<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-jeff-bezos-interest-in-buying-celtics-shut-down');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA Rumors: Jeff Bezos’ interest in buying Celtics gets shut down');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Jeff-Bezos-interest-in-buying-Celtics-gets-shut-down.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA Rumors: Jeff Bezos’ interest in buying Celtics gets shut down</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-08-20T14:29:34-07:00">August 20th, 2:29pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-08-20T14:37:02-07:00">August 20th, 2:37pm</time><address><a>Christopher Smith</a>Christopher Smith is an associate editor covering a variety of sports with a beat focus on the Chicago Sky for ClutchPoints. The Aurora, Illinois native earned a degree in philosophy from Creighton University, where he also competed as a Division 1 Cross Country runner.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics are looking for a new majority owner after the previous group, led by Wyc Grousbeck, made the franchise available for sale. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-new-majority-owner-odds-feature-tom-brady-lebron-james">Previous odds for the new owner</a> included several suitors, but Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has caught steam. Reports indicated that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jeff-bezos-planning-enormous-bid-buy-franchise-bill-simmons">Bezos was planning an enormous bid</a> to buy the Celtics, but the speculation has lost momentum.</p><p>Jeff Bezos appears to have <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/bezos-has-no-plans-to-bid-on-celtics" rel="noopener">no plans to bid</a> on the Celtics, according to a source close to him, reported by the Information. It remains unclear what Bezos will do, given that his reported interest has fluctuated.</p><p>*This is a developing story. More details will follow shortly.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA Rumors: Jeff Bezos’ interest in buying Celtics gets shut down

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-celtics-true-feelings-paying-top-dollar-for-roster-several-years');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Celtics’ true feelings on paying top dollar for roster over several years');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Celtics-Jayson-Tatum-Jaylen-Brown-Jrue-Holiday-Kristaps-Porzingis-Derrick-White.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Celtics’ true feelings on paying top dollar for roster over several years</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-08-14T07:52:08-07:00">August 14th, 7:52am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-08-14T07:52:08-07:00">August 14th, 7:52am</time><address><a>Sam DiGiovanni</a>Sam DiGiovanni started at ClutchPoints as an associate editor in 2021 and became the site's Philadelphia 76ers beat reporter ahead of the 2022-23 season. He graduated from Marist College in May of 2022 and has written for TheKnicksWall.com and CenterFieldMarist.com in the past.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics are not going anywhere. Anyone who wants them will get them, one of the best rosters in recent memory, for the next several seasons despite the franchise being <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-wyc-grousbeck-puts-team-up-for-sale-following-2024-championship">put up for sale</a>.</p><p>Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis just won it all in their first season together, becoming a fearsome starting five that launches threes, defends hard and runs opponents off the floor often. They get paid top dollar, as they should. The Celtics’ front office is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5699469/2024/08/14/celtics-sale-payroll-offseason-mailbag/" rel="noopener">committed to its championship-winning core</a> despite the massive payroll and luxury taxes it will rack up in the coming years, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic.</p><p>Weiss writes the following: “The presumption that nobody will pay half a billion dollars for a single season is too strong. Everything I’ve heard from team sources is that the front office wants to keep this going for several years, and Jrue Holiday’s four-year extension was a good indicator that this is more than a one-year window. If Kristaps Porziņģis can stay healthy — we’ll be saying that for the rest of his career — this team should remain a top contender for at least a couple of years. It doesn’t seem like the second apron penalties are going to force it to take a step back before that window closes.”</p><h2><b>Celtics willing to spend big for championship-winning roster</b></h2><p>The Celtics wouldn’t have shelled out massive contract extensions for Holiday during the season and for White and Tatum during the offseason if they weren’t committed. They know <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-brad-stevens-admits-harsh-reality-keeping-bostons-title-team">how expensive this roster is going to get</a> (on top of how pricey it already is). But for the Celtics, all that matters is raising championship banners. Dismantling this team won’t be taken well when it eventually happens but ownership is making sure it has multiple chances at glory.</p><p>Among the Celtics’ starters, Porzingis is the only one not signed through the 2026-27 season, though his contract does have two more seasons remaining. Key bench players Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard are locked in beyond that season. In the foreseeable future, aside from any potential injury replacements, Boston’s big task will be replacing the aging Al Horford.</p><p>Not every team that spends exorbitant amounts of money is rewarded with the highest levels of success. The Celtics, though, spent wisely and made great roster moves, making them the team to beat.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Celtics’ true feelings on paying top dollar for roster over several years

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-celtics-elevate-sam-cassell-amid-lakers-interest');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Celtics to ‘elevate’ Sam Cassell amid Lakers’ interest');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Celtics-to-elevate-Sam-Cassell-amid-Lakers-interest.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Celtics to ‘elevate’ Sam Cassell amid Lakers’ interest</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-23T09:40:25-07:00">June 23rd, 9:40am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-23T09:40:25-07:00">June 23rd, 9:40am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers are likely to announce the hiring of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-jj-redick-anthony-davis-all-defense-snub-water-under-bridge">JJ Redick as their</a> new head coach any day now, and Redick is reportedly hard at work building an assistant coaching staff. Among the names discussed for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-betting-favorites-for-jj-redick-assistant-coaches">a Lakers assistant role</a> has been longtime former NBA Sam Cassell, who just won an NBA Championship as an assistant for the Boston Celtics.</p><p>But while the Lakers’ interest in Cassell has been widely reported, it appears the Celtics are doing what they can to retain the coveted coach. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Boston may be planning to “elevate” Cassell to ensure he is not another one of its coaching staff departures this offseason.</p><p>Stein <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-exclusive-nba-trade-talk?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=145895941&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">reported that the</a> Celtics, who lost Charles Lee, the new Charlotte Hornets head coach who reportedly beat out Redick for that job, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-reacts-to-jeff-van-gundy-rumor">and Jeff Van Gundy</a>, a senior consultant who is now Tyronn Lue’s lead assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers, are “keen” on keeping Cassell on their staff. Elevating one typically involves a pay raise, as well as an improvement in job title and responsibilities. With Lee’s departure — Lee had been named Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla’s lead assistant last summer — it would seem likely Cassell would fill the vacancy and receive a raise as a result.</p><p>Cassell has now won four NBA Championships in his career (three as a player and one as a coach). A 15-year NBA veteran, Cassell won back-to-back titles as a young player on the Houston Rockets in the mid-1990s before winning his third ring with the Celtics in 2008.</p><p>Since retiring a year later, Cassell has served as an assistant coach in the NBA. He began his coaching career with the Washington Wizards, with whom he spent five years, before reuniting with former Celtics coach Doc Rivers on the Los Angeles Clippers. After six seasons in Los Angeles, Cassell followed Rivers and worked three years with the Philadelphia 76ers before Rivers’ firing last offseason, at which time he joined Mazzulla’s staff and returned to Boston.</p><h2>JJ Redick’s potential Lakers assistants include Scott Brooks and Rajon Rondo</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lakers_guard_Rajon_Rondo_9_sits_on_the_court_with_his_son_after_game_six_of_the_2020_NBA_Finals.jpg"><figcaption>© Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>While Sam Cassell may not be available, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/los-angeles-lakers-news0bold-predictions-for-jj-redicks-first-year-as-head-coach">Los Angeles Lakers may</a> be signing another member of the 2008 Boston Celtics to join JJ Redick’s coaching staff: Rajon Rondo. The former NBA point guard, who won a title with the Celtics and the Lakers, may soon be on the Lakers’ bench.</p><p>“The Lakers, meanwhile, are said to be seeking two former NBA head coaches for Redick’s staff — if they can find two — to assist Redick,” Marc Stein reported via his ‘The Stein Line’ Substack. “Scott Brooks and Rajon Rondo are frequently mentioned as strong candidates for assistant roles in L.A.”</p><p>Rondo played 16 seasons in the NBA and earned a reputation for being one of the league’s smartest players. Lakers star LeBron James has commented on many occasions, including during his ‘Mind the Game’ podcast with Redick, that Rondo should go into coaching because of his intellect.</p><p>“[Rondo] can process, flip, do things on the go like that,” James said of Rondo in March. “It is very weird to me that he is not coaching at a high level. I think it is because he doesn’t want to do it. It is a lot, and who wants to deal with all these rich and entitled guys all the time?”</p><p>Scott Brooks is another interesting name. If Redick would like to add former head coaches to his staff, of which not many are available, Brooks would seem to be a good addition. While highly criticized at times for his shortcomings as the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Washington Wizards, he succeeded in getting the Thunder to their first and only NBA Finals in 2012. Brooks currently serves as an assistant coach on Chauncey Billups’ Portland Trail Blazers staff.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Celtics to ‘elevate’ Sam Cassell amid Lakers’ interest

