Boston Celtics Free Agency & NBA Draft News

According to an unnamed Western Conference GM that spoke with Sam Amico of FoxSports, the Boston Celtics are considering making one more run with the core group of players that helped the franchise come within one victory of playing in their third NBA Finals in five years.

While the anonymous GM said he believes Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers will try to keep most of the core group together, it seems as though one member of Boston's "Big Four" might be finding a new home during the offseason.

“I think they’ll re-sign Garnett, but let Allen walk,” said one Western Conference executive. “Then they’ll spend some money in free agency. They’re a respected franchise. They’ll draw some interest from the available bigger names, but the key will be to keep Garnett first.”

If the Celtics do indeed decide to allow Ray Allen to walk in free agency, they would be free to target one of the marquee names on this summer's free agent market such as Deron Williams, Steve Nash, or Eric Gordon.

Since the Celtics only have Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, and JaJuan Johnson locked in under contract for next season (Brandon Bass has a player option for $4 million that he will likely exercise), they only have $34.5 million on their books in salary.

As long as they can convince Garnett to return at a moderate discount to chase one more ring and retire a Celtic, the team should have enough money to pursue someone that will be commanding something close to a maximum deal or several mid-level talents to restock around the core group.

Amico quoted the anonymous GM as saying he thought the Celtics might have interest in the following unrestricted free agents: Jason Terry (Dallas Mavericks), Andre Miller (Denver Nuggets), Carlos Delfino (Milwaukee Bucks), Shannon Brown (Phoenix Suns) and Nick Young (Los Angeles Clippers).

The GM also mentioned restricted free agents O.J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies) and Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets) as potential targets for Boston.

Brook Lopez is another player to keep an eye on, in my opinion, as I can't imagine him resigning with the Brooklyn Nets after they have spent two solid seasons trying to move him in exchange for Dwight Howard.

Lopez would give Boston a solid scoring threat in their front court to go along with Bass and Garnett (assuming both players return to the Celtics) and is now the best center on the market after Howard signed his one-year extension with the Orlando Magic.

Also, according to Amico, the Celtics are considering packaging the #21 and #22 picks they own in an attempt to move up "five or six spots" in this month's NBA Draft.

The Philadelphia 76ers (#15) and Houston Rockets (#16) are reportedly interested in trading their selections in return for a proven veteran, however, they might be enticed to make a deal with Boston if they feel they have a better chance of acquiring someone with two picks as opposed to one.

Definitely keep an eye out for a Boston-Houston trade, as the Rockets own the 14th pick as well as the 16th and I'd be very surprised if Houston doesn't trade at least one of the selections.

Although it's highly unlikely, if Boston does manage to trade up in the draft, they may find themselves in the awkward position of having Austin Rivers, son of head coach Doc Rivers, still available on the board when they pick.

Since both Austin and Doc have said in interviews that they would rather not end up with the same franchise, it's extremely unlikely to happen even if he is on the board when their pick comes up, however, there's always a chance things could change if the Celtics find themselves with a realistic chance of landing the young guard who played last season with Duke.

The only thing that is certain for the Boston Celtics this summer is that Danny Ainge will have his hands full as he tries to decide what direction the franchise wants to move into as they depart from the "Big Three" era and into a new, much more uncertain one.

Which free agents do you think would be the best fit for the Celtics? Should they try to trade up in the draft or grab two players in what many to consider to be a deep draft? Share what you think Ainge should do this summer below in the comments section.

Yesteday's Late News & Notes Round-Up From Around The League

This post is a round-up of random news and notes from Monday that I found interesting enough to write about, however, most of them didn't warrant their own posts so I've decided to put them all in one convenient place:

-- Cleveland Cavaliers offer their #4, #24, #33, and #34 picks to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for the #1 pick:

According to Chad Ford of ESPN, the Cavaliers made a decent offer to the Hornets in an attempt to land likely number one overall pick Anthony Davis.

However, New Orleans rejected the offer making it seem even more certain that they will select Davis despite refusing to publicly commit to the big man who won a NCAA National Championship in April at the Superdome in New Orleans.

