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Celtics Wyc Grousbeck says 'you can’t stay in the second apron' just as team is about to go deep into it

Sacramento Kings v Boston Celtics

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 10: Owner Wyc Grousbeck of the Boston Celtics reacts during the second half of a game against the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden on January 10, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

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Wyc Grousbeck and his family may have just sold the Boston Celtics to Bill Chisholm and his investors for a record $6.1 billion. Grousbeck will remain as team governor and work with the new owners through 2028.

That has raised one big question: The Boston Celtics are about to get historically expensive, are Chisholm and his team going to pay up to keep a championship team together? Next season, the Celtics' payroll is expected to be around $230 million — they have $225 million on the books without re-signing Al Horford or Luke Kornet, both free agents — and that would bring a luxury tax bill of around $270 million, or a total of $500 million to keep this contending roster together? Will the new owners pay that?

The question isn't the money, it's the second apron basketball penalties that will keep Boston from living above the tax line, Grousbeck said during a recent WEEI appearance.

"It's not the luxury tax bill, it's the basketball penalties. The new CBA was designed by the league to stop teams from going crazy. They decided that it's not good enough to go after the wallets because the fans can be like, 'Hey find someone who can afford to spend $500 million dollars a year or whatever it is, like the English Premier League...

"The basketball penalties mean that it's even more of a premium now to have your basketball general manager be brilliant and lucky. Because you have to navigate because you can't stay in the second apron, nobody will, I predict, for the next 40 years of the CBA, no one is going to stay in the second apron more than two years."

Grousbeck speaks the truth. What are those restrictions? Second apron teams cannot:

• Aggregate salaries in trades, they can only send out one player (plus picks)
• Take back more salary than they send out in a trade,
• Send cash in trades
• Use the midlevel exception
• Make a sign-and-trade deal
• Cannot sign anyone on the buyout market who made more than the mid-level exception
• Cannot trade its ts first-round draft pick seven years into the future (2032 for Boston this summer). If a team is over the second apron for two of the following four years after that (or three of five), then said pick drops to the end of the first round (regardless of where the team falls in the standings).

The second apron restrictions make team building nearly impossible, and it's one of the reasons the Clippers and Warriors — two teams with ownership more than willing to spend to win — dropped below that apron this season.

Grousbeck went out of his way in the interview to praise Brad Stevens, but how the Celtics executive is going to get this team below that tax line is not easy to envision. Next season Jayson Tatum will make $54.1 million as his new max deal kicks in, Jaylen Brown will make $53.1 million, Jrue Holiday is at $32.4 million, Kristaps Porzingis at $30.7 million and Derrick White at $28.1 million. There will be no easy cuts.

Just don't expect the Celtics to spend that freely. The second apron is not a hard cap, but for the foreseeable future, it's going to act like one.

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Grizzlies center Brandon Clarke out for season with sprained knee

Memphis Grizzlies backup center Brandon Clarke is out for the season due to a "high-grade PCL sprain in his right knee," the team announced.

The injury happened against Portland last Wednesday as Clarke defended Scoot Henderson on a drive to the basket.

This is a tough blow for Clarke and the Grizzlies.

This was another unfortunate fluke injury for Clarke, who had missed almost all of last season with a torn Achilles. It ended a solid bounce-back season in which he averaged 8.5 points and 5.1 rebounds a game while playing quality defense.

For the Grizzlies, they lose a key part of their frontcourt rotation. Clarke was rock solid off the bench and an anchor anchor Memphis' second unit. Clarke also started 14 games this season when Jaren Jackson Jr. was out. Memphis feels much thinner up front now heading into the playoffs.

The Grizzlies have dropped three straight and slid back to fifth in the West but are still within a game of the Denver Nuggets at No. 3 (with the now-healthy Lakers in fourth). Memphis is just three games back of No. 2 seed Houston. However, the Grizzlies need to look over their shoulders because a hot Warriors team is now just two games behind them with 11 games left to play.

