Category: Celtics

After Signing Kemba Walker and Enes Kanter, Are the Celtics Done Making Moves?

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Boston Herald – A few days before the Celtics hit Las Vegas, it’s fair to say Vegas isn’t big on the Celtics…Having placed the Celtics last fall at a low of 8-1 to win the 2019 championship, the wise people with the sharpened pencils and crystal balls at Westgate SuperBook now put them at 25-1 to be the last team standing next June.

And even that seems optimistic to some. One athletic accountant of our acquaintance believes the C’s are only rated that highly because of what could happen between now and then and because they’ll still draw some interest at that price.

The Celtic roster you see today will not be all that you see in the middle of October. The club is not done making moves, and according to teams around the league that we spoke to Monday, the C’s are very active in trying to see what free agents may still shake loose and what kinds of sign-and-trade deals could free up a better chunk of money to attract a large person.

Granted this article is a bit vague and devoid of many specific details, the fact that its coming from Steve Bulpett is why is sticks out to me. Bulpett is one of the most connected and longest tenured NBA writers in the country so when he says something like this I take note.

I have no idea what this could really even mean because the Celtics are already strapped for cash after the Kemba Walker and Enes Kanter signings. You would need to trade Gordon Hayward and his max salary (which as I said on The 300s Podcast last week I don’t think the C’s will ever do) or some combination of Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and another asset of  your choosing (Yabusele, Timelord etc.) to get a big time deal done. A sign and trade with DeMarcus Cousins was the big one Mattes and I kept going back to as a swing for the fences possibility, but I have zero idea how to finagle the numbers to make that work.

After picking three times in the first round this year, the Celtics are just about out of the beaucoup assets they sat on for the last half a decade. The Memphis Grizzlies pick (top 6 protected in 2020 or unprotected in 2021) and a TBD Charlotte Hornets pick added in the Terry Rozier sign and trade are the only assets the Celtics now own aside from their own picks. No longer can Danny Ainge dangle a treasure chest of future lottery picks in front of rival GMs. Technically the Rozier sign and trade is intentionally unfinished as the C’s debated including a third team (which would have allowed for a Horford return before he signed with Philly) in the transaction.

That opportunity is still there if the C’s want to try and squeeze a little more juice out of Rozier, which Charlotte will be more than willing to do because without the S&T they can’t afford Scary Terry. The C’s own Bird Rights on Rozier so they can pay him the big money he wants and then trade him to Charlotte in the Kemba S&T.

Man, the NBA salary cap rules are a trip huh?

At the very least, maybe Danny is trying to do Terry a solid for not napalming the team in the media like Kyrie did for months.

TLDR; the Celtics will have to either get creative as all hell or yet again tear down their roster and rebuild on the fly by trading multiple starters if there is a big move still to be made .

Rapid Reaction to the Biggest NBA Free Agent Moves on Opening Night

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I don’t care what you end up doing this Thursday night, because I promise you won’t see any better display of fireworks than what we already saw go off around the Association on Sunday night.

After weeks years of speculation relating to the smorgasbord of 2019 free-agent superstars who would be available this summer – some of whom feature all-time-level NBA talent – we FINALLY got some long-awaited answers. These are answers that will no doubt change the landscape of the league for years and years to come.

For starters, it’s official C’s Nation! Kemba Hudley Walker is a Boston Celtic:

This should come as a surprise to nobody, and The 300s staff has already been pretty clear about our feelings for the signing, which has pretty much been official since Thursday, with both a blog and a podcast celebrating the big move. Awesome stuff. I’m a very happy dude.

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We’ll obviously get into more analysis about what our Boys in Green will look like next season once Danny pulls off more moves to build out the roster. For now, here’s my rapid reaction to some of the most notable and important moves from the opening night of free agency along with how they could affect the C’s – and the entire NBA – going forward.

Kyrie Does Indeed Go to the Brooklyn Nets… And so Doesn’t Kevin EFFING Durant!

Me two weeks ago, when it looked like Kyrie Irving was embarking on a solo journey to an I-guess-halfway-decent Nets squad which was destined for another middle-of-the-pack, ho-hum finish in the Eastern Conference:

Me after Kyrie ended up in Brooklyn – not just by himself but also flagged by one of the greatest players in NBA history AND DeAndre Jordan, too:

That’s right. Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan are all headed to BKN as one big, happy family. Even though the team needs to wait a whole year before they can see the entire group in action together due to Durant’s injury, the Nets could already be the automatic favorite to win the 2020-21 NBA title.

