Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Coon On Lakers, Rockets, Celtics

February 26th, 2012 at 12:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

Salary cap expert and burgeoning Twitter star Larry Coon unleashed a stream of tweets today on several topics. Here are some of the highlights:

The Lakers are considering a swap with the Blazers for point guard Raymond Felton, who was recently benched. The Lakers would be able to fit Felton's $7.5MM salary in using part of their $8.9MM trade exception acquired in the Lamar Odom deal.
Gilbert Arenas could be the fallback option at point guard if the Lakers don't get Felton or Ramon Sessions from the Cavs.
The Rockets are still hot after Pau Gasol, but their unwillingness to part with Kyle Lowry makes a deal with the Lakers unlikely unless additional teams are involved.
In a rumored deal involving Rajon Rondo and Gasol, the Lakers would seek Brandon Bass instead of Jermaine O'Neal. Rondo, Coon says, is "on the outs" in Boston.
If the Celtics are looking to move Ray Allen, Coon reiterated what he's been saying about the interest the Clippers have in him. Complicating such a move is the health of Allen's son, Walker, who has juvenile diabetes and is accustomed to receiving care in the Boston area. The Clippers are also closing in on signing Bobby Simmons.

Odds & Ends: Bogut, Gasol, Kings

February 26th, 2012 at 9:54am CST by Chuck Myron

Peter Vecsey, in the same column in which he revealed the Knicks as potential suitors for Dwight Howard, hears that the Bucks are "definitely open to offers" for Andrew Bogut, who's currently out with a fractured left ankle. He also says the rumored signing of Rasheed Wallace by the Lakers lends credibility to the idea that the team could send Pau Gasol to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo and Jermaine O'Neal. Here's the rest of what's being whispered around All-Star weekend.

Restricted free agent Wilson Chandler's Chinese team has been eliminated from the playoffs, and he's expecting FIBA clearance soon, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Yesterday we noted that Chandler's clearance has been delayed. He's been a target of the Nuggets, his former team, and the Raptors of late.
A meeting today between Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, the Maloof brothers and league officials could be make-or-break for the city's hopes to keep the Kings, writes Sacramento Bee columnist Ailene Voisin.
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com delves into the finer points of the lockout negotiations, and notes how close the league came to canceling the entire season.
Celtics team president Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers must turn into salesmen to attract top free agent talent to Boston as the team looks to replace its aging core, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
To get the Hornets to trade Chris Kaman to the Heat, it would take Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, a price Miami is unwilling to pay, observes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Swingman Mike Dunleavy, who signed a two-year, $7.5MM free-agent deal with the Bucks this past offseason, is getting comfortable in what was already familiar territory in Wisconsin, writes Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It's worth noting, though, that Dunleavy's dad is part of what's reportedly the leading potential ownership group for the Hornets.
Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside chronicles the fall of one-time top prospect Reeves Nelson.
Fred Kerber of the New York Post looks at how free-agent-to-be Deron Williams is showcasing his talents with little help in New Jersey.

Odds & Ends: Howard, Lakers, Durant, Nash

February 25th, 2012 at 4:34pm CST by Daniel Seco

With the likes of Chase Budinger and Jeremy Evans among the Slam Dunk contestants set to do battle on Saturday evening in Orlando, let's take a look around the league to see what else is happening:

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (via Twitter) says he's having a hard time with Dwight Howard's constant line of wanting to push aside distractions and focus on winning. It's Howard, not anyone else, who has created such distractions by making trade demands and by telling his agent to ask for permission to pursue possible deals.
Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com is looking forward to the NBA trade deadline (March 15) and wonders if the Lakers should blow up their roster now or simply wait until the summer. He says that the Celtics are in a similar situation, but is excited to see another group of aging players in the Spurs continue to do well and perhaps threaten for an NBA Finals appearance.
Kevin Durant believes the Hornets can rebuild their franchise through the draft in a similar fashion to his own team, writes John Reid of The Times-Picayune. ''Losing C.P. and David West was tough for the Hornets, but they have Trevor Ariza and I like Gustavo Ayon. You know it's just a matter of time before everything starts to click. But losing your point guard in a lockout shortened season is tough. I love Monty for what he does and stands for.''
Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com says Steve Nash believes Jeremy Lin is the type of player that can succeed in any type of NBA system. While Lin is expected to re-sign with the Knicks this summer, such an endorsement from a marquee player may go a long way to drive up the asking price for the restricted free agent.