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-5-superstar-trades-brad-stevens-decided-against');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: 5 superstar trades Brad Stevens decided against');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/5-superstar-trades-Brad-Stevens-decided-against.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: 5 superstar trades Brad Stevens decided against</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-20T15:56:18-07:00">June 20th, 3:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-20T15:56:18-07:00">June 20th, 3:56pm</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/how-to-watch-celtics-championship-parade-date-time-tv-stream">Celtics just won</a> the NBA Title and now rumors leading up to the championship are surfacing. From the sounds of it, general manager, Brad Stevens, turned down some massive names via trade that could have changed the course of Boston’s title run this season.</p><p>Rumors indicate that Stevens turned down trades <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40377901/long-awaited-confetti-champagne-boston-celtics-championship-locker-room-wanted-give-us-no" rel="noopener">for five superstar talents</a>, including Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Kevin Durant, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. If that’s the case the Celtics could have had a completely different roster for the 2023-24 season.</p><p>“He was the man, sources said, who said no or decided not to pursue trades for Paul George (2017), Jimmy Butler (2018-19), Kawhi Leonard (2019) Anthony Davis (2019), and Kevin Durant (2022).”</p><p>That’s quite the list of names. It’s not known what the potential trade packages were. But if these rumors are true then it’s rather impressive that Brad Stevens didn’t pull the trigger on any of these possible deals. Especially considering the Celtics could have had a one of those five players teamed up with Jayson Tatum.</p><p>But in the in end it appears Brad Stevens made the right decision. The Celtics easily had one of, if not, the best roster in the NBA this season. Jayson Tatum is a true superstar while Jaylen Brown has become a fantastic No. 2 option on the team. Meanwhile, adding guys like Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday turned out to pay off greatly, as both guys complimented Tatum and Brown well.</p><h2>Can Brad Stevens build a repeat contender next season?</h2><p> </p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jayson-Tatum-with-Larry-OBrien-trophy.jpg"><figcaption>© Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-reveals-why-he-lost-it-his-assistant-coach-late-in-game-5">The Celtics are</a> in line to be a problem for the league yet again in the 2024-25 season. It’s expected the Celtics will give Jayson Tatum a huge contract this offseason. Additionally, most of the players on this years roster are due to return. If that’s the case then Brad Stevens’ job might be pretty easy moving forward.</p><p>With the team’s core roster set, Stevens just has to make sure to fill in any possible holes that could occur this offseason. One name to keep an eye on is Derrick White, who could hit free agency. But if Brad Stevens can talk the star guard into staying in Boston, then that would be huge for the Celtics chances next season.</p><p>When it comes down to it, the Celtics don’t have to make too many moves this offseason to remain on top of the Eastern Conference. But they must make sure to maintain a championship-caliber roster with the rest of the league now chasing after them. We should expect Brad Stevens to do what’s necessary to keep this franchise in title contention.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: 5 superstar trades Brad Stevens decided against

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-gets-painfully-honest-past-jaylen-brown-trade-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics’ Jayson Tatum gets painfully honest on past Jaylen Brown trade rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jayson-Tatum-gets-painfully-honest-on-past-Jaylen-Brown-trade-rumors.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics’ Jayson Tatum gets painfully honest on past Jaylen Brown trade rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-18T15:31:48-07:00">June 18th, 3:31pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-18T15:31:48-07:00">June 18th, 3:31pm</time><address><a href="https://nextmanupblog.medium.com/">Jay Postrado</a>Jay Postrado is a sports writer for ClutchPoints, with expertise in covering the NBA, NFL, MLB, Tennis, and Formula 1. He is a lifelong motorsports and tennis fan. Jay's need for speed may no longer be on the grid or courts but has stayed with him through writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Jaylen Brown is probably the subject of the most vitriol in the Jayson Tatum-led Boston Celtics system. This means that there was more reason for him to shut his haters up during this NBA Finals run. A lot of it has to do with the way that the team valued him, whether it was still under Danny Ainge or even Brad Stevens. Now, every single one of those doubts about the team’s commitment to him along with his historic contract had been dispelled.</p><h2><b>Keeping it steady despite rumored moves from Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens</b></h2><p>Jaylen Brown is the only member of the Celtics who is going home with three trophies. He snagged the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP, the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP, and the Larry O’Brien trophy. However, all of this could have happened if one of Brad Stevens or Danny Ainge chose to trade him away.</p><p>A lot of big names surfaced as trade targets for the Celtics before they won their 18th banner. Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Davis were just some of the few stars who were supposed to be <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/does-jaylen-brown-have-a-girlfriend-what-we-know-about-celtic-stars-dating-life">traded for Jaylen Brown.</a> Up to this point, Jayson Tatum is puzzled with how the star from UC Berkeley dealt with all of that. He unveiled how he felt about the situation. It happened after they had demolished the Dallas Mavericks <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40377901/long-awaited-confetti-champagne-boston-celtics-championship-locker-room-wanted-give-us-no" rel="noopener">in five</a> games, via Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.</p><blockquote>It would bother me. I’m not talking from a pedestal, but I didn’t necessarily know what that felt like. But I could just imagine all the hard work that he put in. I saw it every day. Even the strongest-minded person, would affect you at some point. So I always felt for him in that regard. I think now that maybe I could have been better. I never said too much. I always have stayed out of that</blockquote><p>If there was anyone who has seen Jaylen Brown go through all of this, it was Jayson Tatum. The two have been together since their Team USA camps. This was back when they were just trying to make it to the NBA. Danny Ainge drafted them in back-to-back years with the third overall pick. The journey that they have shared from Brad Stevens’ move to general manager to the gut-wrenching Marcus Smart trade has been everything but smooth.</p><h2><b>Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum’s goal in the Celtics system: Growth</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Boston-Celtics-forward-Jayson-Tatum-0-reacts-with.jpg"><figcaption>© David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Despite the constant effort to get all of these rumors out of Brown’s head, all he could think about was growing with Tatum. That type of mentality paid off as the final buzzer rang in the NBA Finals. It signified that they had won four out of five games with the last one bearing a 106-88 scoreline. Brown was just thankful he had <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jaylen-brown-reaches-incredible-feat-only-done-steph-curry-nikola-jokic">a brother in the Celtics</a> system who helped him amid all the noise.</p><blockquote>Just our growth together. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve been playing together for seven years now. We’ve been through a lot, the losses, the expectations. The media have said all different types of things: We can’t play together, we are never going to win. We heard it all. But we just blocked it out, and we just kept going. I trusted him. He trusted me. And we did it together.</blockquote><p>These two are now Celtics greats but their journey to basketball immortality has just started.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics’ Jayson Tatum gets painfully honest on past Jaylen Brown trade rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-news-al-horford-retirement-rumors-shut-down-wyc-grousbeck');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics’ Al Horford retirement rumors swiftly shut down by Wyc Grousbeck');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Al-Horford-retirement-rumors-swiftly-shut-down-by-Wyc-Grousbeck.