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Celtics still shopping Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang?
Jake Fischer: As we discussed, I think the Celtics are still very active in taking trade calls—maybe even making trade calls. There was some conversation last week between Memphis and Boston about something. We’re still looking to track down more info on that. But rival teams are definitely still under the impression that Boston is looking for deals involving both Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang:
Damian Lillard had offers from dozens of teams
Damian Lillard had offers from "dozens" of teams around the league before signing a three-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. "Boston, Minnesota, dozens of other teams had minimum and mid-level exception offers out to Damian Lillard in the last several weeks," said Charania.
Shams Charania: Portland traded Damian Lillard for Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara, and assets in 2023 -- then Holiday to Boston for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon and assets. Now, the Blazers have both Lillard and Holiday, plus Williams, Camara, a 2029 first-rounder and two Bucks swaps.
Jaylen Brown: I feel like people haven’t seen me at my best because we have a loaded roster. So sometimes you gotta do what needs to be done as a team.
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Yet, while Celtics fans celebrated every half-court attempt, it would appear members of the Mavericks roster were growing frustrated. During a recent livestream with Jaylen Brown, former Celtics guard Kyrie Irving revealed that he’d considered throwing a punch at Pritchard during that series. “We were going to halftime,” Irving said. “I ain’t gonna lie to you, I thought about swinging. One time, just to see where he was at. I thought about swinging one time.”
According to Marc Spears of ESPN, Stephen Curry plays a potentially crucial role in how Horford may go about this decision. Spears claims that Horford's eldest son is a massive fan on Curry and could push his father to officially confirm the deal which has reportedly already been agreed upon with a handshake deal. "But keep in mind, do you know who I think is going to be in this decision? His 10-year-old son, Ean," Spears shared Tuesday on "NBA Today." "He just started traveling with Al on the road about two seasons ago. The kid loves basketball. I know he's like, 'Dad! Steph Curry, dad!' I can see Ean convincing his dad to keep playing."
The Raptors ultimately used the pick, drafting forward Collin Murray-Boyles from South Carolina with Khaman Maluach, Cedric Coward and various center prospects available. New Orleans traded up to No. 13 overall to select Derik Queen, sending its unprotected 2026 Bucks pick to the Hawks for the selection. The Celtics stayed at No. 28 and took Hugo González before trading back from No. 32 in the second round. “I don’t think Boston ever really was so interested in that selection for one of those types of guys,” Fischer said. “Golden State definitely called for Derrick White too, but there’s just nothing that I know for Jaylen that got really close or for Derrick too.”
Warriors still expected to end up signing Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton
The Warriors, eventually, could make a pair of impactful NBA free agency moves. Golden State has yet to add a player since the league’s free agency negotiating window opened on June 30, largely due to restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga’s contract standstill, but whenever the transaction logjam breaks, NBA insider Marc Stein expects the Warriors to come away with two veteran free agents they have been tied to all summer. “My expectation is that one way or another, the Warriors are going to end up with both Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton on their roster,” Stein said Tuesday on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs.”
Not every team sees Jaylen Brown as a valuable addition?
Jake Fischer: I think all along there was never really a plan to move Jaylen or Derrick. So I don't think anything got close, and I don’t think they were really willing to move those guys either. Like, you would have had to make a trade—Desmond Bane, Mikal Bridges–type of offer—for Derrick White. And honestly, for Jaylen—as great as he is—I think a lot of teams look at his salary number and go: “Why would you be paying what Boston values him at, for that contract?” So his deal isn’t universally viewed as an incredible addition if you were to trade for him.
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Gary Washburn on Jayson Tatum recruiting Damian Lillard: They're communicating
Gary Washburn on Jayson Tatum recruiting Damian Lillard: I just was told that they're communicating and Tatum is recruiting. I mean, Tatum is the face of the franchise. So, yeah, you're told he's recruiting. I don't know if they're like FaceTiming every day or they're on Snapchat and sharing videos and you know, ‘look at my uh rehab video. I'm swimming. Yeah, I'm swimming. What about you? What are you up to, Dame?’ Like, I don't know if it's that deep but they are communicating and I think we all know Tatum's going to be here for a long time and I think that the players who have come to Boston, from Kevin Garnett to Ray Allen to Isaiah Thomas, even our friend Marcus Morris, guys who we traditionally thought might not like it here ended up really liking it in Boston and didn't want to leave, all the way now to Jrue Holiday.
Gary Washburn on Damian Lillard: I know the Celtics have an interest. I think it would be awesome in my opinion to unleash him in 26-27 along with Tatum and Brown and White and Pritchard and then see about winning a chip because like you have to try to take advantage of the window of Tatum and Brown. They're not going to be young forever and Jaylen's a few months from 29.
Gary Washburn: Milwaukee just wasn't ever really a great fit. Obviously when Portland was looking to move him, he wanted to go to Miami. that didn't work out. There was the Celtic rumors and I know our friend Chris Haynes was like, "No, he ain't going to Boston." I've been told that that's a little different now and that he's open to new teams and obviously he wants to win a championship. The only thing he does not have in his career is a title. He's top 75.
Jaylen Brown: One of my biggest regrets in life is that I never got to meet Kobe Bryant
Kyrie Irving on Kobe Bryant: He had also a history already built in on his foundation of being Jelly Bean’s son. Yeah. You know, so his father already had history in the league and that helps. That's one of like being son of an NBA player and being able to be around the environment and early on, you know. Jaylen Brown: That's one of my biggest regrets in life, never got to meet Kobe. He did a detail on me in like 2018. Kyrie Irving: Did it surprised you that he did it? Jaylen Brown: It did. I was so hyped. I was so hyped.
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