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Atlantic Links: Bynum, Knicks, Green

March 21st, 2013 at 8:11pm CST by Ryan Raroque

With an All-Star appearance and two championships on his resume, Andrew Bynum looked primed to stake his claim as the Eastern Conference's premier center after joining the 76ers last summer. Unfortunately, injury setbacks have kept Bynum from suiting up in a regular season game in Philadelphia, and a huge question mark looms over his future as he approaches free agency this summer. ESPN's Chris Broussard, who originally thought that the 76ers were the biggest beneficiaries of the Dwight Howard trade, spoke with six other NBA executives about how they would handle the 7-foot center's contract situation this summer (Insiders only). Although they each offer unique approaches, it's not much of a surprise that none would offer a max contract. Here's more out of the Atlantic Division:

Jared Zwerling and Ian Begley of ESPN New York discussed the latest on the Knicks, most notably about the health of Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert. Begley also added that he thinks that the team will revisit adding another player before the playoffs start, being that it would be a big gamble to start the postseason with three players unavailable due to season-ending injuries.
Newsday's Barbara Baker says that Shumpert appears healthy today after a scare during last night's game against the Magic, when the second year guard said he felt a "pop" in the same knee that he suffered an ACL injury almost one year ago.
Tim Smith of the New York Daily News talks about Kenyon Martin's resurgence with the Knicks as the former number one pick fills in for the team's injured big men.
Danny Ainge told Salk and Holley of 93.7 WEEI FM that Celtics swingman Jeff Green is starting to prove that he deserves to be on the court for "most minutes of the game" (Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com reports).

Atlantic Links: Martin, Knicks, Sixers, Green

March 8th, 2013 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks lost a nailbiter at Madison Square Garden last night against the Thunder, but still hold a three-game lead in the Atlantic Division. Tonight, the Nets and Celtics will host the Wizards and Hawks, respectively, as they look to make up a half-game in the standings. Here's the latest out of the Atlantic:

Kenyon Martin played a season-high 17 minutes last night, and made a strong case for a rest-of-season contract, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. As Zwerling notes, Ronnie Brewer, the player the Knicks traded to Oklahoma City to clear a spot for Martin, received a DNP-CD for the Thunder.
In a video for Philly.com, Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Noah Coslov of CineSport argue that it doesn't make sense for the Sixers to re-sign Andrew Bynum in free agency this summer.
Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald spoke to Jeff Green about the heart condition that kept him out of action last season, and the trade that originally sent him to the Celtics for Kendrick Perkins. "I didn’t put that pressure on myself, but I felt that people put pressure on me to be who Kendrick was," Green said. "We were two different people and players, and I don’t think people understood that. This was one of the true Celtics who was leaving, and they figured since I was coming in that I was going to be the same. But we’re two different players, two different personalities."

Josh Smith Rumors: Wednesday

February 20th, 2013 at 10:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Josh Smith appears to be the big-name player most likely to be moved before tomorrow's trade deadline, and Tuesday brought plenty of updates and rumors on his potential destination. We rounded up those updates right here, and we'll track today's news here, with any new items added to the top of the page throughout the day:

"Source after source" informs HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy that Smith will be dealt by the deadline (Twitter link).
With the Suns apparently standing pat despite a report classifying them as the frontrunner for Smith, it looks like the Bucks are in the lead for Atlanta's athletic power forward, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. The Bucks are willing to risk losing Smith in free agency, but chances are strong that he'll re-up in Milwaukee for the right price, according to Deveney. Still, Milwaukee won't include John Henson or Larry Sanders in any deal for Smith.
Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio believes the Nets are the frontrunners, with Milwaukee a darkhorse (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

Smith is open to playing with the Bucks even if Monta Ellis is not around, reports Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link).
Despite a report previously stating that the Nets are “solely focused” on Smith, a league source says that is definitely not the case, according to Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld.
The Suns, Bucks, and Nets are currently viewed as the three most likely destinations for Smith, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
A source tells Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today that it's not inconceivable the Hawks hang on to Smith through the deadline. With a huge amount of cap space available this summer, Atlanta could still re-sign the forward to a reasonable contract if another club doesn't make him the max offer he's seeking.

