Kenny Atkinson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Nets, Atkinson

August 7th, 2012 at 5:52pm CST by Ryan Raroque

A few months removed from a tough playoff exit against the Heat and now with added firepower from a busy offseason, anything less than a rematch with Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals would be unfathomable for the Celtics, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston. A panel made up of Celtics bloggers also weighed in on Boston's chances this season, with all predicting an appearance in the conference finals and one of them predicting a championship. Here's more of what we're hearing out of the Atlantic Division tonight:

Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston (via Twitter) noted Celtics guard Avery Bradley's thoughts on Ray Allen leaving Boston: "We’re a family before anything… It’s tough, but we all wish him the best."
Tim Bontemps of the New York Post writes that Nets GM Billy King and head coach Avery Johnson will be in London this week to attend the Olympics, presumably to watch Deron Williams play.
According to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, Tyson Chandler sees the departure of assistant coach Kenny Atkinson to Atlanta as a big loss for the Knicks (Sulia link).

Atlantic Rumors: Garnett, Delfino, Knicks, Teletovic

August 6th, 2012 at 9:36am CST by Chuck Myron

It's not uncommon for NBA players to own a stake in other sports. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are joint owners of a racehorse, and LeBron James is a part of Fenway Sports Group, the parent company of baseball's Boston Red Sox and English soccer club Liverpool FC. Nonetheless, the NBA will not permit Kevin Garnett to invest in AS Roma, an Italian soccer team, because Celtics minority owner James Pallotta is already one of the club's owners, as Frank Dell’Apa of the Boston Globe reported this weekend. We've got more on the C's and their Atlantic Division rivals here:

Celtics coach Doc Rivers tells the Argentinian website Ole (translation via HoopsHype) that the team has looked into signing Carlos Delfino and wishes they had the money to get a deal done. The Hawks, Pacers, Rockets and Cavaliers have also been linked to the 6'6" swingman, who's reportedly seeking a multiyear deal.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News hears Knicks assistant coach Kenny Atkinson is nearing a deal to take a similar position with the Hawks. Atkinson is the lone remaining holdover from the staff of former Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni. Jeremy Lin credited Atkinson for helping him to his sensational play this past season.
Nets signee Mirza Teletovic spoke to Drago Perko of Kosarka.si, a Slovenian website, about his decision to come to Brooklyn (translation via NetsDaily). The 6'9" forward said he held off on jumping to the NBA for two or three years, and is focused on winning championships. He paid a $2MM buyout to Caja Laboral of Spain to get out his deal overseas and sacrificed close to another $2MM to sign for the taxpayer's mid-level exception instead of the full mid-level with the Nets so the team wouldn't be hard-capped this season.