Atlantic Notes: Nets, Deron Williams, Sean Williams
The Nets are playing their final game in New Jersey tonight, against the Sixers, and many of the franchise's most prominent figures took part in a ceremony tonight, including Micheal Ray Richardson, Darryl Dawkins, Kenny Anderson and, via video, Jason Kidd. Here's the latest on the Nets of today, as well as other news from the division:
- Nets CEO Brett Yormark talks about reasons why the franchise found the New Jersey market so difficult in a Q&A with Dave D'Alessandro of the Star-Ledger.
- New Jersey governor Chris Christie had harsh words for the Nets upon their departure, saying "there will be no tears shed on my part," as Jenna Portnoy notes on NJ.com. The governor also tweeted a video of his comments (hat tip to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News).
- Avery Johnson is optimistic Deron Williams will re-sign with the Nets, Bondy tweets, though the coach won't say why he feels that way.
- Sean Williams was surprised to learn that the Celtics were interested in signing him, observes Peter May of ESPNBoston.com. Williams is looking to put his troubled past behind him, as A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes.
Odds & Ends: Horford, 2014, Celtics, Hudson, Cavs
Hawks center Al Horford will return from a pectoral injury on Thursday after saying earlier today he thought he would miss the playoffs, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
As Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes, Horford's comments over the last few days sent mixed signals on his playoff eligibility, so this latest development shouldn't come as too much of surprise. Still, it's a huge boost for the Hawks, even though he'll be limited to 15 minutes a game in the first round. Atlanta's frontcourt has been so depleted lately that Josh Smith started at center against the Knicks yesterday.
Here are a few more Monday links from around the league:
- One Western Conference executive tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that he believes the 2014 free agent class could be even better than the heralded group from 2010. Unrestricted free agents Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Danny Granger could be joined by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony, who are among those with player options.
- The Celtics did their homework before they signed Sean Williams, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Although Williams has had off-court issues in the past, the Mavericks informed the Celtics that they had not waived the 25-year-old for disciplinary reasons.
- Signing with his hometown Grizzlies was a dream scenario for Lester Hudson, says Ron Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio writes that Cavaliers GM Chris Grant and his scouting staff seem to have an eye for D-League talent, having signed Hudson and Donald Sloan this season.
Odds & Ends: Evans, Lewis, McGee, Bradley
On this day in 1996, the Bulls defeated the Bullets 103-93 to finish the season with a 72-10 record, which eclipsed the 1972 Lakers‘ 69-13 mark. The W also earned Chicago their 33rd road victory, the most ever in a season by an NBA team. Here’s a look at today’s items from around the Association..
- Tyreke Evans‘ agent, Arn Tellem, was in town yesterday for a meeting with Kings president Geoff Petrie and management about his client, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. The two sides didn’t talk about a contract extension or a potential trade for Evans but did discuss where he stands with the team going forward.
- Wizards forward Rashard Lewis is a likely candidate to be bought out this summer, but the 32-year-old believes that he has plenty of basketball left in him, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- There are still times when JaVale McGee misses Washington, but the big man is happy to be with the Nuggets, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. McGee won’t say much about his impending free agency but says that he wouldn’t mind coming back to Denver.
- Avery Bradley has gone from question mark to future cornerstone for the Celtics’ long-term rebuilding project, writes Paul Flannery of WEEI.com.
Celtics Sign Sean Williams, Waive Jermaine O’Neal
6:36pm: Williams joined his new teammates at shootaround today. The BC product told the Boston Herald that he likes Boston and that he has matured since he was suspended twice in college:
“It’s not about my career – it’s more about my life and getting better in everything. All of your experiences, you take them with you. Hopefully you make the best out of the next step you take, every day.
“I like Boston. In the league you get to know everybody pretty well. I played summer ball with some of the guys, and I played with Keyon (Dooling) in New Jersey. Just try to come in and get to know everybody, get a feel for them, and hopefully they get a feel for you. I’ve talked to a lot of people, and this is a very tight-knit organization led by Doc and KG, and the key is to fall in line and follow those leaders. Then you work hard every day.”
9:38am: The Celtics have officially signed Sean Williams and waived Jermaine O'Neal, the team announced in a press release. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported yesterday that the pair of roster moves was expected.
Williams, 25, spent most of the season with the Mavericks before he was waived to clear a roster spot for Kelenna Azubuike. The Mavs shuttled Williams back and forth between their NBA squad and their D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends. While the big man appeared in just eight games for Dallas, he played 27 games for the Legends, averaging 15.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game. Because he was waived prior to the March buyout deadline, Williams will be eligible for the postseason and will provide frontcourt depth for the Celtics.
O'Neal underwent surgery on his left wrist in March, sidelining him for the season. Since he was in the last year of his contract, there was no reason for the Celtics to keep him on the roster. He'll become a free agent and figures to sign with a new team this summer.
Ray Allen Unsure About Future With Celtics
Ray Allen came close to being traded out of Boston last month, and will again face the possibility of changing teams this summer. Talking to Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald about his impending free agency, Allen suggested that he'd prefer not to settle for a one-year deal this offseason.
"I don’t want to go into this season, like I have in past seasons, worrying about whether I was going to be traded or not," Allen said. "For all of us, you deal with that over the course of your career, but wherever I end up after this summer, that has to be the No. 1 mandate. At this time I owe it to my family to be ultimately selfish, because I’ve been a very unselfish team player, and I’ll always do that. But when it comes to myself and my family, I have to make sure that I don’t rock their worlds or put them off kilter in any fashion."
