Latest news with #BradStevens
USA Today
20 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Would Ben Simmons make sense for the Boston Celtics?
As a team in the early stages of a retooling process, the Boston Celtics are likely to take some flyers on players who have struggled elsewhere in the league. Brad Stevens has already added Luka Garza and Josh Minott to the rotation, both of whom were rooted to the end of Chris Finch's rotation with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. Now, if reports are to be believed, the Celtics have checked in on Ben Simmons, who became an unrestricted free agent earlier this summer after leaving the Los Angeles Clippers. Simmons was once seen as a future MVP candidate due to his elite playmaking, rim finishing and defensive versatility. However, lower back issues have derailed his career. In a recent video from the Cyro Asseo YouTube channel, the host shared his thoughts on Boston being among four teams to show interest in the former Rookie of the Year. Asseo also touched on how Simmons could fit with each roster before continuing to look at the overall picture. You can watch the full video by clicking on the embedded link above. Watch the "Taylor Talks Celtics" podcast on: YouTube: Website:
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Brad Stevens Gets Honest On Why Celtics Traded Jrue Holiday And Kristaps Porzingis
Brad Stevens Gets Honest On Why Celtics Traded Jrue Holiday And Kristaps Porzingis originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Boston Celtics look very different from the championship-winning roster they had two years ago. After making significant changes to their roster, the Celtics' status as title contenders has come into question. When asked to explain the reasoning behind these decisions, Celtics president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, offered a candid response: "Trades happened. I think that those are pretty obvious. And the basketball penalties associated with those are real. We've all talked about that. But we're fortunate because we like the guys we got back. You know, and I think that that's one of the things that, you know, we are excited about." After facilitating the trades for Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics saved a significant amount of money in luxury tax payments. However, he expressed that it was challenging to see key players like Holiday and Porzingis on the way out. He continued: "Those are not easy trades to make. Those are not easy phone calls. Obviously, those guys have been around the league a long time. They knew the CBA. They knew that that was a high likelihood that they could be part of a move, and they were communicated that before. But it's still hard. We will miss them, and we are thankful for them.' Stevens also addressed the positive aspects of the trades and their offseason signings of Luka Garza and Josh Minott. He added: "We've been limited in what tools we can use, with where we are right around the second apron. We were looking for those guys on those contracts that have upside, and who are competitors, who are workers, who want to be good and haven't hit their peak yet, but we've seen something in them that gives them a chance to be very impactful." While the addition of Garza and Minott may be considered positive from a salary cap point of view, neither player is capable of moving the needle for the team next season. The impact of the trades has left the Celtics in a weakened position, especially considering that they will be without their superstar Jayson Tatum for much of next season as well. With significantly reduced roster strength, the upcoming season effectively appears to be a gap year for the Celtics. But the franchise has already set its sights on the future. Boston has reportedly emerged as a potential landing spot for recently waived star guard Damian Lillard. After being bought out by the Bucks, Lillard will enter free agency, where he has garnered attention from a handful of teams thus far. Considering that Lillard will also be recovering from injury next season, the timeline for his return aligns with Tatum's. On a reduced salary, Lillard could join the Celtics, effectively transforming them into a contender again. While there would be a severe need to bolster their frontcourt, Boston could find itself on the path to becoming title contenders again by following such a story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Four-team blockbuster trade proposal lands Jayson Tatum replacement in Boston
Blockbuster trades are a staple of the NBA offseason, and the Boston Celtics have been unafraid to get involved. While free agency has quieted and Summer League has become the main attention-getter of July, there are still plenty of dominoes left to fall before the regular season begins. Among the dominoes could be Boston's potential trading of Anfernee Simons. Simons came over to Boston in the Jrue Holiday trade, but his status as a Celtic has been uncertain since his arrival. Reports have pointed to Brad Stevens looking to move the high-volume scoring guard, but no deal has materialized yet. However, Celtics Blog's Jason Issenberg has one potential deal that could solve some of Boston's problems. In his four-team trade proposal, Issenberg concocted what could be the most intriguing trade of the offseason: Celtics receive Rui Hachimura and John Konchar, Los Angeles Lakers receive Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Georges Niang, Memphis Grizzlies receive Simons and Utah Jazz receive Jarred Vanderbilt and two second-round picks. While it's difficult to make a trade with so many moving parts, this deal could be ideal for Boston. With Simons on the way out, Boston would help its financial situation a bit more, and Hachimura could fill the void at the four while Jayson Tatum recovers from a torn Achilles. No move with Simons will be perfect, especially considering he is on an expiring deal, but there could still be some moves that help Boston move in the right direction. Boston likely won't be in the contender conversation next season, but any deals that can help get it back in the title picture when Tatum returns could be a smart move.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Report: Celtics Still Considering Two More Offseason Trades
