Celtics Rumors: Carmelo Anthony 'Starting to Gain Traction,' Says Insider
Sep 5, 2022
Toronto , Canada - 22 June 2022; Carmelo Anthony, NBA All-Star & Entrepreneur, on Centre Stage during day two of Collision 2022 at Enercare Centre in Toronto, Canada. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile for Collision via Getty Images)
After veteran forward Danilo Gallinari suffered a torn ACL that likely rules him out for the 2022-23 season, the Boston Celtics have an opening for an experienced scorer off the bench. It appears the team already has a target in mind.
The Celtics reportedly are eyeing Carmelo Anthony, and Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (h/t Real GM) noted that talks are "starting to gain some traction because Anthony may be the best shooting forward left on the market, and he has shown to be productive offensively despite his age."
The 38-year-old is a free agent after spending the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony mostly came off the bench and was a solid contributor, averaging 13.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 26 minutes while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. He had 20 or more points in 11 of the 69 games he played.
The No. 3 overall pick in 2003, Anthony is still chasing the NBA championship that has eluded him throughout his nearly 20 years in the league. Joining the Celtics could give him his best chance at competing for a title as his career is winding down.
Boston reached the NBA Finals last season but lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games. The Celtics retained virtually their entire core led by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. The team also added point guard Malcolm Brogdon in a trade with the Indiana Pacers this offseason.
The Celtics were hoping for Gallinari to provide some depth and veteran leadership off the bench, but his season was derailed after re-injuring his previously surgically-repaired knee while competing for Italy in a FIBA World Cup qualifier. If Boston is able to reach a deal with Anthony, he should seamlessly fit that role for the team.
Celtics Rumors: Danilo Gallinari's Knee Injury Diagnosed as Torn ACL After Evaluation
Sep 2, 2022
Boston, MA - July 11: The Boston Celtics introduced new player Danilo Gallinari at a morning press conference at the Auerbach Center. (Photo by Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Danilo Gallinari, a key offseason acquisition of the Boston Celtics, will likely miss the 2022-23 season.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Gallinari was diagnosed with a torn ACL after undergoing a "thorough" medical analysis. The 34-year-old injured his left knee during Italy's 91-84 win over Georgia in a World Cup qualifier Aug. 27.
Charania noted the typical ACL recovery timeframe ranges from six to 12 months.
Gallinari was injured early in the fourth quarter when he received a pass on a fast break. His left knee appeared to buckle, and he was removed from the game.
"It's tough to talk about basketball after what we saw happen to Danilo," Italy captain Luigi Datome told reporters after the win. "We wish him, of course, the best."
The Italy national team announced Gallinari's injury as a torn meniscus with no ligament damage.
Gallinari suffered the same injury to the same knee in April 2013 while playing for the Denver Nuggets. He missed the remainder of the season and the 2013-14 campaign while recovering.
The Celtics signed Gallinari to a two-year, $13.3 million contract July 12. He had become a free agent after being waived by the San Antonio Spurs, who acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks in the Dejounte Murray trade.
Three days before adding Gallinari, the Celtics acquired Malcolm Brogdon from the Indiana Pacers for five players and a 2023 first-round draft pick.
Gallo was expected to add scoring punch off the bench. The forward averaged 11.7 points per game for the Hawks in 2021-22 and is a 38.2 percent shooter from three-point range in his career.
Expectations are incredibly high for the Celtics after they reached the NBA Finals last season. The loss of Gallinari will hurt, but they have built enough depth to play at a high level even without him.
Kevin Durant Trade Rumors: Jaylen Brown, Celtics Package Was Nets' 'Best Offer'
Aug 24, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 25: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets takes the ball during Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center on April 25, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The Brooklyn Nets' best trade offer for superstar forward Kevin Durant was the Boston Celtics' reported package centered around All-Star guard Jaylen Brown.
Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported that news on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday (1:10 mark).
Charania noted that the Celtics offered Brown, guard Derrick White and a first-round pick for Durant, a 12-time All-Star and 10-time All-NBA selection.
Durant requested a trade in late June, but nothing ever materialized. The Nets announced Tuesday that KD, who is under contract through 2026, will remain a member of the team going forward:
Seven-time All-Star Kyrie Irving, who was also part of trade rumors, will remain in town as he plays out his 2022-23 option.
Brooklyn opens the 2022-23 regular season on Oct. 19 versus the New Orleans Pelicans. The Nets are looking to bounce back from a first-round series sweep at the hands of the eventual Eastern Conference title-winning Boston Celtics.
Celtics Rumors: 'No Long-Term Concern' About Robert Williams' Knee Injury
Aug 21, 2022
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 16: Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics looks on prior to Game Six of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden on June 16, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
While Boston Celtics big man Robert Williams III battled a knee injury during the team's run to the NBA Finals, he is reportedly on track to be healthy at the start of the 2022-23 campaign.
According to Brian Robb of Mass Live: "There is no long-term concern about his knee injury. No surgery was needed, so ample rest this summer should have him at 100 percent in camp."
The Celtics will likely be counting on Williams to assume more responsibility during the upcoming campaign.
