Best of new Boston Celtics big man Luka Garza in 2024-25
One of the best scorers in all of college basketball, Garza has yet to find a niche in the NBA ecosphere, his poor defensive skills and limited ability sinking his shot from beyond the arc hampering his success at the next level. How did he play in Minnesota last season, and how could it translate to the style of play Boston expects from their bigs?
The man behind the eponymous "Tomasz Kordylewski (Timi)" YouTube channel put together a clip of his best plays with the Timberwolves in 2024-25 for us to watch later at our leisure in search of such answers. Check it out below!
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
"They've definitely cleaned it up in that aspect" - Parish on why he's in favor of the so-called 'soft' NBA era
"They've definitely cleaned it up in that aspect" - Parish on why he's in favor of the so-called 'soft' NBA era originally appeared on Basketball Network. Many NBA legends are critical of how the game is being played these days. For most of them, the league has gone "soft." While that might be the case in today's NBA, Boston Celtics legend Robert Parish doesn't see anything wrong with it. During his playing years, Parish was one of the most dominant big men in the league. He never shied away from banging bodies with his matchups season after season. The Chief believes that today's NBA players are no longer doing the same, and it makes the game "better." Parish argued that players couldn't play their game back then because of too much physicality. Today, however, Robert can see most players being able to play their game without getting hacked or hurt. "From a physicality standpoint, I think it's better because first of all, you're eliminating a lot of the altercations that went on when they had the hand-checking and the bumping and grinding impeding players' progress when they wanted to make a move," Parish told The Signal in a Q&A session in 2016. "So, they've definitely cleaned it up in that aspect." Parish is against load management Even though Parish supports the NBA's shift from physical to softball, he disagrees with some league trends and practices, one of which is load management. For Robert, load management should not exist in a prestigious and competitive league such as the NBA. He believes injuries could be prevented in many ways without compromising the number of games a player is supposed to play each season. The Chief noted that being healthy is the result of a player's discipline and work ethic. He thinks all players are obliged to stay fit to avoid injuries, and resting should never be an option. For Parish, that's what LeBron James does best, and his longevity speaks volumes about his remarkable conditioning. "First of all, I find it insulting. First and foremost, your main and most significant priority should be fitness and conditioning. Load management should not be an issue unless you're coming off a significant injury," the nine-time NBA All-Star once said of load management. "We're all tired. We're all banged up and beat up. You take personal pride in your fitness and conditioning." "Everybody in the NBA needs to take a page out of LeBron's book in terms of fitness and conditioning, to take it as serious as he does. If you take care of your body the way LeBron does, load management should not be an issue," he pointed made a good point In all fairness, Parish made a good point with his take on today's NBA. He enlightened fans about the positive side of the soft NBA era and what players should do to stay healthy, apart from load management. Not everybody would agree with Robert, but he was right about players being able to maximize their abilities because of the absence of physicality. Moreover, Parish has also proven that load management isn't the key to avoiding injuries, as he lasted 21 years in the NBA just by being disciplined and dedicated. All told, it's quite interesting to know that a legendary player from the past era believes that the evolution of the game is good for the story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Celtics Mailbag: Trade candidates, final roster spot possibilities
The Celtics did some additional work on their roster this week by officially signing two-way guard Max Shulga a few days after the release of JD Davison. With summer moves around the league winding down, let's take a look at some potential tinkering options for Boston in this week's mailbag. Is it possible we're waiting for a post September 7th trade so Brad can combine Simons & Niang in one deal for a big contract (Lauri Markkanen, Domanas Sabonis)? — Jordan T I do not think we are going to see those two moved for a big name this season like the ones you mentioned largely for financial reasons/CBA reasons, along with the fact that Jayson Tatum is expected to be out for this season. Trading for a big name like that feels like a bit of a waste when you are doing it in a season where you aren't positioned to contend well given all the departures across the roster and Tatum's injury. The bigger problem though, comes with the money. Both Markkanen and Sabonis make $46 million and $43 million respectively and so any deal landing them would send the Celtics shooting right back over the second apron even while if the team includes Simons and Niang as part of a trade offer for them. Brad Stevens made it apparent that the team does not want to be there anymore due to the basketball and tax