2 reasons why the Nets buying out Joe Johnson is good for the Celtics

                                                       Photo courtesy of usatoday.com

The Brooklyn Nets bought out the rest of Joe Johnson's contract on Thursday, meaning that he will immediately be a free agent, and is now able to sign with any team that is interested in him.

The list of teams interested in Johnson's services is reportedly pretty long, including roughly seven teams. The Celtics are one of the teams that seem to be interested, but it is not likely that Johnson will want to come to Boston.

Johnson is 34 years old, and will likely sign a short one year contract. The seven time All-Star will probably look to sign on with a team like the Cavaliers or the Thunder, or other teams who have legitimate chances of winning a championship this year. Johnson has made more than his fair share of money since entering the league, and has not had much playoff success since he left Phoenix in 2005. Chances are, he will want to go somewhere and win right away.

Johnson started his career with a brief stint in Boston in 2001. The Celtics drafted Johnson, then traded him in February of 2002, his rookie year.

Regardless of where Johnson ends up, his departure from Brooklyn is still a good thing for the Celtics. The Nets currently have the fourth worst record in the NBA, and losing Johnson for nothing in exchange certainly won't make them any better. Of course, this is good for Boston because they own the rights to Brooklyn's first round pick in the 2016 draft. Johnson is only averaging around 10 points per game, but he has a knack for hitting the big shot, and Brooklyn should struggle even more without him.

Celtics look shaky after All-Star break

                                                          Photo courtesy of nba.com

The Boston Celtics have played four games since the week long All-Star break, and haven't exactly looked like world beaters. The Celtics have gone 2-2, which is not awful, but there have been some obvious flaws in the Celtics game.

The Celtics first game break from the game may have been their most disappointing in the four game stretch. The Celtics lost to the Jazz in Utah, 111-93. The Jazz are not a great team, and considering the fact that the Celtics are in third place in the Eastern Conference, they should beat teams like Utah. It was apparent during this game that some of the Celtics were still on vacation.

They were able to bounce back on Sunday when the team traveled to Denver to take on the Nuggets. The Celtics handled the Nuggets, and came away with the 121-101 win. The Nuggets are considered in the leagues lower tier of teams, so the Celtics should be expected to win these kind of games.

The Celtics had a quick turnaround before their next game, as they played the second game of a back-to-back on Monday in Minnesota. This one was a heart breaker, as the Celtics fell to the Timberwolves 124-122. Marcus Smart tried to steal the win with a three at the buzzer, but fell short. Isaiah Thomas was noticeably open on the play, and may have been the better option in that situation. Regardless, how can you give up 124 points to a team who is 18-40 on the season? I understand that it was their second game in a row, but playoff teams shouldn't have those types of games.

Boston had a few days off before heading home and hosting the Bucks tonight. The Celtics looked good for most of the night, although they let Milwaukee creep back into the game in the fourth quarter. The Celtics were able to hold on though, as Isaiah Thomas put on a show and secured the 112-107 win.

If the Celtics are going to compete in the Eastern Conference, they will need to pick it up here in the home stretch. They will need to lock down on defense, and play better on the road if they want to succeed.

Looking ahead; draft prospects that Celtics should be watching

The NBA draft is still a long way away, but it's never too early to start speculating. College basketball season is heating up, and NBA scouts have already been hard at work evaluating every potential player that could be playing on the big stage this time next year.

One team that is paying close attention is the Boston Celtics, who have three first round picks this year, one of which could realistically be anywhere from 1st and 7th overall. This not a particularly deep draft, but there is definitely some NBA ready talent available. Here are some players that I think would fit in well with the Celtics current team.

Ben Simmons- Power Forward, LSU (photo courtesy of washingtonpost.com)

In the perfect world, the Celtics would land the #1 pick and draft Simmons. This remains a possibility, as the Nets, who traded the Celtics their pick, enter the second half of the season with the third worst record in the NBA. Throw in a little magic from the NBA's flawed draft lottery, and the Celtics end up picking first. Simmons will surely end up with whoever gets that pick, as the Freshman has been nothing short of spectacular this season. Simmons is averaging over 19 points and 12 rebounds per game. Simmons was already projected to be the first overall pick in next years draft before he even played his first college game, and quickly proved his dominance in early December when he put up 43 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists in a win against North Florida. Simmons is advanced in his passing skills for a big man, but will need a lot of work on his jump shot. Other than that, Simmons is all upside. 

