Category: Boston Celtics Blog

Celtics blog – Boston Celtics blog. A great Celtics news blog

Jaylen Brown returns to action for Celtics

The Celtics tonight welcome a very important player back in action. Via ESPN.com:

The Boston Celtics had forward Jaylen Brown back in the lineup for the first time in two weeks Monday against the Houston Rockets after he missed the prior eight games with a right hamstring strain.

“He’ll be on limited minutes,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said before the game. “[We’ll] try to keep him around 24 minutes — probably four six-minute stints. Keep it lower, keep him away from fatigue.

“We’ll monitor that, just see how he feels.”

Rajon Rondo on the Lakers versus Celtics rivalry

Veteran Lakers guard Rajon Rondo has seen some things. And knows the Lakers versus Celtics rivalry quite well. Via the OC Register:

Rajon Rondo’s best memory in T.D. Garden is June 17, 2008. Kevin Garnett screamed how anything was possible, and green-and-white confetti sprayed from the ceiling as the franchise won its 17th NBA championship. But as Trevor Ariza and the Lakers left, already shattered to have lost the Finals, they faced a very different reception: a rowdy crowd of Celtics fans literally beating on them, then rocking their bus back and forth as they left the arena.

“Yeah, that was a good ole Bostonian ass-whooping,” Rondo said on Friday morning, wearing the Lakers logo across his chest while thinking back on his nine seasons as a Celtic.

These are, by comparison, fallow years for the cross-coastal rivalry which has defined so much of NBA history and is often rough around the fringe. Lakers-Celtics always does have an extra edge to it, but it’s not quite the feeling of when both teams are unquestioned leaders in their respective conference. In fact, this latest installment finds both the Lakers (8-8) and Celtics (7-8) both in need of some wins to get back on track.

Rondo said the most intense part of the rivalry has been “buried” because the two franchises haven’t met in the playoffs since 2010. Growing up in Louisville, Ky., he said he didn’t understand how much power the rivalry held until he was in the thick of it.

Rondo has stories to tell. I look forward to hearing their extended versions after his NBA career wraps up.

Jaylen Brown had some breathing issues due to COVID-19

The NBA season started yesterday, and the Celtics have their first game of the new year tonight. Fortunately for them, young star Jaylen Brown will be in action. Here’s ESPN.com on what Brown just went through:

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 8, will be in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s opener against the New York Knicks, coach Ime Udoka said.

Brown, who had been listed as questionable on Tuesday afternoon, said he had “some mild symptoms for the most part,” including some breathing issues that he used meditation to navigate through.

“The most concerning was my breathing,” Brown said. “I had to really focus to get my breathing kind of back to normal. … But the more I focused on it, the better I was able to gain more efficiency in it.”

Celtics re-sign Jabari Parker

After recently waiving him, the Boston Celtics have re-signed forward Jabari Parker.

Signed by the Celtics on April 16 of last season, Parker, 26, averaged 6.4 points (54.2% FG, 76.9% FT), 3.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 13.8 minutes over 10 games played with Boston in 2020-21. He played in four postseason games during Boston’s First Round series against Brooklyn, producing 8.5 points on 61.9% shooting, and 3.8 rebounds in 14.8 minutes.

Selected with the second overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2014 NBA Draft, Parker has averaged 14.5 points (49.4% FG, 32.1% 3-PT, 74.1% FT), 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 28.3 minutes in 298 career games (190 starts) over seven NBA seasons with Milwaukee, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, Sacramento, and Boston. He has averaged at least 14.0 points in four of his seven NBA seasons, including two straight years from 2018-19 to 2019-20.

Celtics sign Brodric Thomas to two-way contract

The Boston Celtics have signed guard Brodric Thomas to a two-way contract.

Thomas, 24, played in 32 NBA games with Houston and Cleveland as a rookie in 2020-21, averaging 3.9 points (36.1% FG), 1.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.5 steals, and 12.5 minutes. The 6-5 guard scored in double figures twice, including a 14-point, 4-rebound, 3-steal performance at Brooklyn on May 16.

Thomas also earned Second Team All-NBA G League honors and was selected to the NBA G-League All-Rookie Team after averaging 18.5 points on 44.7% shooting (41.3% 3-PT), 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.9 steals, 1.1 blocked shots, and 33.5 minutes in 14 games (13 starts) with Rio Grande Valley and Canton.

In three collegiate seasons at Truman State University from 2017-18 to 2019-20, the Bolingbrook, Illinois native produced 18.8 points (48.3% FG, 38.1% 3-PT), 6.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals across 80 career games (78 starts). He was named to the Great Lakes Valley Conference All-First Team and All-Defensive Team in each of his collegiate campaigns and earned GLVC Conference Player of the Year honors in 2020.

Celtics hire Will Hardy, Damon Stoudamire, Ben Sullivan, Joe Mazzulla, Aaron Miles and Tony Dobbins as assistant coaches

The Boston Celtics announced today that Will Hardy, Damon Stoudamire, Ben Sullivan, Joe Mazzulla, Aaron Miles, and Tony Dobbins will serve as assistant coaches on first-year head coach Ime Udoka’s staff.

