Tag Archives: DANNY AINGE

How Free Agency helped the Celtics’ Chances in the East

As one of the most action-packed periods of NBA Free Agency comes to a close, the balance of power in the East has drastically shifted. Kawhi Leonard has left the Toronto Raptors, the reigning champs in the east, and they’re now playoff long-shots. The Bucks lost a key player in Malcolm Brogdon to the Pacers. Jimmy Butler left Philly for sunny Miami, and the Sixers decided to go big with Al Horford. With a spreading of wealth across the league, the Boston Celtics find themselves in Eastern Conference contention once again.

All-Star for All-Star

The Celtics lost their one All-Star (Kyrie Irving) to the Brooklyn Nets at the start of Free Agency. Danny Ainge recovered quite nicely by signing an All-Star replacement in Kemba Walker. Walker is an excellent plug-and-play scorer who is more of a seasoned leader and floor general. This negates their big loss (Irving) with a big gain (Walker). Not many NBA teams were able to do that this summer.

Top Teams get weaker

The Celtics inadvertently benefit by some of the other top teams in the east getting worse. The Sixers boast about acquiring Al Horford and their giant lineup, despite losing Jimmy Butler. Butler was huge for them down the stretch, and has left the ‘giant’ lineup with lack of floor spacing and speed. The Raptors lost their one superstar and the main reason they dominated in Kawhi Leonard. The Milwaukee Bucks kept most of their big players, but sacrificed depth in the process. The spread of wealth has put the Celtics at least on par with these teams, if not made them better.

Grant Williams is a huge piece of the Celtics’ young core

Cohesion and Youth

One of the biggest knocks on last years Celtics were that the lacked chemistry. The locker room was rife with drama, and a rift between young guys and veterans quickly formed. This roster is extremely young (minus Walker) and seems to genuinely like each other. This team has a lot of players together at the summer league this year, and they look cohesive. If this can translate to the Celtics main roster, they could be a force to be reckoned with this season.

Evaluating The Celtic’s 2019 draft haul

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The 2019 NBA Draft has come to a close, and now teams can reassess what they have before free agency starts. The Celtics participated in an assortment of trades and brought home an interesting pool of prospects and assets. Here we’ll evaluate the haul that the C’s brought home.

Prospects: Romeo Langford, SG; Grant Williams, PF; Carsen Edwards, PG/SG; Tremont Waters, PG Grade: B-

The Celtics draft translated from 14, 20, 22, and 51 into 14, 22, 33, 51. The talent brought in is an intriguing mix. Romeo Langford is not exactly what the Celtics needed. He’s a talented scorer and an excellent young wing, but the Celtics already have a bunch of those. Williams and Edwards are Brad Stevens-like players. Williams is a stretch 4 who like to bump-n’-grind in the paint. He also plays great defense. Carsen Edwards brings huge amounts of offensive production and is a hard-nosed player. Waters is a good passer, but didn’t make much sense after the Edwards pick. Any type of center, or any guy over 6’8″ would’ve made more sense. The Celtics also missed on trading up for a guard and grabbing a center like Brandon Clarke, which was desperately needed.

Assets: Milwaukee 2020 1st Round pick (Top-6 protected), $5.45M in cap space Grade: A

Despite what some might call some missteps in the draft, the Celtics made sure to get some assets as well. By giving Aron Baynes to Phoenix when trading the Ty Jerome pick, the Celtics pick up another $5.45 million in cap space for a stacked FA class. In that same trade, Danny Ainge acquired another future first-round pick to help build this young team. Creating close to $30M in cap space and starting to fill the chest of draft picks is genius. The Celtics got high value for next to nothing in return. With an uncertain future, the Celtics combined young, raw prospects with solid assets to continue to build for the future. Only time will tell what Danny Ainge and the Celtics can turn this haul into.

The Celtics could look drastically different in 2019-20 season

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The Boston Celtics and Danny Ainge have opened up a plethora of paths this offseason. With Kyrie Irving and Al Horford set to leave the franchise, the C’s have some cap room to play with and an interesting free agent class coming up. By the end of this offseason, the Celtics will likely look drastically different than last year’s team.

Returning Players: Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Aron Baynes, Robert Williams, Guerschon Yabusele, Semi Ojelaye

With eight rostered players for next season, the Celtics have a solid top of the roster. Tatum, Brown, Williams, and Ojelaye comprise a young core with Hayward, Smart and Baynes bringing the veteran leadership. The biggest problem that will arise is the lack of depth and the weakness at point guard. The Celtics will need to focus on adding to a roster that has some potential, and they have the means to do so.