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics’ Al Horford retirement rumors swiftly shut down by Wyc Grousbeck</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-18T08:01:17-07:00">June 18th, 8:01am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-18T08:03:02-07:00">June 18th, 8:03am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It took until Year 17 in the NBA for him to win his first championship, but Boston Celtics veteran Al Horford can finally call himself a champion. The Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals on Monday night, securing their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ranking-the-celtics-18-championships-after-2024-nba-finals-win">18th title in team history</a>, a new NBA record. For Horford, he was finally able to get over the hump and help lead his team to a championship in his second NBA Finals appearance. At 38 years old and nearing the end of the line in his career, there have been a lot of retirement rumors centered around Horford.</p><p>However, it does not appear as if the Celtics’ veteran is leaving.</p><p>Entering the offseason, Horford still has one year left on his contract, and he will make $9.5 million during the 2024-25 season. Although Horford has not said anything about his future since hoisting the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy into the air, Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck made it clear on Tuesday that Boston’s locker room leader <a href="https://x.com/TheGregHillShow/status/1803066046389055661" rel="noopener">isn’t leaving</a>.</p><p>“Al is coming back for next year. That’s what I have been told,” Grousbeck clearly outlined during a phone appearance on The Greg Hill Show. “We’ve got some guys that are getting up there a little bit. Basically, we are a young team. Most of our players are 30 or younger. That is bad news for everyone else, hopefully.”</p><p>The Celtics are still a fairly young team, as their only players over the age of 30 are Horford (38) and Jrue Holiday (33). Despite their older ages, both Horford and Holiday were instrumental to the success Boston found not just in the playoffs but during the entirety of the regular season.</p><p>If Grousbeck says Horford is coming back, then Celtics fans should expect to see their veteran leader back on the court for his 18th NBA season when the team receives their championship rings in October.</p><h2><b>Al Horford’s impact on Celtics’ championship run</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Al-Horford-with-NBA-Finals-trophy-.jpg"><figcaption>Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Without Al Horford, the Celtics are not the dominant team they proved to be all season. He may not possess the All-Star-like talent he once had earlier in his career with the Atlanta Hawks, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-is-al-horford-a-future-hall-of-famer-after-passing-three-legends-in-game-2-win">Horford is still a very impactful playe</a>r due to his defensive awareness. Horford also does a lot of the little things to help the Celtics win games, which is why he is still very much one of the best glue guys in the entire league.</p><p>What makes Horford special, especially in Boston, is how he fits their style of play. Joe Mazzulla preached toughness all year, and he wanted guys next to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown who were not afraid to fight for loose balls, 50-50 rebounds, and make the unselfish plays on offense.</p><p>This is exactly what Horford brings to the table.</p><p>From his three-point shooting to his passing at the top of the arc to his toughness on the interior, Horford has rapidly become the heart and soul of this Celtics organization. In the NBA Finals, the veteran big man averaged 7.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 52.0 percent from the floor and 47.1 percent from three-point range.</p><p>It seemed like every time the Celtics needed to see a jumper fall from the perimeter, Horford was the one that gave them a jolt of energy with a corner three. His natural defensive instincts also made life hard for the Mavericks’ offense, as Dallas was never able to settle in the groove and get the ball moving on the interior with Horford constantly jumping around the low block.</p><p>Perhaps the greatest achievement for Horford is that he has finally ended his NBA Finals drought. In addition to being the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-al-horford-secures-old-man-record-not-since-seen-1969-with-nba-finals-win">first NBA champion who is older</a> than his head coach since 1969, Horford also ended his dreaded playoff games without a championship streak in his 186th career postseason game. James Harden (166) now holds the longest active streak of playoff games without a title.</p><p>This championship was career-defining for Horford. He was one of the best big men in the league during the 2010s era, and now he can finally call himself a champion.</p><p>However, one championship may not be enough. Horford appears to be ready to run things back with the Celtics for at least one more year.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics’ Al Horford retirement rumors swiftly shut down by Wyc Grousbeck

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-derrick-white-contract-plans-pose-major-problem-celtics');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Derrick White’s contract plans set to pose major problem for Celtics');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NBA-rumors-Derrick-Whites-contract-plans-set-to-pose-major-problem-for-Boston.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Derrick White’s contract plans set to pose major problem for Celtics</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-10T18:32:11-07:00">June 10th, 6:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-11T11:51:06-07:00">June 11th, 11:51am</time><address><a>Peter Sampson</a>Peter Sampson is ClutchPoints' Portland Trail Blazers reporter and also serves as an Associate Editor. He has been covering all things sports (with a focus on the Blazers) for more than a decade, most recently hosting "The Pulse with Peter Sampson" in Afternoon Drive for 750 The Game. Prior to that, he hosted an NBA wrap-up show that aired immediately at the conclusion of every Trail Blazers game. Peter had previous stops at Blazer's Edge and XRAY.FM - where his show "Blazer's Edge Radio" was named "Portland's Best Sports Radio" in the 2017 Willamette Week reader's poll. When he's not telling the stories of your favorite sports team, Peter can be found recording the next garage rock classic in his basement studio, whipping up an authentic Italian meal in the kitchen, or trying to figure out the appeal of Minecraft with his 9-year-old son in the living room.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics are just two wins from winning the 2024 NBA Finals behind the strength of their team defense. But already the front office is likely considering how to approach a pending decision on Derrick White.</p><p>According to NBA insider Marc Stein, White will be seeking a contract extension while the Celtics will be figuring out how to pay everyone:</p><p>“Keeping his five best players together for the long term is going to get increasingly difficult (as in expensive) for Brad Stevens and the Celtics after the forthcoming offseason, when Jayson Tatum signs his own $315 million contract extension after Jaylen Brown scored a nearly $290 million extension last summer. We must also factor in that Derrick White, according to league sources, will be seeking a contract extension this summer.”</p><p>Last summer, the Celtics and Brown agreed to a five-year, $304 million contract extension that keeps him under contract through the 2028-29 season. This <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jaylen-brown-extension-implications" rel="noopener">new contract</a> is fully guaranteed, there is no player option in the final year and best of all for Brown, he became, for a time, the highest-paid player in league history.</p><p>While Brown earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 2023, Jayson Tatum earned All-NBA First Team honors for the second consecutive year and had the best season of his career, averaging 30.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He will be eligible for a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/jayson-tatum-giannis-antetokounmpo-next-highest-paid-nba-stars-following-jaylen-brown-extension">supermax contract extension</a> this offseason and seeing as they just gave Brown a massive deal, it is not hard to believe the Celtics will instantly do the same with Tatum when he becomes extension eligible.</p><p>Where this leaves White is uncertain, but he has been arguably the best role player in the NBA – being named to the second NBA All-Defensive Team while averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.2 rebounds.</p><h2><b>Boston Celtics lead Mavericks 2-0 in NBA Finals</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Celtics-win-game-2.jpg"><figcaption>© David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>The Celtics downed the Mavericks by a score of 105-98 in Game 2 on Sunday night to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/stephen-a-smith-issues-mavericks-nba-finals-sweep-warning">take a commanding 2-0 lead</a> in the series.</p><p>Teams that grab a 2-0 lead in the finals are 31-5 all time, but there have only been nine sweeps in NBA Finals history.</p><p>Former Celtics guard Kyrie Irving is averaging just 14 points per game while shooting 35.1 percent from the floor in this series. He also has yet to make a three-pointer as the Boston defense has swarmed around the perimeter through the first two games.</p><p>The series now shifts to Dallas, where the Mavs hope to get back on track.</p><p>Boston has gone 6-0 over its first six road playoff wins in 2024 and has actually won eight consecutive road playoff games overall dating back to last spring. The Celtics have actually better played away from home than at TD Garden in recent postseasons.</p><p>Game 3 from Dallas will be played on Wednesday night.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Derrick White’s contract plans set to pose major problem for Celtics

