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Celtics trade Bol Bol and P.J. Dozier to Magic, who waive Michael Carter-Williams and E’Twaun Moore

The Orlando Magic have acquired center Bol Bol, guard P.J. Dozier, a future second round draft pick and cash considerations in a trade with the Boston Celtics for a future protected second round draft pick (2023, protected 31-55), President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced today.

In addition, Orlando has waived guard Michael Carter-Williams and guard E’Twaun Moore.

Orlando also used a Traded Player Exception (TPE) to complete the deal. A TPE is what one team receives in exchange for a player traded to another team that can absorb that player into salary cap space.

Bol and Dozier were both acquired by Boston from Denver as part of a three-way trade on Jan. 19, 2022 that also included San Antonio. Juancho Hernangomez went to San Antonio and Bryn Forbes went to Denver in the trade.

Bol (7’2”, 220, 11/16/99) played in 14 games this season with Denver, averaging 2.4 ppg. and 1.4 rpg. in 5.8 minpg. He underwent surgery on his right foot on Jan. 18.

Originally selected in the second round (44th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft by Miami, Bol has played in 53 career NBA regular season games (two starts), all with Denver, averaging 2.7 ppg. and 1.2 rpg. in 6.2 minpg. He has also appeared in eight career NBA G League regular season games with Windy City, averaging 12.0 ppg., 5.8 rpg. and 2.25 blkpg. in 19.3 minpg.

Dozier (6’6”, 205, 10/25/96) played in 18 games this season with Denver, averaging 5.4 ppg., 3.5 rpg. and 1.6 apg. in 18.9 minpg. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Nov. 23 and will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

Undrafted by an NBA franchise, Dozier has played in 105 career NBA regular season games (six starts) with Oklahoma City, Boston and Denver, averaging 6.4 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and 1.8 apg. in 18.0 minpg. He has also appeared in 107 career NBA G League regular season games (100 starts) with Oklahoma City, Maine and Windy City, averaging 17.9 ppg., 6.4 rpg., 5.2 apg. and 1.36 stlpg. in 32.8 minpg.

Carter-Williams (6’6”, 205, 10/10/91) has not played this season due to left ankle injury recovery. He underwent surgery on Aug. 23, 2021 to remove a bone fragment and to repair a ligament in his left ankle. Carter-Williams has appeared in 391 career NBA regular season games (217 starts) with Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Chicago, Charlotte, Houston and Orlando, averaging 10.3 ppg., 4.4 rpg., 4.4 apg. and 1.27 stlpg. in 25.3 minpg. He was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the Magic on Mar. 15, 2019 and played in 88 games (25 starts) with the Magic, averaging 7.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg. and 3.3 apg. in 21.1 minpg.

Moore (6’3”, 190, 2/25/89) has not played this season due to a sprained left knee. He was signed as a free agent by Orlando on Sep. 9, 2021. Moore has appeared in 598 career NBA regular season games (191 starts) with Boston, Orlando, Chicago, New Orleans and Phoenix, averaging 7.9 ppg., 2.0 rpg. and 1.8 apg. in 21.0 minpg. He also spent two seasons with Orlando from 2012-14. Moore played in 154 regular season games (24 starts) with the Magic during that span, averaging 7.1 ppg., 2.1 apg. and 2.0 rpg. in 20.7 minpg.

75th Anniversary All-Celtics Team announced

As the 17-time World Champion Boston Celtics continue their season-long celebration to commemorate their 75th anniversary as an NBA team, the franchise today revealed the complete roster for its 75th Anniversary All-Celtics Team.

Fifteen Celtics legends, as determined by thousands of votes from fans, media members, and historians were selected for the All-Celtics Team. More than thirty media members and historians, selected for their expertise, knowledge, and experience with and around the franchise, comprised 50% of the All-Celtics Team’s final weighted voting. Fans accounted for the remaining 50% of the voting.

The fifteen players selected are: Ray Allen, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Kevin Garnett, John Havlicek, Tommy Heinsohn, Dennis Johnson, Sam Jones, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Paul Pierce, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, and Jo Jo White. Each member of the team has been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the group combined has a total of 64 championships as players with the Boston Celtics. Players from each of the team’s NBA-best 17 World Champion teams are represented.

“Considering how many world class players have worn a Celtics uniform, selecting our all-time team is yet another reminder of the incredible legacy and singular place in the NBA that the franchise holds,” said Celtics President Rich Gotham. “Our organization thanks all the fans and media who participated in the selection process.”

The latest on the Celtics

The latest on the Boston Celtics, from the Boston Herald:

In a time-worn ritual — the one where an underperforming team bonds together because of outside doubt and criticism — the Celtics are standing against the world, according to Marcus Smart.

Jaylen Brown believes this is exactly the approach the Celtics need.

“The season hasn’t gone the way we expected as far as ups and downs, but we always try to find ways to come together as a team,” said Brown. “So the mentality of us against the world is the right frame of mind to be in. If these are the guys that we’ve got, the guys that we’re rolling with, then we’ve got to make the best of our situation regardless of the media or whatever other people are saying. I would support that.

