Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

Jayson Tatum is carving out his own niche in the NBA, but a quick statistical comparison with former Celtic All-Star, Paul Pierce, in The Truth's third season in the League may clarify the future. The numbers for both players in their third seasons can be found below. Pierce: 38.0 MPG, 25.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 45% FG, 38% 3P, 74% FT Tatum: 34.3 MPG, 23.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 45% FG, 40% 3P, 82% FT The numbers are extremely close. Pierce was an NBA Champion (2008), Finals MVP (2008) and 10-time All-Star. While Jayson earned All-Star status in his third season, Paul took four years to make the grade. We have no idea what ceiling Jayson may achieve, but he is well on his way. The above numbers may give us a hint. Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel, @CausewayStreet and Facebook

We have seen and heard the cries from Celtics fans this season for Danny Ainge to get off his butt and work a mid-season trade - and for Brad Stevens to become more animated on the sidelines. The pleas to "do something" are dying down - as they should. Danny has done a fabulous job of giving Brad the talent, and Stevens has responded by bringing that talent along at the right pace. Screaming on the sidelines may work initially to get the most our of a coaches players, but after a while your troops tune you out. Red Auerbach was a handler of men, not players, and Brad has followed that example. For those not around at the time, don't think that Red had an easy task when he took Bill Russell into his fold. Russ was supremely talented, but also very intelligent, and he had a mind of his own. Brad knows that his guys are not robots that he sends out On the floor, programmed to do his bidding. Yelling at them and demeaning them in public is not something he chooses to do. ...

In this morning's NBA TV broadcast, analyst Candace Parker gave her thoughts on the Eastern Conference race, specifically between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. Parker indicated that Boston could certainly give Milwaukee a scare in the post-season, with their cast of defenders' ability to effectively slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo. But Candace added that she still felt that the Celtics were "one year away" from serious contention for a Championship. After Boston's 118-106 win over the Portland Trailblazers last night, the Celtics sit in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 40-17 record, behind the Bucks at 50-8 and Raptors at 42-16. Parker applauded Boston's ability to cover The Greek Freak, while Shaquille O'Neal thought that stopping all of the other Milwaukee players was the ticket to success. In the end, the Celtics appear solid one-through-six. They very well may have the strongest top-6 in the NBA in Kemba Walker, Marcus Smart...

Observers of yesterday's playoff-atmosphere contest between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers knew that Enes Kanter's stint on the hardwood would not be an extended one. He entered the game at the 2:56 mark of the first quarter, and less than half-a-minute later had the ball taken out of his hands by Kantavious Caldwell-Pope. It’s a one point game! *Enes Kanter checks in for literally two minutes* It’s a nine point game! — S M A R F (@ColeyMick) February 23, 2020 Things went downhill for Boston after that costly turnover. Lakers point guard, Rajon Rondo, decided to show his former team why they should never have traded him. In the final two minutes of the quarter, he scored two points and assisted on four others, while also grabbing one rebound. By the end of the period, the score had gone from 18-17, pre-Kanter-turnover, in favor of LA to 28-19 with Boston trailing by nine points. Kanter is averaging 18.1 minutes per game for the season, but that number has droppe...

I am not broaching the idea of Danny Ainge bringing Isaiah Thomas back to Boston without having given the thought a lot of consideration. Isaiah played his best ball in the 2016-17 season during a time which must have been the low point in his life, dealing with the death of his sister and a persistent hip injury. Isaiah Thomas on if he would be open to playing for the #Celtics again. “For sure, if the opportunity presented itself. I hold no grudges, and they know that. I have genuine love for Boston. If that were to happen, I’d love to be part of what they have going on. You never know.“ pic.twitter.com/JK4yaJp2Ab — Celtics Direct (@CelticsDirect) February 21, 2020 In 40 games this season for the Washington Wizards, IT produced 12.3 points per game in 23 minutes of floor time, while adding 3.7 assists/game. He shot 41% on both field goals and 3-pointers and 82% from the free throw line. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers and subsequently waived, making him a free agent...