Expired Trade Exceptions

February 25th, 2012 at 10:50am CST by Zachary Links

There were a great deal of trade exceptions obtained in the days leading up to last season's February 24th trade deadline and with a full year gone by they have expired. In certain trade scenarios, a team can acquire a traded player exception, which is worth a specific amount of money and can be used at any time over the next year.

For a more detailed refresher on how trade exceptions work, check out our glossary of salary cap exceptions and Larry Coon's CBA FAQ. Here's a look at the exceptions that expired this week..

Feb. 22nd

Nuggets: $4,640,536 (Carmelo Anthony), $1,675,000 (Renaldo Balkman), $854,389 (Shelden Williams)

Feb. 23rd

Hawks: $1,042,320 (Jordan Crawford)
Hornets: $762,195 (Marcus Thornton)
Jazz: $1,815,873 (Deron Williams)

Feb. 24th

Bobcats: $1,486,330 (Gerald Wallace)*
Celtics: $473,604 (Semih Erden), $473,604 (Luke Harangody)

*Charlotte used roughly $1.28MM of this trade exception plus a 2013 second-round pick to acquire center Byron Mullens from the Thunder in December.

Odds & Ends: Celtics, Gasol, Hornets

February 24th, 2012 at 10:52pm CST by Chuck Myron

After two furious months of nights packed with basketball, the first evening of the All-Star break has given the league a chance to exhale. As usual, the celebrity game provided comic relief, and Kyrie Irving's MVP performance in the Rising Stars game provided the only mildly competitive action of the night. Here's what's up as the All-Star rumor mill gets going:

Celtics team president Danny Ainge, who earlier this year left the door open to a major shakeup in Boston, will "only do things that help us in the long-term," he told Paul Flannery of Sportsradio WEEI. He said he won't make a trade before the March 15th deadline just to bring about change, according to the report. Elrod Enchilada of RealGM outlines a plan for if Ainge does decide to break up the team.
The Lakers would seek significant return for Pau Gasol, and nothing appears in the works, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
Ben Golliver of CBSSports.com rounds up the latest on possible buyers for the Hornets. The group that appears to have the inside track is led by Los Angeles businessman Raj Bhathal and includes former NBA player, coach and executive Mike Dunleavy as well as Larry J. Benson, brother of New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson.
Tyler Zeller of North Carolina is currently the only college senior projected by NBADraft.net to be a lottery pick this year, but Pacers All-Star Roy Hibbert demonstrates why teams shouldn't overlook four-year college players, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportsnet.
Jason Kidd, who will be a 39-year-old free agent at season's end, is already seeing the least playing time of his career, averaging 28.3 MPG. Dirk Nowitzki tells Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he doubts Kidd will play in every game during a stretch of nine games in 12 days for the Mavs after the All-Star break.
Mavs guard Delonte West will be out on the market again this summer after signing a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum with Dallas before the season. In a piece by Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News examining West's ups and downs, including his struggle with mental illness, he admits he's been affected by unsubstantiated rumors that he had an affair with LeBron James' mother two years ago. West again denies the claims.
Ryan Anderson, a restricted free agent this summer, was overshadowed in the Vince Carter trade three years ago, is overlooked as Orlando talk centers around Dwight Howard, and is overmatched in the race for Most Improved Player against Jeremy Lin. Still, he continues his sterling play for the Magic this season, writes Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida.
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star wonders whether the lockout achieved its purpose, as players are still using their leverage to get to large markets, a culture of haves and have-nots persists, and two franchises remain in flux.

Atlantic Notes: Iguodala, Celtics, Raptors

February 24th, 2012 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

Here are a few Friday items out of the Atlantic Division, which was home to a Guiness World Record holder for less than an hour this morning….

The Sixers were discussing Andre Iguodala with several teams prior to last year's draft, but the team's new owner have nixed plans to trade him, says Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Recent frontcourt injuries shouldn't prompt the Celtics to make a major splash, but they need to bring in a big man who can defend, rebound, and learn the system, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Washburn names Earl Barron and Kyrylo Fesenko as two potential options for Boston.
After grading Raptors players on their first halves, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun runs through what the future may hold for each player, at the trade deadline and beyond.