"It's not set in stone," the former Kentucky star has said when referring to being the first overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft on June 28th.

While the Hornets and Davis may be saying that to the media, I'm not sure they're going to convince anyone that it's the truth.

-- Toronto Raptors reportedly have interest in trading for Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, or Tyreke Evans:

The Raptors have been attached to almost every player that is reportedly on the trading block that can play the small forward position since the regular season came to and end.

They have been rumored to be offering packages including Ed Davis, Andrea Bargnani and/or Jose Calderon, and their lottery pick in exchange for one of those players.

The problem for Toronto is that the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings already have talented centers on their rosters meaning they likely wouldn't be interested in taking back Bargnani, although they may have some interest in Davis due to his young age and high ceiling on his potential.

Prying Iguodala away from Philly might be there best bet, however, I think the Sixers could probably receive a better offer by moving him elsewhere if they decide to trade him (maybe Los Angeles to the Lakers in a package for Pau Gasol for instance).

-- Rudy Gay reportedly unhappy with Memphis Grizzlies and would welcome trade to another team:

According to the same report from HoopsWorld as the Raptors note, Rudy Gay is reportedly unhappy with the Grizzlies since they have been offering him on the trade market since last season's successful postseason run while he was out with a shoulder injury.

Apparently Rudy is so unhappy with the franchise that he would now welcome a move to a new team and a chance to receive a fresh start in a new city.

However, with yesterday's announcement that team owner Michael Heisley will be selling the team to billionaire Robert Pera, it's now completely unknown what Gay's status with the franchise will be under the new ownership.

While Gay was reportedly being shopped to save money, it's likely Pera won't worry about trying to save cash during his first season with the team, especially while they already have a successful core in place coming off two consecutive playoff runs.

If Gay ends up being traded this summer, expect it to be a result of him asking for a change of scenery, as I can't picture a new owner coming in and splitting up a successful group coming off their best season in franchise history for any other reason.

-- Referee Greg Willard diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, will miss the NBA Finals:


Longtime NBA official Greg Willard was diagnosed with with pancreatic cancer after a blood test revealed a potentially serious illness, according to ESPN.com.

Willard has been an NBA referee for 24 seasons and began serving as an NBA referee for the NBA Finals during the 2009-10 season.

Referees working this year's NBA Finals will all wear Willard's #57 jersey in his honor, which is a gesture worth mentioning.

-- Bradley Beal will only work out with the New Orleans Hornets, Charlotte Bobcats, Washington Wizards, and Cleveland Cavaliers:

Bradley Beal, who is widely considered the best shooting guard in this season's deep draft class, will reportedly only work out for the teams with the top four selections in this month's draft according to his agent Mark Bartelstein.

While Beal is an extremely talented player who spent his college career at Florida playing under Billy Donovan, this decision could come back to haunt him.

With so many talented players in this years draft class, there's no guarantee that those four teams will need help at shooting guard, and even if they do, they may feel another player still on the board at their pick is a must-have type of player.

Although Beal is widely considered to be a high lottery pick by many scouts and online mock drafts, others believe he could fall somewhere closer to the middle to late lottery and this decision makes that all the more likely as teams picking beyond fourth won't know much firsthand knowledge about him.

List Of Teams Attempting To Trade Draft Picks Prior To 2012 NBA Draft

By: Stephen Patterson

There are two things that are pretty well known facts regarding the 2012 NBA Draft that is coming up in just under three weeks on June 28th:

First, it's almost a guarantee that the New Orleans Hornets will select former Kentucky forward Anthony Davis with the first overall pick. Second, beyond Davis likely going with the #1 pick, it's a complete toss up as to how the rest of the draft will turn out, beginning with the second pick.

While the Charlotte Bobcats currently own the second overall pick, they are open to moving the selection if it brings an All-Star caliber talent or a package of picks and players back in return.

According to Alex Kennedy on his Twitter account, the Bobcats were still shopping the pick as of Friday, however, most teams thought they were asking for too much in return.