Dave Cowens wasn't simply super-intense on the court - he was a true superstar. The 8-time All-Star and 2-time Champion was also the NBA's Most Valuable Player in 1973. "Big Red", as announcer Johnny Most called him, always played with an intensity that bordered on frenzy, but he got the job done. In Dave's 1973 MVP season he averaged 20.5 points, 16.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, while playing in all 82 regular season games and logging close to 42 minutes/game. Kevin Garnett came close to matching Big Red's ferocity on the hardwood. Practice - regular season - playoffs? It made no difference. KG was all-out, all the time. With Cowens at center in my All-Intensity Crew, The Big Ticket goes to the power forward spot. You may have your own choice. Marcus Smart is a shoo-in at one of the guard spots in this group. Some Celtics fans may want Tony Allen at the other guard spot. These are two defensive aces that just reek intensity. Danny Ainge admitted t...

The Boston Celtics' major issue this season was supposedly finding a capable replacement for the departed Al Horford. Al did a bit of everything on the floor for Boston, and quite a bit off of it. Well, now it looks like Horford's replacement was on board all along - and his name is Daniel Theis. This is not what Al and the Sixers were expecting when Horford signed the 4-year, $109 million deal in the off-season. Al has lost his starting gig with the 76'ers, who now sit in fifth place in the East with a 35-21 record. The following is the headline from an article from the New York Post's Zach Braziller . The 76ers have a $109 million Al Horford problem Theis registered an impressive 25-point, 16-rebound double-double in the Celtics win last night over the Minnesota Timberwolves . Daniel has done admirably as Boston's man-in-the-middle, and for comparison I have adjusted Theis' stats to per-30.5-minutes status, the average minutes of Al Horford this season w...

In the end, the Boston Celtics simply had too many weapons in their arsenal, taking out the injury-depleted Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-117. Minnesota was without center Karl-Anthony Towns, on the shelf with an injury, and Boston was missing Kemba Walker due to knee soreness. But Kemba's absence didn't matter. The Celtics had four players score 25-or-more points in the game for the first time since Tom Heinsohn, Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman and Bill Russell did it on January 20, 1960 ( per NBA's Dave Campbell ): “The strength of our team is just the amount of guys that can go off at any point in time, especially when you’re making the right plays and getting easy looks,” Hayward said. "We’re too talented. We just need to continue to do that.” Jalen Brown scored 25 points and Jayson Tatum had 28 points and 11 rebounds as fellow All-Star Kemba Walker sat out because of a minor knee injury. The four players at 25 or more points marked just the second such occurrence in Cel...

Red Auerbach was a wheeler-dealer extraordinaire. But his protege, Danny Ainge, made one bold move that may end up rivaling Red's dealings. If the Jay Team of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum (both products of Ainge's deal with the Nets) continue to improve, the acquisitions of Bill Russell, JoJo White, Larry Bird, Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge and Robert Parish may soon have competition. Admittedly, Red's maneuvering to draft Russell in 1956 was brave and masterful. Eleven Championships later, the deal of Ed Macauley, Cliff Hagan and the Ice Capades for Russ looks borderline-brilliant. How about JoJo? Auerbach took him with the 9th pick in the 1969 NBA draft as other NBA GM's passed because of White's 2-year military commitment. Red somehow got that stint shortened, and that is a story in itself. JoJo helped bring two more Titles to Boston. Auerbach drafted Bird as a junior-eligible out of Indiana State. Fans got to see Larry's final college seas...

Celtics center, Rob Williams, has been out of action with a hip edema since December 6, but he is scheduled to be back on the court very soon. His performance during the remainder of the regular season will have a major influence on Danny Ainge's plans for his team come the off-season. Rob Williams on workout: "There was no limit on my jumps. I could dunk as much as I want, run as much as I want. It’s really like the first time they haven’t been telling me I can’t jump, or you only get 20 jumps...Being as explosive as I remember I was is just a great feeling." — Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) February 9, 2020 The question remains whether the 26 NBA General Managers got the right read on Williams III when they passed him by in the 2018 draft, or did Boston get a gift handed to them with the 27th pick. Is Rob simply a super-athletic novelty or a legitimate NBA-level rotation guy? We just don't know for sure, and Rob's months-long layoff almost certainly has ...