Celtics Rumors: Josh Smith, Rondo, Dwight, Pierce

February 16th, 2013 at 1:38pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics have been, by far, the most active team in trade rumors since yesterday evening, with news of talks about sending Kevin Garnett to the Clippers coming on the heels of the Rajon Rondo/Dwight Howard rumor. In the meantime, Garnett has said he's not waiving his no-trade clause, telling reporters he wants to "live and die green." Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has strongly denied any Rondo/Howard discussion. Still, it appears it will be quite a ride for Boston fans between now and Thursday's trade deadline. Here's the latest:

Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times reported earlier that the Celtics are offering Jeff Green and Brandon Bass in a deal to acquire Josh Smith, but A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets that the C's don't have a lot of interest in a two-for-one deal like that, since injuries have left them shorthanded.
Likewise, Boston would probably have to give up more players than it gets in a deal with the Lakers involving Rondo and Howard, as Blakely points out. The CSNNE.com scribe hears the Celtics and Lakers have had discussions with each other, but not about a Rondo/Howard deal.
With regard to a Rondo-for-Howard swap, Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets that "something's going on there," adding that all he knows for sure is that the Celtics are trying everything right now. Had Garnett consented to a trade, the Celtics would have "aggressively" pursued a deal to send Paul Pierce away, too, Amico writes.

Celtics Rumors: Garnett, Downs, Green

February 15th, 2013 at 6:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics enter the All-Star break winners of eight of their last nine, with a three-point loss to the league-worst Bobcats as the only blemish. Boston is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, but just five games back of the Knicks, with whom the C's would matchup if the playoffs began today. Coach Doc Rivers discussed some of the options available as the team looks to bolster its depleted roster, and we've also heard today about the Boston's interest in Luke Ridnour. There's plenty more from the back bay, and we'll round it up here:

Appearing on ESPN Radio, Kevin Garnett said that his recent comments about playing in his last All-Star Game weren't meant to hint at retirement, though he added that he doesn't expect to play until he's 40 (audio link).
We've already heard the Celtics are taking a look at Jannero Pargo and Delonte West, and A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com adds 6'8" small forward Micah Downs to the names on the team's list. Even though the Celtics have greater needs at other positions, Rivers said he'd rather have the best player available, no matter the position.
Rivers, in his comments to WEEI, noted that the Chinese league's season is ending soon as he discussed possible signing targets. The CBA regular season ends Sunday, freeing guys whose teams failed to make the postseason, while others will become available once their squads have been eliminated. Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com examines 10 Chinese leaguers who could help the Celtics.
Jeff Green's four-year, $36.24MM contract includes $1.04MM worth of incentives, at least some of which are tied to his rebounding, as Jackie MacMullan of ESPNBoston.com reveals. "That one area was our biggest concern," Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said. "To me, it's not a lack of effort. It's about bad habits. I don't think Jeff has ever focused on rebounding in his life, from what I can tell."

Celtics Notes: Pierce, Hunter, Melo, Green

February 2nd, 2013 at 11:16am CST by Sean Highkin

The Boston Celtics have suffered two major setbacks in the past week, as Rajon Rondo's torn ACL and Jared Sullinger's back surgery will keep them both out the remainder of the 2012/13 season. Here are the latest rumors and notes surrounding the team on Saturday morning:

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes that Paul Pierce wants new leadership for the NBPA. After Derek Fisher placed executive director Billy Hunter on indefinite leave on Friday, Pierce told Washburn that the recent NBPA drama indicates that the current administration is not working.
The Celtics have activated Fab Melo, and he should see some playing time in the wake of Sullinger's injury, Washburn writes. Melo has only appeared in one game for the Celtics this season.
GM Danny Ainge told Washburn that the team will fill the two roster spots that formerly belonged to Jarvis Varnado and Kris Joseph before the trade deadline.
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes that Jeff Green has stepped up for Boston following their recent injury woes and become a consistent contributor.

Stein’s Latest: Gasol, Celtics, Smith, Jazz

February 2nd, 2013 at 8:53am CST by Sean Highkin

ESPN.com's Marc Stein has posted his latest Weekend Dime column, featuring updates on several prominent players whose names have been featured in trade rumors ahead of the February 21 deadline. Here are the highlights of Stein's report:

Stein doesn't believe the Lakers will trade Pau Gasol before the deadline, although the Raptors are making a push to acquire him with a package built around Andrea Bargnani.
Although the Clippers have shown no indication of wanting to trade Eric Bledsoe, a swap of the third-year guard to the Celtics for Paul Pierce could make the most sense for both sides, Stein writes.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge recognizes that Pierce and Kevin Garnett don't have the value that would likely make it worth trading then, so he may instead look to move Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, or Jeff Green to get the team under the luxury tax threshold.
The Hawks have been gauging trade interest in Josh Smith, Stein reports. Although they are very open to moving the forward, there is hesitance because other teams don't want to risk him walking in free agency and Atlanta doesn't want to take on long-term salary.
Executives around the league don't expect the Jazz to trade Al Jefferson, saying they will either move Paul Millsap instead or stand pat.
Given their ownership situation, the Kings will likely not make any moves before the deadline. There has been interest in Tyreke Evans, although DeMarcus Cousins remains untouchable.
The Trail Blazers are not looking to make any moves that will help them in the short term, preferring to preserve their flexibility.
Teams expect the Magic to trade J.J. Redick, but executives tell Stein that GM Rob Hennigan is asking for young talent or draft picks for the veteran sharpshooter.

