Celtics exercise contract options on Marcus Smart, James Young, Kelly Olynyk

Celtics exercise contract options on Marcus Smart, James Young, Kelly Olynyk

The Boston Celtics have exercised their third-year options on guard Marcus Smart and guard/forward James Young, and their fourth-year option on forward Kelly Olynyk.

All of these moves were expected.

Smart, who is in his second NBA season, appeared in five contests for the Celtics this preseason and averaged 8.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.0 steal in 24.2 minutes per game. The 6’4” guard played in 67 games during his rookie year and averaged 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 27.0 minutes per game. Smart was named to the 2014-15 NBA All-Rookie Second Team, named the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for February 2015, and was selected with the sixth overall pick by the Celtics in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Young, who is also in his second NBA season, appeared in seven preseason matchups for the team this year and averaged 4.4 points, including connecting on 35.0 percent of his shots from beyond the arc, and pulled down 1.4 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game over that span. Young was selected with the 17th overall pick by the Celtics in the 2014 NBA Draft and is averaging 3.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game through 31 career contests.

Olynyk, who is in his third NBA season, appeared in six preseason games for the team this year and averaged 7.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 17.7 minutes per game. The 7’0” forward is averaging 9.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 21.1 minutes per game over his 134 game career. Olynyk was originally selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft before the Celtics acquired him in exchange for the draft rights to Lucas Nogueira and two future second round picks on June 27, 2013.

Bulls exercise contract options on Tony Snell and Doug McDermott

Bulls exercise contract options on Tony Snell and Doug McDermott

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has exercised its fourth-year option for guard Tony Snell and its third-year option for forward Doug McDermott.

By exercising their options, both players will be under contract with the Bulls for the 2016-17 season.

Both of these moves were expected. Snell started 22 games for the Bulls last season, and has started all three so far this season. McDermott is still proving himself as an NBA player but clearly has the Bulls’ interest.

Pacers great Mel Daniels has died

The Indiana Pacers today are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former center Mel Daniels, a stalwart on the team’s three American Basketball Association championship teams and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Daniels died Friday in Sheridan, Ind. He was 71. He is survived by his wife, CeCe and family.

“I join our extended Pacers family in offering my sincerest condolences to CeCe and Mel’s family,” said Pacers Sports & Entertainment owner Herb Simon. “We will miss him greatly, but when we look at that Hall of Fame banner in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, we will be forever reminded of what he meant to this franchise.”

Daniels was twice named the ABA’s MVP (1969 and 1971). He played six seasons with the Pacers, averaging 19.4 points and 16.0 rebounds per game.

A four-time All-ABA selection, Daniels was named to the First Team in 1969, 1970 and 1971, and was a Second Team pick in 1973. He also was named the ABA All-Star Game MVP in 1971 and was the ABA’s first Rookie of the Year in 1968 while playing with Minnesota. He is the Pacers’ all-time leading rebounder in the ABA (7,643) and he holds the Pacers’ ABA record for rebounds in a single season (1,475 in 1970-71).

He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico.

Following the end of his playing career, he joined the basketball staff of the Pacers.

His jersey number was retired on November 2, 1985. In September 2012, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Pelicans sign Toney Douglas

Pelicans sign Toney Douglas

The New Orleans Pelicans, who yesterday said goodbye to Nate Robinson, signed point guard Toney Douglas today.

Douglas, 6-2, 185, appeared in 12 games for New Orleans during the 2014-15 season, averaging 4.3 points and 2.0 assists in 14.8 minutes per game. Douglas spent the 2015 preseason with the Indiana Pacers, appearing in five games and averaging 6.6 points, 1.6 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals.

Drafted 29th overall out of Florida State in 2009 by the Los Angeles Lakers, Douglas has appeared in 309 career NBA games with New York, Houston, Sacramento, Golden State, Miami and New Orleans, averaging 7.6 points and 2.2 assists in 18.9 minutes per game.

New Orleans’ roster now stands at 15.

Dirk will see Suns honor Steve Nash

Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting that Dirk Nowitzki will be in attendance when the Phoenix Suns honor Steve Nash for his accomplishments:

Dirk will see Suns honor Steve Nash

Nowitzki and a handful of other Mavericks’ personnel will use the day off Friday in Los Angeles to return to Phoenix, where they will watch Steve Nash be inducted into the Suns’ ring of honor.

“I’m not missing it,” Nowitzki said Wednesday. “We’re coming back Friday. It’s huge for him. He had a tremendous career and since we’re off in LA for three or four days, we’re coming back here for it. It’s a tremendous honor for him.

“What he did here and in his career was amazing.”

Never call Chris Paul a bad teammate

Here’s the Orange County Register reporting on what you better not say to Clippers point guard Chris Paul:

Never call Chris Paul a bad teammate

Call him a wizard with the basketball. Call him a once-in-a-generation point guard. Call him competitive.

Call him out on not getting past the second round of the playoffs. Call him abrasive. Call him stubborn. Call him too demanding.

Clippers guard Chris Paul would probably be just fine with it.

But bad teammate?

“There are a lot of things you can say about me or what-not, but that’s not one,” Paul said. “I’m competitive and I want to win – you can say a whole lot of stuff about me – I’m not a saint by any means.

“But that’s the one thing you cannot say.”