Morning sports update: Adrian Wojnarowski says Celtics are unwilling to trade ‘core wing players’
The NBA insider believes the Celtics' options at center are "better than really anything that's available to them in the marketplace."
The Celtics defeated the Mavericks on Wednesday night in Dallas, 109-103. Kemba Walker led Boston with 32 points. The team will be back at TD Garden on Friday night to face the Pistons at 7:30 p.m.
The Bruins face the Islanders at home tonight. The puck drops at 7 p.m.
And the Patriots face the Bills on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in a vital AFC East matchup.
The latest Celtics trade rumors: With the Celtics currently sitting second in the Eastern Conference, speculation has already begun over what the team could add in a trade.
On Wednesday, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski weighed in, explaining that Gordon Hayward and fellow “core wing players” aren’t currently on the trading block.
“They could certainly use a veteran center at that position with Joel Embiid in the East, [and] Marc Gasol,” said Wojnarowski, “but Boston’s not willing to give up any of their core wing players. And right now the Celtics, with kind of the three-headed monster they have at center is better than really anything that’s available to them in the marketplace.”
Wojnarowski singled out one Celtics center in particular.
“Robert Williams has been a revelation in his second season, their first-round pick last year,” Wojnarowski explained. “His agent, Kevin Bradbury, tells me [Williams] is going to get reevaluated in a couple of weeks. He’s got an inflamed hip. They’re waiting to hear from one more specialist. But Williams is a player that Boston — not just for the short term, but the long term — has a chance to have great staying power at that center position.”
Williams was selected by Boston with the 27th pick in the 2018 NBA draft.
Trivia: Tom Brady is the only player still active in the NFL from the 2000 draft. The second-to-last active player retired in April. Who was it?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He was a first-round pick by the Raiders.
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James Harrison said Stephon Gilmore is the Defensive Player of the Year
:
Harris – On? Harris – Off?@ColinCowherd and @jharrison9292 select NFL Award Winners: pic.twitter.com/yKfKZMLL23
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) December 18, 2019
The Patriots had a pair of CFL players in for a tryout:
The Patriots had RB William Stanback (Montreal Alouettes) and CB Marcus Sayles (Winnipeg Blue Bombers) in for free-agent workouts. The team has two openings on the practice squad. Also, this is the time of year when 2020 reserve/future contracts could become a consideration.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) December 18, 2019
Antonio Brown may have forgotten what round Tom Brady was drafted in:
NFL respect my greatness best 6 rounder all time ! pic.twitter.com/sSay01E6Ti
— AB (@AB84) December 18, 2019
On this day: In 2012, Paul Pierce dropped 40 points on Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers in a 103-91 Celtics win.
Daily highlight: Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo out-jumped Sampdoria defenders on Wednesday to score the decisive goal in a 2-1 win. He met the ball 8.39 feet in the air, according to the BBC.
“Ronaldo remained in the air for infinite time,” his shocked manager, Maurizio Sarri, said afterward.
Trivia answer: Sebastian Janikowski
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