Category: Boston Celtics Blog

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Celtics seek trade for Kevin Love

Here’s the Boston Herald reporting on the Celtics, who like many NBA teams would happily add Kevin Love to their roster:

Celtics seek trade for Kevin Love

The Celtics’ pursuit of Kevin Love isn’t as hot as reports are indicating.

Sources close to the situation have told the Herald that Boston’s offer of draft picks and players isn’t nearly the best the Timberwolves have received — or expect to receive — for their All-Star forward.

The Celtics are willing to discuss a number of options, but none of them includes the quality of player with NBA experience that Minnesota is seeking or believes it can get elsewhere.

One source indicated Denver and Golden State have both made more intriguing offers, and there are other teams very much in the picture, as well. There have been conflicting reports on whether the Warriors would make Klay Thompson available, but the Wolves are said to be confident they can find a more than acceptable deal there.

Rajon Rondo healthy for next Celtics season

Here’s the Boston.com blog reporting on Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, who spent most of last season injured:

Rajon Rondo healthy for next Celtics season

At long last though, Rondo looks healthy and has been a regular visitor to the team’s practice facility and draft workouts all summer. His constant presence has been welcome sight for Stevens and the rest of the team’s coaching staff.

“He’s been great,” [Celtics head coach Brad] Stevens said. ““Physically, he looks fantastic. That really sets a tone having him come in. That really is helpful.”

Stevens continued: “I think Rajon is anxious to get back out there playing. You can tell that from his work ethic. He’s been with our small groups a lot in the last 8-10 days. That’s not always the case with a guy as seasoned and accomplished as him.”

Will Celtics and Rajon Rondo stick together?

The Boston Celtics are rebuilding. But should that process include point guard Rajon Rondo? Or would it be smarter for the team to trade him as well? Here’s the Boston Herald with a report:

While the Celtics are here at the NBA draft combine primarily to identify people they might like to add to their team, it’s fair to assume they’ll also be examining which present players will stay and go.

We’ve been told that Washington isn’t presently interested in Jeff Green at his numbers ($9.2 million next year and a player option for the same in 2015-16), and that a number of teams are waiting to see where the Celts land in the lottery before entering into different deal discussions.

But what we’ve been hearing for a while and in more concerted tones here is that Rajon Rondo may be more available now than ever before. Danny Ainge yesterday dismissed a report that the Knicks had turned down a deal for the All-Star point guard as “maybe the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard.”

The Celts’ president of basketball operations, as well, dismissed talk of Rondo’s obtainability.

“That’s all speculation,” Ainge said. “Those aren’t facts. People don’t know that, so it’s just people speculating on Rondo’s free agency next summer. That’s all that you’re hearing. You’re not hearing any facts from anybody. Those conversations haven’t even been discussed, so that’s just speculation.”

Read NBA fan reaction or share your opinion in this basketball forum topic.

Jason Kidd feels Paul Pierce gained closure in Boston return

Here’s ESPN New York reporting on Nets forward Paul Pierce, who spent the bulk of his NBA career with the Boston Celtics before becoming a Net:

Jason Kidd feels Paul Pierce gained closure in Boston return

Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd believes that Paul Pierce’s emotional return to Boston on Jan. 26 allowed the future Hall of Fame forward to get some closure, move on and begin really thriving in Brooklyn.

“To go back to Boston, the place you were drafted, I think that probably closed the door on his career there in Boston,” Kidd told reporters Sunday.

Pierce played the first 15 seasons of his career with the Celtics. The 36-year-old veteran was initially stunned when he was traded by the only franchise he’d ever known.

It took Pierce awhile to get over that.

Former NBA player Eric Williams says he is broke and homeless, reports TMZ

Here’s TMZ.com reporting on Eric Williams, who played for the Boston Celtics and other teams in the NBA, and later made some appearances on the TV show “VH1 Basketball Wives.” We have no idea if this report is accurate or not. TMZ tends to be good at knowing when former pro athletes are struggling, though. Anyway, keep in mind that they are usually on point with stuff, but also do make mistakes.

Eric Williams broke homeless

Former NBA player Eric Williams — who spent 12 seasons in league — says he is homeless and broke … this according to legal docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

Williams — who also appeared on “Basketball Wives” — made the shocking statements in a letter he wrote to a Colorado court recently explaining why he could not attend a child support hearing in CO earlier this month.

Among the reasons, Williams says a “court-ordered citation for me to appear was not delivered to my home address as I have no home.”

Walter McCarty wants Boston College head basketball coach job

Here’s the Boston Herald reporting on Walter McCarty and Boston College:

The list of candidates for the head basketball coach’s position at Boston College includes Walter McCarty, the Herald has learned.

And the Celtics assistant coach acknowledged yesterday he is intent on exploring the possibility.

“I’m very interested,” said McCarty, who spent 71⁄2 years as a player for the Celts. “I want to be highly considered. I love the city. I have great ties in the city. I have a great foundation here, especially with recruiting.

“If you look at Louisville’s 2013 national championship team, four of those five starters were my guys. So I’m very confident in my ability to coach and lead a program. I think that I’m ready.”

Brandon Costner, Willie Reed named D-League Co-Performers of Week

Los Angeles D-Fenders forward Brandon Costner and Springfield Armor forward Willie Reed were today named NBA Development League Co-Performers of the Week for games played Monday, March 17- Sunday, March 23. The award is the first for both players this season.

Costner (6-9, 235, North Carolina State) led the D-Fenders to a 2-1 week, including wins over the Austin Toros and Santa Cruz Warriors. For the week, Costner averaged 27.0 points on 59 percent shooting from the floor to go with 11.3 rebounds. He recorded a season-high 38 points and 14 rebounds in the team’s 140-121 win over the Warriors on March 22. For the season, he is averaging 14.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 26.7 minutes.

Reed (6-10, 220, St. Louis) helped the Armor record a 2-2 week, securing wins against the Erie BayHawks and Canton Charge while averaging 18.3 points on 56 percent shooting, to go with 19.3 rebounds, including 7.5 offensive rebounds. His 24 rebounds against the BayHawks on March 17 tied the Armor’s franchise record. On the year, Reed is averaging 14.8 points, 10.1 rebounds and 31.8 minutes.

Other top performers considered included Austin’s Flip Murray, Iowa’s Moses Ehambe and Othyus Jeffers, Maine’s Frank Gaines, Santa Cruz’s Cameron Jones and Sioux Falls’ Tre Kelley.

Celtics sign Chris Babb to multi-year contract

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guard Chris Babb to a multi-year contract.

Babb, a 6’5” guard, has appeared in six games for the Celtics this season averaging 2.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game. He recorded a high of six points against Brooklyn on March 7 and a high of five rebounds against Golden State on March 5. He originally signed a 10-day contract with the Celtics on February 28 after appearing in 33 games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League where he averaged 12.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.18 steals in 37.5 minutes per game.

Celtics will reportedly keep Chris Babb

Here’s ESPN Boston with some Celtics news:

Celtics will reportedly keep Chris Babb

The Boston Celtics will sign rookie swingman Chris Babb for the remainder of the 2013-14 season on Friday, according to a team source.

Babb, whose second 10-day contract was set to expire on Thursday, traveled with the team to New York in advance of Friday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets and will ink a multi-year deal.

That pact should keep Babb with the Celtics through the summer — though with future seasons expected to be nonguaranteed, it could make Babb a trade chip depending on Boston’s offseason activity — and give him a chance to compete again for a roster spot in training camp.