 2012 at 5:35pm CST by Zachary Links

We'll round up today's D-League assignments and recalls here. Make sure to keep up with every D-League assignment and recall for the 2012/13 season with this post.

Thunder point guard Reggie Jackson has been sent to the D-League for a second-time this season, tweets Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. His first stint was a one-day assignment earlier this month, and he registered 20 points and 11 assists in his only game with the Tulsa 66ers. The second-year Boston College product has played a limited role for Oklahoma City this year after serving as the primary backup to Russell Westbrook for a stretch last season.
The 76ers have assigned Arnett Moultrie to the Sioux Falls Sky Force of the D-League.
The Suns have recalled Kendall Marshall from the Bakersfield Jam. The 12th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Marshall led the D-League with 7.6 APG while he was playing for Bakersfield.
The Celtics announced that they have recalled forward Kris Joseph from the Maine Red Claws. Joseph, a 6’7" forward, appeared in seven games for the Red Claws this season and has posted averages of 20.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.0 steals in 38.1 minutes per game.
The Nets announced that forward Toko Shengelia and guard Tyshawn Taylor have been assigned to the Springfield Armor of the NBA Development League. Neither rookie has seen significant playing time with the Nets so far this season. Both players will suit up for the Armor tonight. Shengelia, a practice favorite of coach Avery Johnson, was acquired from the 76ers after being drafted 54th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. Taylor, a rookie out of Kansas, has made ten appearances on the year, scoring 13 points with three steals and two assists.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Amare, Celtics, Garnett

December 21st, 2012 at 3:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Items out of the Atlantic Division..

Some have wondered how Amare Stoudemire will fit in with the Knicks' future, but a team source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post that the club brought the Erie Bayhawks to New York specifically to work out with the forward. That gesture is a sign that the Knicks are committed to Stoudemire long term in the eyes of Berman. Earlier today, we learned that the Knicks were practically looking to give Stoudemire away for free over the summer.
Coach Mike Woodson doesn't seem to think that today's report will have an effect on Stoudemire, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. "Amare is a big piece of the New York Knicks and that's why he's still here," said the coach.
Jim Cavan of the New York Times writes that a lower turnover rate has been a key to the Knicks' success this season.
The Celtics need a big man who will help give Kevin Garnett and Chris Wilcox help down low, writes Rich Levine of CSNNE.com. Levine suggests that the C's can package Courtney Lee and Fab Melo for Jason Thompson of the Kings or the Blazers' J.J. Hickson.
If the Celtics don’t show improvement on the defensive end before the trade deadline, expect team president Danny Ainge to find better complementary pieces for Garnett, writes Dan Guttenplan of WEEI.com.
Louis Williams reflects on his years with the 76ers as he prepares to face his former team as a member of the Hawks.
Jason Kidd believes that Deron Williams is struggling with his shooting, which is to blame for his poor recent play, and not Nets coach Avery Johnson.

Odds & Ends: Batum, Gallinari, Kabongo, Lee

December 20th, 2012 at 10:08pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Jason Quick of the Oregonian looks at the friendly rivalry between the Trail Blazers' Nicolas Batum and the Nuggets' Danilo Gallinari that has stemmed from their days as young Euroleague stars hoping to make it into the NBA. Most notably, Quick mentions that Batum's salary negotiations this past summer were influenced by the type of deals that Gallinari, Marvin Williams, and Arron Afflalo had received with their respective teams. With that aside, here are a few more rumblings from around the Association tonight:

Derrick Rose took part in the non-contact portion of Bulls practice today, although coach Tom Thibodeau has not yet placed a timetable on the superstar's return (Seth Gruen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports).
Despite a strong start to the season, the Warriors' upcoming stretch against teams that have a notable inside presence will help determine if their interior defensive struggles against the Kings were either minor or a sign of a major problem, writes Marcus Thompson II of MercuryNews.com.
Rookie Royce White is "hopeful" that he'll play for the Rockets again sometime this season (Mark Berman of Fox 26 tweets).
1500 ESPN's Darren Wolfson confirms earlier speculation via a team source that Timberwolves guard Malcolm Lee will be sidelined for the rest of the year (Twitter link).
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweeted that Chris Douglas-Roberts is another top option available for the Timberwolves in addition to Michael Redd.
In his Nuggets Mailbag, Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post discusses why he thinks Gallinari has shown the capability of being a clutch All-Star type of player, why Carmelo Anthony isn't necessarily the clear-cut MVP right now, and the Nuggets' decision to commit to a long-term deal with Ty Lawson.

