Sullinger Undergoes Back Surgery, Out For Season
3:52pm: The Celtics have officially announced that Sullinger underwent successful lumbar disc surgery today. He's expected to be ready for training camp next season, according to the team.
2:32pm: Celtics forward Jared Sullinger will miss the remainder of his rookie year with a back injury, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. According to Wojnarowski, Sullinger will require season-ending surgery.
Leading up to last year's draft, Sullinger was medically red flagged by NBA doctors due to concerns about his back, which likely resulted in him slipping out of the lottery. The Celtics drafted the Ohio State product 21st overall, a pick that appeared to be a steal, but it seems that those concerns about his back were warranted.
For the Celtics, things go from bad to worse, as the Sullinger news comes less than a week after the team learned that Rajon Rondo has suffered a season-ending ACL injury. There was already speculation that the Celtics would need to make a roster move as a result of the Rondo injury, and Sullinger's injury makes it even more unlikely that the C's will be any sort of threat in the postseason this year — if they even qualify.
Chris Mannix of SI.com had reported earlier this week that rival teams considered Sullinger one of the Celtics' most attractive assets, though Mannix noted that Boston wasn't expected to part with him in a trade.
Odds & Ends: Hudson, Garnett, Heat, Bulls
Ex-NBA veteran Troy Hudson has officially ended his playing career, Sioux Falls Skyforce president Mike Heineman announced on Thursday (link via Terry Vandrovec of the Argus Leader). While Hudson hasn't appeared in the NBA since the 2007/08 season, he started this year with the D-League's Skyforce. In 517 career NBA games for five teams, the 6'1" guard averaged 9.0 PPG and 3.4 APG.
Here are a few more Friday odds and ends from around the league:
- Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game clarifies (via Sulia) that his report earlier this week on Kevin Garnett simply meant to convey that trade interest in Garnett may not be as strong as expected, since rival general managers aren't convinced he'll play out his contract. Bucher also notes that while those GMs don't expect KG to finish his contract, that doesn't mean they expect him to retire this summer.
- In his latest mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel discusses the Heat's trade options and the team's signing of Jarvis Varnado to a rest-of-season contract.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com has his own mailbag up, which includes his thoughts on the Bulls' potential interest in Greg Oden and the possibility of the team re-signing Nate Robinson this summer.
- Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld takes a look at which players may be on the move next.
Danny Ainge Discusses Pierce, Trades, Grizzlies
Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge appeared on WEEI on Thursday and gave a radio interview in which he covered a variety of topics relating to the Celtics' handling of Rajon Rondo's knee injury and the team's plans for the trading headline. Brian Robb of CelticsHub.com has a transcript of some of Ainge's comments.
On the likelihood of a trade:
“I think whether we win every game or whether we struggle, I think it all depends on what opportunties are presented, so we are open and listening and are having discussions regarding a lot of different possibilities, but we don’t feel pressure to do anything. We want to make some change to help improve our team, but we don’t feel pressure.”
On the possibility of trading Paul Pierce:
Nothing is close to being done. I too, would like to see Paul Pierce retire as a Celtic. That would be great. We are all attached to Paul. He’s been great for the city, the franchise, each of us individually, he’s been a true pro. Having said that, if something came up I would talk to Paul, but my job is do what’s best for the Boston fans, and what’s best for the Boston Celtic team, regardless of my personal ties and personal relationships with players.”
On discussions with the Grizzlies prior to the Rudy Gay trade:
“Memphis with new management has been pretty active. We’ve had discussions but nothing that ever got close. It’s been well documented what they were trying to accomplish, to get under the tax and get for Rudy. They got some good players though, and time will tell.”
Odds & Ends: Mavs, Van Gundy, Howard, Barbosa
Shorthanded following the completion of the Rudy Gay trade, the Pistons and Raptors were both beaten in their respective games on Wednesday night. Tonight, in the first game of the post-Gay era in Memphis, the Grizzlies will be tasked with what would be a tough matchup under normal circumstances, as they travel to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder. While we look forward to that game, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the NBA:
- The Mavericks were never going to be a part of a three-team trade with the Grizzlies and Raptors if it meant giving up Vince Carter, team president Donnie Nelson tells Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- Jeff Van Gundy, who admits that he misses being on an NBA bench, is expected to explore potential coaching opportunities starting next summer, according to Sam Amick of USA Today.
- Dwight Howard re-aggravated the torn labrum in his right shoulder on Wednesday night, but intends to play through the pain and isn't currently considering surgery, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News wonders if Howard's injury woes could open the door for the Mavericks to buy low on the All-Star center in a trade.
- Appearing on WEEI's Mut & Merloni in Boston, Leandro Barbosa said the idea he had asked the Celtics to trade him was "definitely a miscommunication" (link via Victor Barbosa of WEEI.com).
- Jeremy Pargo, who was recently waived by the Cavaliers, hasn't ruled out playing overseas, and has drawn some interest from Greece's Olympiacos, reports David Pick of Sportando (Twitter links).