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-reacts-to-jeff-van-gundy-rumor');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts to Jeff Van Gundy rumor');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Joe-Mazzulla-reacts-to-Jeff-Van-Gundy-rumor.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts to Jeff Van Gundy rumor</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-09T12:19:58-07:00">June 9th, 12:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-09T12:19:58-07:00">June 9th, 12:19pm</time><address><a href="https://medium.com/bingeable">Sonny Giuliano</a>Sonny Giuliano is an experienced sports writer for ClutchPoints who has been covering the NFL, NCAA Football, NBA, and NCAA Basketball for well over a decade. Originally from the small town of Elba, New York, Sonny received his degree from Florida Gulf Coast University and currently resides in Naples, Florida</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has his team <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-takeaways-impressive-game-1-win-mavericks-2024-nba-finals" rel="noopener">in a familiar position</a>: leading 1-0 in the NBA Finals, just as they did in 2022 under then-head coach Ime Udoka. Unfortunately for the Celtics, the 2022 NBA Finals did not result in an 18th banner being raised, but this time under Mazzulla, the Celtics are clear favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. At the time, however, Mazzulla was an assistant on Udoka’s staff and not expected to handle any of the demands of being the man in charge, but before the start of the 2022-23 season, Mazzulla was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-boston-long-term-plans-for-joe-mazzulla-after-ime-udoka-scandal">thrust into the head coaching job.</a></p><p>Now it’s on Joe Mazzulla to answer all of the questions that <i>don’t </i>have to do with the NBA Finals while also keeping an eye on the task at hand. One of those questions is related to Jeff Van Gundy, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jeff-van-gundy-joins-bostons-coaching-staff-interesting-new-role">who the Celtics hired</a> before the season to serve as a senior adviser in basketball operations. Van Gundy, who was a former head coach for both the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets and a long-time ESPN color commentator, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-news-espn-makes-shocking-decision-on-jeff-van-gundys-future">was surprisingly let go</a> by the Worldwide Leader over the summer, shortly after he had finished work on his 17th NBA finals as a broadcaster.</p><p>Earlier this week, during his weekly interview with 98.5 FM in Boston, Joe Mazzulla fielded a question about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-celtics-could-explore-adding-jeff-van-gundy-as-coach">a Marc Stein report</a> that Jeff Van Gundy could be making his return to an NBA bench next year as a member of the Celtics staff. Mazzulla wasn’t prepared to offer a definitive answer just yet.</p><p>“We don’t really know yet,” Mazzulla said during his radio appearance, <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/my-nba-free-agency-latest-draft-matters?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=145383109&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">writes Marc Stein</a> in his weekly NBA newsletter. “We always said we are going to hire from within and kind of talk more about that after the season.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Boston-Celtics-head-coach-Joe-Mazzulla-leading-the-huddle-1024x683.jpg"><figcaption>© David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h2><b>Changes expected for the Boston Celtics coaching staff</b></h2><p>While the Boston Celtics now find themselves just three wins shy of an NBA Championship, keeping the coaching staff together next season will prove to be a difficult task. Assistant coach Charles Lee will be on his way out after the Finals in order to begin his new job as the Charlotte Hornets’ head coach. There’s also the very distinct possibility that Sam Cassell, who is in just his first season with the team he won a title with in 2008, could be on his way out and heading to Milwaukee to join former coach and colleague Doc Rivers.</p><p>With both Lee and Cassell gone, Mazzulla and the Celtics will need to add to their staff, and Jeff Van Gundy would be a suitable addition. Not only does JVG 748 games of experience as an NBA head coach, he also spent seven years as an assistant under Hall of Famer Pat Riley on the New York Knicks bench.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts to Jeff Van Gundy rumor

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-celtics-could-explore-adding-jeff-van-gundy-as-coach');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Celtics could explore adding Jeff Van Gundy as coach');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Celtics-could-explore-adding-Jeff-Van-Gundy-as-coach.jpg"><figcaption>6/2/24</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Celtics could explore adding Jeff Van Gundy as coach</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-02T16:55:07-07:00">June 2nd, 4:55pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-02T16:55:07-07:00">June 2nd, 4:55pm</time><address><a>Steve Silverman</a>Steve Silverman has been covering the NFL for more than 35 years, and his writing has appeared in ESPN Magazine, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Pro Football Weekly, and Forbes.com. He has written 10 books, including "Who's Better, Who's Best in the NFL." He has won multiple awards from the Pro Football Writers of America.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/2024-nba-finals-power-rankings-every-player-celtics-mavericks">Boston Celtics</a> are all about the serious business of trying to win the NBA Championship, a title that would be the 18th in team history. They will have home court advantage when they tip off against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 at the TD Garden Thursday night.</p><p>The matchup features superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Celtics going up against Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving of the Mavericks. There will certainly be many more matchups and nuances that are certain to play a role in the outcome of the series, but the superstars on both teams will command much of the media attention.</p><p>Winning the title is clearly the top priority of the Celtics organization with the championship series on the horizon. But it is not the only business the Celtics have to consider.</p><p>Once the series is concluded, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-perfect-formula-vs-mavericks-luka-doncic-kyrie-irving">the Celtics</a> will start preparing for the 2024-25 season. The likelihood is that they will be adding a new assistant coach to work with head coach Joe Mazzulla. That’s because Celtics assistant Charles Lee will be leaving the team to become the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets.</p><h2><b>Jeff Van Gundy likely to become Celtics assistant coach</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jeff-Van-Gundy-could-return-to-the-NBA-sidelines-with-the-Boston-Celtics-1.jpg"><figcaption>Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Jeff Van Gundy is well known to basketball fans as a top analyst on ESPN/ABC who has regularly worked the championship series. However, after the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat in last year’s championship series, the network decided not to bring back Jeff Van Gundy to its top analyst seat.</p><p>He has been quite active during the year, working as a consultant for the Celtics throughout the year. Prior to taking that position, he turned down a similar position with Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks.</p><p>Since Lee will be leaving the team once the NBA Finals has reached its conclusion, there is <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-nba-free-agent-coaching">serious talk</a> that Van Gundy will move to the Celtics bench as Mazzulla’s assistant coach. Those reports emanated from NBA insider Marc Stein.</p><p>During his broadcasting career, Van Gundy was seated next to play by play man Mike Breen. This season, Breen has worked with Doris Burke and JJ Redick. That trio will be in the booth for the NBA Finals.</p><p>Reddick may leave ABC after the series as he is a clear-cult favorite to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.</p><h2><b>Celtics have been on a roll during the postseason</b></h2><p>The Celtics have beaten the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers to earn their way into the championship series.</p><p>They have largely been untested, as they defeated the Cavaliers in 5 games, the Heat in 5 games and the Pacers in 4 games. In addition to their 12-2 postseason record, the Celtics also had the best record in the NBA during the regular season.</p><p>As a result, the Celtics are minus-225 favorites to win the series, <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba?tab=nba-finals">per FanDuel</a>. The Mavericks are plus-180 underdogs. The Celtics are minus-6.5 favorites to win Game 1 of the series.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Celtics could explore adding Jeff Van Gundy as coach

