Tag Archives: Kyrie Irving

Torey Krug appears to take shot at Kyrie Irving on Twitter

On Sunday Torey Krug went to social media to point out past quotes by Kyrie Irving. Krug quote tweeted the now infamous Irving statement before this season with the Thinking Emoji and No Mouth Emoji.

“If you guys will have me back,” Irving said to Celtic season ticket holders , “I plan on re-signing here next summer.”

Now, on the surface, this was a simple reaction that many people had at the time. Krug was certainly not the only one to bring up this quote and wonder what had changed for Irving since October.

The more interesting part is reading into what Krug actually means by this. There are certainly reasons to believe that Krug was just having some fun on Twitter, as he did earlier this season at Brad Marchand’s expense. If that is all Krug is doing, then there is nothing more to look into.

However, the timing is a bit interesting for Krug’s tweet. He has a year left on his deal with the Bruins and has made it known that he wants to stay in Boston.

“I would personally love to get something done quickly,” Krug told Matt Porter of the Boston Globe in June. “This is an important place in my heart, a place I’ve wanted to play my whole career. Ideally it would be something that gets done.”

Krug clearly wants to remain a Bruin and could be using this tweet to show he does intend to sign an extension if the Bruins will have him back. That could be a stretch from one social media post, but that is what makes Krug’s tweet so noteworthy. The post is vague enough for fans to apply many theories to its meaning.

Now this tweet obviously does not guarantee he is going to sign a team friendly extension either. Krug could also be subtly saying he would not treat the Boston fans like Irving if he were to leave in free agency.

Krug went on to tell Porter that the Bruins will do whatever is the best option for the organization, and that is the business they are in. With the NHL being a hard cap lead, Boston will need to make tough decisions. Krug understands the business side of the profession.

Having said that, Krug is being honest about what could happen going forward. He wants to stay and win in Boston. However, he does understand that he might be gone in a year.

Torey Krug seems to get where the fans are coming from with the frustration with Irving. If Krug leaves in free agency, he will definitely be on better terms with the organization and fans than Irving.

Obviously this one innocuous post could just be Krug poking fun at Irving’s comments and nothing more. However, it is fair to wonder if there is more meaning behind Krug’s tweet.

Photo Courtesy of the Boston Globe

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Why Kemba Walker is a good signing for the Celtics

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Amidst the impending decisions of big fish like Kevin Durant, players like Kemba Walker became lost in the shuffle. However, the Celtics have emerged as front runners for Walker come July 1st. Many see this as iffy, considering it would leave Boston with $1.8 Million left in cap space. I’m here to tell you why this is a great signing for the C’s.

Walker averaged 25.8 points per game and 5.9 assists

Fills the void at Point Guard

The Celtics are watching both Kyrie Irving and Terry Rozier walk out the door on Sunday. That would leave them with two unproven rookies in Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters. Kemba Walker is a multi-time All-Star who is coming off his best statistical season and entering his prime. He’ll bring high-quality play and production to a team in desperate need of a play-maker at the 1.

Invaluable Leadership

The Celtics have built a very young team where all players are 25 and younger. There is no clear-cut leader among the pack. This is why Kemba would be invaluable. He was lauded as a high-quality leader and teammate by his Charlotte teammates. Kemba is an unselfish player who loves being a team player as much as being a superstar. As such, he doesn’t posses a dominating ego like Kyrie, so the young stars should be more willing to listen to him. His leadership would soften the blow of Al Horford leaving.

Kemba’s return to New England puts Boston back on the map.

Flip the Script on the Boston Celtics

When it comes to the NBA, Boston has typically not been a marquee destination for free agents. The exits of Kyrie Irving and Al Horford have only helped keep this notion alive. Kemba Walker would flip this on its head. Not only would Boston land an All-Star after two leave, but it would be a guy who picked Boston. They become a destination for stars and become contenders again in one fell swoop. Kemba Walker is the ideal solution for the Celtics, and signing him shouldn’t warrant a second thought

Celtics Free Agent Profile: Malcolm Brogdon

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The Celtics showed with their NBA Draft class that they were on route to building a young team with raw talent. This inadvertently resulted in the C’s freeing up about $28 million in cap space. The Celtics will most likely look for guys that will fit the timetable of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. This makes Malcolm Brogdon an ideal target for them in Free Agency.

