Latest news with #ex-Celtics
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kristaps Porzingis Trade Report Surfaces After Major Celtics News
Kristaps Porzingis Trade Report Surfaces After Major Celtics News originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Boston Celtics lost an important member of their personnel on Monday, as it was reported that Austin Ainge will join his dad, ex-Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge, with the Utah Jazz (via ESPN's Shams Charania). More than that, Austin will become their President of Basketball Operations. Advertisement However, that could potentially make it easier for the Celtics and Jazz to become trade partners this offseason. The Celtics want to save money, and the Jazz are one of the few teams that can help them do that with their flexibility. MassLive's Brian Robb outlined how the Jazz could help the Celtics accomplish their offseason goals. Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8)© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Robb floated Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday as players they could trade to the Jazz, seeing as Utah had interest in both before the Celtics acquired them. "League sources tell MassLive that the Jazz showed interest in acquiring Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday via trade back in 2023 before both players landed ultimately landed in Boston," Robb wrote. "Both players are available again on the trade market this year as the Celtics weigh offseason options to retool their roster and reduce salary to get under the second apron after Jayson Tatum suffered a torn Achilles." Robb added, "Whether Holiday or Porzingis interest the Jazz front office now a couple of years later will be a fascinating question, but the Jazz could be a big wildcard in the NBA offseason if they start trying to push back towards playoff contention." Advertisement The Jazz have multiple expiring contracts - John Collins, Collin Sexton, John Collins - and multiple non-guaranteed and partially guaranteed contracts - KJ Martin, Johnny Juzang, Svi Mykhailiuk, Jaden Springer - that could interest the Celtics. It will all depend on what the Jazz want this offseason. Related: NBA Legend Urges Celtics to Make Kristaps Porzingis Decision Related: Celtics' Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis Decision Receives Update on Tuesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-Celtic defends Tatum and Brown amid recent criticism
Ex-Celtic defends Tatum and Brown amid recent criticism originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston While the NBA world points fingers at Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for the Boston Celtics' struggles against the New York Knicks, one of their ex-teammates has their back. Advertisement Grant Williams came to Tatum and Brown's defense on Friday, weighing in on social media with his thoughts on recent criticisms of the tandem. 'Not even with them anymore but this C's discourse is wild,' Williams wrote on X. 'Everyone has a right to an opinion but JT and JB are Superstars. They are able 2 have bad games but we've all witnessed them both takeover. Don't let recent events cloud your eyes from what they've done and accomplished.' The Celtics fell into a 2-0 hole in the Eastern Conference semifinals after blowing their second consecutive 20-point lead on Wednesday. Tatum scored a season-low 13 points and failed to get the potential game-winning shot off before the final buzzer. He and Brown shot a combined 13-for-42 (30.9 percent) from the floor. Advertisement Williams built close relationships with Tatum and Brown during his four-year tenure with Boston from 2019-23. Tatum called WIlliams his 'brother for life' before a game against Williams' current team, the Charlotte Hornets, last year. Earlier this season, however, Williams drew the ire of his ex-Celtics teammates after a hard foul on Tatum. An irritated Brown went as far as to say, 'I thought JT and Grant were friends. I guess not.' Nonetheless, it's clear Williams still has the utmost respect for Tatum and Brown, who got over the hump and won their first NBA championship without him in 2024. The duo has a difficult road toward repeating, as Boston must win four of the next five games to stay alive. The series will shift to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Saturday. Coverage of the matchup is set for 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston with Celtics Pregame Live.
New York Post
03-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Paul Pierce believes it's time for a Lakers-LeBron James divorce
After LeBron James and the Lakers fell well short of a championship run in this year's NBA playoffs, ex-Celtics great Paul Pierce said the two sides should split up. 'If the Lakers want to get back to being a championship contender moving forward, you have to get out of the constraints of the LeBron era,' Pierce said on FS1's 'Speak.' 'He's had a grasp of the whole organization, bear-hugging them for so long now,' Pierce continued. 'He's done some wonderful things for the organization … But they have to say, 'Bron, we appreciate your services. I think we should move on.' Tough conversation.' Advertisement 3 Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James looks up toward the scoreboard in the closing seconds in Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Los Angeles. AP Pierce's opinion comes with the Lakers picking up the pieces following a first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, spoiling rookie head coach JJ Redick's inaugural season in Los Angeles and casting doubt on how successful the team will be after acquiring Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis in a trade during the year. Advertisement Instead of sparking a run through the postseason, James and Doncic were overmatched by the young and athletic Timberwolves. 3 Paul Pierce says it's time for the Lakers and LeBron James to go their separate ways. @TheDunkCentral/X James, 40, has said he intends to play 'at least' another season. His son, Bronny, was on the Lakers' roster for much of the season. Advertisement 3 LeBron James and the Lakers lost in five games in the first round. AP In a stacked Western Conference, even James and Doncic don't guarantee success. Doncic is expected to take over as the face of the franchise whenever James leaves, but it's anyone's guess when that might happen.