Atlantic Notes: Amare, Raptors, Prigioni, Copeland

December 20th, 2012 at 9:00pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Amare Stoudemire isn't quite ready to make his return for the Knicks just yet, citing that he is still "not 100 percent yet." Although he looked active during his scrimmage with the Erie Bayhawks today, Stoudemire feels that he still needs more practices and conditioning work before his return. You can find more of tonight's notable links from the Atlantic Division below:

Coach Mike Woodson says that although Iman Shumpert took part in conditioning workouts, the young guard is still "a little ways away" with regard to his rehab (Christian Red of the New York Daily News reports).
Considering the Raptors' recent four-game winning streak, Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun is wary of the possible challenges that Kyle Lowry and Andrea Bargnani will create for the team's current chemistry once they return from injury.
In a brief Q&A Twitter session with followers, renown NBA capologist Larry Coon acknowledged that Knicks rookies Pablo Prigioni and Chris Copeland will be restricted free agents this summer (Twitter link).
Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld notes that Raptors big man Ed Davis has made noticeable improvements and is beginning to progress into the talent that Toronto envisioned when they drafted him.
Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston talks about why Jason Terry belongs in the Celtics' starting lineup.

Ainge On Celtics, Bradley, Potential Moves

December 20th, 2012 at 12:09pm CST by Chuck Myron

Last season, the Celtics were a game away from their third trip to the NBA Finals in five years, but now they're just treading water at 13-12. The slow start might be cause for alarm, though it's not the first time Boston has played mediocre ball over a significant stretch during its latest run of success. Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald believes it's clear that if team basketball president Danny Ainge engineers a roster move, it won't take place until after Avery Bradley returns. “The reason is because I like what I see out of individuals,” Ainge said. “I just don’t like what the whole team has been able to put together yet. So yeah, we need to be patient and see what we have when our whole team’s together.” Bradley said trainers are targeting January 2nd for his return. Bulpett revealed more from Ainge on his plans for the team, and we'll hit the highlights here.

On the need to make changes:

"I think that every year I feel like we’re constantly evaluating our team, but the danger comes when you feel like you need to do something. That’s just talk. What we need to do is progress. We don’t need to make a change. We need to get better. So between the players and the coaches and the management, we’re all working together to try to figure out how to get better."

On whether the team, as constituted, can succeed:

"I’m uncertain. I want to see more. I want to see more before I know. I’ve been uncertain the last few years, and they (the players) give me a lot of reason to be uncertain. But then they turn around and show what they’re made of and what they have inside of them. So I want to give it more time."

On the team's tendency to coast during the regular season:

"I’ve sensed that pattern over the last few years. At the same time, I feel like our players as people, especially our leaders, have this ability to have this incredible resolve, as we’ve seen in playoff basketball with this group. So I’m seeing that same thing right now. I just don’t see that resolve. I see really good effort to come out at the start of games, and you know, they’re into it. And then it goes away. It’s not just the bench, it’s not any one player. I just think it’s collective, and we’ve got to improve on that. I think that’s for every player."

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Boston Celtics

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Bradley, Collins, Copeland

December 20th, 2012 at 11:18am CST by Chuck Myron

Dave D'Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger takes Deron Williams to task for his recent criticism of the Nets offense, believing that if Williams has issues with coach Avery Johnson just as he did with longtime Jazz boss Jerry Sloan, the problem lies with the player, not the coaches. Nonetheless, Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News questions whether Johnson can keep his job amid the signs of friction with Williams and the team's slump. The Brooklyn honeymoon appears to have ended for the 13-12 Nets, and here's more on a few of their Atlantic Division rivals.

While Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks are "the most disgruntled players of the bunch," Moke Hamilton of SNY.tv hears that Johnson is on solid footing with most of the Nets, including Williams.

Earlier updates:

Avery Bradley, on the mend from surgery on both shoulders, said team trainers are targeting January 2nd for his return to the Celtics, notes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers had been planning to wait until Bradley came back to make a lineup switch, but he went ahead and made changes last night, and minimum-salary signee Jason Collins temporarily solved the team's need for an inside presence in his first start. A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com has the story.
Rookie Chris Copeland returned to the Knicks bench last night with Carmelo Anthony back in the lineup, but it's been quite a journey for the 28-year-old rookie, and Nate Taylor of The New York Times points out that assistant GM Allan Houston was the first within the team's front office to take notice of him.
Tom Ziller of SB Nation provides his take on five players who would be better off if they were traded, suggesting Raptors power forward Amir Johnson would be a fit for the Spurs.

