Boston Celtics Offseason Tracker: Latest Trade Rumors, Free Agency News

The Boston Celtics have dominated the early offseason rumor mill, but they're not done yet.

Doc Rivers' departure to the Los Angeles Clippers is the first step in Danny Ainge's rebuilding project. With Kevin Garnett's and Paul Pierce traded to the Brooklyn Nets, the Celtics are primed to undergo a significant transformation.

Deals for draft picks and young talent are in play, and the team will be looking to shed some its overpaid veterans. Jason Terry and Courtney Lee: don't get too comfortable.

Change is on the horizon in Boston.

Is Rajon Rondo on the Trade Block?

The Buzz

UPDATE: Sunday, July 14, at 1:38 p.m. ET by Dan Favale

The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn says that the Pistons would love to trade for Rajon Rondo.

Any deal Danny Ainge seeks is likely to include Andre Drummond, who Washburn says is just about untouchable in Detroit.

---End of update---

According to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe the Dallas Mavericks have been calling to gauge their interest in moving Rajon Rondo.

Dallas' interest in Rondo was as another player to persuade Dwight Howard to wear a Mavericks uniform next season, and would likely mean the Celtics taking a similar, yet more draft-pick stacked deal that they got from Brooklyn for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

In order to land Boston's franchise point guard, Dallas has recent draft picks Shane Larkin and Ricky Ledo, Shawn Marion and Vince Carter's expiring contracts, along with the likes of Jae Crowder, Jared Cunningham, Darren Collison and Roddy Beaubois, along with first-round draft picks starting in 2015.

Celtics team president Danny Ainge insists that Rondo is the cornerstone of the franchise, and moving him isn't in their plans.

The problem with any talks involving the Mavs and Rondo is that Boston only seems interested in getting Dirk Nowitzki in return, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.

According to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald, a league source called the notion of such trade talks "ridiculous."

In addition, Scott Souza of the MetroWest Daily News reports that Ainge has said he received offers to trade Rondo, Jeff Green and Avery Bradley. He then made it clear he wasn't looking to deal any of them. 

And perhaps lucky for them, Rondo wants to be in Boston and has no plans to demand a trade, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News.

Ainge reiterated that he's not dealing Rondo, telling Murphy "you can't believe everything you read, especially on Twitter."

Should Ainge change his mind or find the Detroit Pistons an interesting destination, Detroit has interest in making a play for Boston's point guard, sources told Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld.

Buying or Selling?

If the Celtics trade Rajon Rondo, the city of Boston might collapse into itself. There's no way they're moving him for anything less than a blockbuster of a deal.

Basically, Boston doesn't appear extraordinarily willing to part with Rondo, so don't expect it to happen for another pu pu platter. Dallas is just doing their due diligence to find a point guard that they think could convince Dwight Howard to come to town.

Green and Bradley may prove more available even after Ainge asserted he wasn't looking to deal them. Still, the Celtics aren't likely to jump at the opportunity to deal who are now their second and third best players.

Boston Looks to Move Wallace, Humphries

The Buzz

According to CSNNE's Sherrod Blakely, the Boston Celtics are looking to move one or both of Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace following the announcement of the trade that sent them to the Celtics.

Boston has 17 players with guaranteed or partially guaranteed contracts for the 2013-14 season, so they're either going to have to make some kind of trade, or look to cut two players in order to get to the maximum of 15.

Humphries has one year remaining on his contract at $12 million, while Wallace is owed $10.1 million in each of the next three seasons.

Buying or Selling?

Buy half and sell half.

While Humphries has himself a slightly pricey, yet movable expiring contract, Gerald Wallace's deal is downright ugly.

Not only is it a pain that he's making guaranteed money, and therefore hits a team's salary cap over the course of the next three seasons, but it's even worse that he's very visibly waning as a player.

Humphries could be moved to a team looking to clear cap space immediately, while Wallace's only chance of getting out of Boston is attached to a bigger deal in which the Celtics attempt to dump his contract.

Celtics Sign Vitor Faverani

The Buzz

Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears reports that the Celtics have signed Brazilian Center Vitor Faverani to a three-year deal.