Brandon Ingram- Small Forward, Duke (photo courtesy of sbnation.com)

Ingram is another sensational Freshman who scouts have been excited about for quite some time. Ingram is the top candidate to land at the #2 pick, and would probably be considered the top prospect if it weren't for Ben Simmons. Ingram is a 6'9 Forward whose scoring style has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant. Ingram will need to hit the weights if he wants to succeed in the NBA, though. Despite his height, he only weighs in at 190 pounds. Ingram is averaging 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his first college season. I think it will take a year or two before Ingram starts dominating in the NBA, but he definitely will be able to provide help on offense for any team.

Dragan Bender- Power Forward/Center, Croatia (photo courtesy of sneaker news.com)

It seems like every year there is a European big man that catches the eye of NBA scouts. Bender is viewed as this years Kristaps Porzingas. European players don't always pan out in the NBA, and it is hard to evaluate these players given the level of talent they are playing against. With that being said, Bender has had success in international games while competing for the Croatian team. He has great shooting range for a player of his height, and he can put the ball on the floor pretty well. Like Brandon Ingram, Bender will have to bulk up if he wants to reach his potential as an NBA player, especially as a big man. He has the height of a Center, but plays more like a Power Forward because of his shooting skills and his slender frame.  Overall, I think that Bender could still be the steal of the draft.

Celtics remain inactive as the trade deadline passes

                                                   (photo courtesy of bostonglobe.com)

After months of constant trade rumors and speculation, the trade deadline has come and gone and the Celtics remains the same. This comes as a surprise to many, as Boston is in a position to make a playoff run and has the pieces in place to make a blockbuster trade.

In the end, what it came down to was Ainge's decision to not trade the Celtics highly coveted first round draft pick courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets. The pick is expected to be one of the best in next years draft, and Ainge did not feel comfortable sending away a potential future superstar in exchange for a veteran player who could come in and contribute to the team now, but not for long.

Many rumors linked the Celtics to the Atlanta Hawks Center Al Horford. However, the Hawks would have wanted either the Nets pick or another young talent like Marcus Smart and other players in exchange for Horford. This would have been too big of a risk for Ainge, as Horford will be a free agent next year and is expected to demand a max salary. It would not be worth trading future talent in order to rent Horford for maybe just half a season.

The Celtics were also reportedly very active in trade talks with the Houston Rockets. Rockets Center Dwight Howard was one of the top players on the Celtics radar, but Howard's career has been in a downward spiral since leaving the Orlando Magic. Howard's was too big of a mystery to teams around the league, so he will stay put in Houston for at least the remainder of this season.

After the Celtics were one of the most active teams leading up to last years trade deadline, some fans will be disappointed by the Celtics inactivity this year. Realistically it is a good thing, because there was not a superstar available who was worth the Celtics draft picks and other assets. The Celtics are now set up to make a splash either in the draft, in free agency, or both. Your move, Danny Ainge.

Celtics midseason awards

The first half of the NBA season concludes tonight, marking the beginning of the All-Star break. While all the brightest stars in the league will be making the trip to Toronto for the weekends All-Star festivities, the rest of the league will have a week to reflect on where there team stands and how they can improve before returning back to action on Thursday February 18th.

The first half of the season has been a pleasant surprise for the Boston Celtics, who have soared to a 32-23 record which is good enough for 3rd place in the Eastern Conference just a year after a very similar roster only carried them to a 7th place finish.

Being a blogger who only writes about the Celtics, I figured now would be an appropriate time to do some reflecting of my own, and hand out some meaningless midseason team awards.