penalties involved above that second apron line. Ultimately, Boston's financial situation for this season makes it much more likely we will see deals reducing payroll rather than adding to it through the 2025-26 season. Once Tatum comes back, the equation changes there, but even then, adding a massive salary probably will not be on the table unless it involves another bigger name (Jaylen Brown? Derrick White?) going out the door. What are your thoughts about the Celtics deciding to go the non-athlete route? This is the least athletic roster in the league. — Jo That's a fascinating way to put it although you are certainly right in the frontcourt. Queta can get up for lob and is a decent shot blocker but Garza, Niang and Tillman certainly aren't going to impress anyone on that court. Elsewhere, there are flashes of athleticism although it's certainly a weakness compared to other teams. Josh Minott will stand out on that front and Derrick White is probably the best backcourt rim protector in the league. When healthy, Jaylen Brown can be a blur in transition. Honestly, with the pace I expect this team to play at next season, a lack of athleticism offensively probably won't be too noticeable. Defensively, that could be a different story, depending on what type of lineups Joe Mazzulla wants to lean into. How much money can the Celtics include in a trade? Who are the trade candidates? Tillman? Niang? Simons? Hauser? — Paul D The Celtics are below the second apron now after trading away JD Davison so the team has a lot more options now in a trade. They still can't take back more money than they send out but they can trade multiple players in the same deal now which will allow for some different types of structures than we've seen for the last couple of years. As far as preseason and in-season candidates go, I think you've named the most obvious ones. Tillman will be a salary dump if/when he is moved so the Celtics can probably include some extra cash for a team to take him (if Boston has other plans for his roster spot). Beyond that, Niang should be movable if he has a productive start to the season given his reasonable salary and expiring contract. Boston isn't going to move Hauser unless they get good value for him but it seems like the preference for now would be to keep him given his value and cost control for the next four years of his deal. Simons' market is the ultimate wildcard. Whether the Celtics find an appealing deal for him remains an open question given their propensity to not want to take long-term salary back unless it fits into their future plans. If getting under the luxury tax line ends up being a priority, Simons is a likely piece to go. Hello Brian. Do you have a preference to who they might use the last spot for? Simmons, Lofton, Bassey, etc. Who at the deadline should they trade to go back under the apron if they did? Tillman & a 2nd? I don't think they cut Walsh, owing him 200k & seeing him develop some in SL — CsFanMan66 The guess from me at this point would be that the Celtics keep that final roster spot open for the tax savings. That would leaves Boston's roster at 13 healthy players with Tatum out but the team also has three two-way players that can come up at any point for depth purposes if other injuries hit. If the Celtics do end up making another signing like Simmons, it wouldn't surprise me if the team tries to move another contract before opening night to get back down to 14 players. Boston could also just cut someone like Jordan Walsh ahead of opening night if he has a tough preseason in order to take a minimal cap hit like you said but that feels unlikely at this point after his summer performance. Is the gap year moniker more annoying than hearing if a player has aura? — Jon R Not yet, but try me in a few months. I can go on the Celtics and play for them — Jakob B Center minutes should be available! More Celtics content Red Sox trade deadline another full throttle disappointment Celtics star says faith has helped him through self-doubt, anxiety NBA analyst projects stunning shift for Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas arrested; had illegal poker ring in mansion, feds say Read the original article on MassLive.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Mindful of painful history, Red Sox make Roman Anthony the one who didn't get away
BOSTON – Roman Anthony hurried through an otherwise empty clubhouse. A custom suit hung in his locker. This wasn't a typical Wednesday for a franchise that's become well aware of the cost that comes with letting homegrown stars get away. Ninety minutes before first pitch – when Anthony is usually just finishing up batting practice – he sat in that navy blue suit between Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, the latest recipient of a long-term contract extension in Boston. Anthony signed an eight-year, $130 million deal, the largest for any player on the team with fewer than 150 at-bats. Laden with escalators, a league source said, the deal can reach a total value of $230.2 million. Advertisement 'When the offer came through, it was something that I wanted to move quick on,' Anthony said with teammates, coaches, family, front office members and ownership, including team owner John Henry, packed into the press conference room. 