
Should the Boston Celtics consider drafting big man Danny Wolf?
Should the Boston Celtics consider drafting big man Danny Wolf?
Should the Boston Celtics consider drafting big man Danny Wolf? The Celtics will enter the 2025 NBA draft armed with a pair of picks at the end of the first round and at the start of the second, respectively. And while the University of Michigan center is mocked higher than where Boston could take him at Nos. 28 or 32, is there a way he could slip to the Celtics -- or for Boston to move up to grab him?
More importantly than that, is his upside as a rising prospect enough to warrant taking him in the first place, never mind burning assets to move up in the draft? A big man whose passing has been compared to Boston legend Rajon Rondo certainly piques one's attention, but what about the rest of his game?
The hosts of the CLNS Media "How Bout Them Celtics!" podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took some time on a recent episode of their show to talk it over. Check it out below!
If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network: https://ytubl.ink/3Ffk

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Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
It Is Past Time For The Red Sox To Call Up Top Prospect Roman Anthony
The Boston Red Sox took two of three from their rival New York Yankees over the weekend. Yet they still remain 8.5 games behind the division leaders. And, potentially more importantly, they are three games under .500, and four games out of a Wild Card spot, needing to jump over four teams to make the post-season. They need to do something drastic to change the trajectory of their season. Since winning American League rookie of the month in April, Kristian Campbell is slashing .165/.232/.233 (and that includes four hits over the weekend in New York) and playing mediocre second base. Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense, is hitting .244, with a .296 on-base percentage. Marcelo Mayer stepped into the void left at third base when Alex Bregman went down with a quad injury, making his major league debut, and has hit .222, with an OBP of less than .300. And while the Red Sox are sixth in MLB in team OPS (.753), and tied for sixth in home runs (83), with their pitching is in tatters (23rd overall with a 4.13 ERA; leading MLB in blown saves), they need to augment their offense. And, if they could do that while solidifying their defense, all the better. As a team, Boston has the fifth worst defensive efficiency (the rate at which they convert batted balls into outs). The Red Sox have used rookie sensation (?) Campbell at second base for 52 games this season, and the results have been disastrous. As a team, they have the third worst Defensive Runs Saved at the position, and Campbell, having played 425 innings at second, is tied for the third worst Fielding Run Value per Statcast. But what if they could fortify that offense (with Bregman out for a few more weeks and Casas down for the season), while also augmenting their defense? What if they had a player just fifty miles down the road ready to step into the breach? What if there was guy in Triple-A slashing .288/.423/.491, with 10 home runs, including a 497-foot grand slam on Saturday night, just waiting for the call? Roman Anthony is the consensus #1 prospect in all of baseball. He has done everything the Red Sox have asked of him, including playing all three outfield positions over the course of the past two seasons (not for nothing, they could have asked him to take some grounders at first as well). All Boston would need to do to improve their club is send Campbell down to Worcester for a few weeks to get his bearings offensively and defensively. They could then move Rafaela to second base (where he played capably for 10 games last season); or send Rafaela down to try to improve his approach at the plate (he is currently swinging at 42.7% of pitches outside the strike zone), and keep Campbell with the big club. Then they slide Jarren Duran from left field to center, where he played 105 games last season with 17 Defensive Runs Saved, was six Outs Above Average, and had a Fielding Run Value of +8. In short, swapping Duran for Rafaela will not hurt Boston's defense in center field. With Duran out from in front of the Green Monster, a spot opens up for Anthony and his ferocious bat. Ken Rosenthal laid it all out in The Athletic over the weekend. Rosenthal questioned whether or not the Red Sox are keeping Anthony in the minors so he doesn't achieve 'Super Two' status, which would give him an additional year of salary arbitration. But the team had no such concerns about Mayer, who they brought up weeks ago; and they have already signed Campbell and Rafaela to long-term, team-friendly contracts, so there is no reason to believe that they wouldn't try to do the same with both Mayer and Anthony. One year of (potential) arbitration cannot be worth the wait (or the talk radio/internet/broadcast vitriol inflicted upon the club at this point). For years the Red Sox have vacillated between acting a like a big market team (massive contracts for Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval, Chris Sale, Rafael Devers) and a mid-market club (low-balling Jon Lester, trading Mookie Betts rather than making a serious offer, bowing out on Xander Bogaerts (wise, in hindsight)). However, they have not hesitated to lock up young stars. In addition to the deals referenced above, they signed home-grown pitcher Brayan Bello to a long-term deal, and extended Garrett Crochet shortly after acquiring him from the Chicago White Sox this past winter. So, a deal for Anthony could be in the offing, which would obviate any concerns about potential arbitration proceedings. The time for the Red Sox is now. The team begins a homestand against the Rays tonight, and then the Yankees comes to town for the weekend. Get the rookie's feet wet with Tampa Bay, so he is ready to rock and roll come Friday night with a raucous crowd at Fenway Park. Mayer hit his first career home run against the Yankees in the Bronx last Friday night. Wouldn't Anthony doing the same a week later be a perfect bookend to a new chapter in Red Sox lore? Manager Alex Cora recently told ESPN's Karl Ravech that Anthony is 'not knocking on the door, he's actually kicking the door.' Maybe Boston can make everyone's lives easier by simply opening it for him.