After all, the team's biggest move in the offseason to this point came in the backcourt with the acquisition of Malcolm Brogdon, and Al Horford will be 36 years old throughout the season. Boston also signed Danilo Gallinari, but he is more likely to stretch the floor as a matchup problem for opposing forwards.
Williams figures to be the one banging down low for rebounds and protecting the rim, much like he did as a 2021-22 All-Defensive second-team selection.
The Texas A&M product averaged 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 73.6 percent from the field last season. Those were all career-best totals, and he's still just 24.
During the postseason, he missed the first two games against the Brooklyn Nets in the opening round and the final four games of the second-round showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Williams has the potential to be the best rim-protector in the league in 2022-23 after opponents shot 11.2 percent worse than their normal averages when he was defending them within six feet of the basket last season, per NBA.com.
Having him healthy is the first step toward ensuring he can live up to that potential, and it has apparently been nothing but good news on that front this offseason.
The Boston Celtics had perhaps the most talented roster in the NBA during the 2021-22 season. That didn't stop them from aggressively attacking the offseason...
Bill Russell to Be Honored by Celtics With Special City Edition Uniform
Aug 17, 2022
FRISCO, TEXAS - AUGUST 06: A general view of the screen during a moment of silence for Bill Russell during BIG3 Week Eight at Comerica Center on August 06, 2022 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images for BIG3)
The Boston Celtics are planning to honor the late Bill Russell throughout the 2022-23 season, starting with the unveiling of a special tribute uniform on opening night.
John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal reports that the Celtics will wear the City Edition uniform that pays homage to the Boston legend 12 times this year. The team and the league had collaborated directly with Russell regarding the uniform in recent years.
according to the Celtics, they will unveil a special Bill Russell tribute 2022-23 City Edition uniform on opening night– a project that the league and team had been collaborating on with Russell himself in recent years - which they will wear a total of 12 times this season
Russell died on July 31 at age 88. During his 13-year run with the Celtics, he led the team to 12 NBA Finals appearances and 11 championships, the last two titles coming while he served as both player and the first Black head coach in NBA history. The NBA reportedly will retire his No. 6 jersey leaguewide.
The Celtics will open the 2022-23 season at home on Tuesday, Oct. 18, against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Celtics 2022-23 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions
Aug 17, 2022
Miami - May 29: Boston Celtics Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown (7) after they defeated the Miami Heat 100-96. The Boston Celtics visit the Miami Heat for game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at FTX Arena in Miami, FL on May 29, 2022. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
After making their long-awaited breakthrough and reaching the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics will have a massive bullseye on their back during the 2022-23 season.
The Celtics return all of their key players from 2021-22, and their long-term outlook remains extremely bright. Jayson Tatum only turned 24 in March. Jaylen Brown will be 26 in October. At 28, Marcus Smart looks like a grizzled veteran compared to some of his teammates.
As a result, Boston didn't need to radically transform its roster in order to feel better about its odds of chasing a title in 2023.
By acquiring Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari, the team strengthened some of its weaknesses. If Tatum and Brown can continue to make marginal improvements, then the Celtics might have the strongest roster not just in the Eastern Conference, but also across the entire league.
Just because the Celtics haven't completed a blockbuster trade doesn't mean the front office hasn't tried.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported July 25 that the team was willing to offer Brown, Derrick White and a draft pick for Kevin Durant. The Brooklyn Nets countered by requesting more picks and Smart.
News of Durant's trade request understandably unleashed a flurry of takes and hypothetical trades. The fact he remains a member of the Nets shows how putting a trade together is much easier said than done.
Brooklyn has operated like a team that's still aiming for a championship, too. You don't sign T.J. Warren and give up a first-round pick for Royce O'Neale if you're looking to tank.
As long as Durant and Kyrie Irving are on the roster, the Nets will be a credible threat to win the conference.
Milwaukee Bucks (First Game: Dec. 25)
As with the Celtics, there wasn't a pressing obligation for the Milwaukee Bucks to take a big swing this offseason. They only finished two games off the pace for the top seed in the East and rounded into form nicely in time for the postseason.
With Khris Middleton healthy, Milwaukee might have even taken the Celtics down in the conference semifinals. The Bucks ran out of gas by the time Game 7 rolled around. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday combined to score more than half of the team's offensive output in a 109-81 defeat.
The 2020-21 champions aren't going anywhere, and their exit at the hands of the Celtics provides an obvious source of motivation for the year ahead.
Considering the direction of both franchises, Boston vs. Milwaukee should be the most engaging on-court rivalry in the East for the foreseeable future.
Season Forecast
There are a few variables for the Celtics that could lower their ceiling slightly.
And as good an addition as Brogdon is in theory, he's played 60-plus games just twice in six years. A nagging Achilles injury dogged him across last season.
At center, Boston is leaning heavily on another player with an iffy injury history (Robert Williams III) and a 36-year-old Al Horford.
Perhaps Brown becomes fed up at getting linked to whatever marquee star the Celtics are pursuing.