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Report: Steph to join Warriors in Miami, status vs. Heat uncertain

Report: Steph to join Warriors in Miami, status vs. Heat uncertain originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors won’t be without Steph Curry for long.

Curry will join the Warriors in Miami, with his status for Tuesday’s matchup against the Heat dependent on treatment response for his pelvic bruise over the next two days, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday, citing sources.

Curry exited the Warriors’ 117-114 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday after suffering a pelvic contusion in the third quarter. An MRI on Friday revealed that Curry sustained no structural damage, with the Warriors announcing the superstar point guard would be re-evaluated Monday.

It appears there’s optimism Curry could be available Tuesday after Golden State struggled without the two-time NBA MVP in a 124-115 loss to the Atlanta Hawks Saturday.

Golden State is in the midst of a crucial six-game road trip as the Warriors cling to the Western Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed in a jam-packed postseason race.

The Warriors have been able to tread water without Curry during the 2024-25 NBA season, posting a 7-4 record when the superstar guard isn’t active.

However, it’s clear how critical Curry is to the Warriors’ pursuit of avoiding the NBA Play-In Tournament, and with little room for error it seems Golden State will do everything possible to get its franchise cornerstone back on the court as soon as possible.

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How the Knicks can solve their recent offensive woes

The Washington Wizards' defense was the perfect remedy for a struggling Knicks offense. After scoring 105 or fewer points in three of the last four games, New York (44-26) was able to find an offensive rhythm in a 122-103 win against the lowly Wizards on Saturday.

Despite the victory, New York’s offense has hit a rough patch this season. In the last 15 games, the Knicks are ranked 25th in offensive efficiency, scoring 109.7 points per 100 possessions. Once the top-ranked offense earlier in the season, the Knicks have dropped to fifth in the category. A part of the recent slide can be attributed to the absence of Jalen Brunson, who has missed the last eight games due to an ankle injury. But some of New York’s nadir in the category happened with the All-Star point guard in the lineup.

The three-point line has recently proven to be a significant concern for New York. The Knicks are struggling to get up threes, ranking 21st in attempts per 100 possessions. When the Knicks are able to hoist shots from deep regularly, they are not converting. New York is 24th in three-point percentage (34.6 percent) during this time span. The corner three has been a weapon for Knicks teams under the Tom Thibodeau era. The club is shooting a league-worst 30.2 percent on corner threes during this span of games.

Where the Knicks miss Brunson the most is his ability to drive in the paint and kick out to open shooters. New York’s other core players, such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, often drive into the teeth of the defense with blinders on. They are primarily looking to score rather than set up teammates. Per NBA Stats, the Knicks have the third-lowest rate in assists on drives in the last 15 games.

One of New York’s weaknesses this season and last has been a lack of secondary creation from a perimeter player. Even when Brunson returns, some teams have discovered ways to slow down the Knicks' offense effectively. Strategies such as having a center guard Josh Hart, while putting a wing on Towns, have been effective. Also, teams trapping Brunson in the pick-and-roll has worked at times too.

Ways to solve the scoring woes

The easiest solution for the Knicks is to shoot better. Several players have been in slumps. Cam Payne is shooting just 30.3 percent over the last 20 games after a hot start earlier in the season. Hart has cooled down considerably and is often reluctant to shoot now.

One strategy that has worked for the Knicks is turning defense into offense. During this offensive stupor, the Knicks’ defense has ranked 10th, much better than earlier this season. New York has found scoring opportunities in transition off of misses and forcing opponents into turnovers.

Also, the team is going to need internal improvements in playmaking. Bridges has stepped into a bigger role amid Brunson’s absence. He’s averaging 5.0 assists in eight games without Brunson in the lineup. Though Bridges has shown an effective pull-up shooting game out of the pick-and-roll, he’s lagged as a passer and playmaker for most of the season.

Bridges’ recent increase in reps as a creator on offense could be an important development for the Knicks offense once Brunson returns.

New York’s offense has largely been a success this season, but this recent slide has highlighted some weaknesses, like the team’s overreliance on Brunson. But it does give the team an opportunity to put players in different positions and figure out different solutions.