Evan Bradds, Garrett Jackson, DJ MacLeay, and Steve Tchiengang have been named to the team’s player enhancement staff, while Matt Reynolds will serve as a special assistant to Udoka.

Hardy joins Boston’s coaching staff after spending the last six seasons as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs from 2015-16 to 2020-21. The Williams College graduate has spent each of the last 11 seasons with San Antonio since joining on as a basketball operations intern in 2010, including a two-year stint as the Spurs video coordinator from 2013-15. Hardy served on the coaching staff during Team USA’s gold medal run at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. He was also tabbed as San Antonio’s summer league head coach in Las Vegas in 2017 and 2018, as well as serving as the team’s head coach during the Utah summer league from 2015-18.

Stoudamire spent the last five seasons at the University of Pacific after being named the head coach of the men’s basketball team on March 16, 2016. He led Pacific to a 23-10 finish in 2019-20 – the program’s best mark since 2012-13 – en route to being named both the West Coast Conference Coach of the Year and the Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year, given annually to the top minority coach at the Division I level. Stoudamire previously worked as an assistant coach at the University of Memphis (2011-13; 2015-16), the University of Arizona (2013-15), and in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2009-2011.

A 13-year NBA point guard, Stoudamire played in 878 career games (793 starts) with the Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, and San Antonio Spurs. He was named the league’s Rookie of the Year and was selected to the All-Rookie First Team in 1995-96 after being selected by Toronto with the seventh overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft.

Sullivan joins the Celtics after winning an NBA Championship in his third season as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. He has seven seasons of experience as an assistant coach in the NBA, including a four-year stint with the Atlanta Hawks from 2014-15 to 2017-18. Prior to his time in Milwaukee and Atlanta, Sullivan served as an assistant video coordinator with San Antonio while also working in its basketball development department.

Mazzulla returns for his third year as an assistant coach after originally joining the organization prior to the 2019-20 season. The Rhode Island native most recently served as Boston’s head coach throughout the 2021 Las Vegas Summer League, guiding the Celtics to a 4-1 record and an appearance in the championship game. Mazzulla previously spent two seasons as the head coach of the men’s basketball team at Fairmont State University (2017-19), guiding the Falcons to a 43-17 overall record, and an NCAA Tournament bid in his second and final year.

Miles spent the last two seasons as a player development coach with the Golden State Warriors, after serving as the head coach of the Santa Cruz Warriors – Golden State’s G League affiliate – for two seasons from 2017-18 to 2018-19. The native Oregonian led Santa Cruz to a 57-43 record in his two seasons at the helm, including a 34-16 mark and trip to the G League Western Conference Finals in 2018-19. Miles played 10 seasons of professional basketball, eight of which came overseas, after a decorated collegiate career at Kansas in which he netted two All-Big 12 Third Team selections.

Dobbins begins his second season as an assistant coach with the Celtics after spending the previous two years as the team’s video coordinator. A native of Washington, D.C., Dobbins played a combined 13 years of professional basketball across Europe and the NBA G League. He was named the French Pro A’s Best Defensive Player three times (2009, 2013, 2014), won two French Cup championships (2010, 2015), and a G League title with the Asheville Altitude in 2005.

Celtics trade Kris Dunn and Carsen Edwards to Grizzlies for Juancho Hernangomez

The Boston Celtics have acquired forward Juancho Hernangómez in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for guards Kris Dunn and Carsen Edwards, and the right to swap second round draft picks in 2026, the team announced today.

Hernangómez, 25, holds career averages of 5.7 points on 43.0% shooting (35.1% 3-PT, 69.3% FT), 3.5 rebounds, and 16.4 minutes in 257 games (57 starts) with Denver and Minnesota. The five-year pro was originally selected by the Nuggets with the 15th overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft.

In 52 games with the Timberwolves in 2020-21, Hernangómez produced a career-high 7.2 points on 43.5% shooting (32.7% 3-PT) to go along with 3.9 rebounds, and 17.3 minutes. He reached the 20-point mark twice, including a season-high 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting (5-8 3-PT) at Denver on Jan. 5, and scored at least 15 points on seven occasions.

Edwards played in 68 games over two seasons with the Celtics after being selected in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft, averaging 3.6 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 9.2 minutes. Dunn was acquired by Boston as part of a three-team deal earlier this offseason on Aug. 7.

As part of the transaction, Memphis will own the right to swap a 2026 second round draft pick (the better of Miami’s or Dallas’s) with Boston’s 2026 second round draft pick.

Celtics sign Robert Williams III to contract extension

The Boston Celtics have signed center Robert Williams III to a contract extension.

“Rob has worked hard to turn himself into a very impactful player, and his talent and selfless play give him an even higher upside to reach going forward,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “Rob has embraced being a Celtic from day one. He is a great teammate and is completely committed to getting better. We’re excited that he will continue to do so here in Boston.”