More Reactions/Fallout To The Rudy Gay Trade
Last night, Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors rounded up a number of links addressing the potential fallout of the blockbuster trade finalized by the Grizzlies, Raptors, and Pistons. Of course, given the magnitude of the deal, plenty more reactions surfaced overnight and this morning, so we'll round many of those up right here:
- Grantland's Zach Lowe passes along a couple interesting tidbits of note related to the trade, reporting that Mike Conley and Zach Randolph are on pace to reach incentives that would increase their cap figures for next season. Lowe also says that Rudy Gay gave the Raptors no assurances that he'd pick up his 2014/15 player option.
- In the long-term, Ed Davis may be the most exciting player the Grizzlies received in the deal, but in the short-term, Tayshaun Prince's play will likely dictate how the move is judged, says Sam Amick of USA Today.
- The Celtics were never too seriously involved in talks for either Gay or Jose Calderon, a source tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- Appearing on TSN 1050 in Toronto, Bryan Colangelo said the first question Gay asked him after the deal was why Colangelo didn't draft him in the first place (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg). The Raptors passed on Gay to draft Andrea Bargnani in 2006.
- In grading the trade for all three teams, Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com and Matt Moore of CBSSports.com both consider the Raptors the losers, but Zach Harper of CBSSports.com makes the case for why Toronto was smart to acquire Gay.
- Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops also argues that the Grizzlies and Pistons came out ahead in the deal.
- Pistons GM Joe Dumars has often talked about maintaining cap flexibility and building around the team's young core, and this trade reflected that philosophy, writes David Mayo of MLive.com.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer believes the deal was a "ridiculous coup" for the Grizzlies, while Joe Goodman of the Miami Herald isn't so sure (Twitter links).
- Whether you believe the Grizzlies are that much worse than they were yesterday really hinges on your opinion of Gay as a player, writes Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- Henry Abbott of ESPN.com shares six thoughts on the trade.
GMs: ‘No Chance’ Garnett Plays Out Contract
Two GMs who spoke to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game believe there's "no chance" that Kevin Garnett plays the final two seasons of the three-year, $36MM contract he signed this past offseason (Sulia link). The executives believe the 36-year-old won't be able to coax any more out of his aging legs, and wouldn't want to hang around as an albatross to the Celtics. The GMs also aren't expecting any team to take him on in a trade, given his outsized salary, though only $6MM of his $12MM for 2014/15 is guaranteed.
If Garnett were to walk away, the Celtics would still be on the hook for the guaranteed portion of his deal, unless the two sides arrange a buyout. Clearly the dynamics in Boston have changed after Rajon Rondo's ACL injury, though Celtics basketball president Danny Ainge is reportedly waiting to evaluate this year's post-Rondo team before making a move. The specter of Garnett's looming retirement may prompt Ainge to decide the championship window for this iteration of the Celtics has finally closed.
Garnett, in his 18th season, is averaging 15.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in 30.4 minutes a game. He also chips in 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks every night and remains the linchpin of the Celtics defense, which allows the 10th-fewest points per game in the league. Still, his 18.7 PER, his lowest since his second season in the league, indicates that he isn't as efficient as he once was, and he's been unable to lift Boston to better than a 22-23 record this year.
Not counting this year's salary, Garnett has earned in excess of $291MM over his career, according to Basketball-Reference.com. That's a figure Bucher believes is the most any NBA player has ever made. Others will soon pass him for that distinction, to be sure, but it's enough of a sum to suggest that Garnett may be willing to leave a significant portion of his current contract on the table if he's ready to hang it up.
Kyler’s Latest: Pierce, Josh Smith, Redick, Lakers
HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler chimed in with roundup of trade rumors in advance of the Rudy Gay deal, and though his info about that swap quickly became outdated, he delivered much more from around the league. Let's hit the highlights here:
- The Celtics were entertaining offers for Paul Pierce before Rajon Rondo went down with a torn ACL, but for the moment they want to evaluate their team in the wake of the injury before making a move. Pierce wants to retire with Boston, and Celtics basketball president Danny Ainge and company will consider his special place in the team's history in deciding whether to move him. The C's will seek deals for their other players first.
- Though rumblings seem to indicate Josh Smith may be on his way out of Atlanta, the Hawks haven't considered any deal for him to this point. Still, Kyler believes that if they decide to deal Smith, they already know where they can send him. According to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, the Raptors probably aren't one of the teams that would make a deal for the power forward (Twitter link).
- More than half the league has tried to trade for J.J. Redick, but the Magic have rebuffed all offers for the soon-to-be free agent. The Magic front office has kept Redick informed about all the possible deals, and it seems more than likely he'll opt to re-sign this summer.
- The Lakers continue to discuss Pau Gasol deals, but as it stands now, they're more likely to hold off until the summer, when they'll know whether Dwight Howard, a free agent, will be back.
- Kyler also shares Lang Greene's pre-trade video interview with Raptors coach Dwane Casey, and catches up with Greivis Vasquez and new Grizzlies big man Jon Leuer, who revealed that it was former teammate Kyrie Irving who broke the news to him about last week's trade.
Raptors Close To Acquiring Rudy Gay
5:01pm: If the Pistons are the third team in the deal, they're poised to send both Prince and Austin Daye to Memphis for Calderon, tweets Stein.