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics have been busy this offseason. Due to the torn Achilles injury suffered by Jayson Tatum and the team's luxury tax situation, the Celtics were forced to trade away two of their main pieces early on in the offseason. First, the team made a big trade with the Portland Trail Blazers to ship out veteran star guard Jrue Holiday. Boston received Anfernee Simons in return as the centerpiece of the deal. After that move, the Celtics made a trade to send Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. Georges Niang was the main piece received back in that trade. Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Brooklyn Nets in Game One of the First Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center at Barclays Center on May 22,... Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Brooklyn Nets in Game One of the First Round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center at Barclays Center on May 22, 2021 in New York City. More Photo byWhile those two moves were major changes for the franchise, they might not be done yet. Read more: Report: Celtics Miss Out on Top-Tier Offseason Target According to a report from NBA insider Jake Fischer, Boston is still showing interest in two other potential trades this offseason. "As we discussed, I think the Celtics are still very active in taking trade calls—maybe even making trade calls. There was some conversation last week between Memphis and Boston about something. We're still looking to track down more info on that. But rival teams are definitely still under the impression that Boston is looking for deals involving both Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang," Fischer said. Simons is currently owed over $27.6 million in the final year of his contract. He could be moved to save more financially, but Stevens did speak out recently and talk about the 26-year-old's future and potential fit with the team. "Anfernee is a guy people out here probably don't see as much because of the time that they play," Stevens said. "But his ability to score, to shoot the ball, make really hard shots, is pretty elite. And you look, a guy that's 26 years old and averaged 20 a game for three straight years." Read more: Report: Lakers May Face Luka Doncic Threat From Western Conference Rival As for Niang, he has just one year left on his contract as well worth $8.2 million. Of course, no one truly knows what a team is going to do. The Celtics could very well head into the 2025-26 season with both Simons and Niang on the roster. Expect to continue hearing rumors surrounding Boston. At the very least, the Celtics are a team worth keeping an eye on as a franchise potentially still open for business. For more on the Boston Celtics and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Boston Celtics could still be open for business on the trade market
With Las Vegas Summer League drawing to a close, Boston Celtics fans will be turning their attention back to the current rebuilding project Brad Stevens is undertaking. The President of Basketball Operations has already taken the first steps to re-tooling the roster, trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. He's also waived goodbye to Luke Kornet and potentially Al Horford in free agency. Nevertheless, Boston is expected to continue wheeling and dealing throughout the summer. Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang, two players the Celtics acquired via trades this summer, could be re-routed before the start of the season. In a recent Bleacher Report live stream, NBA Insider Jake Fischer noted how teams around the NBA are working under the impression that Boston is still open for business. "As we discussed, I think the Celtics are still very active in taking trade calls—maybe even making trade calls," Fischer said. "There was some conversation last week between Memphis and Boston about something. We're still looking to track down more info on that. But rival teams are definitely still under the impression that Boston is looking for deals involving both Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang." Stevens' goal will be to have the Celtics ready to compete for a championship once Jayson Tatum returns from his Achilles tendon injury. Therefore, he has this summer, the 2026 trade deadline, and next summer to make the necessary moves to get Boston back on track. As such, the Celtics aren't operating under a stringent time frame. They can be smart about the moves they make. Unfortunately, in the meantime, Celtics fans may need to endure a losing season. Still, if that bitter pill leads to another parade in the near future, it will be deemed a sacrifice worth making. Watch the "Taylor Talks Celtics" podcast on: YouTube: Website: This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: The Celtics could still be open for business on the trade market