With other pieces like Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, and Spencer Dinwiddie already in tow as well, the Nets could still contend for a top-four spot in the East next year, especially if Kawhi Leonard ends up leaving The 6ix. (Remember, Brooklyn was the sixth seed this past season.)

Of course, Kyrie is more than capable of simply continuing to be who he’s always been and cause the franchise to implode from the inside before Durant is even ready to step on the floor again. BUT I’ll stop with the Kyrie-bashing for now (for now), as there’s no doubt this was a complete coup for the Nets. Above all, this finally gives the Nets at least some vengeance for what is still the biggest de-pantsing in NBA trade history, when Danny Ainge basically wrested control of the Nets’ entire franchise for the past six years after the infamous Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett trade.

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Don’t eff this one up, Kyrie!

Again, we’ll need to wait a while before we see this team at full steam. But my goodness, what a freakin’ haul this was for the “other New York team.”

The Knicks are Still the Knicks… but Hey, I Mean, Julius Randle is Good

Knicks fans everywhere on Monday morning:

Just rough. For both Knicks fans and the NBA as a whole. This was supposed to be the year that the legendary New York Knickerbockers would finally turn things around by bringing in not just one but TWO superstars with all the cap space they’ve spent YEARS carving out with a series of moves that were all supposed to be a part of one, big master chess play. At the very least, they were definitely getting Kevin Durant, right? Right??!!

Well, ummm, that didn’t happen. And unless Kawhi makes an insanely random decision to try and become the Big Apple’s savior, fans in NYC will be forced to settle for Julius Randle, who signed a three-year deal with the team less than two hours after it all started:

After selecting R.J. Barrett with the third overall pick last week, adding Randle, too, does make the team significantly better than they were last season. Yes, they did lose DeAndre Jordan to their cross-town rivals, but Randle is a way better all-around player who can still rebound and defend while also scoring at a much, much higher level.

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It’s hard to be upset with Randle.

They nabbed Bobby Portis on a two-year deal later in the night, too. He’s a good pick up who can step in and serve as a decent sixth man/potential starting option right away. And really early in the morning, it was announced they’re also bringing in an underrated 3-and-D piece in Reggie Bullock.

This team still has a long way to go, and no this was certainly not the offseason Knicks fans were dreaming of. But it’s progress for the franchise nonetheless.

D-Lo to the Dubs

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With most expecting Kyrie to end up in Brooklyn for weeks now, there has been rampant speculation about what that would mean for DeAngelo Russell. After being taken as the No. 2 overall pick in 2015 by the Lakers, the 23-year-old was solid but unspectacular through his first two seasons in L.A. before being traded away as part of a salary dump to make room for the King’s arrival last year.

He ended up being the same 15-point, five-assist-per-night player during his first season in Brooklyn in 2017-18 before exploding onto the scene with averages of 21 points and seven assists this past year. People knew he was too good to take a back seat to Kyrie – who is indeed the better player – and that he deserved a shot to play elsewhere.

However, per various reports throughout the week, it looked like Minnesota and the very same Lakers who traded him just two years were the only two suitors. Then, we get this #WOJBOMB late on Sunday night:

Did not see this one coming. Like at all.

Though some thought there was a chance that both Durant and Klay Thompson would re-sign with Golden State this offseason, I knew it’d play out exactly as it did: Klay got a max deal to stay, and Durant moved on.

But to go out and get Russell, and then sign him to a four-year deal after having straight bookoo bucks tied up in your starting backcourt already – OH, and you have Draymond Green to worry about as an unrestricted free agent next summer – it was a bit of a head-scratcher. Sure, they needed someone to replace Klay next year, especially with Durant not coming back, but this one will be interesting to watch play out in the long term. It also forced them to lose Andre Iguodala as well.

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These three gotta get paid, too!

This was easily the most surprising move of the night, but it’s one that ensures Golden State will still be right in the thick of things next year, even without two of the top players from their recent run of historic success. Just unfair.

Jimmy Butler Flying South, and I Don’t Care

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To be honest, I don’t think one is all that noteworthy.

Jimmy Butler is a good player. Fine. He can score, shoot, and defend with the best of ’em. Solid. But this man is no more than a decent No. 2/top-notch No. 3 option that needs other guys around him to have any chance of winning anything, and I’m really not worried.