“There’s always urgency, always a sense of urgency, for sure,” he said. “Whether you’re winning or you’re losing, there’s always gotta be that approach of, you know, we’ve had some ups and downs this season and put some stretches together, and we’re looking to do so more as we took what we learned from the first half of the season into All-Star break and beyond. I think that we have improved in a lot of areas offensively, as a team, as a coaching staff, as players, I think we’ve gotten a little bit more comfortable. We’ve just got to keep that sense of urgency and keep building on top of it.”

Boston Celtics legend Sam Jones has passed away

STATEMENT FROM THE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame celebrates the life and mourns the passing of legendary Boston Celtic Sam Jones. Enshrined as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984, Mr. Jones has passed away at the age of 88.

“Sam Jones was as much of a one-of-a-kind athlete as he was an individual,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “As one of the greatest champions in American sports history, Sam embodied what it means to be a winner both on and off the court. He was a natural scorer and will forever be one the most clutch performers the game has ever seen. He will be tremendously missed by the entire Hall of Fame family.”

At 6-foot-4, Sam Jones was the prototype of the tall guard. He could run the floor, bang the boards, and his rangy offensive game caused fits in his opponents. As a collegian, Jones was an offensive firehouse scoring 1,770 points while playing for Hall of Fame coach John McLendon at all-black North Carolina Central College. His senior season saw the fiery guard average a double-double in points and rebounds. His scoring aptitude continued and in the NBA he averaged over 17 points a game for his career. Always steady, always on top of his game, Sam Jones was a winner. One half of the “Jones Boys” of Boston, Sam teamed with K.C. Jones in the Celtics backcourt to create havoc in NBA arenas around the country. Jones favored an unorthodox but highly effective bank shot that became the muscle behind his and Boston’s ten NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959 to 1966.

He received several accolades throughout his storied career, including being the first African American inducted into the North Carolina Hall of Fame in 1969, as well being named to the NBA 25th Anniversary Team as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996, as well as the 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. His jersey No. 24 was retired by the Celtics in 1969.

STATEMENT FROM THE BOSTON CELTICS

Sam Jones was one of the most talented, versatile, and clutch shooters for the most successful and dominant teams in NBA history. His scoring ability was so prolific, and his form so pure, that he earned the simple nickname, “The Shooter.” He was also known as “Mr. Clutch.” One of the many testaments to his clutch performances is the fact that his playoff scoring average (18.9) exceeded his regular season output (17.7). His number 24 was retired in 1969, the final year of his Celtics career, which of course resulted in an NBA Championship – his tenth. Only Bill Russell won more championships in his NBA career. The Jones family is in our thoughts as we mourn his loss and fondly remember the life and career of one of the greatest champions in American sports.

Boston Celtics sign Al-Farouq Aminu and Norvel Pelle to 10-day contracts

The Boston Celtics have signed 10-year NBA veteran Al-Farouq Aminu and center Norvel Pelle to 10-day contracts, the team announced today.

Aminu, 31, has played in 711 career NBA games (445 starts) over 10 seasons with the LA Clippers, New Orleans, Dallas, Portland, Orlando, and Chicago, averaging 7.5 points (42.0% FG, 33.2% 3-PT, 74.6% FT), 6.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steal, and 24.9 minutes. Originally selected eighth overall by the Clippers in the 2010 NBA Draft out of Wake Forest, Aminu has produced 11.3 points on 43.4% shooting (39.1% 3-PT), 7.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 40 career NBA playoff games (33 starts) across five separate postseason appearances.

Pelle, 28, has competed in parts of two NBA seasons with Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Sacramento, and New York from 2019-20 to 2020-21, averaging 2.1 points on 52.4% shooting, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocked shots in 37 games. He played in 24 of his career 37 games with the 76ers as a rookie in 2019-20, tallying 2.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. Pelle joins the Celtics from the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League, where he posted 8.9 points on 51.9% shooting (87.5% FT), 8.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in nine games (six starts).

Aminu will wear number 72, and Pelle will wear number 29 for Boston.

Boston Celtics sign Joe Johnson to a 10-day contract

The Boston Celtics have signed seven-time NBA All Star and 17-year veteran Joe Johnson to a 10-day contract, the team announced today.

Johnson, 40, has played in 1,276 career NBA games over 17 seasons with the Celtics, Phoenix, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Miami, Utah, and Houston from 2001-02 to 2017-18, averaging 16.0 points on 44.1% shooting (37.1% 3-PT, 80.2% FT), 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 34.7 minutes. He produced double-digit scoring in 13 consecutive seasons from 2003-04 to 2015-16, five of which were 20+ point campaigns.

Originally selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, Johnson rejoins Boston for the first time since his rookie season. The Little Rock, AR native recorded 6.3 points on 43.9% shooting in 48 games (33 starts) with the franchise in 2001-02.