Danny Ainge came to the Boston Celtics in 2003 as Executive of Basketball Operations, and by 2007 his hunger for an NBA Title as a member of the front office had peaked. Even with Paul Pierce on the roster, a Championship was not going to happen any time soon, so Ainge saw his Ticket-out-of-Mediocrity in the guise of Minnesota superstar, Kevin Garnett. But Kevin wasn't going to leave Minnesota for just any destination. He wanted a Title as much as Ainge, but Garnett knew that Pierce's entourage was insufficient to get that done. Well, along came sharpshooting guard, Ray Allen, via trade, and the stage was set for The Big Ticket to come aboard. Kevin didn't come cheap. Rising star, Al Jefferson, and youngsters Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes and Gerald Green - in addition to Theo Ratliff - were sent to Minnesota - leaving the Celtics roster wealthy in talent but sparse in numbers. Retired star, Reggie Miller was close to being talked out of his life of leisure to join the...

Marcus Smart always plays like he is on steroids, and hopefully this will not mean a random Enes Kanter-type drug test. But in last night's double-OT thriller, Marcus reminded his critics just how valuable he is to his team. In 45 minutes of play, he poured in 31 points on 10-of-20 FG, 5-of-14 3P and 6-of-8 FT, while adding in four rebounds, three assists and four steals. Marcus Smart bullied the Clippers 🔥 📊: 31 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 4 STL pic.twitter.com/YmJ378gDyF — Celtics Direct (@CelticsDirect) February 14, 2020 Marcus was just feeling it on offense. He was everywhere and did it all - isolations, 3-pointers, drives, turnaround jumpers and on-the-money passes to his teammates. He did all of this in the flow of the game, and it was obvious from the start that Marcus wanted this win and would control much of what went down on both ends of the floor. His four steals were masterful. Marcus Smart: Splash Cousin pic.twitter.com/wloewfqbqb — Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) F...

Flashback to January 12, 2019 - Boston Celtics trailing Orlando Magic, 105-103 - Gordon Hayward inbounding the ball with less than three seconds remaining in the game - Gordon gets the ball to Jayson Tatum who misses the 3-point attempt. Kyrie Irving, clearly upset by Hayward's choice of a target, yells at Gordon, who contends that Jayson makes that type of shot most of the time. Well, Gordon's vision of Tatum becoming Boston's go-to scorer was on display in the Celtics double-overtime 141-133 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers last night. Who would’ve ever predicted the incredible greatness #JaysonTatum is showing right now, just his 3rd #nba season? He’s an absolute force for #celtics You have to go back to maybe #LarryBird to find a #boston player this advanced at such a young age. Wow! #allstar ☘️✨ — NYC Sights Sounds (@NYCSightsSounds) February 14, 2020 Jayson logged a team-high 47 minutes and poured in 39 points on 61% accuracy from the field and 50% on 3...

The Celtics do-everything forward, Gordon Hayward, has been through the mill since coming to Boston in 2017. First it was a season lost with the devastating ankle injury and then a turbulent year of playing while still recovering and rehabbing. Portland's Damian Lillard has now announced that he will not participate in the All-Star game due to injuries, and Commissioner Adam Silver will choose his replacement. The Suns' Devin Booker has been mentioned as a logical substitute, but Gordon may be a more appropriate one. Hayward participated in the 2017 All-Star contest when he was in Utah. His averages that season are compared below to his stats from this season: 2017 (Utah): 34.5 MPG, 21.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 47% FG, 40% 3P, 1.9 TOPG 2020 (Boston): 32.8 MPG, 17.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.1 APG, 51% FG, 39% 3P, 1.8 TOPG The numbers are very similar, but that is not the whole story. The choice of Booker-as-replacement makes sense to a significant extent. He is doing it all for a P...

Mike D'Antoni's "experiment" employing his Deadly Duo of Russell Westbrook and James Harden to continually attack Boston's defense worked like a charm, giving the Houston Rockets the 116-105 win over the Celtics. Here are 10 takeaways from last night's contest. #1) Boston had no answer for Russell Westbrook and James Harden. The numbers don't tell it all, but here they are. Houston's Deadly Duo combined for 78 points, 18 boards and 12 assists. Westbrook was able to get to the rim repeatedly, either scoring or picking up a foul on most of his drives. The two guards shot a total of 31 free throws and made 27 of them. Westbrook, particularly, benefited from Mike D'Antoni's small-ball experiment. With no Rockets big man clogging the middle, he had his way with with any Boston defender trying to stop him. Harden and Westbrook get the calls & get to the line, #Celtics ' Marcus Smart gets mad - @ASherrodblakely https://t.co/eY7qUXClYH p...