Projected Cap Space: ~28-36M dependent on Rozier

This figure works under the assumption Rozier signs with Boston at a projected 8.5M dollar cap hit. With reports that Rozier is all-in on a Celtics team minus Kyrie, we’ll assume the Celtics have $28 million to spend after retaining Rozier. Now the big question: where to spend that money.

Mid-Tier free agents

The Celtics don’t command the required cap space to sign a max contract at the moment, so their focus should shift to signing the middle tier of role players that are in this class. Guys like Patrick Beverley (pictured), Ricky Rubio, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Trevor Ariza all fit that 8-12M range. Each one provides the Celtics with depth and key roles that strengthen and diversify the team. They have the space to acquire two or three of these guys, none of which have ever played for the Green.

UNC’s Nassir Little could be an option for C’s at 14th Pick

Fresh Faces from Draft

The Celtics may look a lot younger next year due to their three first-round picks in this year’s NBA Draft. Each pick offers a plethora of intriguing prospects. While none have the star power of Zion, they all bring skills to the table that will give the Celtics a nice crop of young players to groom. Guys like Nassir Little and Ty Jerome are nice developmental projects that can become key role players early in their careers. The Celtics would love the opportunity to fill the team with fresh faces for the young core.

Overall, The Celtics have the pieces in place for a drastic roster Shake-up. Don’t be surprised when you see a bunch of new faces next season.

Celtics Mock Draft: C’s to bolster depth

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The Boston Celtics possess four picks in this year’s NBA Draft. With most top-level prospects gone by the time the Celtics pick, this is the time to build depth. Brad Steven’s team relied too much on underperforming stars and lacked depth. This is the time for Danny Ainge to build up the C’s foundation.

14th Overall: Nassir Little, SF, North Carolina

Nassir Little should be at the top of the Celtics draft board. His stock fell due to his poor 3-PT shooting at the collegiate level. However, he plays excellent defense and can attack the rim with ease. The Celtics have enough floor spacing that Little’s problems wouldn’t bother them much.

20th Pick: Ty Jerome, PG, Virginia

Ty Jerome is the prototypical Brad Stevens player. He’s a reliable ball handler and defender from the 1 or 2 position. His biggest factor is his ability to run an offense. He can reliably run the floor while a coach gives his starters rest. His high basketball IQ has had the Celtics interested throughout the draft process. He’d be great value at No. 20.

22nd Pick: Tacko Fall, C, UCF

Tacko Fall is perhaps the most intriguing prospect in the entire draft. He is very raw in terms of basketball skill, and could use development in all aspects of the sport. His physical traits are what have scouts going crazy over him. Standing at 7’7” in sneakers and sporting an 8’2-1/2” wingspan, Fall is the biggest NBA prospect ever. The Celtics have the ability to carve Fall into a deadly scoring threat.

51st Pick: Jordan Bone, PG, Tennessee

The Celtics have been known to take on project players and develop them into solid bench players. Bone fits that mold. His time at Tennessee was marred by inconsistency and poor shot selection. However, Bone can play hard and has been a favorite of the C’s coaching staff. Overall, he could be a steal if he develops into a solid role player.

NBA Draft: Who the C’s Should target at #14

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The Celtics possesses one lottery pick, at the 14th selection this year. Most times the end of the lottery has not yielded great players in the league. However, players like Tim Hardaway and Clyde Drexler have been great value at 14 for other teams. With that note, here are 5 players the Celtics should target in this upcoming NBA Draft.

Fall’s size and length could raise his stock more than some think.

5. Tacko Fall, C, UCF

Tacko Fall is by no means a complete player. He still has some work to do on his game to become more well-rounded. Its his size that has scouts drooling over his potential. Standing at 7’7″ with an 8’2″ wingspan makes him tower over any player. His long, thin arms allow him to attack the rim with ease, as well as make spectacular defensive plays. With Horford likely to return to Boston, he can be a great mentor to help develop Fall into a quality pick.

Williams brings experience and two-way ability to the table

4. Grant Williams, PF/C, Tennessee

Grant Williams is one of the NBA Draft’s safest choices. Although a hot-and-cold shooter from deep, Williams is mostly a complete prospect. The two-time SEC Player of the year is everything you want from a stretch big. A reliable offensive game inside the ark and the athleticism to guard multiple position. Williams also is more seasoned than most prospects in this draft, having played three seasons of college ball.