Most Improved: Jae Crowder (photo courtesy of unionleader.com)

Crowder has shown constant improvement in his offensive game since coming to Boston in the Rajon Rondo trade last year. Before the trade Crowder only averaged 3.6 points per game with Dallas. In 57 games with Boston after the trade, he averaged 9.5. In his 55 appearances this year, Crowder has upped his scoring average to a career high 14.1 points per game, while also averaging career highs in rebounding, assists, steals, field goal percentage, and 3 point field goal percentage. Need I say more?                                                    

Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Smart  (photo courtesy of celticslife.com) 

Although Smart continues to improve on the offensive end, his defense has proved to be his most valuable asset to the Celtics. Despite playing 5 minutes less per game than Crowder, Smart's 1.7 steals per game are just .1 behind Jae Crowder for the team lead. his pesky hustle has provided a spark on numerous occasions this season, most recently in the Celtics 1 point win over the Cavaliers. Coming off the bench, Smart provides an alternative to Isaiah Thomas when facing bigger guards, and can also relieve the other Celtics defensive minded guard, Avery Bradley.        

Sixth Man of the Year: Evan Turner (photo courtesy of csnphilly.com)                  

I'm sure when Evan Turner was drafted 2nd overall in the 2010 draft, he didn't envision himself as a bench player. his career didn't play out the way he expected to with Philadelphia or Indiana, but he seems to have found the perfect fit in Boston. Turner's 9.9 points per game won't jump out at you in the box-score, but it's when he scores them that matters. Time and time again, Turner has found himself not only on the floor but producing down the stretch in close games. Take last night for example, when Turner put up 7 points            

in a minute of overtime to push the Celtics past the

Clippers. He works almost like a pitch hitter, coming

in when he needs to and getting the job done.

MVP: (drumroll..) Isaiah Thomas  (photo courtesy of redsarmy.com)      

As the Celtics only All-Star selection, Thomas is the easy choice for team MVP. His averages of 21.5 points per game, 6.6 assists per game, and 3 rebounds per game are all career highs for the Celtics point guard. Thomas is also the teams emotional leader. I can imagine it's hard not to be inspired when your 5'9 teammate ferociously takes it to 7 footers seemingly every possession. Thomas' never quit attitude has been infectious to this Celtics team, and is one of the main reasons why you can never count them out. Averaging 6 more points and 3 more assists per game than he was at this time last year, Thomas could also have been considered for the most improved player of the team.

                                                                                                   

                                                                                                          

No move is the right move for the Celtics

(Photo courtesy of bostonglobe.com)

With the NBA trade deadline luring around the corner, trade rumors are starting to heat up. Teams who have underachieved thus far will look to unload expensive talent in exchange for cap space and draft picks, while teams who are still in contention will look to add key players who could contribute to a championship run. By 3 p.m. next Thursday, we will know who which teams are going all in and which teams are looking to rebuild. Some people say the real season doesn't actually begin until after the drama of the trade deadline unfolds.

The team with arguably the most tradable assets is the Boston Celtics. Boston has been in the hunt to land a big name player since they traded away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. The team may now have the pieces in place to make a deal, with 9 first round draft picks in the next four years at their disposal. 

The problem is, there doesn't seem to be a big impact player on the market. There has been speculation that Blake Griffin could become available because of how well the Clippers have played in his absence, and because he broke his fist while attacking a member of the teams staff. That is all speculation though, as the Clippers have not expressed any interest in a deal and are still competing well enough in the Western Conference to not shake things up. 

CSNNE's Chris Mannix reported Friday night that the Celtics had inquired about the Hawks Jeff Teague and Al Horford. I scratched my head in confusion when I first read this, because although Teague was an All-Star last year, Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas is on a tear right now. Point guard is the position where the Celtics need the least amount of help. A trade for Horford would make a little more sense, given that the Celtics need more of a true center and he is also a former All-Star. However, Horford is in the last year of his contract and is expected to request around $20 million wherever he signs in the offseason. That is a high asking price and a high risk for a guy who might be past his prime.

Although many Celtics fans are dying to see GM Danny Ainge pull the trigger and land a superstar, realistically it won't happen. The Celtics best move might be riding out the storm with the players they have. After all, the most valuable asset to this team is their Head Coach Brad Stevens. He has found a way to win with what the Celtics have now, so the front office shouldn't go switching it up on him like they did time after time last season. The Celtics sit at 3rd place in the Eastern Conference going into the All-Star break, and have won 11 of their last 13 games. The best move would be to ride the season out, then make the big move in the offseason.

