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Celtics exercise contract options on Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger, Tyler Zeller

While winning their season opener tonight, Boston Celtics exercised contract options on Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger, Tyler Zeller

Celtics exercise contract options on Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger, Tyler Zeller

The Boston Celtics have exercised their third-year option on forward Kelly Olynyk, and their fourth-year options on forward Jared Sullinger and center/forward Tyler Zeller.

The Celtics started their regular season in style this evening at home, beating the Brooklyn Nets 121-105. Point guard Rajon Rondo, who has some serious heal-from-injury skills, had 13 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists in the win.

Olynyk appeared in seven games for the Celtics this preseason and averaged 8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks in 25.2 minutes per game. He is averaging 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game through 70 career contests. 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.

Sullinger appeared in eight preseason matchups for the team and averaged 14.9 points, including shooting 15-30 (.500) from beyond the arc, 10.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 21.9 minutes per game over that span. Sullinger was selected 21st overall by the Celtics in the 2012 NBA Draft and is averaging 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.6 minutes per game over his 119 game career.

Zeller appeared in eight preseason games for the Celtics and averaged 7.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game off the bench. He is averaging 6.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.7 blocks in 21.0 minutes per game on his career. Zeller was originally selected 17th overall by Dallas in the 2012 NBA Draft. Boston acquired him from Cleveland as part of a three-team trade on July 10, 2014.

Julius Randle injury update: Out for season after surgery

Julius Randle Injury Update: Out For Season After Surgery

Julius Randle injury update: out for season after surgery

The Los Angeles Lakers 2014-15 regular season already didn’t look on paper like many wins should be expected, but the situation is now even bleaker after a tragic injury in the team’s season-opener last night.

Lakers rookie forward Julius Randle will likely miss the remainder of the 2014-15 season. He suffered a fractured tibia of his right leg in Tuesday night’s game in Staples Center against the Houston Rockets, and today underwent surgery to fix the fracture. The recovery time suggests we won’t see Randle on an NBA court again this season.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Donald Wiss at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The Lakers expect that Randle, the team’s prized rookie, will make a full recovery.

Mavericks waive Gal Mekel

Mavericks Waive Gal Mekel To Make Room For Jose Juan Barea

Mavericks waive Gal Mekel

The Dallas Mavericks have requested waivers on guard Gal Mekel, in a move that is likely only taking place because the team expects to bring back guard Jose Juan Barea. It’s been widely reported that the Mavs like Mekel a lot. But Barea is a proven veteran who adds bench depth, and the team is looking to win as immediately as possible.

Mekel (6-3, 202) was in his second year with the Mavericks after signing as a free agent on July 11, 2013. Last season, he averaged 2.4 points, 2.0 assists and 9.4 minutes in 31 games (1 start) for Dallas.

Despite not playing much for the Mavs, Mekel will likely land a job with another NBA team in the near future. He isn’t considered a starter, but certainly belongs on someone’s bench.

Originally from Petah Tikva, Israel, Mekel spent the entire preseason with the Mavericks, and averaged 7.6 points, 3.9 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 19.4 minutes in 8 preseason games (2 starts).

Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard exchange words

Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard exchange words in regular season opener

The 2014-15 NBA regular season began Tuesday night, featuring three games, the last of which was a Rockets win over the Lakers that unfortunately included LAL rookie Julius Randle breaking his leg. But there was also some fun in the form of former teammates Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard exchanging some less-than-pleasant words.

Here’s the Houston Chronicle with more:

Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard exchange words

The Lakers’ season opener was supposed to be about the return of Kobe Bryant. After missing all but six games last year, the All-Star was to be back on the court to save the Lakers from another postseasonless season.

Part of that comeback would include running into Rockets center Dwight Howard, who Bryant has a rocky history with.

While both players have said since before the start of the 2013-14 season that their drama was in the past, it became the present on Tuesday night at the Staples Center, when the two shared some words in the fourth quarter.

After Howard elbowed Bryant in the face after a rebound, the two started talking. Video shows Howard saying, “I know you, dog,” and Bryant saying, “Try me” and calling Howard “soft” as he approached the Lakers bench.

Julius Randle leg injury: fractured tibia

Julius Randle leg injury: fractured tibia suffered on NBA opening night

Julius Randle leg injury: fractured tibia

The Los Angeles Lakers season has begun in dramatically bad fashion, with the brightest young talent on the roster suffering what has been diagnosed as a major injury. This on opening night for the 2014-15 NBA regular season.