'There was no doubt that this is where I wanted to play baseball for a long time.' The Red Sox were cognizant of their botched negotiations with homegrown players. Not signing Mookie Betts to a long-term deal is something that will hang over the club for years to come. When the opportunity presented itself to secure Anthony at an unusual time in the season, they made it a priority. 'In the past, when we haven't signed homegrown players, it's hurt,' Kennedy said. 'We haven't found a way to a deal. So thanks to the Bres for being so aggressive (on Anthony).' Anthony, 21, has the potential to be the next homegrown franchise cornerstone. He will earn $2 million next season and $29 million in his final year of the deal, with a $30 million team option in 2034, according to a source. He'll earn an extra $1 million this season if he finishes first or second in Rookie of the Year voting. The deal includes escalators for top-10 finishes in MVP voting, including $2 million if he wins. He'll earn an extra $200,000 for any year he's named an All-Star. Anthony would have become a free agent after 2031; now he's secured through at least 2033 and potentially 2034. The Red Sox were the first to reach out to Anthony's camp shortly after the trade deadline, a league source noted. During a quiet period days after the trade deadline, Breslow saw a window to re-engage and jumped at it. Anthony's camp knew his value. The top prospect in baseball has hardly struggled at all since his debut on June 9. His camp knew Rookie of the Year was in play and that he held future All-Star and MVP potential. While the Red Sox had signed Kristian Campbell for six years, $60 million earlier this season and Ceddanne Rafaela for eight years, $50 million last year, Anthony's agents were adamant about a much larger deal. Advertisement Initial contract talks in spring training were exploratory, according to a source, and did not come close to any real negotiations. This second round of talks became serious quickly and Anthony expressed a desire to remain in Boston. 'Back in the spring, I hadn't had any experience playing here yet,' Anthony said. 'I didn't really know what to expect yet. It was just more wanting to be here and getting a feel for the everyday lifestyle here…when I got to experience it, even being just 150 at-bats in, I can tell this is where I want to be. There's no doubt.' In roughly 20 months leading the Red Sox, Breslow has made a priority of securing several players to long-term deals including Rafaela and Brayan Bello last season and Garrett Crochet and Campbell this year. But all of those deals came in spring training or right at the start of the season. Two months after trading Rafael Devers, freeing up $254 million in salary, the Red Sox reinvested some of that money in Anthony. Though Breslow said the moves were 'largely independent,' the signing came on the heels of a trade deadline in which the club didn't take on significant salary. 'I guess the beauty of the trade deadline is that it is a true, rigid deadline,' Breslow said. 'Once it passes, we can comfortably shift our priorities to other things. We wanted to kind of strike up these conversations immediately.' Breslow described a number of 'spirited and passionate' conversations he and the front office had with Anthony's group about the player's potential future earnings, particularly in regards to his current Rookie of the Year status. If Anthony won the award before signing the deal, he would have gained an extra year of service time, allowing him to reach free agency sooner. The Red Sox needed to add a similar provision to the deal. Advertisement 'I think it clearly didn't become this prohibitive element or factor, but it was something that both sides needed to get comfortable with in terms of how we were going to address it,' Breslow said. 'It's real. We can't ignore it. But at the same time, the overriding overarching themes here, where Roman wants to be a Red Sox deep into the future, and we want Roman to be a Red Sox deep into the future.' One close comparison that was likely used in negotiations is Arizona's Corbin Carroll. Carroll signed an eight-year, $111 million deal ahead of the 2023 season, before he went on to win NL Rookie of the Year. Carroll had compiled 1.4 fWAR in 32 games at the time he signed the deal; Anthony had a 1.6 fWAR in 46 games at time of his deal. Less than two months into his major-league career, Anthony hasn't felt overwhelmed. He isn't surprised with how he's performed, carrying a quiet confidence that's neither boastful nor cocky. He knows how good he is; the escalators give him a chance to prove it. 'For me, it was a deal that was obviously more than enough for me and for my family and a place that I want to be,' he said. 'Those escalators just give me a chance to continue to grind every day and help this team win and be the best version of myself that I can be each and every day.' Breslow had high praise for Anthony's impact in a short amount of time on one of the more exciting Red Sox teams in the past few years. 'I think it's special. I think it's remarkable,' he said of Anthony's impact on the team. 'I'm not sure that there's a metric that we should look at uniquely and believe that it perfectly captures the impact that he's had. 'If you look at the success that the team has enjoyed, that kind of lines up almost perfectly with his debut, then you start to see a clearer picture of the impact that he's had.' Now Anthony has a chance to impact the club for the better part of the next decade. (Top photo of Roman Anthony: Brian Fluharty / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
