The Celtics don’t begin training camp for over one month, many league offices sit cleared on vacation and the NBA will celebrate a new class of the Basketball Hall-of-Fame tonight. The rumor mill slows with James Harden’s name now off the trade market. Even the FIBA World Cup doesn’t begin for two weeks.
It’s the perfect time to spill some random Celtics and NBA thoughts floating around in my head that don’t necessarily warrant a full article…
- Kristaps Porziņģis sat out of a third straight Latvia scrimmage, this one today against the Dominican Republic, not necessarily a sign he’ll back out of the World Cup, but significant following a Latvian team tweet that denied a report about his foot injury and possible withdrawal. Without any knowledge of the discussions regarding Porziņģis, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Celtics and Porziņģis quietly agreed against participating. Particularly if he did deal with some kind of discomfort leading up to the tournament. True, FIBA is important to players, Porziņģis said as such last month and I love waking up at odd times to watch the international game as much as anybody. Typically, I’d support his participation, injuries can happen anywhere, but given his health history, the stakes of this season and what happened with Danilo Gallinari last summer, it’s probably best he takes it easy leading up to camp. Oshae Brissett (knee) made the same decision earlier this month, a precautionary move. Of course, I thought the Celtics’ participation in the 2019 World Cup helped them gel with Kemba Walker entering a 2020 east finals run. Jayson Tatum built on the sense he’s that guy in the last Olympics. That upside doesn’t exist here.
- Speaking of Porziņģis, his acquisition still a calculated risk I understand even if I didn’t love, another big man entered my mind while watching some old Derrick White Spurs tape for an article. Remember Boston’s winter pursuit of Jakob Poetl? The Celtics reportedly offered Payton Pritchard, Danilo Gallinari and second-rounders for Poetl, which San Antonio rejected before dealing him to the Raptors for Khem Birch, Toronto’s 2024 first and a pair of second-rounders. That marked Boston’s first attempt at cementing its future at the center position before pivoting to Porziņģis this summer. Everything Wyc Grousbeck and Boston’s described about Porziņģis, from his offensive output, defensive range and desirability around the league stands as valid. The Celtics probably looked for some kind of shakeup in dealing Marcus Smart too, and it’s possible he still moves even if the original Malcolm Brogdon trade went through. It’s worth wondering whether Poetl could’ve helped as Al Horford struggled in the postseason, three-point shooting dried up late and Mike Muscala never emerged before landing in Washington for Porziņģis. Poetl averaged 13.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG and 2.2 APG with the Raptors on 65.2% shooting with 1.2 SPG and 1.3 BPG, then re-signed for four-years, $78-million, cheaper than Porziņģis. He’s not the same player offensively. He would’ve cost at least one first, then the Celtics needed to re-sign him. His fit next to Robert Williams III likely became a concern, but he could’ve allowed Smart to stay. Just a thought.
- Speaking of Wyc, what a year for the Celtics governor between cursing the team out after Game 3 in Miami, helping inspire a near 0-3 comeback, paying more luxury tax, accepting a bold, expensive team shakeup and now pushing for the All Star Game in 2026? Apologies due to an often-criticized executive. You can sense how badly he wants banner 18.
- Did you see Jayson Tatum sporting a bucket hat this week in Memphis? Payton Pritchard followed with a photo sporting one after Kevin Durant and Draymond Green appeared at a Team USA scrimmage in Vegas in them. Look for a wave of players embracing the bucket hat this season.
- One thing I’m surest about from the Porziņģis trade is that White can pick up where Smart left off. Did you know White hit over 39% of his three-point attempts between the regular season and playoffs last year? Ridiculous. Between that, his overall basketball IQ, screening ability, defensive versatility and assist-to-turnover ratios throughout his career, it’s a near lock White can take another step in a larger role this year. After analytics slated him as this group’s sneaky fourth all-star, look for that extension bumping him closer to $30-million annually looking like good value if the Celtics get it done this fall. Ime Udoka always said — we don’t lose much when White enters for Smart.
- As CLNS Media reported, the door remains open for a Blake Griffin return and it’s increasingly how I hope the team utilizes its 14th roster spot. Griffin can play the four and five reliably, provided a respected voice in the locker room who helped Luke Kornet and Payton Pritchard manage through early struggles. His spot starts when Horford sat became one of my favorite things about last season. It’s still surprising the team didn’t at least try to fit him into some playoff situations, his passing and mind still outpacing his physical decline. Does any flier or prospect make more sense? That’s what two-way and the 15th roster spot are for, plus, it’s not likely any 14th player who comes in the building would play often anyway. Griffin’s season became the most pleasant Celtics surprise I can remember.
- As for that 15th spot, reports connecting the Celtics to Svi Mykhailiuk made sense as a target even if he likely doesn’t end up in Boston. Mykhailiuk shot 42.4% on 99 three-point attempts last year and is 36% for his career from deep. You know what you get in signing him, unlike last summer where a battle between Noah Vonleh, Jake Layman, Luka Samanic, Justin Jackson, Denzel Valentine and Luka Samanic didn’t result in many tangible benefits for the pro team once the dust settled. Expect the Celtics to pursue a similarly solid player, rather than an array of tryouts this fall.
- Of course the Heat signed Justin Champagnie. Watch it work out. Their own array of tryout signings also speak to how much they lost in Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. If anyone can make it work until Damian Lillard arrives, it’s Miami, but their roster looks weaker ahead of an Oct. 27 meeting with the Celtics in Boston.
- Love Lakers-Celtics on Christmas. Hopefully it can preview a Finals matchup, though for all their gains it’s hard to forget how easily Nikola Jokic handled Anthony Davis, who entered the west finals playing at a pretty high level. Especially if it’s frigid back in Boston, I’ll enjoy a west coast holiday in the sun. Last year, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook transition dunks dunks a 20-point Lakers comeback shook the staging where we sat as fans behind us jumped up and down. Tatum later hit a leaner over James to force overtime and win the game in one of my favorite games period last year. We need an LAL-BOS Finals this year after falling just short in 2020 and 2023.
- The in-season tournament sounds better the more I think about it. You can’t beat a Las Vegas trip in December either. That event could surpass the budding G-League showcase as a networking event too. But why such low stakes? The title game won’t even count toward regular season records, why not let the winner take it for an edge in the final standings, as The Mismatch suggested? I thought the winner should receive an automatic playoff berth, and long before the idea came to fruition, I’d dreamt of lottery teams battling it out in a single-elimination bracket to decide the draft order. Instead, they’ll play this winter for some money. My biggest question is whether the usual suspects will appear in Vegas, Milwaukee, Boston, Denver, etc. Or will the Orlando, Detroit, and San Ant0nios of the world make an early statement by winning the Adam Silver Cup? To be determined. The Celtics will face the Nets, Bulls, Raptors and Magic on Tuesdays and Thursday in November for group play, with the top team advancing to Vegas in early December. Look out for the schedule early next week.
- 10 random players I’m excited to watch next season: Paolo Banchero, Tyrese Haliburton, Bruce Brown, Bradley Beal, Chet Holmgren, Josh Giddey, Alperen Şengün, Kristaps Porziņģis, Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson.