Celtics Notebook: Brad Stevens, Celtics play the long game

With supposed targets Patty Mills (Brooklyn), Lonzo Ball (Chicago), Rudy Gay (Utah) and numerous other free agents signing elsewhere, and their own free agent (Evan Fournier) in New York, the Celtics went into Tuesday night as one of the quietest teams in the NBA.

As much of the rest of the league went on a spending spree, Celtics president Brad Stevens adhered to his bottom line, striving to leave space to add a major free agent next summer to the young star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The prospective prize most often mentioned is Tatum’s good friend, Washington guard Bradley Beal.

With the reasoning that a mid-level-type talent won’t make enough of a difference for the Celtics to contend in the beefed up Eastern Conference — with Chicago, Miami and Washington all elevating their chances this week — the C’s plan on limiting themselves to short term additions to the lineup.

Mills and Gay both signed relatively low two-year deals with their respective teams. Even that length appears to interfere with the Celtics’ plan to open up a max slot next summer.

“The strategy is they don’t want to invest in marginal players,” said a league source. “They want to have a salary structure in place that, when a major player comes around, they can sign him.

“(The Celtics) feel that they are well-positioned for their window, and don’t want to do marginal things.”

The Celtics, as such, may not even utilize the $5.7 taxpayer mid-level exception this time around.

The three-way deal that sent Tristan Thompson to Sacramento and brought back Kris Dunn, Bruno Fernando and a 2022 second round pick from Atlanta, is expected to be finalized later this week. … Marcus Smart, who is seeking a max contract extension of approximately $80 million over four years, and who may have to go into this season on an expiring deal given the Celtics’ current philosophy, continues to negotiate. The situation was said to be “fluid.”

On the world stage

Tatum has heated up at the right time, following up his 27-point performance against the Czech Republic on the final day of group play with something equally emphatic against Spain on Tuesday in the Olympic quarterfinals.

Tatum scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter of the U.S. men’s 95-81 win over Spain. The Americans will play Australia in the semifinals on Thursday.

The highlight of the game was a 36-10 U.S. run spearheaded by Kevin Durant.

“It’s something that I think we’re still figuring out,” Tatum said of team chemistry. “We want to make the right plays. We want to do the right things, but we still need to be ourselves, because that’s why we’re here. That’s why we are on this team, because we all bring something different to the table. But just figuring out different games, different situations where, like you said, like tonight or the other night when different guys have it going, and we just have to recognize that on any given night and all contribute or do what we need to do individually to help win the game.”

Vegas bound

The Celtics summer league team had its first practice on Tuesday, with Aaron Nesmith, Payton Pritchard, Romeo Langford and Carsen Edwards all on the roster. Grant Williams, currently working out in the Auerbach Center, opted out of playing in his second summer league. Last year’s Las Vegas event was canceled due to COVID.

Yam Madar, the team’s 2020 second round pick who was named the Israeli Premier League’s most improved player at the age of 20, said his goal is to make the Celtics roster this season.

“I feel comfortable in my game. It’s a new level, it’s a new challenge,” said the 6-foot-3 point guard. “I worked really hard, I prepared myself for this moment to come. I know it’s going to be this year that I come, and I’m excited to get started.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2TXU7tm