New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Where does Brad Marchand rank among the all-time best trade deadline moves?
When Brad Marchand was traded from the Boston Bruins — with whom he had spent his entire NHL career — to the Florida Panthers on March 7, few could have predicted the veteran forward's impact. That's particularly true considering his age (36 at the time) and the fact that he was sidelined with an upper-body injury when the trade happened. But the 2011 Stanley Cup champion has been huge for the Panthers in the playoffs so far. Advertisement His goal 8:04 into double overtime in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final — his second of the night — which secured a 5-4 win for Florida and evened the series with the Edmonton Oilers at one game each, was the latest example. On the latest episode of 'The Athletic Hockey Show,' Mark Lazerus and Max Bultman debated whether Marchand is establishing himself as one of the greatest trade deadline acquisitions in NHL history. A partial transcript has been edited for clarity and length. The full episode is available on the 'The Athletic Hockey Show' feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Mark: I want to talk about Brad Marchand because our producer Chris, who's great and always comes up with good ideas for the show, threw this out there this morning and it almost made my head explode. I wanted to start banging my head against the wall. He asked, 'Is Brad Marchand the greatest trade deadline acquisition ever?' Recency bias drives me nuts in general. We were watching the French Open men's final this morning, and so many people were like, 'That's the greatest match I've ever seen.' It was amazing, don't get me wrong, but I've seen several Federer-Nadal matches that were better than that. I say that to say, let's remember that other people have existed in the 100-year history of the NHL. So tell me, is Brad Marchand the greatest trade deadline acquisition ever? Max: I don't know, because my Rolodex of trades doesn't go back that long. The pick was originally a second(-rounder), and it's now upgraded to a first because of how far they've gone. So that probably hurts the case a little bit, because that was one thing that was a big separator. Mark: Are we factoring in the cost as well? Max: I would, but maybe not. Don't you think we should? Mark: If they win the Cup, who cares? If they win the Stanley Cup, it doesn't matter what the cost is; it's worth it. Advertisement Max: Absolutely, but it's especially good if you do it for a second-round pick versus a first. The point is, it's among the best, and probably the better question, more so than Marchand specifically, would be, 'Is this the best deadline ever?' Because they also got Seth Jones, and he's been really good. The only thing I can go back to are some of the Tampa Bay trades. They got Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul in the same year; that was a fantastic deadline. They also had the year when they got Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow, which resulted in a couple of Stanley Cups. That's the one that jumps out, although I do like Marchand. Mark: They also had the one where they gave up 37 draft picks for Tanner Jeannot, too… Max: That one would not be so high on my list. Mark: But in all seriousness, when Chris sent that out, I had seven names immediately pop into my mind, and I went back and I looked at their numbers. Just three years ago, let's not forget what Artturi Lehkonen did for the Colorado Avalanche. He had eight goals in 20 games, I think it was around 14 or 15 points. Just clutch, clutch, clutch, repeatedly winning, and he had a couple of overtime winners in there. I go back to 2015 and the year I covered Antoine Vermette. He had three game-winning goals in the last two rounds, including two in the Stanley Cup Final — that's pretty good. The one I really came to was 2014 and the L.A. Kings. Marián Gáborík had 14 goals in that postseason in 26 games. Two years before that, with the Kings again, Jeff Carter had eight goals and five assists in 20 games. Go back to Marián Hossa. The Penguins didn't win in 2008, but Marián Hossa had 12 goals and 14 assists in 20 games for the Penguins that year. Now go back two years before that. Remember Dwayne Roloson? The Oilers didn't win either, but they picked up a goalie at the deadline. We never see that, and he had a .927 save percentage, taking the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final. Then I would go back to the year I was born, 1980. The quintessential and stereotypical trade-deadline glue-guy acquisition, Butch Goring, had 19 points in 21 games that year and was a huge part of four straight Stanley Cups. Advertisement So let's just dial it back on Brad Marchand is all I'm saying. He's a great player, and narrative-wise it might be the best one. Just because it's Brad Marchand, and he makes everything more interesting, more fun and more controversial. But come man, let's dial it back a little bit. Max: He's been at the center of a lot of this, partly because of the history, like you said. Looking back at the Leafs series, he's just been such a Leafs killer that there's been so much spotlight on him through all that. There's the great 'Dairy Queen' bit that Sportsnet has been doing that I do find very amusing, and obviously he had the huge goals in this game. Seven goals is pretty good, but when you put it statistically in the Gáborík context, that's a pretty hard one to beat. Mark: These were just off the top of my head, too. I'm sure I'm missing completely obvious ones from the gap in my own knowledge from the 1990s and the early 2000s. This was off the top of my head, and I'm not exactly Sean McIndoe here and I don't have this encyclopedic knowledge of hockey history. So let's just dial it back. Brad Marchand has been a fabulous trade-deadline acquisition. But I'm not even sure he's been the best one for Florida this year because Seth Jones has been their No. 1 defenseman. He's playing more minutes than Gustav Forsling and he's been a terrific fit. I know he had a turnover in the last game that led to a goal, but he also scored a great goal and he's been huge for the Florida Panthers in these playoffs. Max: That's why I say I would almost rather zoom out and say, 'Is this the best deadline ever?' But for it to be a discussion, they have to win. You can listen to full episodes of The Athletic Hockey Show for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. (Top Photo: Michael Chisholm / NHLI via Getty Images)


Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Boston Legacy FC Is In Its Trust-Building Era With New Logo, Identity
Boston Legacy FC unveiled its new crest and visual identity on June 7. Launching a new sports franchise in today's day and age is no easy feat. Financial logistics aside, ensuring the organization's branding and marketing is seemingly flawless is of the utmost importance, especially with critics quick to share their displeasure on social media. Establishing brand equity in a highly competitive sports market dominated by legacy brands is a delicate balance as upstart franchises try to create their own identity to stand out from the crowd. Boston Legacy FC, the NWSL expansion franchise formerly known as BOS Nation FC, learned this the hard way as it now seeks to build trust amid a rebrand before stepping on the field. 'There are no shortcuts to trust, frankly,' Boston Legacy FC chief revenue officer Amina Bulman said. 'It's won conversation by conversation, day over day. We're putting in the work and we're trying to show our fans, our collaborators and our community that we're in it for the long haul, and we really appreciate and value that they've given us a second chance to build a brand they can be really proud of. 'I think folks sense when you're really authentic about that and they are still working with us and walking with us as we build this organization.' Led by Boston Unity Soccer Partners, an all-female ownership group comprised of Jennifer Epstein, Stephanie Connaughton, Ami Danoff and Anna Palmer, the expansion side set to take the field in 2026 faced its first setback in October 2024 after unveiling its original name—an anagram for 'Bostonian'—and a questionable accompanying marketing campaign titled 'Too Many Balls,' that many deemed offensive. The club apologized and retracted most of its marketing before officially announcing a rebrand in March, and thus, Boston Legacy FC was born. With a new name in tow, the club needed to double down on its crest, branding and visual identity in order to avoid any further setbacks and discontent. During a five-month design process led by renowned graphic designer Matthew Wolff, the club listened, learned and compiled information and feedback via focus groups, stakeholder interviews, and quantitative and qualitative research. Boston Legacy FC unveiled its new crest and visual identity on June 7. The new Boston Legacy FC crest and visual identity pays homage to a Boston staple of integrity and ... More grit, the swan. Paying homage to a cultural fixture of Boston and the Emerald Necklace, which features Boston Public Garden, the swan is a 'relentless protector, renowned for being loyal to the end and aggressively territorial.' Its eight feathers represent the eight original NWSL teams, including the Boston Breakers, with more specific symbolism and subtleties throughout. 'I think folks are so excited about the narrative behind the swan and they really get how it stands for both Boston and women's sports in the NWSL,' Bulman said. 'So I've been thrilled with the reception.' The Boston Legacy FC rebrand was a different animal for Bulman, who was part of the Washington Commanders' rebrand after the legacy NFL franchise announced in July 2020 it was retiring its 'Redskins' name it had used since 1933. The team was known temporarily as Washington Football Team from 2020-21 before announcing in 2022 it would be known as the Commanders moving forward. 'The Redskins brand had been around for 90 years,' said Bulman, Washington's former chief brand & strategy officer. 'People remember going to games with their grandparents so there was all this brand equity built up in the existing organization. It was really deeply emotional for people to go through that rebrand. 'One of the things that made rebranding (Boston Legacy) different was that lack of history, but people had such deeply emotional responses to that first brand launch, so we really had to start with the basics and rebuild trust from Day 1. When you don't have a long track record, there isn't that time to build trust and you don't have that long history to build back on—those many years of history fans still hold dear. For us, it was really about, 'Let's throw everything out the window and start from scratch and build this hand-in-glove with our fans.'' Still a year out from officially competing in the NWSL on the field, Boston Legacy recently confirmed it would play its inaugural season at Gillette Stadium in nearby Foxborough, Mass., as it continues the redevelopment of its home at White Stadium in Franklin Park via a public-private partnership with Boston Public Schools. Despite the temporary home for 2026, Bulman said the club's inaugural season will benefit from the pedigree and history of Gillette Stadium, home to the New England Patriots and New England Revolution, as they put the final touches on White Stadium in anticipation of its sophomore campaign. '(Next year) for us is about introducing our fans to the sport and the club, and 2027 will be the season we welcome them home to White Stadium,' she said. 'We're very excited to be launching at Gillette—it's the home of the World Cup next year, it's a world-class venue and it's the stadium people know when they think about New England. 'So in terms of our goals in Year 1, which need to be about introducing our club and our brand to fans, having Gillette as a partner is incredible. I'm also very glad we're going to be building our own stadium. Women's sports deserve their own venues and this is going to be a professional-grade, all-electric stadium, purpose built for women's sports.'