Now, you could say this about pretty much any NBA all-star outside of the top five or so, and this isn’t really a personal attack on Jimmy Butler. But I think him teaming up with James Harden and Chris Paul in Houston – as was this week’s big rumor – or a potential team-up with his best buddy Kyrie – which obviously wasn’t happening after the Durant news – would have been something to write about.

But Butler going to a Miami team which lost two of its top-three scorers from last season in Dwyane Wade (retirement) and Goran Dragic (who was immediately shipped out to Dallas after the signing to make room for Butler’s salary) with not much else?

Ehhh. Color me uninterested until I have a reason to be. Miami is still an Eastern Conference playoff bubble team until something else happens. Plain and simple.

(UPDATE: The three-team trade involving Dragic to the Mavs fell through, so another one needs to be worked out, likely still including Dragic. Everyone seems to think it’ll still get done, though. Jimmy Butler will end up in Miami one way or another.)

Big Al is Now the Enemy

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Right after Celtics fans were getting used to the idea of suddenly being without Al Horford next season, we’ll now also be forced to watch him play for the enemy after he decided to sign a four-year deal with Philly:

This might be the best situation Al could have possibly hoped for, as he fits like a freakin’ glove for the Sixers. Truthfully, his well-rounded game and selfless attitude would slide in well with pretty much any team out there, but playing with one of the game’s top young playmakers/ball-distributors in Ben Simmons should be a dream come true. Their pick-and-roll potential along with Horford’s ability to catch, pull up, and shoot from anywhere on the floor make them a filthy pairing. Also, with defenses sure to be focused on stopping Joel Embiid down low, Big Al will have plenty of room to operate and dominate down in the City of Brotherly Love.

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Simmons could honestly end up being the best thing that ever happened to Al Horford.

Above all, Embiid will no longer need to worry about squaring off against Horford, who’s always done a good job of defending the big fella, and the Celtics just lost a major advantage they’ve had other their rivals from the south for the past few seasons.

Had Al gone out west to Sacramento, Dallas, or New Orleans – all three of which were rumored to be in the running for the 33-year-old’s services – this would’ve been easier to swallow. Now, the Celtics will be forced to deal with the effects of this loss all season long, and potentially even more so come the postseason.

And just for kickers, the team was able to re-sign Tobias Harris, too. Yeah, so, ummm, Philly is still gonna be really good, guys.

And that’s just the beginning…

There was plenty of other news that came out last night, which will continue all day long on Monday and throughout the rest of this week, but these were the big ones that have really stood out so far. Of course, the Celtics still need to make some more moves (we need some bigs, Danny!) and there’s still some big shoes yet to drop (I’m looking at you, Kawhi!). But so far, we have been anything but disappointed. What an opening act.

#The300sPodcast – Next Up for the Celtics: Kemba Walker

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Red and Mattes jump into The 300s Podcast studio to discuss all the swirling Celtics rumors that are out there. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; the NBA Offseason is the best show on TV.

– Kemba Walker signing a max deal with the Celtics?

– Kyrie Irving is a PILL

– Al Horford is likely gone

– Are the Celtics’ young guys getting off too easy for their role in the drama around the team last season?

– Recapping the Celtics draft night and what it means for the 2019-20 roster

– NBA Free Agency and potential fits for the C’s

Celtics May Not Have Drafted 7’2″ Bol Bol, But They DID Sign 7’6″ Tacko Fall

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ESPN – Tacko Fall, a 7-foot-6 center from UCF, will sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Boston Celtics, a source told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Fall was not selected Thursday night during the NBA draft.

Fall averaged 10.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and shot 74 percent from the field over his four-year collegiate career. During his senior season, he posted marks of 11.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and hit 74.8 percent of his attempts.

Fall has attracted attention because of his size and because he held his own against Zion Williamson in UCF’s one-point loss to Duke in the NCAA tournament.

Exhibit 10 contracts, introduced in the NBA’s most recent collective bargaining agreement, are one-year deals paying the minimum salary. They also can be used for two-way contracts.

So technically the Celtics signed Tacko Fall to some phony bologna deal called an Exhibit 10 contract, which I have never even heard before this week.