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-celtics-eyeing-sharpshooting-jazz-forward-trade-deadline');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Celtics eyeing sharpshooting Jazz forward ahead of trade deadline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/NBA_rumors_Celtics_eyeing_sharpshooting_Jazz_forward_ahead_of_trade_deadline.webp"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Celtics eyeing sharpshooting Jazz forward ahead of trade deadline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-02-07T07:49:06-08:00">February 7th, 7:49am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-02-07T07:49:06-08:00">February 7th, 7:49am</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics aren’t looking to make a huge splash before the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/beantown-rundown-top-3-targets-celtics-should-pursue-ahead-trade-deadline">2024 NBA trade deadline</a>. Rather, they’re aiming for a smaller move that could bolster their already potent roster.</p><p>Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio could fit the bill for that kind of deal. The 28-year-old is reportedly garnering interest from the Celtics ahead of the <a href="https://theathletic.com/5256215/2024/02/07/utah-jazz-nba-trade-deadline/">February 8th deadline</a>, per Tony Jones of The Athletic.</p><p>After primarily coming off the bench last season, Fontecchio has transitioned into more a of starting role during the 2023-24 campaign. He’s currently averaging 23.2 minutes, 3.5 rebounds, and 8.9 points per game.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Simone Fontecchio dances with Austin Reaves and hits the triple 😲 <a href="https://t.co/aKnzazHQ9d">pic.twitter.com/aKnzazHQ9d</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1699048526146097338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2023</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Although Boston doesn’t have a ton of financial flexibility, the Italian forward works with the front office’s budget. He’s making about $3.1 million per year, which is conveniently less than the Celtics’ $6.2 million TPE. Boston was granted that valuable TPE when it signed-and-traded forward Grant Williams last summer to the Dallas Mavericks. If the C’s don’t utilize the $6.2 million prior to the deadline, it’ll expire.</p><p>The Celtics hold a whopping eight second-round picks, so they certainly have some ammo for a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-celtics-interested-in-otto-porter-jr-lonnie-walker-iv-trade-bolster-bench-at-deadline">less flashy trade</a>. Additionally, they hold an open roster spot at the moment, meaning they could add Fontecchio without dealing someone in return and disrupting team chemistry.</p><p>Fontecchio and the Celtics have only met one time this season, and it wasn’t a memorable game for any Jazz players. Fontecchio scored seven points in 25 minutes during the January 5th contest and the Celtics destroyed Utah, 126-97.</p><p>Just a season before that, Simone Fontecchio had some better showings against the C’s. On March 18th of 2023, he posted eight points in his 16 minutes off the bench, helping the Jazz to a 118-117 victory. 13 days later, he notched 12 points and four rebounds in 31 minutes versus Boston, except the Celtics prevailed 122-114.</p><p>Overall, the undrafted forward could gel well with Boston’s 3-point-centric offense. He’s a threat from deep who currently shoots 39.1% from beyond the arc and he knows not to expect major minutes on a talented squad.</p><p>Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens has an affinity for players who do well against his team. Plus, the man who used to have his job, Danny Ainge, is now the CEO of Basketball Operations for the Jazz. Perhaps the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-wyc-grousbeck-reveals-true-story-on-how-brad-stevens-replaced-danny-ainge">two former business associates</a> can work together again and strike a deal involving Fontecchio.</p><p>Regardless, the C’s are in a good spot, as they’re 38-12 in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, selling at the deadline could be smart for the Jazz, as they’re 26-26 and just barely in contention for the NBA Play-In.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Celtics eyeing sharpshooting Jazz forward ahead of trade deadline

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-celtics-interested-in-otto-porter-jr-lonnie-walker-iv-trade-bolster-bench-at-deadline');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Celtics interested in Otto Porter Jr., Lonnie Walker IV trade to bolster bench at deadline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/nba-rumors-celtics-interested-in-otto-porter-jr-lonnie-walker-iv-trade-to-bolster-bench-at-deadline.webp"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Celtics interested in Otto Porter Jr., Lonnie Walker IV trade to bolster bench at deadline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-02-06T16:51:12-08:00">February 6th, 4:51pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-02-07T06:10:50-08:00">February 7th, 6:10am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics have seen just the slightest amount of slippage in their winning ways recently. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jaylen-brown-considering-nba-slam-dunk-contest-participation" rel="noopener">Although the Celtics</a> defeated what was left of the Memphis Grizzlies by 40 points Sunday, the team did suffer two rather dispiriting losses in the past ten days, ironically to both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-marcus-smart-admission-td-garden" rel="noopener">though Tatum has</a> continued to play at an MVP level all the while.</p><p>While they certainly would appear to have the foundations of a championship level of team, the Celtics are <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/andrew-wiggins-appears-to-be-warriors-biggest-trade-chip-but-a-deal-remains-a-challenge-225816934.html" rel="noopener">apparently not content</a> ahead of the upcoming NBA trade deadline Thursday, and some interesting names have been thrown into the rumor mill who could theoretically provide Boston with some additional depth on the wings.</p><p>“Boston has been weighing various options who could deepen the Celtics’ bench, according to league sources. Boston will likely be limited to adding pieces through its $6.25 million traded-player exception with which the Celtics could bring on a veteran target such as Otto Porter Jr., sources said,” reported Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. “Another name on Boston’s radar: Nets guard Lonnie Walker, who’s generated a wealth of interest from playoff teams while playing well on a minimum contract, sources said.”</p><p>It’s easy to see why the Celtics’ brass would have interest in both Lonnie Walker and Otto Porter Jr. Porter Jr. played an underrated role in the Golden State Warriors most recent title run in 2022, while Lonnie Walker singlehandedly won the Lakers a playoff game last year with a fourth quarter takeover against those same Warriors.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Celtics interested in Otto Porter Jr., Lonnie Walker IV trade to bolster bench at deadline

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-andre-drummond-kelly-olynyk-celtics-interest-trade-deadline');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Andre Drummond, Kelly Olynyk drawing Celtics trade deadline interest');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/nba-rumors-andre-drummond-kelly-olynyk-drawing-celtics-interest-before-trade-deadline.webp"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Andre Drummond, Kelly Olynyk drawing Celtics trade deadline interest</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-02-05T08:22:05-08:00">February 5th, 8:22am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-02-05T09:02:11-08:00">February 5th, 9:02am</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics are already among the elite of the elites of the NBA so far in the 2023-24 NBA season, but they know they can’t just sit on their laurels. They are said to be <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-celtics-searching-frontcourt-depth-before-trade-deadline-catch" rel="noopener">eyeing</a> to <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-trade-deadline-intel-lakers-celtics-bulls-cavs-mavs-nets-pistons-wizards-grizzlies-wolves/" rel="noopener">shore up their roster</a> ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, according to HoopsHype.</p><p>“The Celtics are looking to package some of their minimum contract players at the end of the rotation and draft pick compensation to bolster their bench heading into the playoffs, league sources told HoopsHype.”</p><h2><b>Celtics exploring options to improve roster depth</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-drops-harsh-truth-bomb-on-getting-booed-in-loss-to-lakers-ezgif.com-jpg-to-webp-converter.webp"></figure><p>The Celtics appear to be interested specifically, but not exclusively, in improving the depth of their frontcourt, with Utah Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk and Chicago Bulls rebounding machine Andre Drummond gaining the attention of Boston.</p><p>“Boston has expressed interest in a wide range of trade targets, including Kelly Olynyk, Delon Wright, Andre Drummond, and others, league sources told HoopsHype.”</p><p>Both Olynyk and Drummond are due to hit the free-agent market by the end of the 2023-24 NBA season, so the Celtics don’t have to sell the farm in order to acquire either veteran. While Olynyk and Drummond are both bigs, they play differently in contrast to each other. Olynyk is more of a finesse player with better range than Drummond, while Drummond is more of a bruiser who’s also got an insatiable appetite for getting rebounds. Statistically speaking, Drummond is already one of the greatest rebounders in the history of the NBA.</p><p>The Celtics have Kristaps Porzingis as a lock starter at center, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-kristaps-porzingis-drops-truth-ankle-injury-return-2-game-absence" rel="noopener">his health</a> is often a question mark, so Olynyk or Drummond could serve as insurance behind the Latvian.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Andre Drummond, Kelly Olynyk drawing Celtics trade deadline interest

