Celtics Notes: Tatum, Morris, Yabusele, Irving
The Sixers had strong interest in Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum after landing the third pick in this year’s lottery, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Philadelphia sent a large group to Los Angeles to watch Tatum work out, and the Duke freshman’s talents on offense were obvious. “He had sort of a different type of NBA game where a lot of his workout was at that sort of Carmelo [Anthony] isolation, the 18-foot spot where he can turn and face and have a series of moves that we felt like actually could translate to the NBA,” said Sixers coach Brett Brown. “And then he started picking and popping and shooting NBA threes. But his offensive ability stood out, and the person stood out.”
Tatum had a sense that he was headed to Philadelphia, with Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball projected as the top picks. That was before the Sixers completed a trade to get the number one selection from Boston, a deal that Tatum knows will probably link him with Fultz for as long as they’re both in the NBA. “It’ll be interesting to see how things play out over the years,” Tatum said.
There’s more today out of Boston:
NBA GMs Weigh In On 2017/18 Season
NBA.com has completed its annual survey of NBA general managers, with John Schuhmann of NBA.com asking each of the league’s 30 GMs an array of questions about the league’s top teams, players, and coaches. To no one’s surprise, the Warriors are viewed by the NBA’s general managers as the overwhelming favorite to win the 2017/18 championship, with 28 of 30 GMs (93%) picking Golden State to repeat.
While there are many responses in the GM survey worth checking out, we’ll focus on rounding up some of the more interesting ones related to rosters and player movement. Let’s dive in…
- Although half of the league’s GMs picked LeBron James as the 2017/18 MVP winner, LeBron only finished third in voting for the player GMs would want to start a franchise with today. Karl-Anthony Towns (29%) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (21%) were the top vote-getters for that question.
- NBA general managers loved the Thunder‘s acquisition of Paul George. George received 59% of the vote for which offseason addition would make the biggest impact, easily beating out Jimmy Butler (17%), Chris Paul (10%), and Kyrie Irving (7%). Additionally, Oklahoma City was chosen as the team that made the best offseason moves, with 43% of the vote. The Celtics (25%), Timberwolves (14%), and Rockets (11%) were runners-up.
- The Nuggets‘ signing of Paul Millsap (24%) and the Pistons‘ trade for Avery Bradley (17%) were regarded by NBA GMs as the most underrated acquisitions of the summer.
- The Timberwolves (69%) were the runaway choice for most improved team, beating out the Sixers (17%) and a handful of other clubs. Of course, it’s worth noting that Minnesota was also the GMs’ pick for that question a year ago.
- While Dennis Smith Jr. of the Mavericks (37%) was voted the biggest steal of the 2017 draft, most GMs expect Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball (62%) to win the Rookie of the Year award.
Atlantic Notes: Irving, Porzingis, Embiid
It hasn’t taken long for Kyrie Irving to gel with his new Celtics teammates, Marc D’Amico of the Celtics’ official website writes. The newly acquired point guard has made an effort to approach his new teammates on the bus and at practice in order to make the transition more comfortable.
Of course Irving’s performance has wowed a Celtics teammate or two as well. Through training camp, Irving has impressed Al Horford with his uncanny ability to finish shots and frustrated Terry Rozier with his slippery offensive game. “He’s a tough one to guard, probably one of the toughest guys I’ve ever had to guard in my life,” Rozier said.
After putting up 25.2 points and 5.8 assists per game in his final season with the Cavaliers, Irving will look to provide much-needed star power to a Celtics squad eager to take the next step toward contention. Irving may well be the player on the roster with the highest ceiling ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:
- There was a strategic effort in place to keep Kristaps Porzingis from getting caught up in the trade rumors that involved him last summer. The Knicks forward recently told ESPN’s Ian Begley that his brothers – who double as his unofficial spokespeople – made sure to keep his attention on basketball.
- There’s a coordinated song and dance that goes in to pulling off the perfect free agent signing. New Raptors general manager Bobby Webster spoke with Eric Koreen of The Athletic about how the club’s decision to trade DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph impacted their signing of C.J. Miles.
- Despite the fact that he’s been busy playing basketball all offseason – thanks to EuroBasket 2017 – Dario Saric look as impressive as ever, Brian Seltzer of the Sixers‘ official site writes.
- Second-year big man Joel Embiid has impressed teammates in his return to five-on-five action, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Embiid needs to get back into game shape, Robert Covington says, but has otherwise looked good.