“[Its] a one-year, non-guaranteed deal that allows teams to carry up to 20 players on their roster before the start of the regular season. If a player is waived before the season begins, he is then eligible for a $50,000 bonus if he joins the team’s G-League affiliate.” – Boston.com

What that means is Tacko will be given a shot to play for the C’s Summer League team in Vegas and then Danny will assess if he’s worth a flyer. Unless he absolutely savages people in the summer league I would not expect to see Tacko in a uniform that has anything other than a red lobster on the front next season.

If the name Tacko Fall sounds familiar to you, and like me you aren’t a giant college basketball guy, its most likely because he made you cry watching SportsCenter over your morning cereal.

So while I would not expect much from Tacko just yet, its hard to not be intrigued by a 7’6″ center. Especially since everyone and their mother has been bitching about the Celtics’ lack of a “rim protector” for my entire adult life. No doubt, we will keep you guys updated on how he does in the summer league this season.

REPORT: Celtics are Dark Horse Team for Kemba Walker

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With the constant flurry of “rumors” from all corners of the Web regarding pretty much every upcoming big-time free agent on this year’s market, it’s hard to decipher exactly which ones are even worth acknowledging anymore. Especially in today’s world of “me first” journalism, where anyone with a blog or a Twitter handle tries to be the first to report THE NEXT BIG BREAK, it’s easy for any Johnny Burger King to throw something out there at any time which gets the masses talking.

Remember a week and a half ago when everyone was absolutely convinced that Kyrie Irving was going to Brooklyn because he just so happened to sign with one of the world’s biggest entertainment firms which just so happens to be associated with a guy who just so happens to like the Nets a lot? (In case you missed it, here are my thoughts on that.)

Or when the Clippers were definitely getting Kawhi Leonard? Or when Kevin Durant was definitely going to be the savior for the New York Knicks? Or when poor Red’s heart was broken during the draft last week, when “sources” said there was no way the Celtics would let Bol Bol slip past No. 24 in the draft?

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Sorry, Red. It just wasn’t meant to be…

All I’m saying is that you have to take these reports for what they’re worth. And if you’ve noticed, we here at The 300s are very careful not to stake our claim on exactly where we believe any of these guys are going, because it’s honestly impossible to know for sure at this point. 

But that doesn’t mean we can’t at least talk about some of them… And with this little tweet today, I’ll be entirely honest in saying it’s tough not to get at least a little tingly:

*HEAVY BREATHING*

For starters, at least this is from one of the league’s top sources. Outside of the legendary Adrian Wojnarowski, there are very few out there with more credentials, connections, and sources than Marc Stein. In his career, he has worked for some of the absolute biggest outlets out there, including ESPN, The Dallas Morning News, Los Angeles Daily News, and now The New York Times. He also won the coveted Curt Gowdy Media Award this past February, which is the top honor given out by the Hall of Fame each year for “outstanding basketball writers and broadcasters.” So, I think it’s safe to say this little piece of info is in no way baseless.

Furthermore, it just makes so much sense. Kemba Walker is truly the perfect antidote to rid the organization of the toxicity which engulfed the entire franchise last season. I’m not going to blame it ALL on Kyrie (just the vast majority of it), but Kemba is literally like a Bizarro Kyrie in that he’s an All-NBA-level point guard but one that acts like a humble, undrafted rookie to this day. Stuck on mediocre to just outright bad Hornets teams for the past eight seasons, he’s done nothing but simply continue to put his head down and grind no matter what. Over the past four years, he’s averaged over 20 points – including 25.6 PPG in 2018-19, which is almost two points more than Kyrie did – and almost six assists per game, earning himself a Third Team All-NBA honor this past season. If it weren’t for such an epic free-agent class this summer – one which features a few potential H.O.F candidates – Kemba would likely be the belle of the ball.

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Don’t get it twisted: this dude is an absolute BALLER.

Is he is good as Kyrie? Nope. But is he that far off? Maybe not.

But what really makes me love Kemba is his other-wordly competitive fire. I will literally never forget the epic run he led during UConn’s national-title-winning season in 2011. For those that know me, I’m not a huge college hoops guy, but I was absolutely captivated by this relentless little sparkplug who just couldn’t be stopped. Kemba hasn’t always been the biggest, strongest, or most talented player on the court throughout his career, but he doesn’t seem to care. This dude succeeds off the hate and the doubt. He eats it up for breakfast and burns off the calories with a can’t-quit, non-stop attitude each and every night. No matter who he’s facing, you’re getting the same Kemba Walker every…damn…time.