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-celtics-searching-frontcourt-depth-before-trade-deadline-catch');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Celtics searching for frontcourt depth before trade deadline, but there’s a catch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Celtics_searching_for_frontcourt_depth_before_trade_deadline_but_there_s_a_catch.webp"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Celtics searching for frontcourt depth before trade deadline, but there’s a catch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-02-01T14:19:48-08:00">February 1st, 2:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-02-01T14:19:48-08:00">February 1st, 2:19pm</time><address><a>Mike Cruz</a>Mike Cruz is an editorial writer at ClutchPoints, primarily covering the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics are in fantastic shape right now. Jayson Tatum and company have the best record in the league at 37-11. They are in the top two in both offense and defense. All things considered, Boston looks poised to finally hoist up banner No. 18 come June. However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-brad-stevens-reveals-moment-kristaps-porzingis-trade-essential">the Celtics</a> don’t seem to be satisfied with where they are as there are rumors that they are still looking to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/players-celtics-must-move-2024-nba-trade-deadline">make some moves</a> before the 2024 NBA trade deadline.</p><p>NBA Insider Marc Stein recently reported what he has heard so far in the <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-from-nba-trade-season-616?utm_campaign=email-post&amp;r=39f60&amp;utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email">latest rumor roundup</a> and according to him, the Celtics are reportedly searching for frontcourt depth ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline. However, they are only willing to part ways with their small contract players.</p><blockquote>The Celtics, meanwhile, continue to search for additional frontcourt depth but might have to rely on various trade exceptions to try to fill the void. Boston is said to be willing only to part with players on the most nominal contracts in any potential upcoming moves.</blockquote><p>As expected, the Celtics don’t have any intention to touch their top six, which includes veteran Al Horford. Nonetheless, though Boston is still highly favored to win the 2024 NBA championship, the Celtics’ roster still has some flaws. They are still lacking depth and they could be in better shape if they added more beef in the frontcourt.</p><h2><b>Potential Celtics NBA trade deadline targets</b></h2><p>As Stein noted, Celtics GM Brad Stevens has some trade exceptions he can use to acquire more frontcourt help. They also have several draft picks (four tradable 1sts and eight 2nds) that they can include in a deal as sweeteners.</p><p>Chicago Bulls big man Andre Drummond has been linked as a potential trade target for the Celtics. Others could be JaVale McGee or Alex Len from the Sacramento Kings.</p><p>If the Celtics want a more versatile option, they could go after Toronto Raptors forwards Otto Porter Jr. or Jalen McDaniels, both of whom would fit under the $6.2 million trade exception that came from dealing Grant Williams in the offseason.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Celtics searching for frontcourt depth before trade deadline, but there’s a catch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-blazers-robert-williams-iii-drawing-trade-attention-amid-season-ending-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Blazers’ Robert Williams III drawing trade attention amid season-ending injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Blazers__Robert_Williams_III_drawing_trade_attention_amid_season-ending_injury.webp"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Blazers’ Robert Williams III drawing trade attention amid season-ending injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-01-23T12:51:51-08:00">January 23rd, 12:51pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-01-23T12:51:51-08:00">January 23rd, 12:51pm</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Former Boston Celtics and current Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III won’t play <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/blazers-news-robert-williams-iii-season-ending-knee-surgery">another game this season</a>, but that doesn’t mean he’s off the trading block ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline.</p><p>The 26-year-old big man played just six games for the Blazers before injuring his right knee and undergoing season-ending surgery. The year prior, Williams was with the Boston Celtics and missed a large chunk of the 2022-23 season due to a left knee injury.</p><p>Despite all his health issues, the 6-foot-9 center is <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7zhEKLJHgWrsoM35nurhJu">reportedly garnering interest</a> from other teams ahead of the February 9th trade deadline, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.</p><p>“There are some teams that are pondering making a move for Robert Williams,” Haynes revealed on his This League podcast. “I know Robert Williams is out for the season, had another surgery on his right knee, but teams feel like he would be somebody that could get on the cheap right now and allow him to continue recovering, continue rehabbing, in hopes that next season, he can blossom back into the Robert Williams that we’ve seen when he was playing at a high level with the Boston Celtics.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grading-celtics-blazers-jrue-holiday-blockbuster-trade">The Celtics dealt Williams</a>, two future first-round picks, and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon late in the offseason in exchange for two-time All-Star Jrue Holiday. Although Williams was a force in the paint for Boston, the C’s have greatly benefitted from the addition of Holiday. They’re currently in first place in the Eastern Conference with a league-best 34-10 record.</p><p>As for the Blazers, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/blazers-anfernee-simons-scoot-henderson-injury-updates-vs-lakers">things aren’t going as smoothly</a>. Williams isn’t the only Portland player who’s missed a lot of time, as Brogdon, guard Anfernee Simons, center Deandre Ayton, and rookie Scoot Henderson have all missed at least nine games. The Blazers are a lowly 12-30 overall and in the basement of the Western Conference.</p><p>However, expectations weren’t exactly sky-high for the Blazers, especially after trading seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-news-damian-lillard-breaks-down-reason-monster-45-point-game-pistons">the Milwaukee Bucks</a>. Instead, Portland is hoping to build around some of its young talent and stay active at the deadline.</p><p>“The Blazers will be very open [to trade]. That’s not up for debate,” Haynes said. “If they get the right deal in place, they will be open … Robert Williams is somebody that is definitely available.”</p><p>Before his untimely injury, Williams was averaging 6.8 points, 1.2 steals, 1.2 blocks, and 6.3 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game. Although it’s a small sample size, the Louisiana native has shown he can thrive when healthy. Perhaps that’ll be enough for another team to take a chance on Williams at the deadline.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Blazers’ Robert Williams III drawing trade attention amid season-ending injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-celtics-longtime-interest-in-raptors-big-man-hints-at-trade-pursuit');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Celtics’ longtime interest in Raptors big man hints at trade pursuit');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Celtics__longtime_interest_in_Raptors_big_man_hints_at_trade_pursuit.webp"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Celtics’ longtime interest in Raptors big man hints at trade pursuit</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-01-08T14:39:08-08:00">January 8th, 2:39pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-01-08T14:44:36-08:00">January 8th, 2:44pm</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-power-rankings-week-12-thunder-title-threats-celtics-nuggets">are comfortable atop</a> the Eastern Conference standings, but not complacent.</p><p>Ahead of the February 8th trade deadline, there have been rumblings that the C’s might make a move. And even though they’re currently 28-7 with one of the best starting lineups in the league, some more depth in the frontcourt could help.</p><p>Toronto Raptors center Chris Boucher has apparently been on Boston’s radar for some time, according to Yahoo Sports reporter Jake Fischer. The Raptors could shake things up <a href="https://twitter.com/BasketballOnX/status/1743815980663373863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1743815980663373863%7Ctwgr%5Ee852698dd3cb56e68ea2893fafc85bdbd0dbdc69%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fheavy.com%2Fsports%2Fboston-celtics%2Fliked-two-time-champion-chris-boucher%2F">at the deadline</a> too, as they’ve already <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/raptors-news-pascal-siakam-reacts-og-anunoby-trade-own-rumors-swirl" rel="noopener">traded away forward OG Anunoby</a> this season.</p><p>“The Celtics would definitely like to find a couple of other guys,” Fischer said. “Chris Boucher, for example, is someone I know the Celtics have liked.”</p><p>At 15-21, the Raptors are in 11th place in the East and one game shy of being in the Play-In. While they still have a competitive roster, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them blow it up if things don’t improve in the coming weeks.</p><p>As for Boston’s front office, Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has shown an affinity for players who have great performances against his squad. When Stevens was still coaching in March of 2021, he watched Boucher drop 35 points in 30 minutes off the bench during a 132-125 Boston victory.</p><p>This season, Boucher has had a limited 14.3 minutes per game in which he’s averaged 6.6 points and 4.0 rebounds. Although those numbers are nothing spectacular, it’s worth noting that the Oregon product scored 17 points in just 16 minutes in his last game on Sunday night. His perfect 7-for-7 shooting helped the Raptors seal a 133-118 win against the struggling Golden State Warriors.</p><p>A potential deal to bring Boucher to Beantown wouldn’t be that simple. The 6-foot-9 big man makes close to $12 million this season, meaning he wouldn’t fit with the Celtics’ $6.2 million traded player exception (which they received by dealing forward Grant Williams).</p><p>However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-best-move-2023-nba-free-agency">Stevens worked wonders last year</a>, and he shouldn’t be underestimated–especially with a championship in the realm of possibility for the Celtics.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Celtics’ longtime interest in Raptors big man hints at trade pursuit