Per the Boston Globe, “Stevens continues his crusade to sign every returning player to long-term contracts, this time with a four-year deal to secure rising center Robert Williams. Stevens had until October to give Williams, 23, an extension on his rookie contract but made the astute move of giving the former Texas A&M standout long-term security in exchange for a manageable deal — $13.5 million per season.”

Originally selected by the Celtics in the first round (27th overall) of the 2018 NBA Draft, Williams III has averaged 5.7 points on 72.0% shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.5 blocked shots, and 14.7 minutes in 113 games (16 starts) over three seasons in Boston. He has increased his scoring, rebounds, and assists in each year since joining the NBA.

Playing in a career-best 52 games (13 starts) in 2020-21, Williams III produced a career highs in points (8.0 ppg), rebounds (6.9 rpg), assists (1.8 apg), steals (0.8 spg), blocked shots (1.8 bpg) and minutes (18.9 mpg) last season. The Shreveport, LA native tallied a career-high 20 points on a perfect 9-of-9 shooting on April 2 vs. Houston, making him the first Celtics player in franchise history to produce 20+ points, 8+ rebounds, and 8+ assists while shooting 100% from the field.

Williams III set franchise marks during the 2021 NBA Playoffs as well, becoming the first Celtics player ever to record nine blocked shots in a postseason game during the team’s series-opening game against the Nets on May 22. He played in three games during that First Round matchup, averaging 6.3 points (64.3% FG), 5.0 rebounds, and 15.3 minutes.

Celtics sign Josh Richardson to contract extension

The Boston Celtics have signed six-year NBA veteran Josh Richardson to a contract extension.

“We feel fortunate to be able to extend Josh,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “He is a talented offensive player, a versatile defender, and plays with an edge and toughness that Boston fans will love.”

Per the Boston Globe, the deal is “a one-year contract extension that will net him $24 million over the next two years” – that salary being in addiction to his current remaining contract.

Acquired as part of a two-player trade with the Mavericks on July 31, Richardson, 27, has posted career averages of 12.3 points (42.7% FG, 35.8% 3-PT, 83.2% FT), 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocked shots, and 30.6 minutes in 373 career games (299 starts) with Miami, Philadelphia, and Dallas. He has averaged at least 10.0 points in each of his last five seasons from 2016-17 to 2020-21, including a career-high 16.6 points per game with Miami in 2018-19.

Richardson produced 12.1 points (42.7% FG, 33.0% 3-PT, 91.7% FT), 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 steals, and 30.3 minutes in 59 games (56 starts) with the Mavericks last season, marking the fourth time over the last five seasons he has recorded at least 10.0 points and 1.0 steals. The Oklahoma native was one of four NBA players to average 10.0 points and 1.0 steals while shooting at least 91.0% from the free throw line in 2020-21 (Paul/Curry/Irving).

Celtics sign Marcus Smart to contract extension

The Boston Celtics have signed seven-year NBA veteran Marcus Smart to a contract extension, the team announced today.

Per the Boston Globe, Smart’s contract extension with the Celtics is a four-year, $77 million deal.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to extend Marcus, and thankful that he has chosen to remain a Celtic,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “In his seven years in Boston, he has made a big impact, on and off the court. It is not a coincidence that every team he’s played on has been in the playoffs, with several series wins throughout the years. He adds to winning on both ends of the floor, and competes with a grit and toughness that few match.”

Per the Boston Globe, “Stevens feels good about this year’s team — returning gold medalist Jayson Tatum, a healthy Jaylen Brown, a re-signed Marcus Smart, and acquisitions Al Horford, Josh Richardson, Dennis Schroder and Enes Kanter along with three first-round picks in the past two years who are expected to help. Stevens believes the Celtics were able to improve the roster with astute moves and maintain cap flexibility for the future. They ridded themselves of Walker’s contract — two years and $74 million remaining — garnered a $17.1 million trade exception for Fournier and then scored by getting Schroder perhaps $10 million per season less than his original asking price.”

Originally drafted by the Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Smart has played all seven of his NBA seasons with Boston and stands as the organization’s longest currently-tenured player. He has produced 10.2 points (37.6% FG, 32.0% 3-PT, 77.7% FT), 3.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 29.4 minutes across 449 career games (228 starts), and is one of three Celtics players to ever average 7.0 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steal through each of their first seven NBA seasons (Larry Bird, Antoine Walker).

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather play and no other fans I’d rather play in front of. I love Boston, and Boston loves me,” said Smart. “We’ve had some great moments and success in my time here, but there’s more to accomplish. I’m ready to put that Celtics jersey back on and get to work out on the Parquet with my teammates.”

Smart, 27, has been selected to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team twice in his NBA career (2018-19, 2019-20), making him the first Celtics player to earn All-Defensive First Team honors in consecutive seasons since Kevin Garnett in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

In 48 games (45 starts) in 2020-21, Smart averaged career highs in points (13.1 ppg), assists (5.7 apg), and minutes played (32.9 mpg). It was the second straight year in which he recorded at least 12.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 1.5 steals.

A native of Lancaster, TX, Smart currently ranks fourth on the franchise ledger for three-point field goals (677) and sixth all time with 702 steals.