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I will never forget how much fun I had watching that team for the rest of my life.

He would also fit in perfectly with the young core that will now be responsible for leading the Green into the future. Rather than hold back the careers of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown with selfish, hero ball and piss-poor leadership qualities, Kemba could really help them and the rest of the roster soar to incredible heights. While he has the ability to take over any game he wants, he doesn’t have an incessant need to do so – and that, my friends, is the key to winning, team basketball. (I’m not over-inflating his selfless attitude either; he won back-to-back NBA Sportsmanship Awards in 2017 and 2018, respectively, before Mike Conley took home the honors last night for the 2019 season.)

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Just imagine these two in the same uniform next season.

So, again, while you have to take any report this time of year with a grain of salt, and while we won’t know for sure where everyone will end up until they sign on that dotted line, it’s hard not to be happy and hopeful about this tweet. Not only does the team have the money to get this done, but they should be willing to do anything and EVERYTHING in their power to actually make it happen. Though it still ultimately rests on Kemba, who has no shortage of suitors – including Charlotte, whom he still apparently adores – Danny needs to turn on the charm and woo the 28-year-old to what could end up being the best opportunity of his career.

While most others will be dreaming of beaches, lake houses, hot dogs, and bonfires, there is nothing I want more this summer than a Kemba signing. Those are the fireworks I’m dying to see.

(Also, be sure to check in with The 300s later in the week for our upcoming NBA free-agency preview podcast!)

Celtics Have 3 Picks in the NBA Draft Tonight. BRING ME BOL BOL!

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We are entering a youth movement. The sooner you accept that the sooner you can go back to watching Celtics games without smashing the TV. Now tonight is the NBA Draft and the Celtics have three first round picks, 14, 20, and 22. AKA trash picks. Picking that late in the NBA Draft gets you bench players and home run swings on high ceiling guys with massive red flags. Enter Bol Bol. This has been the only guy I’ve wanted the Celtics to draft all year long (assuming they didn’t backdoor their way into another top 5 pick, which they didn’t). Son of the NBA shot blocking legend Manute Bol, Bol Bol is one of the few college basketball players that I’ve somewhat followed this season because the dude just fascinates me. He is 7’2″, runs like a deer, oh and did I mention he DRAINS threes?

Now it seems like the Celtics drafting Bol Bol is a legitimate possibility tonight. Granted he is 7’2″ coming off a foot surgery, but hey scared money don’t make no money.

It looks like the masses are coming around to my line of thinking too as the Sporting News has the C’s taking Bol at No. 22, the NY Post has the C’s taking Bol at No. 22, and CBS Sports has the Celtics drafting Bol at No. 20 tonight. ESPN currently has Bol ranked at No. 15 in their Top 100.

Either way, just about everyone has the big man sliding to the 14-25 range in the first round, so if they want him the Celtics will likely have ample opportunity to grab him.

The Ringer had a great piece on just how dangerous the big man could be in the league:

“At 19, he already possesses an offensive arsenal that should make him a gamebreaker in the modern NBA…his shot is the skill which makes him an NBA player. He hit on 52 percent of his 25 attempts at Oregon and 48.9 percent on 45 attempts on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League circuit…I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player of his height as fast or dexterous.And that’s scary. Momentum is mass times velocity, and Bol generates an awful lot of momentum on his skinny legs.”

He would have been a Top 5 pick if not for the injury or if he were able to go straight from high school to the draft, which cannot return to NBA rules soon enough. However the injury derailed his one and only college season and hurt his draft stock. Bol played in just 9 games at Oregon averaging 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 56.1 field goal %, and an eye popping 52.0% on 3 pointers.

While a foot injury to a 7 footer scares the shit out of me, this is EXACTLY why Danny Ainge has all these picks.  In the absence of an Anthony Davis mega deal, you have three first rounders so you can take a flyer on a guy like Bol. While he could flame out and never make an impact in the league, he could also drink some more milk, solidify his bones and become one of the best players in the NBA. The last time Danny passed on an unproven, high ceiling player was in 2013 when he passed on Giannis Antetokounmpo in favor of Kelly Fucking Olynyk. While Olynyk has become a decent role player in the NBA, Giannis is arguably the best player in the league right now. This isn’t the NFL where you can build quality depth through the draft with mid round picks. No, the 14th pick in the NBA draft gets you bench players and home run swings. There are very few elite NBA players that come this late in the draft without some major red flags around them.