4:42pm: The Grizzlies spent the day calling around doing background work on Tayshaun Prince, according to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), so presumably Prince would be headed to Memphis if Calderon is sent to Detroit. Sam Amick of USA Today reports that the Celtics are another team in the mix to acquire Calderon.
4:35pm: If and when the deal is finalized, the Grizzlies are also expected to receive a second-round pick from the Raptors, according to Stein.
4:30pm: According to Stein (via Twitter), the Mavericks are another potential landing spot for Calderon, though Dallas is reluctant to part with Vince Carter, who the Grizzlies would want to replace Gay. Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com made the case this morning for why the Mavs make sense as the third team in a Raptors/Grizzlies deal.
4:23pm: The Grizzlies and Raptors have a deal in place that would send Gay and Hamed Haddadi to Toronto in exchange for Calderon and Davis, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). An agreement hasn't been finalized yet because it figures to eventually include a third team, possibly the Pistons, that would acquire Calderon, says Stein (via Twitter).
4:03pm: Several sources tell Wojnarowski that the Grizzlies have a plan to move Calderon to a third team in the discussed deal with the Raptors (Twitter link).
3:48pm: As Tillery suggested, the Grizzlies would prefer to send Calderon to a third team in the trade scenario they're discussing with the Raptors. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com tweets that there are "several potential suitors" making a push for the point guard.
3:34pm: The Grizzlies appear to be moving closer to a deal that would include Rudy Gay, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Tillery reports that Memphis is weighing whether or not to pull the trigger on one of three different scenarios, including one that would send Gay to the Raptors. The Grizzlies have two other potential deals on the table if they and the Raptors can't reach an agreement by this weekend.
Adrian Wojnarowski is also reporting that the Grizzlies and Raptors are making progress on a potential trade. According to Wojnarowski, the two sides have discussed scenarios involving a third team in addition to straight-up scenarios. The Raptors would likely part with Jose Calderon and Ed Davis in any deal (Twitter links).
According to Tillery, in their talks with the Raptors, the Grizzlies are seeking a small forward, a draft pick, and possibly Davis. A third team may have to be involved to acquire Calderon and provide the small forward the Grizzlies are hoping to land. Darrell Arthur would not be involved in that hypothetical trade, says Tillery.
Wojnarowski adds in another tweet that the Grizzlies and Raptors are discussing the potential deal with their respective ownership groups, and could reach an agreement as soon as tonight.
Celtics Notes: Dooling, Rondo, Pierce
Even before news of Rajon Rondo's ACL tear, we figured the Celtics would be a team frequently mentioned in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline. With Rondo on the shelf and the possibility of major changes looming, we'll likely hear even more updates out of Boston as February 21st approaches. Here's the latest:
- Despite rumblings that Keyon Dooling may come out of retirement to play for the Celtics this season, Dooling announced on his Twitter account that he won't be returning to the NBA in 2012/13 (hat tip to Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com).
- Rondo will seek a second opinion on his injury, possibly from renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. According to agent Bill Duffy, he and Rondo are also hoping to speak to other athletes who have suffered ACL injuries, including Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
- While trading Paul Pierce might make some sense on paper, Danny Ainge owes it to Pierce and to fans to let the longtime Celtic finish his career in Boston, opines Gary Dzen of Boston.com. Pierce told reporters yesterday he hopes to retire as a Celtic.
Odds & Ends: Lakers, Johnson, Oden
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News says that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak will likely know by tomorrow about whether or not the NBA will approve their Disabled Player Exception for the injured Jordan Hill (Twitter link). With the roster currently at 14, an exception worth $1.78MM would be a very valuable asset for a team that would have otherwise only have a veteran's minimum deal or a small, pro-rated portion of their mini mid-level exception to offer free agents at this point during the season. You'll find the rest of tonight's miscellaneous links from around the NBA here:
- Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge says the team currently has no needs and will wait and see what transpires over the next few weeks to get a better feel if a move has to be made or not (Adi Joseph of USA Today reports).
- Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman, who recently returned from an 11-game absence for family reasons, sounded like he wanted the team to keep Chris Johnson (LSU) and Mickael Gelabale for the rest of the season, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
- Grizzlies guard Chris Johnson, whose 10-day contract is set to expire on Friday night, is making a strong case to be brought back for another deal, writes Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. GM Chris Wallace described Johnson as a "seamless fit" so far.
- Joseph Goodman of The Miami Herald doesn't think the Heat are the best fit for Greg Oden, citing that if healthy, the former number one overall pick could find more playing time and a better comfort level elsewhere. Even if the team uses its taxpayer mid-level exception to land Oden this summer, Goodman thinks that the luxury tax impact might not be worth the investment either.
- When asked directly about the possibility of playing for the Cavaliers, Oden replied: "I'm worried about the knee. That's it," later saying that it was too early for him to be thinking of a destination. Oden added that he wants to take his rehab slow, and that while he could possibly play today if he wanted to, he wants to avoid the risk of having the same setbackthat he had in Portland (Doug Lesmerises and Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer report).