As expected, Celtics boss, Danny Ainge, bypassed the February 6 trade deadline without making a move, and there is a good chance that fans won't see Danny acquire a player from the buyout market. The reasons for "Trader Danny's" bargaining lethargy include his contentment with the present roster, the odds for a bright future and the financial decisions over the next several seasons. Here's a quick look at the ghosts of the Celtics past, present and future. Ghost of Last Season The Ghost of Last Season was a sinister one indeed. Ainge has no desire to repeat it. The 2018-19 season was one of stagnation and turmoil. Thus, Danny's wish not to rock the Celtics boat that is floating high on calm waters. The Serene Ghost of The Present Trading prior to the deadline would have meant the departure of at least one member of the present Celtics roster. Since Vincent Poirier's contract is fully-guaranteed for next season, Javonte Green may have been a casualty. B...

With Houston's version of Gulliver, Center Clint Capela, off to Atlanta via trade, Mike D'Antoni's seems bent on running his band of Lilliputians down the throats of all opponents. Well, one of Mike's first tests will come tomorrow night against the Boston Celtics, who often put out small lineups of their own. Houston's top-8 players in minutes run the gamut from 6'3 guards Russell Westbrook, Austin Rivers, Eric Gordon and Ben McLemore to new-acquisition (and tallest of the eight), 6'7" Robert Covington. Their center position is usually covered by 6'5" P. J. Tucker. Make no mistake - not only is this team vertically-challenged, but they also are not very defensive-minded. They have a fast, run-and-gun mentality - and let things fall where they may. Houston Coach Mike D’Antoni says beating the Lakers on the Rockets’ first night with their super-smallball lineup helps sell this experiment even within the locker room. Said if they had gone out...

The Boston Celtics 112-111 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder last night came right down to the wire. The main takeaway from the contest is that The Green have many strengths, but the few weaknesses are still a concern. Strengths There may not be another NBA team with Boston's versatility The Celtics starting five appear to have it all. They can isolate, hit 3-pointers, drive into the paint, rebound the ball, defend inside and on the perimeter. If healthy, they will be a nightmare for opponents in the post-season. There may not be a more-controlled player in the NBA than Gordon Hayward Gordon came away with 13 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the game, while hitting 5-of-10 from the field and 2-of-4 on 3-pointers. He is very clever and is almost always in control, often seeming to be thinking one or two plays ahead of everybody else. The Celtics centers did not allow Steven Adams' physicality to take over Adams finished with only four points on 2-of-10 from the field,...

If the Boston Celtics maintain their .706 winning percentage for the remaining 31 games, they are projected to finish the 2019-20 season at 58 wins and 24 losses - much better than most analysts predicted. The loss of two All-Star starters, Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, many felt would lead to a repeat of last season's 49 wins - or possibly a minor boost to the 50-win level. It’s a #Celtics game day pic.twitter.com/2YKpo3hsND — CelticsContent (@CelticsContent) February 9, 2020 But as it turns out, the addition of Kemba Walker, coupled with the dual emergence of the Jay Team, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, has turned Boston's fortunes in a positive direction. But with the Celtics taking on the Thunder, Rockets and Clippers prior to All-Star Weekend, and a never-ending surge in injuries, things could head south fairly quickly. Injuries aside, there is a whole new vibe this season. The Guys in Green seem to like each other, and they are having fun. Kyrie has dealt with injur...

Jayson Tatum is currently in 9th place in the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player ladder, sitting just behind Anthony Davis (8th) and in front of Russell Westbrook (10th). In his last four games, all wins for Boston, he is averaging 27.6 PPG, 5.6 ROG, 4.0 APG, 1.2 SPG and 1.2 BPG, all while hitting 47% on field goals, 49% on treys and 84% from the foul line. Jayson Tatum is currently 9th on NBA dot com's MVP ladder. 1) Giannis Antetokounmpo 2) LeBron James 3) Kawhi Leonard 4) Jimmy Butler 5) Nikola Jokic 6) Luka Doncic 7) Damian Lillard 8) Anthony Davis 9) JAYSON TATUM 10) Russell Westbrook Kemba Walker is listed on the fringe. — Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) February 7, 2020 This brings me back to my one-on-one interview of Brian Scalabrine prior to the 2018-19 season. Scal was bullish on the Jay Team, and these were his thoughts on Tatum's ceiling: Jayson (Tatum) can be Kevin Durant-ish. I always think MVP is always going to be an individual award - but I look at it ...