Bio

Malcolm Brogdon is a point guard who stands at 6’5″, 229 pounds. He is 26 years old, and won Rookie of the Year in 2017. He has played most of his career on limited minutes behind Eric Bledsoe, and with injuries he has rarely started games for the Bucks. Brogdon willingly accepted his bench role and did whatever he could do to help his team win. He’ll be a restricted free agent come July, and will garner roughly 10-12M a year. Boston will have more than enough cap space to acquire his services.

Why the Celtics should sign him

The Celtics’ point guard woes are very well documented. Kyrie Irving is set to sign with Brooklyn, and Terry Rozier wants to leave. The Celtics have two rookies at point guard in Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters. Brogdon has played for three years in the league, and at 26 fits the timetable of this young Celtics team. Brogdon defends with every ounce of effort, even though he’s not the best on defense. He’s a good shooter, knows how to utilize his teammates, and responds well to coaching. He is an exceptional athlete, as shown here. Brogdon’s biggest asset may be his low mileage. He averaged 17.4 minutes per game with the Bucks. His light usage means he’ll be more helpful to Boston in the long run. He has no outstanding ego and is typically a ‘team-first’ guy.

Will he sign with Boston?

The C’s will make an offer to Brogdon because of need. As a restricted free agent, the Celtics only need worry about the Bucks matching their offer. While Milwaukee has other high-priority free agents, Brogdon is an asset they may want to keep. The high cost of their other stars may mean the Bucks won’t retain him. In conclusion, a 4yr/$12M deal should allow Boston to procure his services and that is something they absolutely should explore.

Should the Boston Celtics Sign De’Angelo Russell?

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The Need at Point Guard

The Boston Celtics are moving on from Kyrie Irving. To put it more accurately, Irving is moving on from the Celtics. This means the Celtics enter the 2019-2020 season with one point guard (pg) on their roster: Marcus Smart. Terry Rozier has a $4.3 million (M) qualifying offer, but a cap hit of $9M, which means he’ll be restructured if he comes back at all. The Celtics clearly need another PG, which has been discussed here.

What are the Boston Celtics options? The is a lot of potential in tonight’s draft. The question is: Do the Celtics really want to pair a rookie PG with their young stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown? Even drafting a generational talent such as Ja Morant, an almost impossible scenario, would not solve the Celtics immediate issues. It was reported today the Celtics are shopping Aaron Baynes’ $5.4M contract. If the Celtics lose Baynes their team averages 23.5 years old; even with Baynes the team averages 24.7 years old. The Celtics need a young, veteran point guard to help lead the other young Celtics to the next level.

The future of the Boston Celtics is clearly in the hands of Jayson Tatum (*Left*) and Jaylen Brown (*Right*).

Put Snapchat in the Past

One qualifying player that immediately comes to mind is De’Angelo Russell. I’ve written about the possibilities of signing Russell, but questioned his maturity. It could be argued those issues were put to rest after this last season with the Brooklyn Nets, on which Russell was an All-Star and led Brooklyn to the playoffs. The 2016-2017 All-Rookie member averaged 21.7 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game and 7 assists per game in 2018-2019, on shooting splits of 43.4/36.9/78.0. Russell’s PER was 19.4, ranking 7^th among PGs, and 37^th in the NBA.

The 23-year old 6’5” PG could be the perfect fit in Boston. The 2^nd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft would also be a nice prize from a draft in which the Celtics essentially only managed to draft Rozier. Russell has the skill set, the demeanor, and now the experience, both in the playoffs and living up to his original hype. People will point to Russell’s Snapchat blunder, which ultimately cost him his spot with the Los Angeles Lakers. I point to alternate perspectives. The Snapchat “victim” was Swaggy P, a.k.a. Nick Young. Young, although older, is arguably more immature than Russell. Consider: Russell was outing Young for cheating on – and bragging about cheating on – his longtime girlfriend. Forget “bro code” in 2019, who’s the immature one in this scenario? I rest my case.

https://twitter.com/CelticsExtra/status/1141148229486153728

Desperate Times

They say desperate times call for desperate measures. The Boston Celtics have now lost Irving and reportedly could lose Al Horford. When a city mourns the potential lose of Horford and his $30.1M cap hit you know there’s a serious problem. That problem is veteran bodies to pair with a handful of young budding stars.

De’Angelo Russell barely qualifies as that veteran, but he does. Picture pairing All-Rookie members from 2014-2017 and that’s what you’d have with the Boston Celtics (Smart; Russell; Brown; Tatum). Marcus Smart, the heart of the team, was also a member of the 2017-2018 All-Defensive team. Add two-time All-Star Gordon Hayward, who should continue to get back to form, and things don’t look so bad. The Boston Celtics might be entering desperate times, but signing De’Angelo Russell is no desperation move. It’s the right move, and a move that could keep the Celtics competitive in the Eastern Conference for years to come.

