Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
The Knicks haven’t given up hope on including the Celtics as a partner in a potential deal for Carmelo Anthony, sending a scout to Saturday’s Celtics-Bucks game.
While Celtics management told the Knicks they aren’t interested in the nine-time All-Star, the Knicks are pushing to move Anthony, according to an NBA source, and they’re intrigued by some of the Celtics’ players.
A source indicated that Knicks president Phil Jackson has instructed management to move Anthony, who has a no-trade clause but included the Celtics as one of the teams for whom he’d waive the clause. Boston could become part of a potential three-team deal that would send Anthony to another club, perhaps the Clippers.
Globe: Could Celtics become part of a Carmelo Anthony trade?
I’ve said it over and over and over again… I do NOT want Carmelo Anthony. Danny Ainge is smart in shooting down these overtures from the New York Knicks, even as Brad Stevens signals an openness to it.
However… the idea of being a facilitator is always an intriguing one, even though it becomes a longer shot. We can pop names and numbers into the trade machine all day long, but the likelihood of a deal getting done decreases with every team added into the mix.
Still the Clippers could be the landing spot that makes the most sense. Doc Rivers is unlikely to do the ol’ Ctrl-Alt-Delete on his squad (we don’t need to re-live the reasons why he left Boston, do we?) He’s much more likely to opt for the Ctrl-F5 hard refresh… hoping that a fresh face can be the cure for what ails his team (side note: Did you see what happened to them last night? Ouch.).
But does Carmelo Anthony cure what ails the Clippers? More importantly, can the Clippers swing a deal that lands them Anthony without giving up a key piece of their core? We’re dreaming of facilitating a trade that gets us Blake Griffin, but why bother moving Griffin and adding Anthony? Unless they can do that deal and then also beef up their bench, they’re taking a step backwards.
The Knicks are actively shopping Melo and they’re hoping to find him a new home soon. As long as they’re doing that, the Celtics will be mentioned in the rumors because, as we all know, they’ve got all the pieces needed to be part of a deal like this. As much as I have serious doubts about the possibility of a deal like this… this isn’t going away any time soon.
Related links: CSNNE: Mannix: Celtics stand as only realistic option for Carmelo Anthony, Knicks
Page 2: Isaiah Thomas wants some new uniforms
Green and white on the road, white and green at home, same as it’s been since the dawn of the NBA in 1946. (The team also has three alternative uniforms, but most of the time they are locked in the throwback era.)
This means a lot to Isaiah Thomas, who likes variety and some updated flair in his uniforms. Purists may be shocked by what the Celtics guard has to say about the old green and white.
“I wish we could change our regular ones. We wear throwbacks every game. We wear the hardwood classics every game,” Thomas said. “I wish we could put some black in there. Most teams have three colors. It would be nice if our home jerseys were green and white with a little bit of black, and our regular away jerseys could be the green and black.”
Herald: Isaiah Thomas eager for Celtics uniform updates
Hmmm…
Let’s check in with the Boston fan base to see their reaction to this…
Pretty tough to advocate for the ditching of the classic Celtics look so soon after the jersey advertisement announcement, but everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Personally, I’m open to a home alternate that incorporates some black into it. I wouldn’t want to make it the regular home option, but I’d like to see where Nike (which is taking over uniforms next season) would go with it. Hell, at this point, we’ve got a few different alternates anyway… what’s one more?
Take it easy on Isaiah, though… I’m sure he doesn’t realize how much we connect with the classic look.
And Finally…
In the locker room afterward, the Celtics were so loud it could be tough to hear the player being interviewed. Jae Crowder and Isaiah Thomas rehashed big plays, and Gerald Green let it be known how much he likes Malcolm Brogdon’s game. At one point, Green looked over at rookie Jaylen Brown — who had just finished a nice game — and said, “Rook, get me a plate.” The hallway held a spread for Celtics players.
Oh hey you almost got a double-double? IDGAF gemme my plate and make it good.
The rest of the links:
CSNNE: Crowder’s play key in Celtics victory | Celtics make big plays down the stretch to beat Bucks in OT
WEEI: Celtics show grit in OT win
Globe: D’Antoni has Rockets taking off | Celtics get past Bucks in OT
Herald: Second effort pushes Celtics past Bucks | Horford misses trip to Milwaukee but more comfortable with new team
Mass Live: IT’s 37 points, Crowder’s late free throws push Celtics past Bucks
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