Allen is in his fifth season as a Celtic, having signed a two-year deal in July 2010 to remain in Boston. Asked about whether he'll be wearing a Celtics uniform next season, The 36-year-old said it's "hard to say" and acknowledged that his best chance to earn one final ring could come in another city. Whatever happens this summer, the veteran sharpshooter definitely wants to continue his career, and isn't ready to talk about retirement yet.
"The landscape always changes over the summer," Allen said. "Just from what I see around the NBA, there’s a lot of teams that look forward to having me. I just want to be somewhere where I’m valued, cherished and I can go out and play."
Celtics Close To Signing Sean Williams
With a notoriously depleted front court that's forced Kevin Garnett to man the center position, the Celtics are close to signing free agent center Sean Williams, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein. To make room, Boston will waive Jermaine O'Neal.
After playing eight games with Dallas earlier this season, Williams was waived by the Mavericks on March 22. The timing fortuitously came just one day before the league's deadline to give Williams eligibility to play beyond the regular season and into the playoffs for the Celtics.
With the foul prone Greg Stiemsma serving as Garnett's backup, and the recently signed Ryan Hollins filling in as the team's emergency big man, the signing of Williams gives Boston an athletic 25-year-old center to help in case the team suffers yet another injury during the postseason.
Odds & Ends: Magloire, Curry, Hudson, Stiemsma
A few Thursday odds and ends from around the Association….
- The Raptors hope to bring Jamaal Magloire back next season, coach Dwane Casey tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.
- Stephen Curry told reporters, including Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, that "it would be great" if he and the Warriors could work out a contract extension this year. However, he acknowledged that it may be difficult for the two sides to agree on his value right now, given his injury-plagued 2011/12 campaign.
- Lester Hudson's second 10-day contract with the Cavaliers has expired and Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wonders if he'll be re-signed. It's believed that Hudson is drawing interest from teams besides Cleveland, says Reed.
- If you're going to tank to score a good draft position, this is the year to do it, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
- Greg Stiemsma is "absolutely" interested in returning to the Celtics next season, as he tells Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com.
- Hornets GM Dell Demps and coach Monty Williams deserve to be retained by new ownership, writes John DeShazier of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Celtics Rumors: Allen, Pierce, Mayo
The Celtics clinched their fifth straight Atlantic Division crown last night, but it was no ordinary division title for the Big Three, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com, who notes that the team was two games under .500 at the All-Star break.
Even as the Celtics locked up the Atlantic, the latest updates out of Boston revolved around yesterday's report about failed deadline deals involving Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Let's round up a few of them….
- Doc Rivers appeared on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Show and addressed the Allen and Pierce rumors, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com. The Celtics coach confirmed that the Allen trade was close, though he says it was GM Danny Ainge that called the veteran guard about the deal.
- Rivers on the failed Pierce-to-the-Nets trade: "That wasn't close at all. That had no chance."
- Allen deserved better treatment from the Celtics, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Washburn says Allen's demeanor has changed over the last few weeks, and that the likelihood of the sharpshooter returning to Boston next season may have diminished.
- According to Donny Marshall on CSNNE, O.J. Mayo didn't have much interest in becoming a Celtic, and the Nets turned down the proposal involving Pierce.
Southwest Rumors: Hornets, Allen, Mayo, Kidd
Let's check in on a few Wednesday updates out of the Southwest Division….
- The Hornets are expected to waive Chris Johnson and sign another big man to replace him, reports John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. With Chris Kaman and Emeka Okafor likely done for the season, New Orleans is lacking in frontcourt depth, and Johnson hasn't played in over two weeks since he suffered a concussion.
- Following up on the Ray Allen/O.J. Mayo trade rumor from Yahoo! Sports, Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal says he heard the Celtics' asking price also included Mike Conley, Dante Cunningham, and Josh Selby in a large deal that included draft picks. The Grizzlies didn't want to give up so many assets to rent Allen, says Tillery.
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld examines whether or not Mayo has a place in the Grizzlies' future.
- Asked if he could see Jason Kidd becoming a coach when his playing career ends, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle replied, "He'll probably be an owner" (Twitter link via Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
Celtics Nearly Traded Ray Allen To Grizzlies
Although the Celtics ended up standing pat at last month's trade deadline, the team was close to making one or two blockbuster moves and breaking up its Big Three, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
According to Wojnarowski, Ray Allen received a phone call from Celtics coach Doc Rivers, telling him he'd been traded to the Grizzlies for a package that included O.J. Mayo and a draft pick. However, shortly after the call, Allen received word that the deal had fallen apart.
The Celtics also had serious discussions with the Nets about a deal that would've sent Paul Pierce to New Jersey in exchange for Mehmet Okur and a lottery pick, says Wojnarowski. Grantland's Bill Simmons wrote of those talks last week, noting that the Nets eventually elected to acquire Gerald Wallace from Portland for a similar package (one which also included Shawne Williams).
While the Celtics have played their best basketball of the season since the deadline and are a popular choice to upset the Bulls or Heat in the Eastern playoffs, the team's failed trades are interesting to consider. Had they made those deals, Boston would be heading into the summer armed with three first-round picks and even more cap flexibility, without Pierce on next year's books. We'll see if the Celtics' Big Three has one more run left to reward GM Danny Ainge's deadline decision to stand pat.