The NBA Draft brings many young prospects, including White

3. Coby White, PG, North Carolina

The Celtics targeting the PG position in the NBA Draft is a close to sure thing as you will get. But who could they pick? White would be the best fit for the Celtics. He plays hard and can space the floor effectively. White is young and most likely wiil not be ready to start right away, but if the Celtics can pair him with a veteran they’d be well-set for the future.

Langford’s ability to score makes him an intriguing prospect

2. Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana

Romeo Langford is one of the NBA Draft’s biggest question marks. He’s an offensive dynamo and can shoot from deep at an above average clip. He can be streaky sometimes, but he adjusts and distributes the ball once he realizes this. His defense is his biggest problem. Inconsistent effort and the inability to keep up with certain types of players have hurt his draft stock. Luckily for Langford, Marcus Smart could help develop his defensive skills. Overall, if the Celtics can bear the defensive problems, Langford could be the steal of the Draft.

Reddish is a solid player with untapped potential

1. Cameron Reddish, SG/SF, Duke

Reddish is the ideal prospect for the Celtics. The NBA Draft’s forgotten Duke prospect has all the tools needed. An offensive threat and solid defender, Cam Reddish is framed as the prototypical ‘sixth man’. The one knock on him is that he does everything good, but nothing great. This could be attributed to the fact he played with the two top prospects in this draft. Overall, if Reddish is there at #14, I’d be shocked if Danny Ainge didn’t pick him.

Anthony Davis to Celtics is Inevitable

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The future of Anthony Davis is uncertain. He is currently under contract with the New Orleans Pelicans through the 2019-20 season with a player option for 2020-21. In six seasons with New Orleans, Davis has made two playoff appearances compared to the Celtics’ five.

With the departure of DeMarcus Cousins, Davis is not expected to exercise his player option. Rather, he will be traded prior to the 2019-20 trade deadline or will enter free agency prior to 2020-21.

Unfortunately due to stipulations around the “Rose Rule”, trading for Davis may be difficult.

That said, let’s look at why Anthony Davis to the Boston Celtics is inevitable.

Celtics as a Trade Partner

The Celtics have more assets than they can handle. General manager and president of basketball operations, Danny Ainge, has been compiling resources since 2013. Boston currently owns four first-round picks in the 2019 draft: Boston’s own, Sacramento’s (Top 1 protected), Memphis’ (protected 1-8 in ’19; 1-6 in ’20 and unprotected in ’21) and the Clippers (protected Top 14 in ’19 and ’20). If Ainge trades for Davis, a combination of picks will surely be exchanged.

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Due to Davis’ contract, players must also be traded to ensure teams are salary cap compliant. This means that Al Horford ($29M), Gordon Hayward ($20M), or Marcus Smart ($11M) must be included in the deal. Other trade chips for Boston include Terry Rozier, who is a restricted free agent at seasons end, and Jaylen Brown, who has a club option for 2019-20.

The Celtics must be favorited to land Davis if New Orleans is to trade the superstar.

Boston as a Free Agent Destination

If Davis wants to win an NBA Championship, then Boston will be his destination.

He will likely enter free agency prior to the 2020-21 season. Boston will have ample money to sign Davis, as Al Horford and Marcus Morris will be off-the-books. Joining the Celtics would mean many things for the former first overall draft pick.

Smiling Jayson Tatum, right, and Jaylen Brown, seem to feel right at home during Celtics mini-camp, Friday, June 30, 2017, in Waltham. (Herald Photo by Jim Michaud)

Led by head coach Brad Stevens, the Celtics posses a young core destined for multiple deep playoff runs. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown look as promising of a duo as Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter. Them, along with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, can allow Davis to reduce his field goal attempts, making him a more efficient scorer and willing passer.

According to Bovada Official, on September 28, 2018, the Lakers were favorites to land Davis in free agency. Though, by joining the Celtics, Davis will become the top title contender in his conference. Something he cannot do in the West while the Golden State Warriors dynasty remains in-tact.

Expect to see Davis in Celtic green soon.

Why is Jaylen Brown Being Overlooked?

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Jaylen Brown’s name hasn’t popped up much this summer.