Barring a massive draft night trade (which allegedly is a possibility), the Celtics are staring a youth movement right in the face. Bring me Bol Bol and lets swing for the fences, Danny.

Jaylen Brown is Subtweeting the Shit Out of Kyrie Irving on Instagram Right Now

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Insert EYES emoji.

THIS is telling. This is 1,000% about Kyrie Irving and if you don’t agree you are lying to yourself. I love Jaylen Brown, I think he has a lot of untapped potential which we’ve seen in spurts the past 2+ seasons, but he has yet to put it all together. Obviously he’s a very intelligent guy as the youngest elected VP of the NBA Players Association, and entering his fourth year in the league its time for Brown to show why he was a No. 3 overall pick. As for the ice cold IG headline, I think we all know that Jaylen Brown fucking hates Kyrie’s guts. From his midseason interviews clapping back at Kyrie for throwing “the young guys” under the bus:

To his post-game comments after getting knocked out of the playoffs by Milwaukee:

And lets not forget Brad Stevens’ comments after that Milwaukee series too.

So hopefully this is addition by subtraction when Kyrie walks, but I gotta admit I do not feel great about this team if when Al Horford signs somewhere else too. That last sentence is something that sports radio has mocked for the past three years because yes Al Horford is not objectively worth $30 Million  a year, but he is was still an integral piece of this team’s success.

I already declared that the Celtics now belong to Jayson Tatum, but you’re riding shotgun Jaylen so lets see what you got.

The Celtics Now Belong to Jayson Tatum

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Danny Ainge refused to include Jayson Tatum in any Anthony Davis deal (as he should have). Kyrie Irving is as good as gone. Al Horford just opted out of his last year. Look around guys.

The Celtics now belong to Jayson Tatum.

If you had asked me two years ago (23 months ago but whos counting) I would have traded “every player on the Celtics roster” for Anthony Davis. But so much has changed since then. AD shot his way out of New Orleans, he demanded a trade to the Knicks or the Lakers, his agent Rich Paul tried to strong arm a deal to LA mid-season and then made it wildly clear that AD would not re-sign with Boston. Now I get it that it’s Danny Ainge’s job to call that bluff and pull the trigger on a trade because A. Davis may end up loving Boston like Kevin Garnett did and B. Davis suddenly would be sacrificing $50 Million dollars to leave Boston for LA. But, by landing in LA, Davis and Paul both get exactly what they wanted. Maybe it was a bluff, maybe it wasn’t. All I know is I’m not trading Tatum and the rest of the team for a guy who may or may not play in Boston for less than 12 months. I’m just not doing it. Tatum has shown way too much promise and you’d have to throw in heart and soul guys like Marcus Smart *just* to make the money work. Pass.

As for the Kyrie situation, I have been going back and forth on my thoughts because I hate reacting to news that hasn’t happened. I don’t want to bury a guy for a decision he hasn’t made yet. BUT, it sure seems like Kyrie is already out the door. There are reports that the Celtics are resigned to losing him in free agency. In fact Adam Himmelsbach wrote in the Globe that Kyrie has essentially “ghosted” the Celtics leading up to free agency, which would be the least surprising shit I’ve heard about him if true. Kyrie has shown that, despite all his grandiose speeches and delusions of grandeur as this elder statesman, he is just immature. A leader, or even a grown ass adult for that matter, handles last season very differently. I’m 30 and even I know that publicly criticizing younger, more impressionable co-workers is a piss poor way to inspire confidence and improve performance. Read a management book on one of your 6 hour flights for christ’s sake. Even Cleveland.com is criticizing Kyrie for making the same mistakes as the guy he so desperately wanted to get away from on the Cavs.

That doesn’t mean I think things are beyond repair though; I honestly believe Kyrie could come back, show a little embarrassment at the way everything has been handled the past 12 months, put up a good month of basketball and all would be forgiven. But, I just don’t think thats the way he’s wired.

And this is why the Boston Celtics do not kowtow to superstars. The C’s did everything they possibly could have to appease their young superstar in Kyrie Irving and he still is less than two weeks away from likely leaving them at the altar. You may need to do that in order to win an NBA title, but I’d rather live and die with guys like Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas than beg a superstar to please come play for our historic franchise. Why?