Celtics Notes: Irving, Ainge, Pierce, Morris
Kyrie Irving addressed the circumstances surrounding his desire to leave Cleveland during an appearance this morning on ESPN’s First Take (Twitter link). The All-Star point guard dismissed the idea that his trade demand was motivated by a desire to get away from LeBron James, according to a post from Chris Forsberg on ESPN Now. But Irving also told the hosts he didn’t inform James before making the request and doesn’t care if the Cavaliers star took it as a personal insult. “Why would I have to?” Irving responded to a question over whether he talked to James before meeting with owner Dan Gilbert.
Irving also discussed the loss of a potential “supermax” designated veteran extension by changing teams, saying “You can’t put a price on happiness,” relays ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Twitter link). He responded to a question on whether he can win a title without James, first by saying “time will tell,” then “absolutely.”
There’s more today out of Boston:
- President of basketball operations Danny Ainge may regret not trying harder to get Jimmy Butler from the Bulls when he was available, writes Shaun Powell of NBA.com in his season preview of the Celtics. He states that Ainge could have easily topped Minnesota’s offer and that Butler would have provided a greater upgrade than switching Isaiah Thomas for Irving. Powell speculates that Ainge was reluctant to give Thomas a max extension next summer considering his hip problems and his age.
- Paul Pierce, who signed a one-day deal with the Celtics in July so he could retire in Boston, is sharing his knowledge with the organization’s younger players, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. He has taken a particular interest in Jayson Tatum, the Celtics’ first-rounder, who has a skill set similar to Pierce’s. “I feel I can help out this young generation and impact that way,” said Pierce, who has landed a job as an ESPN analyst. “I can still talk about the game. I enjoy talking about the game, being around it; traveling to see games. It’s always going to be in my blood. It’s what I’ve been doing my whole life. So, it’s gonna be hard to completely pull me away from the game.”
- Opening arguments were set to begin today in the felony assault trial for Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris, according to The Associated Press. The trial regarding a 2015 beating incident is expected to last 10 days and will conflict with the start of training camp. The Celtics acquired Marcus Morris from this Pistons this summer in a deal to free up cap room to sign Gordon Hayward.
Central Notes: Wade, Irving, Quicken Loans Arena
While there’s reason to believe that Dwyane Wade would graciously accept a buyout from the Bulls, he’s not going to put up a fuss about it, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Wade, after all, has 23.8 million reasons to put up with being a good sport for the rest of the season.
It’s been said that Wade started hoping for a buyout following the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves. If that deal serves as the symbolic beginning of Chicago’s rebuild, then it doesn’t make an awful lot of sense for the Bulls, as an organization, to continue paying such an exorbitant amount for a 35-year-old that isn’t particularly motivated to stay there.
Wade averaged a respectable 18.3 points per game for the Bulls last season and could no doubt contribute to a contender should he be bought out and freed up to sign with one. That said, the 15-year-veteran has a solid reputation, not to mention a legacy, to uphold during the final years of his career.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- According to Iman Shumpert, the Cavaliers weren’t exactly surprised when Kyrie Irving asked to be traded, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. Shumpert adds that Irving didn’t have anything against LeBron James, just that he was eager to move on.
- The Bulls have named Jannero Pargo the new head coach of their Windy City G League team, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
- Construction has begun at Quicken Loans Arena, Jay Miller of Crains writes. The renovations of the Cavaliers‘ stadium were originally scheduled in June but held up by citizens groups that pushed for a referendum regarding the use of tax money for the project.
- Despite only suiting up for seven games during his rookie year, Diamond Stone finds himself on his fourth team since getting drafted last summer. His latest opportunity, with the Bulls, could be his best yet, Dan Santaromita of CSN Chicago writes.
Celtics Notes: Irving, Horford, Morris, Smart
Clippers head coach Doc Rivers left the Celtics several years ago as Boston entered a rebuilding period, so he’s as impressed as anyone with how quickly the C’s have managed to retool their roster and become a legit contender. As Stephen Hewitt of The Boston Herald details, Rivers still has a fondness for Boston, along with many members of the organization, and admires the work the front office has done in recent years.
“[I] love Danny (Ainge), love (owner Steve Pagliuca), that whole group, and I just want them to do well. I really do,” Rivers said. “I love what they’ve done. I think the turnaround in four years starting with hiring Brad (Stevens). … (Ainge) and (assistant general manager) Mike Zarren have done the best job I’ve seen in sports in a long, long time of rebuilding. Maybe ever.”
Rivers also had praise this week specifically for the acquisition of Kyrie Irving. Attending a fundraising event in Boston, Rivers joked that he’d rather have seen Irving land in Los Angeles, but expects the young point guard to thrive with the Celtics.
“This is a perfect situation for him,” Rivers said. “The Celtics gave up a lot to get him, but he’s 25 years old and that’s the other thing people forget about: He’s so young. He’s going to be a star here for a long time.”