I truly believe Celtics center, Rob Williams, would be an 18-20 minutes-per-night rotation player right now if it were not for his hip bone edema that has taken him out of the game - and out of our memories. But Brad Stevens has good news - Rob has been getting good medical reports and is expected back on the practice floor after the All-Star break. Brad Stevens on Robert Williams: “We’ve gotten even more good news, we’re going to really start pushing him after the All-Star break. He’s going to start practicing with us after the All-Star break. Hopefully he’ll come back soon thereafter." — Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) February 5, 2020 Williams III is more than just an athletic freak of nature. Prior to his injury, he was really showing that he belongs as part of the regular rotation. Although the hip bone edema has no doubt set his progress back a notch or two, he should move forward rapidly unless he experiences another set-back. We know he can rebound, catch-and-fi...

If you have been asking, as I have, "Wherefore art thou, Romeo" , we got an answer last night in the Celtics 112-107 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Boston fans finally got a good look at the 14th-overall pick in last year's June draft - and Langford did not disappoint. Romeo Langford... my god pic.twitter.com/8Cq92VVLOy — Jordan Moore (@iJordanMoore) February 8, 2020 ROM3O pic.twitter.com/Wlq3SqB7Tg — Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 8, 2020 Romeo logged the most minutes (28) of any Celtics bench player - notched 16 points - grabbed five boards - snagged one steal - and blocked three shots. His contribution on both ends of the court were vital in the win. After Romeo Langford hit that corner three, Jay Larranaga turned and fist bumped C’s assistant Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla and Langford have spent countless hours working on Langford’s shot. — Tom Westerholm (@Tom_NBA) February 8, 2020 It is apparent that during all of the time Langford has been all but invisibl...

Before my readers get in an uproar, in no way am I comparing the talent levels of Celtics rookie, Grant Williams, with Hall-of-Famer, Wes Unseld, the greatest outlet passer of all time. Rather, I am suggesting that I see some similarities in their skills and their game. I start with their size - Grant at 6'6" (without shoes) and 235 pounds - and Wes at 6'5.5" (without shoes) and 245 pounds , although he was often incorrectly listed at 6'7" (per Wikipedia): Famed for his rebounding, bone-jarring picks and ability to ignite a fast break with his crisp, accurate outlet passes , (Wes) Unseld made up for his lack of size with brute strength and sheer determination. In 984 NBA games – all with the Bullets – Unseld averaged a double-double, with averages of 10.8 points and 14.0 rebounds per game, as well as 3.9 assists per game, averaging over 36 minutes played per game. For the older Celtics fans out there: Does Grant Williams remind anyone else of Wes Unseld?...

Make no mistake about this! Brad Stevens is a huge fan of small-ball and sometimes appears reticent to put the bigs out on the floor. The general feeling among NBA analysts is that putting five little guys out on the hardwood for the playoffs is a fool's errand. But maybe not. Houston Rockets coach, Mike D'Antoni, is a small-ball, run-and-gun advocate. In his team's 121-111 win over the Los Angeles Lakers last night, his tallest starter (Danuel House) is listed at 6'6", and Mike had 6'5" P. J. Tucker at the center spot. The Lakers put out a starting front court of 7' Javale McGee, 6'10" Anthony Davis and 6'9" Lebron James. PJ Tucker at center trying to guard AD tonight pic.twitter.com/KuRPKwVOAu — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 7, 2020 The numbers speak for themselves. The Rockets out-shot the Lakers 45%-to-29% from beyond the arc and almost matched Los Angeles on rebounds, 37-38. But what does this have to do with th...