Woj also tweeted earlier today that Horford has reportedly opted out of his contract.

To be completely honest, I fully expected this from big Al. He is 33 years old with one year left on his deal in a suddenly barren free agent market. This is his last chance to get a long term deal. So he could opt in and cash the $30M check, or he could opt out and potentially negotiate a 3-year $60M deal to stay with the C’s and secure the bag for another $30M. Nobody is going to pay Horford $30M per on his next deal so it makes perfect sense for him to opt out. Orrr he could see the writing on the wall in Boston and try to take a lesser deal to jump ship to a more clear cut contender. Except, theres not so many clear cut contenders out there now with Golden State’s rash of injuries, Kawhi’s uncertainty in Toronto, LA’s revival with AD, Philly’s 3 starters heading towards free agency [plus Ben Simmons needing a max extension next summer], Milwaukee lurking, not to mention the apparent turmoil in Houston. So theres a whole lot of second tier teams that think they have a legit shot at a title next year.

I know Mattes wrote about this potential deal before, but with Al Horford opting out it makes a trade for Mike Conley seem unlikely at this point. Not that a soon to be 32-year-old point guard would necessarily become the face of the Celtics, but its another legit player seemingly off the board. In fact, just check out Mattes’ entire breakdown of what the Celtics can do this offseason with AD off the board.

So to Tatum, Brown and the other young guys: you all privately and publicly battled with Kyrie last year for mostly petty reasons. Kyrie is definitely to blame for that, but Tatum, Brown and co. aren’t without fault. Either way the team suffered as a result. Tatum, Brown and the young guys reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals without Kyrie (and Hayward) so I get it. Well now Kyrie is all but gone so here you go. It’s your team now Jayson. Jaylen can be your 1A, but this is your team.

Tatum has the best pedigree, the highest ceiling, has shown the most elite offensive flashes, and has the length to play D, can be a spot up shooter or get to the rim. I am excited to see what a 3rd year Jayson Tatum looks like with the ball in his hands a lot more. I think Tatum will be an All-NBA player before long….but he better be. Danny just bet the next decade of the Celtics’ fortunes on Tatum being that good. Because if he’s not, we have become the Atlanta Hawks.

OK We Now Know Kyrie Irving is as Good as Gone, but I’m Not Buying Brooklyn Just Yet

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While the biggest news story from the past 24 hours in the Association is obviously the fact that we have a new champion – and I mean a truly “new” champion, as the Toronto Raptors just won their first-ever NBA title – we also already received our first big free-agent news break on Thursday. And it involves none other than one Kyrie Irving.

On Wednesday, Kyrie fired his agent Jeff Wechsler and signed with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. As a result, the Internet then exploded on Thursday with a hailstorm of “KYRIE IS GOING TO THE NETS” articles; seriously, pretty much everyone and their brother seems to think this absolutely, without a doubt, unquestionably means Kyrie will be in black and white next season. After all, he wouldn’t sign with Jay-Z’s agency if he wasn’t also obviously going to sign with the NBA franchise Jay-Z partly owns, right?

“Sources” are also saying that he is “preparing to sign with the Nets.” So it’s gotta be true then, right? RIGHT???!!!

Here’s the thing, though, folks: Jay-Z sold his stake in the team and gave up any ownership rights to the franchise six years ago! Everyone seems to be forgetting that Jay-Z is no longer (officially at least) associated with the Brooklyn Nets. He will forever be connected with the club, especially after being the driving force behind their big move from New Jersey to the legendary rapper’s hometown in 2012. But again, Jay-Z is no longer a part-owner of the team and has not been for over half a decade.

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H.O.V.A. gave up his role with the Nets a long time ago.

Roc Nation also represents over 20 other NBA athletes (as well as plenty of athletes in pretty much every other sport) from various teams across the league. And besides Caris LeVert, none of them are big-time Nets players – or even on the Nets roster to begin with.

And finally, let’s not act like Kyrie hasn’t mislead us before. Remember last October when he directly told the TD Garden crowd that he was planning on re-signing with the Celtics this summer?