Charlotte is reportedly interested in making a trade for Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies, who are supposedly shopping Gay in an effort to cut down on salary, despite owner Michael Heisley saying those reports were false. The Bobcats are rumored to be offering the number two pick in trade talks for him.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have supposedly offered the #4 and #24 picks to Charlotte in an attempt to move up to the second spot, as sources have said they are extremely interested in Davis' former Kentucky teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

However, the Grizzlies or Cavs would also likely have to take on the contract of either Tyrus Thomas or DeSagana Diop as Charlotte is attempting to unload their salaries in any move involving the second pick.

Cleveland is also rumored to be interested in making a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers in which they would send the same two picks to the Blazers in exchange for their #6 and #11 picks according to Kennedy, who writes for HoopsWorld.

The Sacramento Kings reportedly have a lot of interest in North Carolina sophomore Harrison Barnes, although he is likely to be off the board by the time they are on the clock with the fifth overall pick.

Don't be surprised if they make a move to improve their pick unless they feel comfortable enough taking another player that they pass on dealing to take Barnes.

The Golden State Warriors own four picks in the draft (#7, #30, #35, #52) and are considering packaging two or more of those picks together in an attempt to move up in the draft.

Their goal is to move up far enough to land Kidd-Gilchrist, however, they would also package picks in exchange for a proven veteran at small forward or future assets according to HoopsWorld.

The Hornets, who own the #10 pick as well as the first, are reportedly interested in moving that pick if the team acquiring it would also be willing to take on a bad contract belonging to either Emeka Okafor or Trevor Ariza according to NBA.com columnist Shaun Powell.

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, neither of whom currently own a first round pick, are looking to trade into the latter part of the first round according to a report by Sam Amico of FoxSports.

Which team(s) do you think will make the biggest splash on or before draft day when it comes to making a trade? Do you think there will be any blockbuster deals involving current players as well as draft picks? Share your thoughts below.

Austin Rivers Apparently Has Guarantee From Team Late In NBA Draft Lottery

By: Stephen Patterson

Austin Rivers, who is the son of Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, reportedly has a guarantee from a team picking late in the lottery of the NBA Draft according to a report by Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports.

Teams picking in that range include the Toronto Raptors (8th),  Detroit Pistons (9), New Orleans Hornets (10), Portland Trail Blazers (11), Milwaukee Bucks (12), Phoenix Suns (13), and Houston Rockets (14).

The Raptors are reportedly interest in moving their selection in a package for an All-Star caliber player, however, they might be inclined to select Rivers instead. According to the Charlotte Observer, the Raptors are "attracted to his assertive, don’t-back-down attitude."

Detroit is in desperate need of a franchise-altering type player, and Rivers could fit that bill. He would also give them a talented point guard capable of scoring and facilitating the offense.

New Orleans is unlikely to pick up Rivers, as they already plan to invest a lot in Eric Gordon, but they could always decide they need a talented young point guard to strengthen their back court depth and to compliment likely top pick Anthony Davis.

While the Blazers already have Jonny Flynn and Nolan Smith on their roster, they are likely to lose Jamal Crawford in free agency so there is a chance they might take Rivers, as he is arguably better than both of the aforementioned players.

Milwaukee is the least likely destination for Rivers of these teams as they already have Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis on their roster and will likely be looking for a big man with their selection.

Phoenix is a very intriguing possibility, as they are more than likely going to lose two-time MVP Steve Nash in free agency and will have a gaping hole at point guard left behind. If Rivers somehow manages to still be on the board for their pick, I can't picture the Suns picking anyone else unless they absolutely fall in love with another player during workouts.

The Rockets are another intriguing possibility. Kyle Lowry is reportedly wanting out of Houston amid clashes with coach Kevin McHale and having Rivers on their roster would make it much easier for Houston to deal their disgruntled point guard to another team.

Rivers will likely work out with the Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards and New Orleans Hornets according to the report from Yahoo! Sports.

Regardless of which team selects Rivers, he will likely be one of the better players from this draft class. If he goes to the right team, he has the potential to be an All-Star talent and could be a great floor general for a contending team.