In the midst of yesterday's deadline activity, Former-Celtic and crowd favorite, Isaiah Thomas, got traded from the Washington Wizards to the Los Angeles Clippers, but he is scheduled to be waived, making him a free agent once again. How much turmoil does this man have to endure? The Clippers will not be keeping Isaiah Thomas, acquired today from Washington in three-team deal with Knicks that brought Marcus Morris to LA and send Moe Harkless/picks to NYC, per league source. — David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) February 6, 2020 The Clippers obviously have a need for Marcus Morris, but IT does not fit into their plans. The major questions arising out of this are: "Where does he go now?" - and, "Does Danny Ainge bring him back to Boston?" Isaiah clearly wants to be with a contender for the post-season, and the Clippers are certainly that. But that won't happen. Well, how about the Celtics? Fan reactions to Thomas' trade run the gamut of "His NBA ca...

The Celtics-rival Miami Heat were already performing well beyond pre-season expectations, currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 34-16 record. They have now undoubtedly improved by adding Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill to the fold via a trade that sent Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and James Johnson to the Memphis Grizzlies. Miami has agreed to trade Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and James Johnson to Memphis for Andre Iguodala, Solomon Hill and Jae Crowder, league sources tell ESPN. No picks in the deal. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2020 Iguodala's addition gives the Heat a former Finals MVP that brings veteran leadership, playoff savvy and versatility. He will make a positive difference. The acquisition of Crowder can not be minimized. In 29.4 minutes per game, he is averaging 9.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.0 SPG. He brings much-needed toughness and further depth at Miami's wing position. This trade moved the needle in a pos...

As I write this, there are seven hours to the trade deadline. Celtics fans are in an uproar over Danny Ainge possibly once again avoiding deadline deals. Rookie Grant Williams may be partially responsible for that. Grant Williams: " #weightroom "💪 pic.twitter.com/0i8YtiLXsr — Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) February 6, 2020 For the older Celtics fans out there: Does Grant Williams remind anyone else of Wes Unseld? — Celtics ☘️Canada🇨🇦 🏀 (@CelticsCanada) February 6, 2020 Rookies, particularly late first-round picks, generally don't display a lot of value in the playoffs. But Grant Williams is no ordinary rookie. He has his head on straight, and he produces a stat line that, while never spectacular, is always varied and valuable to the team's success. Over the last five games, all wins for Boston, he shows averages of 8.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG (2.8 offensive, 2.6 defensive), 1.0 SPG and 1.2 BPG in only 21.2 minutes/game. Grant is a skilled rebounder who snags as many...

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Miami Heat are about to get stronger, and that is not good news for the Boston Celtics. The latest news on a 3-team deal has Pat Riley's Heat acquiring Andre Iguodala and OKC's Danilo Gallinari in exchange for Justise Winslow, Tyler Herro and Kelly Olynyk. Memphis has agreed to a deal to send Andre Iguodala to Miami, league source tells ESPN. Iguodala agreed to trade and has agreed to a two-year, $30M extension with Miami. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2020 Oklahoma City is trading Danilo Gallinari to Miami for Tyler Herro and Kelly Olynyk, sources tell ESPN. Miami also gets two second round picks. — Adrian Wojnarowski 💿 (@tioshaq) February 6, 2020 Miami currently sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 34-16 record, just behind Boston at 35-15. There is little doubt that adding Iggy and Gallinari strengthens an already-solid roster. And Memphis is effectively sending away an inactive player (Igu...

Ten-Year NBA veteran, and former-Celtic, Evan Turner, was recently traded from the Atlanta Hawks to the Minnesota Timberwolves. It is quite likely that Turner will be bought out by Minnesota, and the 31-year-old guard/forward should draw some interest from the Boston Celtics. Barring another trade, Evan Turner is expected to get a buyout from @Timberwolves . The @celtics are expected to be among teams interested him -- but no roster spot (as of now). Another East contender would have interest, too, I'm told. More on @HeavySan : https://t.co/dpSQHbE6Lt — Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) February 5, 2020 ET spent two seasons in Boston, and his best production came in the 2014-15 season when he averaged 12.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 7.2 APG and 1.3 SPG. He is a 3-position player, capable of handling both guard positions as well as the small forward spot. Since he has played under coach Brad Stevens, Turner knows Brad's offensive and defensive schemes. There is currently no open roster slot...