Eastern Rumors: Jamison, Celtics, D-Will, Wall

December 19th, 2012 at 4:08pm CST by Chuck Myron

Just three games separate the 10th-place Magic from the fourth-place Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings, so it could be quite a scramble for the last few playoff spots. In the meantime, here's what's making news for Eastern teams.

Antawn Jamison called Bobcats basketball president Rod Higgins when he chose a one-year deal with the Lakers over signing with the Cats this summer, and the veteran power forward, who played his high school ball in the Queen City, won't rule out a return to Charlotte. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer provides detail. "If they still want me back home, I’d sure listen." he said. "I have another couple of years in this body. If they want me, I’d have no reservations about putting on a Bobcats uniform."
As part of a chat that also touches on several draft prospects, Chad Ford of ESPN.com says the Celtics are high on Tyreke Evans, though they're not as enamored with the fourth-year guard as they were some time ago, when they were willing to trade Rajon Rondo for him. Ford isn't sure the C's possess what the Kings would want in a swap for their soon-to-be restricted free agent.
The Celtics made moves in the offseason to improve their depth, but advanced statistics show they're not getting much production from anyone other than Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, as Gary Dzen of the Boston Globe highlights.
Deron Williams blamed the media for putting too much credence into his comparison of the Nets' offense to the motion sets he ran with the Jazz, while Brooklyn coach Avery Johnson said he doesn't take Williams' comments personally. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has the story.
With John Wall believing his chances of returning to play soon are 50-50, Deron Snyder of The Washington Times argues the Wizards should just shut him down for the season if he isn't back in a month. That would give him ample time to heal, and there isn't much the Wizards can accomplish this season with or without him, Snyder believes.

Odds & Ends: Williams, Celtics, Heat, Varejao

December 19th, 2012 at 12:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Before the Jazz came to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Tuesday, Deron Williams told reporters that he has struggled since joining the Nets in part because of coach Avery Johnson‘s offense. While it was seen as excuse-making by some, Sean Deveney of the Sporting News writes that the one-guard has a point. It remains to be seen whether Johnson will re-fashion his offensive system in order to better accomodate Williams, who seemed to thrive in former coach Jerry Sloan‘s 1-4, pick-and-roll-heavy sets. Here’s today’s look around the league..

There are no obvious fixes for the Celtics on the trade market at present, so Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com offers up three internal solutions to their woes. One idea is for the C’s to recall Fab Melo from the D-League and play him alongside Kevin Garnett.
The Heat amassed overall quality this summer to position themselves to trade for the right big man at the right price, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. The Heat still have time to find frontcourt help either at the trading deadline or buyout deadline.
The ESPN.com staff looked at five of the top trade candidates in the league and weighed in on whether they should be moved. Most of the ESPN scribes are in agreement that the Cavaliers should part ways with Anderson Varejao, who is playing at an All-Star level and staying healthy.

D-League Notes: Motiejunas, Copeland, White

December 18th, 2012 at 4:50pm CST by Zachary Links

We'll keep track of today's D-League news right here..

Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Iman Shumpert could also head to the D-League when he's healthy again, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
The Rockets have recalled Donatas Motiejunas from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the team announced. The 7'0" rookie was assigned on Friday to the Vipers for the second time this season, and he averaged 23.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in two weekend contests.
The Knicks have also assigned Chris Copeland and James White to the BayHawks so that they can practice with them in Westchester, New York, tweets Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Copeland, White, and Stoudemire will be called back up tomorrow.
Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace told Sports 56 WHBQ that Josh Selby will return from the D-League after two games, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal (via Twitter). When Selby returns, Tony Wroten will be sent back to Reno.
Avery Bradley said the Celtics have talked with him about a D-League stint, but he plans on traveling west with the C's on their post-Christmas trip, tweets Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
The Knicks announced that they have assigned Amare Stoudemire to the Erie BayHawks of the Developmental League so that he can get practice reps before returning to the Knicks this weekend. Coach Mike Woodson disclosed yesterday that Stoudemire would practice with the BayHawks, but it wasn't clear if he would be formally assigned to them.