USA Today
08-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
On this day: Walter McCarty traded to Suns; JaJuan Johnson, Warren Fenley born
On this day: Walter McCarty traded to Suns; JaJuan Johnson, Warren Fenley born On this day in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise traded forward Walter McCarty to the Phoenix Suns for a second-round pick and cash in 2005. McCarty had been an alumnus of the University of Kentucky men's basketball program under head coach Rick Pitino. McCarty would later be reunited with him on the Celtics after he was picked up by the New York Knicks in the 1996 NBA draft, then traded away to Boston after playing a season with New York. The Evansville native would spend a total of eight seasons with the Celtics before he would be traded to the Suns. Over that stretch, McCarty averaged 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 5.7 points per game during his tenure with the franchise as a player. It also happens to be the birthday of JaJuan Johnson, ex-Celtics big man and one of the more commonly-cited blemishes on Danny Ainge's drafting record, who was born this day in 1989 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Johnson, a consensus First-Team All-American at Purdue, never panned out in the NBA. He was drafted by the (then) New Jersey Nets (now, Brooklyn) 27th overall in the 2011 NBA draft, then traded to the Celtics along with a 2014 second-round pick for the rights to MarShon Brooks. His erratic production doomed his career in Boston, where he averaged 3.2 points and 1.6 boards per game in his lone season with the club. Today is also the anniversary of the birth of Warren Fenley in 1922, one of the original members of the Celtics, playing only for their inaugural season of 1946-47. We know little about him as a pro, aside from that he averaged 2.6 points per game, played forward, and shot .225 from the field for the Celts in the Basketball Association of America (one of the NBA's precursor leagues). Listen to the "Celtics Lab" podcast on: Apple Podcasts: Spotify:
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Celtics trading Jaden Springer to Rockets for draft pick: Report
Celtics trading Jaden Springer to Rockets for draft pick: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Brad Stevens has made at least one move before every NBA trade deadline since taking over as Boston Celtics president of basketball operations, and it appears that streak will continue. The Celtics are trading Jaden Springer and their 2030 second-round pick to the Houston Rockets, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. Boston and Houston also are exchanging heavily-protected second-round picks, per Charania. Springer is making just over $4 million this season on the final year of his contract but could have cost Boston nearly $15 million against the cap due to repeater penalties stemming from the luxury tax. The deal gives the Celtics $15.4 million in tax savings, per ESPN's Bobby Marks. Trade impact: Boston/Houston Celtics Tax penalty: $65.6M to $50.2M 2 open roster spots Rockets Jaden Springer: $4M, RFA 2025 The Rockets are acquiring Springer with part of their $12.8M non-tax ML — Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 5, 2025 The Celtics acquired Springer ahead of last year's trade deadline in a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers that sent a second-round pick to Philly. He's played sparingly for Boston over the last calendar year, but the 22-year-old guard had seen an uptick in minutes over the last month. Springer delivered arguably his best game with the Celtics in a Jan. 22 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, contributing eight points and four steals over 20 minutes of action. He appeared in 26 games for the C's this season, averaging 5.4 minutes per game in those stints. Springer is a strong defender and should fit well on a gritty Houston team led by ex-Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. But he never quite made sense as a long-term fit in Boston with Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard ahead of him on the depth chart, and dealing Springer allows Boston to alleviate part of its large luxury tax penalty. The Celtics now have two open roster spots, and they'll need to fill at least one before the regular season ends. Boston could pursue a player on the buyout market — or perhaps Stevens has another move up his sleeve ahead of Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline.