Celtics players, staff, and fans are all preparing for training camp to open soon. As such, the hype surrounding the team continues to accumulate, and rightfully so. With the team fully healthy, the league and its fans are ready for the Celtics to make some noise. All summer long, fans have been raving about the return of Gordon Hayward, or the emergence of Jayson Tatum. Marcus Smart’s name was even thrown into the mix when he signed a new deal. One name that fans haven’t heard at all? That of Jaylen Brown.

However, Brown’s name should be showing up far more than it is. While people tend to look right at Kyrie Irving, Hayward, Tatum or even Al Horford, no one is giving Brown the attention he deserves. When given the choice between Brown and Tatum, most fans say that Tatum is better. Here’s why the third-year player deserves more hype heading into this season.

A Closer Look

Brown’s Impact Last Year

When ranking this year’s projected starting five, number 7 is often mentioned last. However, behind Kyrie, Brown was second on the team in scoring last year, with 14.5 points per game. Granted, Hayward was out, but most nights the team looked to him as the second option. In the playoffs, the spotlight was rightfully on Jayson Tatum as he scored 18.5 playoff points per game. However, Brown was right on his heels, with 18.0 points. He also had more rebounds than Tatum in the postseason. His impact on the team last year is overlooked far too often.

His Ability to Improve

The jump from year 1 to year 2 for Jaylen was absolutely incredible. He improved in nearly every statistical category. His PPG jumped from 6.6 to 14.5. He increased his rebounds per game from 2.8 to 4.9. His assists improved from 0.8 to 1.6 APG. He improved on the defensive end too, averaging 1.0 steals per game last year, up from 0.4. His blocks also took a small leap. It’s practically unheard of for a player to improve in every single one of those categories. To top it all off, his three-point percentage leaped from 34% to 39%. Unreal.

The kicker? Jaylen Brown is 21 years old. He’s not even sniffing his prime yet. Brown has at least three seasons to go before he starts entering the prime of his career. He doesn’t have to come close to the level of improvement from last year. If he’s anywhere in the ballpark, the kid is going to be a huge weapon on both sides of the ball this year.

There’s a reason that Danny Ainge considers and has always considered Jaylen Brown untouchable. When fans are in awe of Kyrie’s handles or a Tatum trey, they often forget about the highlight-reel slams from number 7. Jaylen Brown is an extremely valuable player on this roster and deserves far more recognition than he is receiving. This upcoming season, look out for Brown to have the best season of his young career. And just remember: he’s only getting better.

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Countdown to Celtics Tipoff: 44 Days

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Welcome Back to the Celtics Season Tipoff Countdown!

Each day, we’ll give a review of news surrounding the Celtics. We’ll also look back in history to see what happened on today’s date in team history (September 2nd). To round out the day’s post, we’ll give you stats and fun facts related to the number of days remaining before the first game (44 today). Let’s get to it!

Recent Team News

Terry Rozier made headlines yesterday when his name was mentioned in Phoenix Suns trade rumors. According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports’ 98.7 Radio Show, Rozier was targeted by the Suns to fill their starting point guard role. The Suns struck out and, at least for the time being, Scary Terry remains in Celtic green.

2K Sports released their NBA 2k19 player ratings, and boy were they fans of the Celtics this year! Here is a quick rundown of the ratings for the starting 5:
• Kyrie Irving- 93
• Gordon Hayward- 88
• Jayson Tatum- 87
• Al Horford- 86
• Jaylen Brown- 84

The most notable rating on this list has got to be Tatum’s. The 20-year-old just polished off a phenomenal rookie campaign, but many feel that an 87 overall rating is still a tad high for such a young prospect. Then again, Tatum could blow the doors off of these expectations and elevate his game to a whole new level.

On This Date

September 1st, 2017: Kyrie Irving gives his first Celtics jersey to his father after being officially announced a Boston Celtic. Check out the video below!

"Thank you Dad" – @KyrieIrving as he hands his Dad his first Celtics jersey https://t.co/H43fQiXoQS

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 1, 2017

Stats (2017-18)

Image Courtesy of The Athletic

Marcus Smart finished the 2017-18 regular season with a 44% AFG. Affective Field Goal Percentage basketball accounts for the added point the three-point basket provides. Though teams generally shoot a lower percentage in a traditional sense, this provides a more accurate description of the number of points a team will score by upwardly adjusting the FG% on those baskets to account for the added point, and downwardly adjusting the 3-point basket to two points… more or less. It provides 1 number that describes all baskets.

