Joe Mazzulla likes what he has.
As the NBA commerce deadline rapidly approaches on Thursday at 3 p.m., Mazzulla mentioned he talks day by day with president basketball of operations Brad Stevens, who’s figuring out what strikes the Celtics might make. But Mazzulla is taking extra of a listening function. He appears content material along with his roster, which leads the NBA with a 38-12 report.
“The most important thing for me is never being a coach that always feels like we have to have something,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Very comfy with our roster, very assured with 1 by way of 17, and all people on our roster has achieved one thing to affect profitable, and that’s an important factor. So that’s form of my focus. …
“It’s (Stevens’) job to obviously make that decision. But I never want to be a coach that feels like you always have to have something else. More about just focusing on what we want to make better. That’s kind of where I’m at. He does what he does.”
The Celtics definitely don’t have any vital wants. Stevens mentioned unprompted final month that they might goal a “big wing” for depth, however that it might come internally. The C’s, who’ve an open roster spot, might add a backup large for some insurance coverage in the event that they’re not able to convert Neemias Queta’s two-way contract into a regular one, they usually have a traded participant exception price about $6.2 million for an addition.
Stevens acknowledged final month that any addition received’t be a game-changer and that the Celtics are restricted financially by what they will do. And like final season, Stevens desires to watch out to not disrupt the robust chemistry they’ve. Inside the locker room, the complete roster has accepted and embraced their roles, which is one thing they don’t take as a right.
“There’s two ways when you add players to your team,” Stevens mentioned in January. “They can add to your team and take away from your team. I think you just got to be careful. And so that’s something to think about when you have as many guys that are complementing each other as well as ours.”
Stevens wished to see how their bench gamers would carry out nicely within the month main into the deadline. The likes of Queta, Luke Kornet and Oshae Brissett have responded with some robust efforts. But a transfer to fortify the roster in pursuit of a championship nonetheless can’t be dominated out, even when Mazzulla is content material with staying put. He’s placing it in Stevens’ fingers.
“At the end of the day, we have one of the best teams in the league and I think we have one of the best rosters, and so my focus is to try to just maximize that,” Mazzulla mentioned. “That’s kind of the mindset you have to have. If you always sit there and say we need something else, you’re missing an opportunity to grow at something, so just try not to do that.”
White, Porzingis omitted
With Joel Embiid and Julius Randle unable to take part within the All-Star Game as a result of damage, there was some hope that Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis might nonetheless get an All-Star nod as damage replacements. But that dream died on Tuesday, as Atlanta’s Trae Young and Toronto’s Scottie Barnes had been chosen because the replacements for Embiid and Randle. The determination was made by NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
White was requested a number of hours earlier than the announcement about his hope to nonetheless make the All-Star group however wasn’t placing a lot thought into it.
“If it happens, that’d be awesome. But if not, I’ll just focus on these next few games and have a good All-Star break,” White mentioned. “So either way, I’m just trying to focus on what’s going on right now.”
Tip-ins
The Celtics have 5 video games remaining over the subsequent week earlier than the All-Star break, however Mazzulla isn’t trying ahead to any day without work. “I hate breaks,” Mazzulla mentioned. “I wish there wasn’t even a halftime. Just keep playing.” …
Jaylen Brown is significantly contemplating taking part within the dunk contest throughout All-Star weekend, in accordance with The Athletic’s Shams Charania. He could be the primary Celtics participant since Gerald Green in 2007 and the primary All-Star participant since 2017 to take part within the dunk contest.
It’s unclear when an announcement would come, however Mazzulla helps him if he decides to do it and thinks he could be good at it.
“He’d be good at anything he tries,” Mazzulla mentioned. …
Brown, who missed Sunday’s win over the Grizzlies with a decrease again pressure, practiced on Tuesday and was faraway from the damage report. Jrue Holiday is questionable for Wednesday’s sport in opposition to the Hawks as a result of a proper elbow sprain.
Source: www.bostonherald.com