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge answered questions this week about completing the Irving trade, why Boston was willing to give up so much to get him, and how Irving and Gordon Hayward will mesh on the court (video link).
- Although Al Horford spent a good chunk of last season playing power forward, the Celtics sound as if they’re leaning toward having him start the 2017/18 campaign at center, per ESPN’s Zach Lowe (link via Jay King of MassLive.com). That would allow Boston to start Horford alongside a power forward like Marcus Morris rather than a center like Aron Baynes.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com provides an update on the upcoming trial for Morris and his brother Markieff Morris, who face aggravated assault charges.
- Marcus Smart, who is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, said this week that he’s lost 20 pounds since the end of last season and feels more “explosive” than he used to (Twitter link via Taylor C. Snow of Celtics.com). Smart also spoke about the trade that sent Isaiah Thomas to Cleveland, suggesting that losing Thomas “still feels unreal” (video link via CSNNE.com).
- Michael Lee of The Vertical spoke to some of Irving’s old coaches, who believe the star point guard is ready to show that he can be a franchise player.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Embiid, Celtics
A pair of Knicks bigs have turned heads at EuroBasket 2017 and that bodes well for the future of the franchise. Between Kristaps Porzingis‘ offensive showcase with Latvia and Willy Hernangomez‘s dominance in the post with Spain, New York fans ought to be drooling with anticipation, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.
Squashing any concerns about a knee bruise that kept Porzingis out of some exhibition games with his national team, the 7’3″ Knicks forward has flaunted his length, range and just about everything else that’s made him such a tantalizing, unique NBA package. Through two games so far, Porzingis has averaged 22.5 points per game.
Hernangomez may not have pumped out any similarly viral highlight reel plays through his first two games in the tournament but the 23-year-old has stepped up as a foundational component of his Spanish team. The 18 points and nine boards he dropped in 20 minutes during the club’s opener is reminiscent of his impressive string of performances for the Knicks in the second half of 2016/17.
Even Knicks forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas, Berman writes, has looked impressive through three EuroBasket games averaging 16.0 points per match.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers need to figure out the best way to handle Joel Embiid‘s contract extension – our very own Dana Garauder wrote about it here – but one thing that can’t be overlooked when weighing injury risks and production is the impact that Embiid has on the Sixers brand. “He’s got the public on his side,” a league source told Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times. “[The idea of alienating or losing Embiid altogether] is a public relations nightmare.“
- Between Gordon Hayward leaving money on the table in Utah and Kyrie Irving leaving a team that made three straight Finals appearances, the newest Celtics made big sacrifices to be where they are now. “They were doing what I thought was fair game and very grateful that both of them chose to come here and make those sacrifices,” Danny Ainge told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Torn Labra, Irving
The Nets are in the middle of a long, unconventional rebuild but that hasn’t deterred veterans from aiming for the postseason in 2017/18. Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily recently broke down some Timofey Mozgov comments suggesting exactly that.
While it’s worth recognizing that little stock should be placed in an NBA player saying they think their team can make the playoffs when asked directly, this is the 20-62 Nets we’re talking about and their success or failure will directly impact one of the summer’s most significant storylines (the Cavaliers acquiring Brooklyn’s first-rounder in the Kyrie Irving trade).
Earlier this offseason, Jeremy Lin adamantly claimed that the Nets would make the playoffs in 2017/18, as Ryne Nelson of SLAM Online broke down, and perhaps more weight should be put in those comments than in Mozgov’s. While D’Angelo Russell may well be the biggest long-term building block the franchise has, it’s hard to argue that Lin is anything but their best player here and now.
Of course any discussion about the Nets’ playoff chances should touch on the fact that this isn’t a typical young, rebuilding organization. Lacking their pick in 2018, there’s no incentive for Brooklyn to lose games. In fact, rallying together for a shot at the playoffs could be the most beneficial thing Kenny Atkinson and Sean Marks could hope for in the development of their young core.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- There were some in the Nets organization that wanted to give international free agent Milos Teodosic a look but the point guard’s age and defensive shortcomings hurt his chances, a Nets Daily report says.
- Reflecting back on the Irving trade, Zach Lowe of ESPN discusses why he thinks the trade made sense for both sides. The long-read packed with video highlights is a must-read on this magical Labor Day Eve.