Which team do you think would be the best fit for Rivers? Share your thoughts below in the comments section.

2012 NBA Draft Lottery: Conspiracy or Coincidence?

Stephen Patterson:

When the New Orleans Hornets were announced as the winners of the NBA Draft Lottery this past Wednesday night, speculation began instantly about the legitimacy of the lottery process and whether or not the entire thing had been rigged from the start.

The Hornets had just a 13.7 percent chance of winning the draft lottery, yet somehow they managed to land the top pick despite having lower odds than the Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Bobcats.

While missing out on the top pick in the 2012 NBA Draft definitely hurt the Cavaliers and Wizards, both teams have managed to win the draft lottery in recent years.

First, in 2010, Washington landed the rights to select number one overall pick John Wall despite having the fifth-worst record in the league during the prior season and having just a 10.3 percent chance of winning the draft lottery.

Coincidentally, former owner Abe Pollin had just recently passed away and his widow, Irene Pollin, was planning to sell the team to current owner Ted Leonsis. Any guess whether or not having Wall on the roster helped persuade Leonsis to purchase the team? My money says it definitely didn't hurt.

Then there was the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery, where the Cavaliers landed the first and fourth overall picks as they won the draft lottery with a pick they had acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers. The pick that landed them the top selection, which was the one they had received in the trade with the Clippers, had just a 2.8 percent chance of winning the lottery.

Coincidentally, the Cavaliers had lost hometown hero LeBron James in free agency prior to the 2010-11 season in a very messy and public divorce (see Decision, The), which sent owner Dan Gilbert into a fit that you might expect from a young child, including the infamous letter he wrote to Cavaliers fans and the media that absolutely trashed James only hours after his announcement that he would be "taking his talents to South Beach."

And finally, we have this season's draft lottery and the New Orleans Hornets, who now will almost certainly land Anthony Davis, the consensus top pick who dominated college basketball this past season during his only season at Kentucky.

Coincidentally, this isn't the first time since Stern and the league took over control of the Hornets that they have found themselves in the midst of a glaring controversy.

The first time came in December 2011, when Stern vetoed a three-team trade that would have sent Chris Paul, who had openly wanted out of New Orleans for quite some time, to the Los Angeles Lakers (full proposed trade: the Lakers would have received Paul, the Houston Rockets would have received Pau Gasol, and the Hornets would have received Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Lamar Odom, Goran Dragic, and a 2012 first-round pick).

Only days later, Stern approved a deal between the Hornets and Clippers. The trade landed the Hornets Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al Farouq-Aminu, and a first-round pick in exchange for Paul and two future second-round picks.

While the trade with the Clippers brought New Orleans some solid talent, it's hard to argue the fact that the original trade might have landed the Hornets a better overall haul of players.

Now let's skip forward to April, when Stern and the league announced that New Orleans Saint's owner Tom Benson would be purchasing the team.

After all of the shady moves Stern has made over the past year and a half and the growing stack of "coincidences" surrounding him, would it be too much of a leap to consider the possibility that Stern may have promised Benson the top pick in negotiations to buy the franchise and take it off the league's hands?

Apparently it's not too much of a leap for some league executives and current players to take.

Two anonymous league executives made some negative comments to Yahoo! Sports soon after the lottery on Wednesday night, with going as far as to say the process was a joke.

"It's such a joke that the league made the new owners be at the lottery for the show. The league still owns the Hornets. Ask their front office if new owners can make a trade right now. They can't. This is a joke."

Then there was the player backlash, with many going to Twitter to voice their opinions.

"I just wanna know why they don't show the lottery balls getting picked anymore ..." tweeted Minnesota Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams.

"The fix is in," was Portland Trail Blazer Jonny Flynn's response to the Hornet's landing the top overall pick.

When the league's own employees are beginning to question the growing pile of "coincidences", maybe it's time to consider the very real possibility that David Stern is starting to abuse some of his powers as commissioner of the NBA.

What are your thoughts on the New Orleans Hornets winning the top selection in this month's 2012 NBA Draft? Is it just another coincidence or is it perhaps a part of something bigger?