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.

Kyrie Irving Declines Player Option

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Celtics Moving On From Irving

As expected, Kyrie Irving declined his $21.3 million (M) 2019-2020 player option on Wednesday. Irving’s commitment has been inconsistent, to put it politely, since he arrived with the Boston Celtics two years ago. Now the Celtics will formally move on from Irving and will look to replace him, either through the draft or free agency. Irving’s departure will undoubtedly make it more difficult to draw another superstar to Boston, e.g. the much obsessed-over Anthony Davis. The Celtics cap issues are well known, despite Irving’s $21.3M coming off the books, so does it even matter? As I’ve written for Boston Sports Extra, the Boston Celtics need to keep it in house.

Theis Celtics — Boston Celtics center Aaron Baynes (46) dunks on LeBron James (23) during the 2017-2018 NBA Playoffs. Baynes picked up his 2019-2020 player option Wednesday. (Credit: WKYC.com)

Aaron Baynes Coming Back

Aaron Baynes picked up his $5.9M player option Wednesday. The 6’10” center provides veteran depth in addition to a solid backup to Al Horford. The 32-year old Australian played in 51 games in 2018-2019, averaging 5.6 ppg and 4.7 rebounds per game (rpg) in only 16 minutes per game. In fact, per 36 minutes Baynes averages 12.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, and 1.5 blocks per game, which would make him a top-20 center. Baynes also shot 86% from the free throw line, making him a late-game asset rather than the liability typical of his position.

Davis Celtics — The dream is over for some Boston Celtics fans, which begs the question: What’s next?

Boston’s Next Move

With Irving gone and Baynes signed through the 2019-2020 season, what is the Celtics next move? The 2019 NBA Draft is a week away. Will the Celtics address their needs in the draft? If they do, are Horford, Baynes and Marcus Smart enough of a veteran presence? Will their young stars progress with Irving gone and accept leadership roles? Do the Celtics trade their young stars for a superstar, even if it’s just for a year rental? Questions remain, but two things are certain. Aaron Baynes will be a Celtic next season, and the team has officially moved on from Kyrie Irving. If nothing else, Irving’s departure brings a sense of closure to a mentally-taxing situation.

Will Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) be the center piece of the team next year or the center piece of a trade? Credit: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports

Wild Off Season

The Boston Celtics are still in great position. The fast-approaching free agency period could be one of the wildest in years. The once predictable off-season is now plagued with uncertainty. The Celtics have multiple first round draft picks and young stars. Danny Ainge has proven a savvy, business-first general manager. The NBA is approaching crazy times and the Boston Celtics have the assets and the front office brass to make sense of it all.

Celtics: Is a one-year rental for Anthony Davis worth it?

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With trade talks heating up, Rich Paul told SI Now that the Celtics could trade for AD, but that’d be a near-guarantee he leaves after the season. This raises the question of what AD’s worth is to the Celtics if he isn’t staying. There are many factors to consider, and we’ll look at the important ones in this article.

Have One-Year rentals worked and changed?

Many people like to say that, when they take a one-year rental, they can convince him to stay. Does this actually work, though? In the case of Kawhi Leonard, it certainly seems that way. Leonard got traded to Toronto on the assumption that he’d decline his option and be a free agent. Instead, Toronto is on the precipice of its first franchise Finals win with Leonard poised to stay. This situation is not the rule, but certainly a possibility.

Jayson Tatum has limitless potential and almost certainly would be a centerpiece of trade talks

What would the Celtics have to give up?

It’s almost a guarantee that the Celtics would give up almost all its current first-round picks in order to acquire Anthony Davis. However, a trancendant talent like Davis isn’t pried away with uncertain rookies alone. Jayson Tatum, though up and down, has been a star in the making for the C’s and shows much talent. He’d be a piece the Pelicans would want to cushion the blow.

There’s no guarantee that Irving returns if the Celtics get AD

Would it help them get Kyrie back?

Kyrie Irving has declined his player option, and is set to hit free agency. The Celtics want him back, and see Davis as their way to do so. However, its not as simple as that. Kyrie and the Celtics have created a rift where the team would need to ‘sell their soul’ to have him back. AD or not, it’s likely that Kyrie can’t be bought back by the C’s.