Buying or Selling?

Have to buy the acquisition of Faverani for the sized-challenge Celtics.

At 6'11", he gives Boston someone not-named Kris Humphries who can crash the glass and hopefully score in the post.

Overseas, he's developed a reputation for being inconsistent on both ends of the floor, but with the Celtics desperately in need of someone to plug in the middle, this is a low-risk acquisition anyway.

Also, I'm inclined to trust Brad Stevens, Danny Ainge and the rest of Boston's brain trust on this one. They know what they're doing.

Celtics Add Ron Adams to Brad Stevens' Staff

The Buzz

Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reports that the team will be bringing Tom Thibodeau's former lead assistant Ron Adams to join Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens' staff.

Buying or Selling?

Buying quickly, which it looks the Celtics have done here.

Boston already made its major gamble in the coaching ranks when team president Danny Ainge tabbed 36-year-old Brad Stevens (former head coach of the Butler Bulldogs) to oversee its rebuilding project.

In order to give their boom-or-bust coach the best chance to boom, Boston needed an experienced adviser to help with Stevens' transition.

Adams brings over 20 years of coaching experience along with one of the best defensive minds in the business. In a surprising move, Bulls general manager Gar Forman decided not to renew Adams' contract earlier this summer, which subsequently sent rival execs on a frenzied coaching chase.

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reported that Adams had already drawn interest from the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets.

Summer League in Place

The Buzz

The Boston Celtics have moved fast following their blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets, slamming together a Summer League roster with the hopes of finding a diamond in the rough to add to their mish-mashed squad.

Aside from draft picks Kelly Olynyk and Colton Iverson, The Boston Herald reports that the Celtics will send Fab Melo, a first-round pick from last season, recently-signed Phil Pressey, along with invitees Darius Johnson-Odom, D-League Rookie of the Year Tony Mitchell, Lawrence Hill from Stanford, Tim Abromaitis from Notre Dame, Courtney Fells from NC State, and Spanish guard Jason Granger.

Buying or selling?

One of the most important things to remember about Boston in the coming months is that they won't have a ton of immediate flexibility, unless they find a way to dump salary.

A few of these Summer League grabs could end up playing a few minutes here and there with the Celtics next season, or even find their way into the rotation.

Celtics Sign Phil Pressey

The Buzz

UPDATE: Thursday, July 18, at 8:45 a.m. ET by Dan Favale

Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe reports that the Celtics have officially signed Phil Pressey to a multi-year deal. Part of the deal is guaranteed.  

Pressey's signing now leaves the Celtics with 17 players on the roster, so they are going to have to trim it significantly before the start of the regular season

---End of update---

According to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics signed point guard Phil Pressey on the heels of the draft.

The now undrafted rookie played his college ball at Missouri.

Buying or Selling?

Buy.

Pressey's signing isn't an omen or harbinger of Rajon Rondo's eventual departure. Boston needed someone capable of a playing limited minutes as a backup point guard.

Though he's vastly undersized and his shot selection needs to improve, Pressey is incredibly agile and should be an asset in transition. His skill set is similar to that of Ty Lawson's, one of the main differences being Pressey needs to adjust his point of release on jumpers so he's not as liable to have his shot sent back.

This was a solid pickup for the now transitioning Celtics.

Celtics Go Outside the Box, Hire Brad Stevens as Head Coach

The Buzz

According to a press release by the Celtics, the team has hired former Butler coach Brad Stevens as the team's next head coach.

Whoa.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo!, Stevens' deal is for six years and $22 million. Of course, it's hard to put much stock in contract terms as the Celtics just let former coach Doc Rivers out of his, and Stevens was technically under contract at Butler through 2022.

Buying or Selling?

The Celtics are taking no half measures in their rebuilding effort, hiring the 36-year-old Stevens to preside over the franchise's new era.

Stevens has a sterling reputation as a forward-thinking coach with an exceptional understanding of the value of analytics in basketball. As a long-term prospect, it would be hard to imagine a bolder, more promising signing than this one.