Lakers rookie forward Julius Randle left Tuesday’s game against the Houston Rockets in the fourth quarter with an injury to his right leg. The initial diagnosis by team doctors at the arena is a fractured tibia.

Randle will undergo further evaluation tomorrow, and an update on his status will be given at that time.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News blog, “Randle was taken off the court in a stretcher before being taken to a nearby hospital. The Lakers will have more information likely by Wednesday, including when Randle will presumably have surgery. But given that it appears Randle broke his leg, the Lakers sounded well aware of the devastating implications. Lakers coach Byron Scott also reported players told him they heard a “pop” when Randle fell to the floor.”

The Rockets won 108-90, but the results of the game, which took place in Los Angeles’ Staples Center, takes a back seat to news of this injury.

Knicks exercise contract option on Tim Hardaway Jr

Knicks exercise contract option on Tim Hardaway Jr

The New York Knicks made an easy decision today and exercised their third-year contract option on guard Tim Hardaway Jr.

On a roster lacking in young talent other than Hardaway, guard Iman Shumpert and rookie forward Cleanthony Early, this move was expected.

Hardaway, 6-6, 205-pounds, averaged 10.2 points over 23.2 minutes in 81 games (one start) last season for the Knicks and was named to the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie first team. He was originally selected by New York with the 24th overall selection in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Lakers face Rockets on NBA opening night

Lakers face Rockets on NBA opening night

The 2014-15 NBA regular season begins tonight! Basketball is back.

There are two 8pm ET games: Pelicans/Magic and Spurs/Mavericks. And at 10:30pm ET the Lakers face the Rockets. Nobody expects much of the Lakers this season, but as long as Kobe Bryant is healthy and can lace up his sneakers they are going to be of interest. And they did add Carlos Boozer, and rookie Julius Randle. So there’s that.

Here’s the Orange County Register with more on the Lakers/Rockets:

Maybe the 2012-13 feud between Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard feels like ancient history.

But the two former teammates will hit a different kind of milestone Tuesday on the opening night of the NBA’s regular season: It will mark the first time the two have played against each other since Howard spurned the Lakers to sign with the Rockets.

It’s true. While Howard played four games against the Lakers last season, Bryant missed each contest because of injuries.

Howard and Bryant openly bickered in their one season together and after Howard signed with the Rockets, Bryant delivered the ultimate insult imaginable in this tech age.

He unfollowed Howard on Twitter.

Bucks waive Michael Eric

As teams around league trim rosters to 15 players, Milwaukee Bucks waive Michael Eric

Bucks waive Michael Eric

The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on Michael Eric, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Eric, 26, was signed to Milwaukee’s training camp roster on Sept. 27. He appeared in four games this preseason for the Bucks and averaged 5.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14.9 minutes per game.

Suns exercise contract options on Archie Goodwin, Alex Len, Miles Plumlee

Phoenix Suns exercise contract options on Archie Goodwin, Alex Len, Miles Plumlee

Suns exercise contract options on Archie Goodwin, Alex Len, Miles Plumlee

The Phoenix Suns have exercised their 2015-16 options on guard Archie Goodwin, center Alex Len and center Miles Plumlee.

According to the Arizona Republic, the contract values for the 2015-16 season are: Alex Len ($3.81M), Miles Plumlee ($2.11M) and Archie Goodwin ($1.16M).

As a rookie with the Suns last season, Goodwin averaged 3.7 points and 10.2 minutes in 52 games. The 29th overall pick in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft, Goodwin scored a career-high 29 points on 11-of-13 shooting in the Suns’ 2013-14 season finale at Sacramento.

Len was selected by the Suns with the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and, among NBA rookies to play at least 300 minutes, ranked fifth in rebounds per 48 minutes and sixth in blocks per 48 minutes last season. The native of Ukraine averaged 2.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 8.6 minutes in 42 appearances, including three starts.

Plumlee enjoyed a breakthrough season in his first with the Suns and second in the NBA in 2013-14, averaging team-highs of 7.8 rebounds and 1.13 blocks in addition to 8.1 points in 80 games (79 starts). Acquired by the Suns in a trade from Indiana prior to last season, Plumlee had a team-high 23 double-digit rebounding games and tied for the team-lead with 11 double-doubles.