DECISION: Not worth it

The Celtics have too much to lose here. Irving is already one foot out the door unless they land Kevin Durant. Paul’s comments make it seem as if there’s zero chance AD stays there, with a track record to prove it. And in the end, the Celtics young core that it would blow up to land AD is more valuable in the long run. The Celtics would be wise to avoid Davis.

How does Kevin Durant’s injury impact the Celtics?

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I outlined in my previous article the reasons why Kevin Durant should sign with the Celtics. After his unfortunate Achilles tear last night, that seems like a lost thought. Durant’s expected recovery time is 10-18 months. However, there are plenty of ways that Durant going down drastically effects the entire NBA, and helps the C’s.

Rozier Celtics — No Durant most likely means no New York for Kyrie

Kyrie Irving’s Free Agency decision

Kyrie Irving has been linked to KD since the All-Star break. Rumors about the two joining forces have run rampant all season. Now with Kevin Durant out for the next year, Kyrie’s decision is altered. He now must either decide between the Brooklyn Nets or a return to Boston. He may want to wait the year out for a healthy Durant

Durant’s fall from the #1 spot could lure Leonard out to view his options

Dramatic shift in the FA Market

Kevin Durant was all set up to be the top free agent of 2019, and every other player would fall under him. With the top market option no longer number 1, that leaves a lot of money on the table. This potentially could lure Kawhi Leonard to decline his player option, and give the C’s a chance at grabbing a generational talent. Leonard would be insane to not give himself the options he’d have as the top free agent. It also makes role players like Marcus Morris less valuable, since an injured Durant is more valuable than a healthy Morris.

Celtics may land a discount on Durant

Kevin Durant to the Celtics has always been a possibility, but never a reality. He’s been expensive, and had an infinite line of suitors from which to choose. His injury history may scare many suitors off who don’t want to take on the risk. On top of that, the injuries may have potentially caused his price to drive down. This makes him affordable and makes Boston much more attractive. With the way the Celtics treated Gordon Hayward, Durant would be foolish to not give the C’s a hard look after injury.

Is Jayson Tatum Worth Trading?

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Pelicans Interested in Tatum

Speculation regarding the Boston Celtics trading for Anthony Davis has been a topic of conversation all season. The Celtics don’t have the ability to trade for Davis while retaining Kyrie Irving because of the Rose rule. It also doesn’t make much sense to trade for one superstar as the other superstar leaves. The obvious answer would be the Celtics trading their draft picks or young stars. When the draft lottery dust settled the Boston’s draft prospects weren’t as enticing, leaving the young stars.

It has been reported that New Orleans Pelicans GM Daniel Griffin are interested in trading Davis to the Celtics for Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, a filler player and the 14^th pick in this year’s draft. This trade is causing some interesting conversations around the community, specifically in the are of betting and more specifically UK Betting. The question then becomes, should the Celtics trade that package for Davis? Should the Celtics trade any of their young stars for Davis?

Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (11) and forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrate after a three point shot by Tatum. Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Rising Star Regression

Midway through the 4^th quarter of Game 7 of the 2017-2018 Eastern Conference Finals the Cleveland Cavaliers led the Boston Celtics 71-67. Jayson Tatum got the pass at the top of the key, made one move and posterized LeBron James. It was the dunk heard ‘round the World and seemed to cement Tatum’s arrival to the NBA. Tatum averaged almost 5 ppg more (18.5 ppg) in the 2017-2018 playoffs than in the regular season (13.9 ppg). The future looked bright for Tatum and the Boston Celtics.

Tatum’s ascent seemed to continued when he improved in 2018-2019 in nearly every important metric besides shooting percentage splits. When the playoffs ended, however, fans had witnessed a serious regression. Tatum saw dips in points, assists and shooting percentage splits with no improvement in defense. Tatum’s only playoff improvement over 2017-2018 was rebounding. Kyrie Irving’s presence seemed to handicap Tatum’s game, along with Jaylen Brown’s, whose production also decreased.

Is Anthony Davis Worth It

Speaking of regression, Anthony Davis was a model for regression in 2018-2019. Davis saw decreases in points (-2.2 ppg), assists (-1.6), his signature blocks (0.2) and his even more signature shooting splits. One could argue it was due to the animosity surrounding Davis and the Pelicans, which I would argue was self-indused. What’s the difference between regression and regression because you’re forcing a mid-season trade? It’s the difference between trading or not trading players like Tatum or Jaylen Brown for Anthony Davis.