To be honest, I think Kyrie’s signing with Roc Nation has much more to do with his interest in the overall entertainment industry as opposed to an undying allegiance to the Nets. Sure, I do believe he might be seriously interested in playing in Brooklyn. It makes sense, and it could indeed happen. But Kyrie has also always been about his brand off the court, and what better way to take such pursuits to the next level than signing with one of the greatest business men/entertainers in history?

Again, Kyrie signing with the Nets would be quite the boon for all involved. After a sixth-place finish in the East and giving Philly a run for their money in the first round of this year’s playoffs, the Nets are definitely a team on the rise. A guy like Kyrie could easily vault them into the top half of the conference in 2019-20. However, the team would likely need much more than just Kyrie to make them true contenders, and Kyrie knows it. The Nets do have the money to bring in another player along with Kyrie. A lot of people think this might finally be the chance for him to team up with his best bud Jimmy Butler. Kevin Durant is also a client of Roc Nation. Just sayin’.

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Kyrie and Jimmy have always been best buds…

But the Knicks still loom large on pretty much everyone’s horizon. The Lakers also make a LOT of sense for Kyrie, and to be honest they’re the team I’m predicting he ultimately ends up with. Not only would he reunite with the guy with whom he won a ring a few years ago, but he and LeBron have also seemed to rekindle quite the bromance lately. Plus, what better place than Southern Cali to keep making headway in the movie industry?

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…but the King will always be his true love.

So, while it’s pretty safe to say Kyrie will not be a Celtic next season – which, everyone knows, I am more than OK with – I’m not ready to say that we officially know where the first big NBA free agent is headed this offseason. The feelings, desires, and “reported intentions” of NBA athletes today could mean absolutely zilch tomorrow, and we still have a long way to go on this one, folks.

Stay tuned.

Does Kevin Durant’s Injury Change How Players Approach Returning from Injury? Also, How Might This Affect the Celtics?

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ESPN – Warriors star forward Kevin Durant suffered a right Achilles tendon injury in Golden State’s 106-105 win over the Toronto Raptors in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.

Warriors general manager Bob Myers said Durant will have an MRI on Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury, but the emotional looks on the players’ and coaches’ faces told more of the story. League sources told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski that the Warriors believe the MRI will confirm an Achilles tear.

What an absolute bummer. Say what you will about Kevin Durant, his burner accounts, and his poor handling of media scrutiny, but the guy is a top 3 player in the NBA and is one of the best all around scorers in league history. An absolute baller that is a blast to watch play the game of basketball. If you’ve never seen his HBO documentary “The Offseason” go back and watch that right now because it is A+ content and will definitely make you a KD fan if you are undecided.

So to see him go down with what looked like a clear achilles injury last night was terrible to see. Especially considering he probably returned too soon because his team was in the NBA Finals. Its not like it was Game 7 either, sure the Warriors won last night, but at what cost? They’re still down 3-2 and now KD is looking at a probably 12 month recovery timeframe, just 3 weeks before free agency starts.

It’s important to note the Durant does have a player option for $31.5 Million with the Warriors next year. I’m curious to see how this all plays out though because while he is an all-world talent, will another team really pay him $30 Million just to rehab next season in hopes of securing him for the following 3 years (and hope he’s healthy)? Or would he go out on the market only to have to take an incentive laden deal or in the worst case scenario will he lose out on a huge contract similar to what happened to Isaiah Thomas? Or the Warriors could actually offer Durant the supermax 5-year $220 Million deal because who has a better idea on the severity of his injury than Golden State? Either way you have to imagine this changes the landscape of the NBA for players debating returning to action too soon. Unless its a Game 7 or your an aging vet desperate for a ring, risking further injury (and potentially generational wealth) just ain’t worth it.

And not to make this all about the Celtics, but this could have a snowball affect on the rest of the league, particularly the Knicks, as SNY points out. If KD is seriously hurt, he may just exercise his player option in Golden State while he recovers, which takes him off the board for the Knicks. If they can’t get KD, maybe the Knicks rethink trying to trade for Anthony Davis and/or maybe Kyrie rethinks potentially signing there. Maybe Kyrie takes a look around and realizes Boston is his best shot at winning a title and maybe the Celtics re-sign Kyrie and then they trade for AD. A lot of maybes in there, which is why the NBA offseason is the best show on TV.

PS – Toronto Raptors fans are dirtbags for cheering the KD injury. I hope Steph Curry scores 60 points in Game 6 and rips Drake’s heart out in the middle of Jurassic Park in Game 7.