Stevens will certainly run into issues with players who might find it difficult to respect a coach with no NBA experience, but it appears that Boston is going to make an effort to clear out virtually all of its veterans anyway. So Stevens' surroundings, at least in the first couple of years of his tenure, will look a lot like the college environment in which he excelled.

The Celtics are starting over, and they've found a coach who'll develop right along with the franchise.

Boston Celtics Want to Build Around Rajon Rondo

The Buzz

UPDATE: Friday, July 5, at 12:10 p.m. ET by Greg Swartz

In Brad Stevens' introductory press conference on July 5th, the new Celtics head coach said that, "There is no bigger fan of Rajon Rondo than me. ... I can't wait to meet him".

This was a major voice of confidence that Rondo will likely stay in Celtic green.

---End of update---

According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, the Boston Celtics want to build around Rajon Rondo rather than trade him.

Buying or Selling?

We'll buy this one, but it's entirely possible Ainge winds up dealing Rondo down the road if he can get an upgrade at the position.

With guys like Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook unavailable, the Celtics face a challenge in building around the mercurial point guard.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett Headed to the Nets

The Buzz

You better sit down for this.

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will both be members of the Brooklyn Nets come mid-July according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

Per Woj, the Celtics will receive Gerald Wallace, Kris Joseph, the expiring contract of Kris Humphries and three first-round picks (2014, 2016, 2018) in exchange for Garnett, Pierce and Jason Terry. Boston will also have the right to swap first rounders with Brooklyn in 2017 if the Nets have the higher pick.

Brooklyn will send the Celtics MarShon Brooks and do a sign-and-trade involving Keith Bogans as well. Garnett has agreed to waive his no-trade clause to help facilitate the deal.

Buying or Selling?

We have to buy.

Three first-round draft picks will be instrumental in aiding in the Celtics' restoration project and Humphries can be sent packing after one season.

The three years and $30 million left on Wallace's contract is what's cause for a face palm. Parting ways with Terry in the deal helps soften that financial blow a bit.

With Garnett agreeing to waive his no-trade clause, there's no reason to believe this won't go through, and while it is going to be difficult to come to grips with, the Celtics can now officially begin their rebuild.

Finally.

Boston Celtics Interested in Greg Oden?

The Buzz

Per ESPN's Jeff Goodman, the Boston Celtics are among a handful of teams to have interest in the Greg Oden reclamation project.

Given the Celtics are playing for nothing during the 2013-14 season, it makes some sense.

Buying or Selling?

We'll buy that Boston is interested, but we'll sell on the notion that's where he'll wind up.

Goodman writes "a source close to Oden told ESPN's J.A. Adande that the Cavaliers and Spurs appear to be the best fits at this time," and that seems just about right.

Oden has Cleveland ties, while the Spurs would be a nice landing spot for Oden to resurrect his career without enormous pressure.

Celtics Waive Terrence Williams

The Buzz

Per Celtics.com, Boston has waived Terrence Williams.

The guard/forward appeared in 24 regular-season and five playoff games for the Celtics during the 2012-13 campaign.

Buying or Selling?

Boston is in the early stages of a complete rebuilding overhaul and it comes as no surprise that Williams isn't a part of their future.

He was never an integral part of their rotation and after acquiring Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks and Keith Bogans in the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce trade with the Nets, there was no need to bring him back.

Williams has played with four different teams during his three seasons in the NBA and will now begin searching for a new home once again.

Boston Signs MoMo Jones

The Buzz

Per Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, the Celtics have signed guard MoMo Jones.

The undrafted Jones split time in college between Arizon and Iona.

Buying or Selling

Normally, you don't really sell moves of this magnitude, because they don't do much anyway.

Boston is in need of deepening the point guard position (among other things) and have begun to stockpile "assets" in the backcourt.

Jones, like Phil Pressey, is undersized and his court vision is in need of some fine tuning. At 6'0", he's essentially a combo guard trapped an (undersized) point guard's body. Work needs to be done to help him make the jump to the NBA, but the Celtics suddenly have time to invest in potential projects.

If nothing else, be enthused that you may have the opportunity to see Jones' quick first step in action.