It has been reported the Celtics wouldn’t trade Brown for Kawhi Leonard. Perhaps the Celtics don’t feel either player is worth trading away, especially for what might be a one-year rental. The Celtics are seeing how that plays out with Kyrie Irving. Brown also regressed in the presence of Irving, which begs the question, what if Tatum and Brown were the stars, a la the 2017-2018 NBA Playoffs? Both players progressed from their rookie to sophomore years. Brown and Tatum were All-Rookie selections, respectively, and both players possess a skill set that extends to both sides of the floor. The Boston Celtics were within a few minutes of making the NBA Finals in their rookie (Tatum) and second (Brown) years.

When you consider Davis’ effect on the Pelicans last year, his regression and contract status, trading for him becomes questionable. When you consider the potential of Tatum and Brown, trading them for Davis becomes difficult. Now consider none of these scenarios take Kyrie Irving’s uncertainty with the Celtics into account. Suddenly trading Tatum, draft picks and the heart of the team in Marcus Smart for Davis becomes impossible.

Boston Celtics: Free Agent Targets

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The Void at Point Guard

Insiders around the NBA don’t expect Kyrie Irving to be playing for the Boston Celtics in 2019-2020. The Celtics could lose one of the best players in the league, but they’ll also lose their point guard. Assuming the Celtics don’t address their point guard issues in the draft, they’ll look to free agency.

It’s hard to imagine Aaron Baynes not exercising his $5.5 million ($5.5M) option, and restructuring Baynes’ contract seems unlikely. Al Horford is due $30.1M via a player option this season. and becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2020-2021 at age 34. If Horford earns that $301.1M, but another team signs Terry Rozier, the Celtics salary cap will still approach $99.9M. The Celtics would have just over $9M in cap space, and $23M in “soft cap” space, before hitting the luxury tax. It would be difficult for Boston to sign a marquee point guard while retaining roster depth with that kind of money. Horford restructuring his contract would not be difficult.

Restructuring Al Horford

The Boston Celtics could restructure Horford to a 4-year $100M contract that paid $20M in 2019-2020. This hypothetical contract would pay Horford $23.5M, $27.5M and $29M, respectively, until 2022-2023. The salary cap will rise as Horford approaches 38 years of age by contract’s end. That restructured contract would free up an additional $10M in 2019-2020, affording the Celtics the requisite cap space.

This hypothetical contract would also count for $23.5M against the 2020-2021 salary cap. Combined with Gordon Hayward’s $34.1M, Marcus Smart’s $12.9M, Jason Tatum’s non-guaranteed $9.9M club option and Jaylen Brown’s $8.6M qualifying offer, the 2020-2021 salary cap would sit at $89.5M. Considering the NBA salary cap increases to $118M in 2020-2021, the Celtics would have $28.5M in cap space. The luxury tax threshold increases to $143M that season, meaning Boston could theoretically have upwards of $54M in cap space. That money will cover any free agent signed in 2019-2020, draft picks, a veteran minimum contract and extension space for Tatum and Brown.

The Boston Celtics will need to restructure Al Horford’s contract moving forward if the Celtics plan to sign any marquee free agents, or even offer extensions to existing players such as Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Free Agent Point Guards

The market happens to be rife with point guards, some of which would fit the Celtics roster and salary cap. There are 18 unrestricted, and one restricted, free agent point guards available this off season. I believe six of them would be perfect fits for the Celtics. Kemba Walker, an All-NBA selection, will command the most money. Ricky Rubio made $13.75M in 2018-2019 and will likely command somewhere ~150% of that salary in 2019-2020. Patrick Beverly and D’Angelo Russell both made ~$5.8M in 2018-2019, but Russell’s salary will be drastically different in 2019-2020. Elfrid Payton and Emmanuel Mudiay provide the most flexibility, but the most uncertainty. Mudiay’s $5.8M qualifying offer would cost the New York Knicks nearly $13M against their cap.

Considering the money likely required to secure Walker and Russell, combined with Russell’s documented immaturity, I would pass on both. One could also make the same financial argument for Rubio, whose production likely won’t match his salary. Mudiay is a nice player, but not much of an upgrade over Boston’s current options. Besides, Mudiay could be retained by the New York Knicks. I argue here for the free agent signings of Beverly and Payton. Patrick Beverly would provide the defensive veteran presence and playoff experience Brad Stevens would appreciate. Elfrid Payton, 25, averaged 10.6 ppg, 5.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.0 steal per game for the New Orleans Pelicans. Those contracts would likely cost the Celtics ~$20M per season going forward, freeing up the requisite cap space for depth. The Boston Celtics need to make moves at point guard and I believe I’ve outlined the perfect plan.