- If you’re concerned about the lingering effects of a torn labrum, you’re not alone. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe recently spoke with an orthopedic hip surgeon about just that. “When you have a labral tear from impingement, that means that the way that Isaiah Thomas’s hip is shaped, it’s shaped in a way that’s not round,” Derek Ochiai said. “In certain positions, his hip is not round on round. That’s why it’s called impingement, the bone will impinge because it’s not a round-on-round joint. Once you tear your labrum from that, that’s the most common cause of labral tears in any athlete, that tear is not going to heal. It’s always going to be torn, the question is how do you treat that?” The doctor added, however, that there are some high-level athletes with similar conditions that are “doing fine.”
- The Celtics have been busy adding stars this offseason but CBS’ Matt Moore argues that the club’s biggest star could actually be head coach Brad Stevens.
Cavs Notes: Irving, LeBron, Goodyear, Gilbert
While he was fairly quiet up until word broke this week that the Celtics and Cavaliers had finally agreed on compensation in the Kyrie Irving blockbuster, the star point guard has issued some public comments on the deal since then. As Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com details, Irving published a video farewell to the Cavs and their fans on Thursday, thanking them for his time in Cleveland.
On Friday, the Celtics formally introduced Irving alongside Gordon Hayward, and the point guard was asked about his relationship with LeBron James (link via Vardon). While some of Irving’s comments during the press conference hinted that he wanted to get out from under LeBron’s shadow, he had nothing but praise for his former teammate when asked specifically about him, calling it “awesome” to have played with the future Hall-of-Famer: “I’d be telling you guys a lie if I didn’t tell you how much I learned from that guy.”
Here’s more on Irving, along with a few more Cavs notes:
- In a piece for USA Today, Sam Amick examines how the Cavs’ organizational culture and stability (or lack thereof) may have contributed to Irving’s desire to head elsewhere, not to mention the uncertainty about James’ future in Cleveland.
- Within an article about the larger issue of tampering in the NBA, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com notes that it would likely be futile for teams interested in signing James next summer to start courting him now, since LeBron “is known for wanting to have the control rather than be wooed.”
- The Cavaliers’ agreement with Goodyear, the sponsor for the club’s jersey patches, is worth nearly $12MM annually, a league source tells McMenamin.
- The Cavs recently scrapped plans for a $140MM renovation project to Quicken Loans Arena, prompting some speculation that owner Dan Gilbert may be interested in moving the franchise. Gilbert addressed those “silly” rumors on Thursday, assuring fans that he’ll never move the Cavs out of Cleveland (Twitter link).
- Sources outside the Cavs organization believe Gilbert could consider selling the team within the next few years, but a team spokesman said no thought has been given to a sale, per Joe Vardon.
Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Stauskas, Nets, Celtics
A report earlier this week suggested that friction between the Knicks‘ young phenom Kristaps Porzingis and head coach Jeff Hornacek caused the Latvian to skip his exit meeting earlier this offseason. However, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that issues between the player and coach were not the source of Porzingis’ issue with the team.
Porzingis was reportedly frustrated with the front office (particularly ex-president Phil Jackson) and the team’s treatment of Carmelo Anthony. Issues between Hornacek and Porzingis suggest that his problems with the team went beyond Jackson and company. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported in July that Porzingis and Hornacek’s relationship “sat on rocky terrain” for most last season, partly because of his loud and critical treatment of the Knicks’ former first-round pick.
“We try to get good relationships with all our guys, not just the star guys,” Hornacek said to Bondy about his relationships with players on the team. “We’re talking to these guys every day. We see them every day. We travel with them. As a group we’re trying to do more things as a team, kind of family-type stuff. We’ll try to grow on that, that way.”
For what it’s worth, the Knicks have insisted that the organization’s future rests on its young assets with the 22-year-old Porzingis at the forefront. With key changes to the front office and the roster, New York enters 2017/18 with cooled expectations but a clearer vision for the future.
Below you can read additional news around the Atlantic Division:
- The “Process” of the Sixers rebuilding and trying to be competitive is over, swingman Nik Stauskas says to William Lou of theScore. The Sixers drafted Markelle Fultz first overall, signed J.J. Redick, and are hoping for healthy seasons from Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid If those elements come together, Stauskas feels the team can win.
- Jared Sullinger is one of several remaining free agent targets for the Nets, according to SB Nation’s NetsDaily (Twitter link). Brooklyn has two open roster spots and approximately $5MM in cap space, NetsDaily adds.
- With the Kyrie Irving trade complete, Chris Forsberg of ESPN writes that Boston can now focus on how the current roster shapes up and how the big three of Irving, Gordon Hayward, and first-round pick Jayson Tatum will mesh.
- While Celtics’ general manager Danny Ainge gave up a king’s ransom for Irving, CSN New England’s A. Sherrod Blakely writes that Ainge was right to complete the deal for the superstar guard.