Roundup
Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers
Toronto Raptors
Payton Pritchard’s team-friendly Celtics deal, Atlantic Division roundup
Payton Pritchard agrees to a two-year, $44.2 million extension with the Celtics as the Sixers, Nets and Knicks tweak their rotations early in the season.
By the PickALeague Newsroom · Published · Source: PickALeagueSummary written with AI assistance — how we workLire en français →
There were no Atlantic Division teams on the floor last night, but there was plenty of movement off it. Boston locked in a key guard on a new deal, Philadelphia balanced health concerns with chemistry talk, and both Brooklyn and New York continued to reshape their frontcourts.
Celtics: Pritchard locked up on two-year, $44.2M deal
Hoops Rumors reports that the Boston Celtics and guard Payton Pritchard have agreed to a two-year veteran extension worth $44.2 million, featuring one guaranteed season and a mutual option. As CBS Sports points out, with an NBA championship and a Sixth Man of the Year award already on his résumé, Pritchard’s new deal is viewed as a bargain for Boston, especially with his role set to expand on a team that has opened the season 2-0.
76ers: Barlow’s unclear timeline, Caldwell-Pope on chemistry
For the Philadelphia 76ers (1-2), Hoops Rumors relays that head coach Nick Nurse still has no timeline for the return of Dominick Barlow. The forward, who traditionally plays power forward but could factor into the backup center mix when healthy, continues to be sidelined by back soreness. On a different front, CBS Sports notes that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope believes the Sixers’ success will hinge on how well the players like each other, stressing that their star-heavy roster will require sacrifice from everyone.
Nets and Knicks: Randle settled, center competition in New York
The Brooklyn Nets, off to a 3-0 start, have Julius Randle embracing his new surroundings. According to Hoops Rumors, Randle wasn’t upset about being dealt from a contending situation in Minnesota to a rebuilding Nets team, saying he’s grateful to be in a place where he feels valued, now with his fifth franchise in 13 seasons.
Across the East River, the New York Knicks (0-4) are sorting out their depth chart at center. Hoops Rumors reports that James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks and Tony Bradley are fighting to become the third center behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, with head coach Mike Brown calling the decision a difficult one. The Toronto Raptors (2-1) stayed out of the news cycle over the last 24 hours, with no major updates around the team.