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-kelly-olynyk-rumors-nba-trade-deadline-impact');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk rumors impacts NBA trade deadline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/How_Celtics__Kelly_Olynyk_interest_impacts_NBA_trade_deadline_-_1.webp"></figure><h1>How Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk rumors impacts NBA trade deadline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-12-27T07:38:55-08:00">December 27th, 7:38am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-12-27T07:40:02-08:00">December 27th, 7:40am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There is no denying that the Boston Celtics are the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-power-rankings-week-10-lakers-pacers-struggles-since-in-season-tournament" rel="noopener">early favorites</a> to win the 2024 NBA Finals. Following their Christmas Day victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Celtics are now 23-6 on the season, dominating virtually every single team they have faced. Although they have the best starting group in the NBA, Boston’s front office, led by former head coach Brad Stevens, is still looking to make moves in order to firmly lock in this team’s chances of winning a title. That is why Utah Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk is now on his former team’s radar.</p><p>Olynyk, who spent the first four seasons of his career in Boston, has bounced around between a lot of teams through the years. From the Miami Heat to the Houston Rockets to the Detroit Pistons to now being with the Jazz, the 32-year-old veteran is once again a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-celtics-interested-in-kelly-olynyk-reunion-via-jazz-trade" rel="noopener">reliable target</a> for contending teams ahead of February’s trade deadline.</p><p>The Celtics, who have made it known they are evaluating all options to add secondary depth this season, are <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-nba-trade-chatter-and" rel="noopener">monitorin</a>g Olynyk’s status with the Jazz. Marc Stein was the first to report on these Olynyk rumors, claiming he is one of several veterans in Utah who could be moved ahead of this season’s deadline.</p><p>Obviously, if the Jazz are to be sellers at the trade deadline, it would also make a whole lot of sense for the Celtics to pursue an experienced guard who is accustomed to being in a sixth man role such as Jordan Clarkson. While he has started for the Jazz this season, Clarkson won the 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year award and would be the scoring weapon Boston has been missing on their bench. However, the Celtics do not have a lot of flexibility when it comes to finding more talent to add to their roster. Not to mention, Clarkson’s $23.4 million contract this season would be too much to bare, while Olynyk is making just $12.2 million.</p><p>Currently owning one of the league’s highest payrolls, the Celtics have already gone all-in by trading for Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis this past offseason. Nonetheless, Stevens has maintained an aggressive mindset, putting the rest of the league on notice that money will not stand in the way of the Celtics pursuing more championship-caliber players such as Olynyk.</p><p>Of course, there are still obstacles that the Celtics would need to tackle in order to have a chance at pursuing Olynyk. Specifically, they would need to part ways with a key member of their bench.</p><h2><b>How Celtics can pursue Kelly Olynyk</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/How_Celtics__Kelly_Olynyk_interest_impacts_NBA_trade_deadline_-_3.webp"></figure><p>Kelly Olynyk’s $12.2 million contract this season is an expiring one. From the Celtics’ point of view, he is the ideal type of trade target this season due to the team not having to worry about any long-term contractual stress. As things stand right now, Boston is going to be paying Jaylen Brown close to $300 million through the 2028-29 season and Jayson Tatum is next in line to receive a massive extension.</p><p>Basically, the Celtics can only add smaller, one-year contract to their roster unless they want to limit their ability to retain Tatum and have a sustainable tax bill. Pursuing a player like Jordan Clarkson is not really reasonable for the reasons outlined above. However, Olynyk’s contract is significantly less than Clarkson’s and Boston does have a path to reacquiring the versatile big man.</p><p>In order to pursue Olynyk in a trade, the Celtics would need to do their best to match his $12.2 million incoming salary. A package revolving around Payton Pritchard, Luke Kornet, Oshae Brissett, another small contract, and draft picks technically works and can make the transaction successful, but why would the Jazz do this?</p><p>Kornet, Brissett, and any other minimum contract player would be of no use to Utah. Pritchard does draw some intrigue, though, especially since Danny Ainge was the one who drafted him and now has his fingerprints all over the Jazz front office. From the Celtics’ point of view, giving up three or four players, plus draft assets, for an extra big man on the bench does not bring many advantages. This move would immediately force the Celtics to spend even more money by adding minimum contract players for the rest of the year.</p><p>While Pritchard may be a player the Jazz have some interest in, this scenario is nothing more than something you would see in NBA 2K.</p><p>The real scenario the Celtics face when evaluating options on how to pursue Olynyk is one that involves Al Horford. His $10 million contract this season is really the only way the Celtics could facilitate this contract with the Jazz. Trading Horford and one of their players on a minimum contract works for Boston from a financial perspective, yet the Jazz would likely want more value since Horford still has $9.5 million on his deal for next season.</p><p>The logistics from here become nothing but hypotheticals, as there is no telling as to if the Jazz would want someone like Pritchard, two second-round picks, or a first-round pick in addition to Horford for Olynyk. There is also the possibility that another team could be involved to facilitate the deal and take on Horford’s contract.</p><p>No matter what would occur, the Celtics do not have many options when it comes to pursue Olynyk from the Jazz. Almost every scenario that makes sense would involve dumping Horford, a move that could wind up throwing off the chemistry of this team given the veteran’s leadership behind the scenes. Plus, Horford is still effective on the court, especially when it comes to defending the likes of Joel Embiid.</p><h2><b>Kelly Olynyk’s fit with Celtics</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/How_Celtics__Kelly_Olynyk_interest_impacts_NBA_trade_deadline_-_2.webp"></figure><p>If the Celtics were to add Olynyk to their rotation right now without moving Horford, they would have virtually everything needed to win their 18th championship. Holiday and Derrick White would run the backcourt, Tatum and Brown would give Boston everything they need scoring wise on the wing, and the frontcourt would have Porzingis, Horford, and Olynyk as options who can play inside and out.</p><p>Bringing in Olynyk to replace Horford is not the worst idea in the world, especially given the Jazz big man is a better long-range shooter than Horford. Whereas Olynyk is a better shooter, Horford is a better rebounder and defender.</p><p>This is basically a balancing scale and the Celtics would have to make a decision on which attributes better suit them on their championship journey. There’s no denying that Olynyk would make them a better team, but would he do so at the cost of Horford?</p><p>The Celtics have been the best team in the NBA to this point in the season, which has led many to believe that the pursuit of players on eight-digit contracts just isn’t feasible. Making trades ahead of the deadline however is not out of the realm of possibilities for Boston.</p><p>Stevens and this front office still have a $6.2 million player exception that can be utilized this season. It is much more likely that the Celtics will consider players who fit in this salary range rather than someone like Olynyk that would require the team giving up at least one of their key contributors.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk rumors impacts NBA trade deadline

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-celtics-interested-in-kelly-olynyk-reunion-via-jazz-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Celtics interested in Kelly Olynyk reunion via Jazz trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/NBA_rumors_Celtics_interested_in_Kelly_Olynyk_reunion_via_Jazz_trade.webp"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Celtics interested in Kelly Olynyk reunion via Jazz trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-12-25T14:25:50-08:00">December 25th, 2:25pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-12-26T06:47:35-08:00">December 26th, 6:47am</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics have one of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-derrick-white-accomplishes-insane-feat-no-guard-ever-has-clippers-win" rel="noopener">best starting lineups</a> in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean they’re standing still ahead of the trade deadline on February 8.</p><p>Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk, who spent the first four seasons of his career in Boston, is reportedly <a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/274081/Boston-Celtics-Have-Trade-Interest-In-Kelly-Olynyk" rel="noopener">being monitored by</a> the Celtics, per NBA insider Marc Stein. The Jazz are currently 12-18 and far from competing for a title, so it wouldn’t be a shock if they were sellers at the deadline.</p><p>In addition, former Celtics <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-danny-ainge-shocking-jimmy-butler-trade-revelation" rel="noopener">general manager Danny Ainge</a> is now the CEO of basketball operations for Utah. His connections with Olynyk and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens are apparent, making a potential swap more likely given their strong business relationship.