The Boston Celtics announced Tuesday that the team has picked up the contract option on guard Rajon Rondo for the 2008-09 season. Per team policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The second-year man out of Kentucky averaged 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.43 steals per game during the 2007-08 preseason. The 6?1 guard, who started all seven of the Celtics' preseason contests, was originally acquired in a draft night trade from the Phoenix Suns along with Brian Grant and cash considerations in exchange for a future first round pick on June 28, 2006.
March 2007 Boston Celtics Wiretap
The Timberwolves negotiated on Saturday to buy out the contract of veteran forward Juwan Howard, a move that once finalized will get them to their 15-player roster limit by Monday's 5 p.m. deadline.
The Wolves also are expected to release Wayne Simien -- acquired with Antoine Walker and Michael Doleac in Wednesday's trade with Miami -- by Monday. Simien is the only one of those three players who was told not to report to the team.
"We've finally gotten down to a number," said Wolves coach Randy Wittman, who added that another roster move always could happen but that he doesn't expect one. "We can move forward now."
Howard hugged teammates goodbye after Friday's exhibition finale at Target Center and did not attend the Wolves' public scrimmage there on Saturday evening.
On Friday, newly acquired Antoine Walker -- who, like Howard, was a former Chicago schoolboy star -- joined the Wolves. By Saturday, the teammate he knew longest was gone.
"I'm disappointed," said Walker, who, at age 31, is three years younger than Howard. "I was looking forward to it. Me and Juwan grew up as kids together. He was in high school when I was in elementary school. He was a big star in Chicago. I know he's thinking of trying to play for a championship, so hopefully best of luck to him."
Expect him to choose to play for a list of teams such as Boston, where he'd finally get a chance to play with Garnett, Cleveland, Dallas, San Antonio, Miami and Phoenix.
Celtics' guard Tony Allen is not expected to get a contract extension before the Oct. 31 deadline, according to an NBA source.
Allen is eligible for the extension because he was drafted in 2004. The 6-foot-4-inch, 213-pounder showed promise by averaging 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals last season but missed the last 48 games because of left knee ACL surgery. He is making $1.8 million this season, the last year of his contract, and will be a restricted free agent next summer.
The source said a combination of Allen's knee injury and the lack of 2004 class members getting extensions are the main reasons he isn't expected to be rewarded now.
"I know what I'm capable of doing," said Allen, who averaged 4.8 points in the preseason. "I'm in a great situation over here, and the ball is just not in my court. It's in the organization's court."
Kevin Garnett made a statement against LeBron James and the defending Eastern Conference champions.
Garnett had 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Boston Celtics to a 114-89 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the teams' final preseason game on Friday night.
Ray Allen scored 20 points and Paul Pierce 12 in a game that was more intense than most preseason contests.
"Obviously, you're a little jacked up because its the Eastern Conference champions," Garnett said.
The Boston Celtics announced today that the team has requested waivers on guards Dahntay Jones and Jackie Manuel. The training camp roster now stands at 14.
Jones, who signed as a free agent on September 26, 2007, appeared in six preseason games, averaging 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per game.
Manuel was signed as a free agent on August 2, 2007. He appeared in five preseason games for the Celtics averaging 1.0 point in 4.6 minutes per game.
The Boston Celtics announced Thursday that the team has requested waivers on guards Dahntay Jones and Jackie Manuel. The training camp roster now stands at 14.
Jones, who signed as a free agent on September 26, 2007, appeared in six preseason games, averaging 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per game.
Manuel was signed as a free agent on August 2, 2007. He appeared in five preseason games for the Celtics, averaging 1.0 point in 4.6 minutes per game.
According to an NBA official, the league didn't announce any review yesterday of the film of the Celtics-Knicks game Monday night, which included physical incidents involving most notably Paul Pierce, as well as Tony Allen. The official also said there is no timetable for any such announcement on whether there will be punishments. One reason the NBA might not be in a rush is because the Celtics don't play a regular-season game until Nov. 2 against Washington.
The incident involving Pierce occurred when teammate Ray Allen fell hard after being fouled by New York's Jamal Crawford with 4:55 remaining in the third quarter of Boston's 94-87 loss. Allen's teammates immediately rushed to his defense, with Pierce grabbing Crawford's chin. Tony Allen later seemed to push Knicks' guard Nate Robinson after they got tangled up in the fourth quarter.
When asked if the Knicks were ever in the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes, Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said: "The hottest it ever got was with Boston. I think it was a deal that they had together [with Minnesota], then it was in the media and then it cooled down and then they were able to put it back together again. But I don't think [the Wolves] were ever serious with anyone else in terms of moving him."
Dana Barros, the former Celtic and Boston College star, has come back on board as a member of the team?s community relations department after a brief stint in a similar position at City Hall.
There may also be an expanded role for him, perhaps in basketball operations. Though for Barros, who still hasn?t lost the playing bug, it may not be the one he wants.
?I wouldn?t try it anywhere else, but I?d come back here to play,? Barros said.
The NBA preseason game between the New Jersey Nets and the Boston Celtics was canceled after one half Friday night because of court conditions at the DCU Center.
Boston led 36-33 at halftime when the game was called because of dampness on the floor after ice beneath the court began melting.
The arena is used for minor league hockey.