Atlantic Notes: Calderon, Lin, Celtics

February 22nd, 2012 at 8:25pm CST by Daniel Seco

With the Knicks scorching the Hawks through three quarters thanks to strong play from Landry Fields, let's take a look around the Atlantic Division to see what else is going on:

Hasan Alanam of Canada.com suggests five possible destinations for Raptors guard Jose Calderon to end up prior to the trade deadline. A trade to the Trail Blazers may be a good fit for both teams as Raymond Felton has struggled immensely since arriving in Portland from Denver last June. The 30-year-old Spaniard has spent his entire seven-year career with the Raptors and is currently averaging 11.2 PPG and 8.8 APG on the season.
On the heels of becoming the first New York City athlete to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated two weeks in a row, Nike announced that they will release a shoe for Knicks guard Jeremy Lin. According to Nina Mandell of the New York Daily News, the shoe will feature the Knicks' orange and blue colors with "Lin" appearing on the back. The 23-year-old star out of Harvard joins Pistons center Ben Wallace as one of the few undrafted NBA players to score a signature sneaker deal.
Celtics head coach Doc Rivers and team general manager Danny Ainge will discuss adding a big man over the All-Star break, says Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. The Celtics have suffered from depth issues due to injuries to Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox among others. Former Lakers forward Derrick Caracter may become an option as he is set to join the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the D-League (via Twitter).

Odds & Ends: Gordon, Chandler, Celtics, Martin

February 22nd, 2012 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

As we look forward to a busy evening schedule highlighted by Hawks/Knicks and Mavericks/Lakers matchups, here are a few Wednesday links that we haven't covered elsewhere:

Asked about the possibility of signing with his hometown Pacers as a restricted free agent this summer, Eric Gordon sounded intrigued by the possibility, as Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star writes. "Coming back here would be a lot of pressure," Gordon said. "But I think it would be good for the fans. We'll see. You never know where this summer will take me."
Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post is curious to see how much money and how many years the Nuggets will offer Wilson Chandler, who may not be a future starter for the team. The Raptors' interest in Chandler may have an impact on his negotiations with Denver as well.
Injuries could force the Celtics to sign or trade for a big man, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld explores what the future holds for Kevin Martin, who doesn't appreciate the way the Rockets are handling his contract situation, according to Ingram.
If the Heat sign Mickell Gladness to a second 10-day contract, it will likely happen after the All-Star break, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. With Joel Przybilla headed to Portland, I'd be surprised if Miami didn't re-sign Gladness, whose first 10-day deal just expired.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Davis, Johnson, Knicks

February 22nd, 2012 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets are pulling out all the stops tonight with Dwight Howard in town — a pyrotechnic display is among the events lined up for the evening. Howard himself doesn't appear eager to answer questions about playing in New Jersey though, having ducked past reporters this morning without comment, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. While Howard and the Magic get ready to face a Nets team missing Kris Humphries, let's check out a few links from around the Atlantic Division….

Paul Flannery of WEEI.com examines what the Celtics' future will look like if the team doesn't make a move before the trade deadline.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com lists a few potential trade targets for the Celtics, in slideshow form.
Don't expect both Ed Davis and Amir Johnson to be Raptors next season, says Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, who thinks the team will trade one of the two.
Though signing J.R. Smith is its only significant recent roster move, the Knicks have the feeling of a team that has been totally overhauled. Marc Berman of the New York Post says the club will need some time to make all its pieces fit.

Atlantic Notes: Humphries, Celtics, Rondo, Knicks

February 21st, 2012 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

It appears his marriage to Kim Kardashian wasn't the only recent relationship that ended prematurely for Kris Humphries. Darren Heitner at Sports Agent Blog writes that, less than a year after firing agent Dan Fegan in favor of Pinnacle Managment's Marc Cornstein, the Nets forward has parted ways with Cornstein and returned to Fegan. The Lagardere Unlimited representative will be tasked with negotiating a new contract for Humphries when he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.

Here are a few more Tuesday updates out of the Atlantic division….

"[Celtics GM] Danny [Ainge] is always going to look for trades," Doc Rivers tells A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. "You know who Danny is. But having said that, I don't think Danny is going to do anything crazy."
The Celtics' coach also tells Blakely that he would prefer to let his injured players get healthy rather than shake up the roster at this point.
Gerry Callahan of the Boston Herald wonders if now may be the best time for the Celtics to trade Rajon Rondo.
The Knicks had interest in recent Cavs signee Manny Harris and may have been considering signing him to replace Jeremy Lin before Lin broke out, tweets Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Though he appears to be healthy, the Knicks' Baron Davis isn't a threat to take too much of Lin's playing time away, says Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.