</p><p>But before the C’s get their hopes up, a few roadblocks stand in the way of a deal. Olynyk is earning $12.2 million this year, which would be difficult for Boston to match without sending away a crucial player. The Celtics are currently 22-6 and in first place in the Eastern Conference, and while they always want to improve, it might not be worth a significant price.</p><p>Stein suggested that the C’s could combine the salaries of multiple players on minimum contracts to acquire Olynyk, yet there’s no telling if Utah would go for that smaller value.</p><p>During his four seasons with Boston, Kelly Olynyk averaged a solid 9.5 points in 20.7 minutes per game. He has an outside shot, can rebound, and is even somewhat of a playoff performer. In Game 7 of the second round of the 2017 playoffs, Olynyk torched the Washington Wizards with 26 points to capture a 115-105 victory. In the fourth quarter of that series-clinching win, he had 14 points alone.</p><p>This season, the Gonzaga product is averaging 7.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per outing. Olynyk mostly comes off the bench and plays 21.9 minutes per game, but that’s more similar to the role he’d likely have in Beantown.</p><p>Regardless of a possible trade, the Celtics and Jazz will meet soon for the first time all season on Friday, January 5th.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Celtics interested in Kelly Olynyk reunion via Jazz trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/zach-lavine-drops-eye-opening-take-salvaging-bulls-season-trade-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Zach LaVine drops eye-opening take on ‘salvaging’ Bulls season amid trade rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Bulls-news-Zach-LaVine-drops-eye-opening-take-on-_salvaging_-season-amid-trade-rumors.jpeg"></figure><h1>Zach LaVine drops eye-opening take on ‘salvaging’ Bulls season amid trade rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-11-29T08:10:09-08:00">November 29th, 8:10am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-11-29T08:10:09-08:00">November 29th, 8:10am</time><address><a>Mike Cruz</a>Mike Cruz is an editorial writer at ClutchPoints, primarily covering the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Chicago Bulls’ free fall continued Tuesday night after the Boston Celtics mopped them around TD Garden with a 124-97 beatdown. With another disheartening loss, the Bulls are staring at a potential teardown at some point this season with the Zach LaVine trade rumors heating up.</p><p>LaVine had the roughest night among all Bulls on Tuesday as he went just 1-of-9 from the field for two points and was a minus-22 for the evening.</p><p>Now with a 5-14 record, Chicago is already a lost cause just over a month into the new campaign. Asked whether he thinks this season is salvageable, this is what the disgruntled <a href="https://twitter.com/KCJHoop/status/1729705494225264697">guard responded</a>:</p><blockquote>“You got out there and play, man. You got a lot of season left. You don’t play the scoreboard. You look at the standings, obviously. But you try to win every game you step into and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”</blockquote><p>To add to the rough outing, LaVine also exited the game with an injury. The 6-foot-5 guard’s night ended with five minutes remaining in the third quarter due to soreness in his right foot.</p><p>The frustration is certainly mounting and LaVine looks really checked out.</p><p>Can you blame them though? The losses are piling up and this team is headed for another disappointing campaign.</p><p>It is looking more likely that Chicago will blow it up at some point this season and the rest of the league seems like they are just waiting for the Bulls fire sale to commence.</p><p>The 28-year-old has found himself in trade rumors over the last couple of weeks after he and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bulls-news-zach-lavine-open-to-trade-discussions">the Bulls reportedly opened</a> trade discussions involving the two-time All-Star. Teams around the league are certainly monitoring the situation as LaVine is still one of the best offensive talents in the NBA.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zach LaVine drops eye-opening take on ‘salvaging’ Bulls season amid trade rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-news-jrue-holiday-responds-team-usa-rumors');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics’ Jrue Holiday responds to Team USA rumors');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/celtics-news-jrue-holiday-responds-to-team-usa-rumors.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics’ Jrue Holiday responds to Team USA rumors</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-10-16T16:17:40-07:00">October 16th, 4:17pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-10-16T16:17:40-07:00">October 16th, 4:17pm</time><address><a>Jay Postrado</a>Jay is a lifelong motorsports and tennis fan. His need for speed may no longer be on the grid or courts but has stayed with him through writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Team USA is going to be massively full of talent for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker have all expressed some level of interest in suiting up for the red, white, and blue. But, the team would need a two-way guard with immense talent in hounding opposing ballhandlers. This is where a certain teammate of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics comes in. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-team-usas-aggressive-jrue-holiday-pursuit-for-2024-olympics-revealed" rel="noopener">Jrue Holiday has been reportedly</a> getting aggressively pursued by the USA basketball program. He unveiled the truth and his level of willingness to play for the country in<a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1714017762681430155" rel="noopener"> his latest statement</a>, via Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports.</p><p>“Oh? Well, I haven’t heard anything yet,” Jrue Holiday said regarding the rumors of Team USA trying to get his commitment for the 2024 Paris Olympics.</p><p>The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-news-giannis-antetokounmpo-emotional-take-on-jrue-holiday-departure-in-damian-lillard-trade" rel="noopener"> Celtics star was part</a> of the elite squad that had won the 2020 Olympic gold medal. There, he showed how lethal of a presence he was on both sides of the floor. He notched 11.8 points per game on a 48.3% clip from all three levels of scoring. His ability to facilitate was also rewarded with 3.8 assists on average. Lastly, his all-around performance had him grabbing 4.8 boards on a nightly basis.</p><p>The prospect of donning the iconic jerseys possibly along with some of his Celtics teammates do not scare Holiday. “Why not? I’d like to see what we could do out there,” were the words that came out of his mouth regarding another stint in representing the country.</p><p>Would you want Jrue Holiday to join the LeBron James-led squad for the Olympics?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics’ Jrue Holiday responds to Team USA rumors

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-celtics-derrick-white-contract-extension-talks-catch');   ga('set', 'title', 'RUMOR: Celtics, Derrick White in contract extension talks, but there’s a catch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Thumbs-4-5.jpg"></figure><h1>RUMOR: Celtics, Derrick White in contract extension talks, but there’s a catch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-10-16T06:41:06-07:00">October 16th, 6:41am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-10-16T06:41:06-07:00">October 16th, 6:41am</time><address><a>Gerard Angelo Samillano</a>Gerard is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, with his focus primarily on the NBA, NFL, and Gaming. When he's not writing for CP, Gerard can often be seen playing VALORANT or playing pick-up basketball. He's also working on his BS Mathematics degree.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After a rather disappointing finish to their 2022-23 season, the Boston Celtics are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-nuggets-nba-gm-title-contenders-2023-24-season" rel="noopener">gearing up</a> for another shot at the title. A loss to the Miami Heat in the Conference Finals led to a retooling for Boston. Amidst the changes made within the team, one key role player remains: Derrick White.</p><p>White, who was acquired by the Celtics in 2022, became an integral part of the team’s success last season. The former San Antonio Spurs guard provided solid scoring and playmaking from the guard position. Now, Boston <a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/273272/Derrick-White-Celtics-Talking-Extension">is in talks</a> with Derrick White with regards to a contract extension, per Adam Himmelsbach. However, both sides aren’t close to a deal yet.</p><p>“Derrick White and the Boston Celtics have been talking about a contract extension. Talks are ongoing, but nothing appears to be on the immediate horizon. Both sides have an October 23 deadline to reach an agreement on extending White’s deal.”</p><p>White currently has two years left on his current deal. The Celtics could choose to extend the guard during this offseason or wait until the following offseason before he hits free agency. Considering White’s production with Boston, it would be unwise to even let him go.</p><p>A big reason why the Celtics were willing to<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-joe-mazzulla-drops-eye-opening-take-on-bostons-pg-plans-after-marcus-smart-trade" rel="noopener"> trade Smart</a> and Malcolm Brodgon was Derrick White’s emergence. The ex-Spurs guard excelled as an off the bench guy, but his production increased proportionally with more responsibilities given to him. With Jrue Holiday’s arrival, White is expected to still be the sixth man, or the fifth starter depending on Joe Mazzulla’s decisions.</p><p>While the core of the Celtics still remains (Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum), the rest of their supporting cast looks different. Gone are Smart, Brogdon, Robert Williams III, and Grant Williams. In their stead are Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Will these moves finally put Boston over the proverbial hump?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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