Johnson will wear number 55.

Jayson Tatum and Karl-Anthony Towns named NBA Players of the Week

Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week and Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Dec. 13-19.

It is the first time this season – and the fifth time in Tatum’s career – that he has received the conference’s weekly award.

Tatum produced a team-best 31.3 points on 50.0% shooting (36.1% 3-PT, 86.7% FT), 7.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 38.8 minutes over three home games – including two Boston wins – against Milwaukee, Golden State, and New York. He registered at least 25 points and 5+ rebounds in each of the three contests, including a season-high 42 points on 16-of-25 shooting (7-13 3-PT) in Boston’s 117-103 victory over the Bucks on Dec. 13.

In 30 games this season (all starts), Tatum has averaged 26.2 points (42.3% FG, 33.2% 3-PT, 81.9% FT), a career-high 8.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 36.5 minutes. He has tallied at least 20 points in all nine games played in the month of December, averaging 30.6 points on 48.7% shooting (36.6% 3-PT), 8.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists during that stretch.

This is the fifth time in his career that Towns has won the weekly award (Nov. 20, 2017, April 11, 2016, Mar. 13, 2017 and Oct. 28, 2019). Towns joins Kevin Garnett (15 times) as the only players in Timberwolves history to win the league’s weekly award five or more times.

Towns is the only player in the NBA this season to average 20+ ppg while shooting 50% or better from the field and 40% or better from three. Following the 3-0 week by the Timberwolves, he ranks 12th in the NBA in scoring (24.4 ppg) and tied for 17th in rebounds (9.0 rpg).

The 7-0 center has helped the Timberwolves climb back to .500 on the season, moving to 15-15 after Sunday night’s 111-105 win over the Dallas Mavericks, tied for the second-best 30-game start for the Wolves since 2006-07.

In the Dec. 15 124-107 victory at Denver, Towns scored 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting, while adding four rebounds, four assists and three steals, marking his seventh 30+ point game of the season and extending his franchise record to 85 career games with 30 or more points. With his three-pointer with 6:40 left in the third quarter against the Nuggets, Towns eclipsed 10,000 career points, joining Garnett as the only players in Timberwolves history to score 10,000+ points. He additionally became the first player from the 2015 draft class to notch 10,000 career points.

On Dec. 17 against the Los Angeles Lakers, Towns tallied his 12th 20+ point/10+ rebound game of the season (218th career), finishing with 28 points on 11-of-20 shooting, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Since he entered the league in 2015-16, no other player has registered more 20/10 games.

Towns finished the week on Dec. 19 against the Mavericks, leading the way for the Wolves with 24 points, seven rebounds and six assists, accounting for his 24th 20+ point game of the season (292nd career). He shot 11-of-13 from the charity stripe, marking a season-high for free throws made and was his third game of the season tallying 10+ free throws. The stat line also marked Towns’ seventh game of the season with 20+ points/5+ rebounds/5+ assists.

Celtics sign C.J. Miles to a 10-day contract

The Boston Celtics have signed 15-year NBA veteran C.J. Miles to a 10-day contract.

Originally selected by Utah in the second round (34th overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft, Miles, 34, has averaged 9.6 points on 41.1% shooting (35.8% 3-PT, 80.9% FT), 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 20.4 minutes in 848 career NBA games (303 starts) with the Jazz, Cleveland, Indiana, Toronto, Memphis, and Washington.

Miles (G/F) has averaged at least 10.0 points in six of his 15 NBA seasons, including four straight double-digit scoring years from 2014-15 to 2017-18. The Dallas, TX native last played in the NBA in 2019-20, when he produced 6.4 points over 10 games with the Wizards.

Celtics sign Justin Jackson to a 10-day contract

The Boston Celtics have signed forward Justin Jackson to a 10-day contract.

Jackson, 26, has played in 248 games (61 starts) during his four-year NBA career with Sacramento, Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Milwaukee, averaging 6.6 points on 42.7% shooting (32.1% 3-PT, 79.7% FT), 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. The Houston, TX native played in 34 games last season with the Thunder and Bucks, producing 7.2 points (40.3% FG, 30.8% 3-PT, 83.8% FT), 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 17.0 minutes. Jackson also appeared in five playoff games during Milwaukee’s championship run, scoring six points on 3-of-5 shooting.

Jackson joins the Celtics from the Texas Legends of the NBA G League, where he averaged 22.7 points (47.3% FG, 42.4% 3-PT, 79.2% FT), 7.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 10 games (nine starts) this season.

Enes Kanter will reportedly change his name to Enes Kanter Freedom

NBA player name-changes don’t happen too often. The latest to do so will reportedly be Enes Kanter. Via ESPN.com:

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter is changing his name to Enes Kanter Freedom.

The decision comes ahead of the Turkish-born Kanter becoming a United States citizen on Monday. His agent told The Associated Press that Kanter will make his name change official after completing the citizenship process.