Celtics Rumors: Pierce, Green, Lee, Bass

January 22nd, 2013 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

In 2011/12, the Celtics were up and down over those first two months, compiling a 16-17 record in the first half of the lockout-shortened schedule. For the rest of the season, Boston went 23-10, locking up another Atlantic Division title. A year later, the Celtics are approaching the midway point with a mediocre 20-20 record, but if their track record is any indication, it's not time to panic yet. Here's the latest out of Boston:

While the Celtics are always aggressive about pursuing possible deals, it's not likely they consider moving Paul Pierce unless they get an All-Star-caliber player in return, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
When discussing trades with the C's, most teams are looking at guys like Jeff Green, Courtney Lee, and Brandon Bass, according to Kyler. However, none of those players is an attractive enough trade chip to bring back a significant return.
Celtics president Danny Ainge tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald that he's not expecting to make a big splash before the deadline: "Realistically, I don’t see major changes coming. Of course we’re trying to get better, and any deal that was available that could help us, you obviously do that. But we’re not just trying to make any deal. We’re not selling the team off or anything like that. We’re trying to win with what we have right now. That’s got to be our first objective."

Eastern Notes: Cavaliers, Green, Lopez

December 9th, 2012 at 10:39pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Jason Lloyd of the Beacon Journal debunks the misconception that the Cavaliers will be forced to spend big in free agency this summer as a result of the NBA's minimum team salary floor requirement. Next season, teams will be required to spend at least 90 percent of the league's salary cap number next year. Although Cleveland's total amount of committed salaries could fall short of that number, Lloyd points out that the Cavs will be allowed to make up for the difference by dispersing the remaining required amount to its players. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

After initial struggles, Jeff Green appears to be looking more like the player the Celtics envisioned when they inked him to a 4-year, $36MM deal this summer, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com
Brook Lopez's recovery from a sprained right foot hasn't progressed as quickly as the Nets have hoped, writes Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York.
Count George Karl among those who thinks that Knicks star Carmelo Anthony is primed to eventually win an NBA title (Matt Ehalt of ESPN New York reports).
Pacers head coach Frank Vogel is considering more playing time for guard Ben Hansbrough and forward Jeff Pendergraph at the expense of those who have been struggling in Indiana's current second unit lately.
Several of HoopsWorld's analysts weighed in on who they feel are the most surprising teams in the NBA thus far. Out of the Eastern conference, they referenced the Knicks' dominance, the Bobcats' improvement compared to last season, and the Raptors' difficulty in living up to expectations.
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times says that the ticket to Bulls forward Jimmy Butler earning playing time has been his defensive versatility.
John Denton of NBA.com examines the niche that Moe Harkless has found with coach Jacque Vaughn, who likes the progression his rookie has made in the starting rotation. Denton also provides a minor update the current statuses of Hedo Turkoglu and Al Harrington, saying that while Turkoglu still appears to be out indefinitely, Harrington could return in the next two weeks.
Raptors guard Alan Anderson went through his workout today without any pain and believes that he is one practice away from returning (Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun reports).

Odds & Ends: Celtics, Raptors, Trail Blazers

November 29th, 2012 at 5:42pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston heard from head coach Doc Rivers that the Celtics could decide to recall Kris Joseph and possibly Fab Melo up from the D-League while Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox are out of action. More notably, after Danny Ainge told WEEI radio that Rajon Rondo would be given a two game suspension (Twitter link), Rivers gave the impression that the team won't necessarily try to make any subsequent roster moves anytime soon. You can find more of tonight's miscellaneous links from the Association here:

HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy says (via Twitter) that the Raptors are weighing their free agent options at the small forward position.
Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey told Joe Freeman of The Oregonian of his plans to use D-League assignments accordingly for Victor Claver, Joel Freeland, Will Barton, and Nolan Smith. While Olshey thinks that his young players are currently benefitting through their NBA experience, he believes the best time to send them to the Idaho Stampede (their D-League affiliate) would be after they have built a good enough foundation with the coaching staff and need significant minutes to continue developing.
According to Anthony Slater of NewsOK, Thunder GM Sam Presti was spotted at Oklahoma State University's basketball practice to supposedly begin scouting Marcus Smart and Le'Bryan Nash, two college prospects who are currently touted as potential first round picks.
The Nets announced that the right foot sprain which Brook Lopez suffered during last night's game is unrelated to the foot injury he sustained last season, and added that he is only expected to miss the next two games (Howard Beck of the New York Times reports).