Fun Facts

Jersey number 44 is a particularly famous one in Celtics history. It has been worn by 11 different players in the history of the franchise. Danny Ainge, Pete Maravich, Rick Fox, and Brian Scalabrine are some of the more notable players on the list. The most recent player to don 44 for the C’s was Tyler Zeller in the 2016-17 season.

That concludes today’s Countdown to Celtics Tipoff. Make sure to be back here tomorrow as the clock continues to tick towards the 2018-19 season!

Breaking: The Boston Celtics are Interested in Kyle Korver (@CelticHotTakes)

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It was only a matter of time after the King’s departure from Cleveland that the franchise would begin its salary dump. With LeBron taking his talents to the Hollywood Hills, Cleveland will undergo a revamp centered around young talent out of the draft. The first name up on the list is sharpshooting specialist Kyle Korver. It’s no secret that the team has been searching for a suitor for Korver’s $7.5 million contract next season. They may have found a potential taker.

Boston Interested in Trade for Korver

Sam Amico of Amico Hoops reported Tuesday morning that the Celtics are interested in obtaining the 37-year-old veteran.

“Korver is drawing at least some interest, apparently from the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. All are Eastern Conference contenders, and Korver would be a major boost off the bench for a team looking to reach the Finals.”

Cleveland is demanding compensation in the form of a first round pick in exchange for Korver. At this point in time it is unlikely that the Celtics would be willing to cough up an asset of that kind of value for the aging veteran. Korver is entering his 16th season in the league. In 2017 he averaged 9.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting an absurd 43.6% from 3. The sharpshooter has made the long-ball his bread and butter throughout his career. There isn’t many out there that can do it better than him to this day. Korver does not rely on his athletic ability or speed to play his game, which bodes well for the longevity of his career.

Boston ranked eighth in the NBA in 3-point shooting in 2017. While this stat certainly isn’t bad, it could use some improvement if the team wants to compete with the likes of the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. Even at 37 years-old, Kyle Korver would certainly provide a boost to the team in this area.

The Marcus Smart Variable

The news comes on the heels of reports of interest heating up for restricted free agent Marcus Smart. Both the Nets and Kings have reached out to Smart in recent days. Boston extended a qualifying offer to Smart worth $6.1 million through the 2019 season. It was reported that he was close to signing the offer, but with teams beginning to take an interest in Smart’s services it is unlikely such a deal gets done. Entering the offseason Smart made it clear that he feels he is worth more than $14 million a year. Boston has since been very vocal in their desire to retain him moving forward.

Danny Ainge and the team’s front office is currently focused on Smart’s contract. If the team can’t match an offer and Marcus Smart leaves, adding a guy like Korver to fill his role could serve as a solid contingency plan. The team would be much more able and willing to take on Korver’s contract with Smart off of the books and roll the dice with the aging veteran.

If Marcus Smart leaves town, don’t be surprised to see Korver’s name popping up on trade radars before summer’s end.

Jimmy Butler To The Celtics Makes Too Much Sense

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With the Warriors beefing up their already stacked team, It’s time for Danny Ainge and company to revisit an old friend.

As Adrian Wojnarowski reported, Jimmy Butler and all star point guard Kyrie Irving would like to team up at some point. With the east looking like a one team race, it’s up to the Boston Celtics to bring banner 18 home. The question is, what would a trade package look like?The most obvious piece to first go is Jaylen Brown. He is a very physical guy who runs the floor, and plays somewhat solid defense. Here’s where it could get tricky. The other players that come to mind would be role players such as: Guerschon Yabusele or Terry Rozier. The Timberwolves get a win win player regardless. ” Scary Terry” can shoot the midrange and pop the three very consistently. While Yabusele can be a great defensive player while he has a keen eye in the perimeter and playing in the post. He needs development for sure.What’s a good trade package without draft picks? If the Celtics could maneuver this, there might be a first round swap of some nature. After all this… is Jimmy Butler worth it? yes!He has a natural sense for winning. Thus his problems with work ethic in Minnesota. He wants to improve as a team, not as an individual. Which could explain why he’s demanded trades for years now. In addition, Brad Stevens can turn any player better then before they came on the team.With no chances of acquiring Anthony Davis, Clint Capela, or Kawhi Leonard due to various reasons. ( rose rule, cap, luxury tax, etc.) Jimmy Butler has to be the move that can push the Boston Celtics on top for the first time since 2008. While resigning Marcus Smart remains to be the top priority, Jimmy Butler to Boston needs to happen to beat the evil ones.