Why a Celtics trade for Dwight Howard is an awful idea

                                       Photo courtesy of www.thecommittedgeneration.com

With the NBA trade deadline 2 weeks away, trade rumors are heating up. The New York Daily News reported on Wednesday that the Celtics had contacted the Houston Rockets regarding the trade availability of their not-so super-star center Dwight Howard. Celtics GM Danny Ainge didn't make much of the rumor when he made his weekly appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich.

"Right now there's nothing on the table and nothing is imminent. We're just having a lot of discussions in hopes that, come the deadline, we're prepared to make the right decisions."

The Rockets have repeatedly tried to convince the world that Howard is not on the market, but anybody who has paid any attention to the team during the season sees right through those remarks. The team is underachieving greatly, going 26-25 thus far after reaching the Western Conference Finals last year. And let's be honest here, Dwight Howard isn't happy anywhere he goes.

Celtics fans should be crossing their fingers and hoping that Ainge was being truthful when he said that these talks weren't serious. Howard has played for three teams in the NBA, and has been labeled as a "team killer" on every one of them. His first stint came as a member of the Orlando Magic, where his team appeared the NBA Finals, but crumbled soon after after Howard got Head Coach Stan Van Gundy fired, then demanded a trade. The Los Angeles Lakers took the bait agains their better judgement, and were not impressed with the results. Howard instantly clashed with Kobe Bryant, couldn't stay healthy or make his free throws, and left via free agency after the Lakers were swept in the first round of the playoffs. The Houston Rockets took a chance and signed him, so here we are again with Dwight Howard on an underachieving team and being blamed for his teams lack of desire.

One thing that scouts constantly seem to overlook in the NBA, or in any sport, is a players attitude toward life and the sport. The Celtics are filled with hungry, underrated players who feel they have been disrespected. Isaiah Thomas was the last pick (60th overall) in the 2011 draft. He is an all-star now. Kawhi Leonard was drafted 15th overall in that same draft, and now he is an MVP candidate for the San Antonio Spurs. The Celtics need to get acquire more work horses like Thomas or Jae Crowder, instead of guys like Howard who seemingly have no desire to get better and are just out there to collect a pay-check.

Isaiah Thomas named All-Star reserve

                                                  Courtesy of www.bostonherald.com

Phew! Boston Celtics fans like myself can finally take a sigh of relief. Isaiah Thomas has been voted onto the Eastern Conference All-Star team as a reserve.

If it were up to the fans around the world, Thomas would not have made the list. Thomas was ranked ninth in fan votes amongst Eastern Conference guards when voting ended. Luckily for Thomas and Celtics, fans only vote for the starting lineups, and coaches vote for the reserves on the team.

Thomas is not the most popular player in the league, and that probably has a lot to do with his 5 foot 9 inch frame. He does not have the size and athleticism to fly above the rim like we expect All-Star players to do. However, his contributions to a winning team were hard to overlook for the coaches who voted for him. Thomas is averaging 21.5 points per game and 6.6 assists per game for a Celtics team who is in third place in the tightly contested Eastern Conference. These are both career highs for Thomas.

Fans around the league instantly criticized the decision to include Thomas on the team. Critics claimed that he is a liability on defense because of his size, and that his numbers are so good because of the lack of help around him.

These critics clearly have not watched many Celtics games this season. Yes, Thomas has sometimes been exposed on defense in the past, but he has been rejuvenated since coming to Boston. Celtics Head Coach Brad Stevens recently praised Thomas for his all around play.

"He's not only a dynamic scorer, but the way that he's able to run the offense, the way that he's been able to defend for us, just his all-around game, I think, obviously, he's helped our team," said Stevens.

The argument that he is scoring so much because he has to is also bogus. His team is in third place in the Eastern Conference, so to say that the Celtics have no other options is a stretch.

Just give the man the credit he deserves. Or don't, it's nothing new to Isaiah Thomas.