"Jaylen won't let this affect his play, but he won't forget this, either," an East scout said to Bleacher Report's A. Sherrod Blakely after news of the Durant offer surfaced. "The kind of season he had, the team had…I know this is a business and he knows it's a business, but hearing your name in trade rumors, even if it's Kevin Durant in the deal, can't feel good considering how he played against KD and how the Celtics did against the Nets."
If the Celtics experience another sluggish start to the season like the one they had in 2021-22, will head coach Ime Udoka be able to right the ship again?
Boston hasn't hit 60 wins since 2008-09, but that's a benchmark this roster can achieve and possibly surpass. It will hinge on player health and how much Udoka balances success in the regular season against making sure everybody is rested and peaking in time for the playoffs.
Barring a complete collapse, high 40s and a fourth-place finish should be the floor for the 2022-23 Celtics.
Record Prediction: 57-25
21+ and present in AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, LA, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, or WV. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, IN, IL, NJ, PA, VA), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY(467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).
Kevin Durant Trade Rumors: No 'Discussions of Substance' Between Celtics, Nets
Aug 17, 2022
FILE - Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant reacts to a referee's call during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Thursday, March 3, 2022, in New York. Kevin Durant has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, according to a person with direct knowledge of the seismic decision that undoubtedly will have teams scrambling to put together enormous offers for the perennial All-Star.(AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
The Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics reportedly haven't had any serious talks regarding a trade of Kevin Durant to Beantown.
According to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, league sources say there "have not even been any real discussions of substance" between the Nets and Celtics about KD.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported last month that Boston offered a package of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a draft pick for Durant, but the Nets turned it down.
However, the Durant chatter picked up again this week after the release of photos that showed him and Celtics star Jayson Tatum working out together on the court:
While it's likely that the two friends and former Olympic teammates were just getting some work in, it was inevitable that observers would read into it.
Durant's business manager, Rich Kleiman, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (h/t ESPN's Tim Bontemps) in June that KD had requested a trade out of Brooklyn. Wojnarowski reported at the time that the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat were Durant's preferred landing spots.
The offers apparently haven't been to Brooklyn's liking, and the chances that the Nets keep Durant have seemingly increased.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported last month that the Nets would prefer to keep Durant because of the lack of strong offers.
Durant may try to force the Nets' hand, though. Windhorst reported last week that the situation is "headed toward" KD holding out of training camp if he isn't traded by then.
The Nets are under no obligation to trade Durant since he signed a four-year contract extension with them last year, but if he refuses to play, it could cause them to reconsider.
The Nets would have to consider an offer headlined by Brown. The 25-year-old guard has one All-Star selection to his credit and is coming off a season in which he averaged 23.6 points per game.
Meanwhile, Durant is a logical target for Boston. He is a four-time scoring champion, two-time NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP and one-time NBA MVP who averaged 29.9 points per game last season at age 33.
Durant could be the missing piece that puts the Celtics over the top after they fell to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals last season, but current indications are that the two sides aren't engaging in serious talks.
NBA Fans Upset for Jaylen Brown After Pic of Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum on the Court
Aug 16, 2022
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 10: Jaylen Brown #7 and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics talk over a play in the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors during Game Four of the 2022 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 10, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Twitter erupted on Monday night after photos showing Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant and Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum participating in an on-court workout together surfaced.
It normally wouldn't be big news for two NBA players who are friends to get some offseason work in together, but since the Celtics have been linked to a Durant trade, the circumstances are far from normal.
Durant's business manager, Rich Kleiman, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (h/t ESPN's Tim Bontemps) in June that KD had requested a trade out of Brooklyn.
While nothing has gotten done on that front, several teams have been linked to Durant, and the Celtics are among them.
Last month, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Celtics offered the Nets Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a draft pick for Durant, however, the offer was rejected.
The fan reaction to the photo of Durant and Tatum primarily focused on Brown, with both serious and comedic tweets about how he may have reacted to seeing the photos:
If I’m Jaylen Brown this doesn’t sit right with me knowing the franchise tried to trade me for me for him and my right hand man shooting around with him
At 33 years of age, Durant is still one of the NBA's top players. He averaged 29.9 points per game last season.
He also has a Hall of Fame resume to his credit with 12 All-Star nods, four scoring titles, two NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVP awards and one NBA MVP award.
KD was the missing piece to the puzzle that helped the Golden State Warriors win two more championships in the past, and it is fair to wonder if he could serve a similar purpose for a Celtics team that reached the NBA Finals last season before falling to the Warriors.
Tatum is Boston's unquestioned top star after averaging 26.9 points per game during the 2021-22 regular season and 25.6 points during the playoffs, but Brown was integral to the team's success as well.
The one-time All-Star put up 23.6 points per contest in 66 regular-season games last season, plus 23.1 points per game during the postseason.
He is also just 25 years of age, which suggests he may still have plenty of growing and developing left to do.
Trading Brown for anyone would be a risky endeavor because of his potential to become an MVP-caliber player, but if the Celtics can land Durant and make a strong run at a championship, it could be worth it.
Durant and Tatum were teammates on the 2020 United States men's basketball Olympic team, so Monday's photos may be much ado about nothing. However, that won't stop speculation from running rampant.
