NBA Notebook: Bol Bol thriving for Magic after Celtics traded him

When the Magic and Celtics faced each other in Orlando for the third game of the season, the Magic started the three front court players they knew. Wendell Carter Jr. cemented himself as the team's center of the future after arriving in 2021. Franz Wagner soared as a rookie. Paolo Banchero arrived as the No. 1 overall pick. Veteran Terrence Ross started at the two and 2020 draft pick Cole Anthony slid into the lineup with Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs hurt.

They played a tight quarter with Boston before Jamahl Mosley called on the 7-2 big man few truly knew much about despite flashes of Summer League brilliance and a name that resonates historically for many NBA fans. Bol Bol stepped off the Magic bench and on his first play, leaped around Grant Williams' screen and toward Malcolm Brogdon, who stood above the three-point line, and blocked his shot. Bol blocked Brogdon again above the arc 52 seconds later and stuffed Jaylen Brown cutting on the baseline after recovering from the free throw line. After a 126-120 win, some Celtics fans wondered what could've been. 

The Celtics quietly acquired Bol, the 23-year-old son of the late NBA legend Manute Bol, in a January cap-maneuvering trade with the Nuggets and Spurs as Boston struggled and prepared to move below the luxury tax line before the trade deadline. They shed Juancho Hernángomez' medium-sized contract into two small ones, PJ Dozier and Bol, both injured and on expiring deals with Denver. The Celtics fell to 23-23 after a loss to Charlotte on Jan. 19, and as they faced existential questions about their core, the prospect of acquiring a former top prospect who fell to No. 44 overall in the 2019 draft set a forward-facing tone for the rest of the season. Then, the Celtics traded Bol and Dozier to Orlando in a deadline salary dump to stay under the tax while acquiring Derrick White and Daniel Theis, and Orlando's patience paid off. Bol began his fourth NBA season averaging 12.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 1.7 BPG on 59.1% shooting (40.3% 3PT), becoming a Magic starter as one of the league's most improved.

"I've seen him quite a bit at Oregon before he got hurt there," Ime Udoka said in January. "Playing with Payton (Pritchard) and so (I) know about him, intriguing guy that can do a lot of things, obviously, and he's a guy that's a restricted free agent, so we can retain his rights and get a good look at him over the next few months."

Bol almost landed on the Pistons, who should be kicking themselves as much, if not more, than the Celtics. Detroit canceled its trade for Bol in January due to injury concerns that led the big man to undergo right foot surgery the day before the Celtics acquired him. He arrived at the Auerbach Center in a boot and crutches, a long way from playing and featuring a low-key demeanor as he sat in on some team meetings. Dozier never joined the team, so Bol's presence at practice indicated some intention on integrating him into the roster and eventually playing.

The Celtics, who collapsed regularly through the start of that winter, melted down one more time against the Trail Blazers before the turning point game against the Wizards where Marcus Smart ominously told his teammates he loved them, then had the game of his season leading an offensive outburst. Boston won 8-of-9 entering the trade deadline and their outlook changed, Brad Stevens admitted, trading two first-round picks to San Antonio for White. 

"I was injured, so really (I was) just rehabbing," Bol told Boston Sports Journal last weekend. "That was really about it. I just had surgery and I came straight here ... I was completely injured. My plan was just to get back on my feet at that time." 

Grant Williams remembered a quiet yet cordial teammate through their brief time together. Bol kept to himself in the recovery room for the most part while the Celtics focused on their daily push to get back on the floor. COVID protocols remained at their height, limiting interaction and adding more to the team's daily routine. Nobody got to know Bol well in Boston and it's easy to forget he officially joined the Celtics roster for nearly one month. 

"He was honestly a great kid, great guy," Grant told BSJ. "It's one of those things where you're in a situation where you're on the move, it's tough to bounce around like that."

Bol looked within after joining another team, the Celtics sending him to the Magic, where he again put his head down and recovered. Orlando wasn't necessarily his final destination either entering a busy offseason. His restricted and injured status made it more likely though, and the team signed him to a two-year, $4.4 million contract through 2024. Mosley and Bol sat down entering training camp, finally formulating a plan for him. 

"What else are we not seeing?" Mosley asked him.

"He's constantly talked about his ability to shoot the basketball. Obviously, you've seen that handle that he has, his ability to push the ball on the break, at times, protecting the rim, but then offensively, his ability to shoot the basketball."

It's hard to recognize Bol's game even if his slender, 7-8 frame reflects the same one he battled with during his short stint at Oregon. He only attempted 25 threes that college season, and while he hit 13 for a 52% mark, it's nothing professional teams could hang their hat on when he declared for the draft. Between his limited sample size of production and a left foot injury at his size, he fell and fell and fell despite entering draft night with some hype.  

The Nuggets selected him, an established team with front court mainstays that played him in 53 total games across his first three NBA seasons. It shocked Mosley, and Bol himself, how sparingly he had played when he arrived in Orlando. Bol watched tons of film over the summer entering training camp and focused his time specifically on the areas he felt weak in, determined to show a variety of skills in the preseason. 

"Playing every game," Bol said. "It's just been getting better for me, because I haven't been able to play a lot up until now. Just playing and having experience out there on the floor has been helping me ... I'd say they were surprised by my capability to space the floor. I feel like that's always been there for me." 

It took three games for him to reveal his potential to the Magic's staff as he focused on defense in limited minutes. He missed his lone attempt from deep in the 126-120 loss to the Celtics, and hit a three against the Knicks on his way to 19 points and four more blocks. He grabbed 10 rebounds and converted another three against the Cavaliers. He scored back-to-back double-doubles and averaged 2.6 blocks through his first nine games. 

He hit 10-of-11 from the field against the Kings, including a pair of threes. Bol shoots threes selectively, playing close to the rim most of the time and nearly averaging a double-double from late October through late November. Mosley started him for 28 straight games after bringing him off the bench for the first five. They believe in Bol alongside an array of top draft selections starting to get healthy, mesh and win for the first time. 

His emergence happened quickly and is now helping winning after the Magic swept a mini series, as part of an 8-4 January, on the Boston floor he never got to play on last year. Prior to his 15 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in the two games, he played 93 seconds in TD Garden with Denver during his rookie season. Playing time never would've been promised on the Celtics either, making it difficult to forecast the same growth opportunity allowed him with the Magic, who play him 26.2 minutes each night. 

Bol gained basketball fame from his name and potential from his size. His skill changed everything though, placing the focus back squarely on his game as he flashes plays similar to the ones that league's bottom-end teams lining up to acquire Victor Wembenyama, the French prodigy, have watched closely. Bol isn't Wembenyama, but seeing him float from the top of the arc and finish at odd angles raises similarities. They can both hit shots from deep. Their defensive ranges are dazzling. They both stand around the same height. 

And if the Magic miss out on Victor, they'll still have Bol. A second draft success story. 

"I think he's done a great job, one, coming back off the injury and then he's just a versatile player between his rebounding, his ball-handling, his ability to knock down open shots," Joe Mazzulla said. "What he does defensively has been really good, his ability to just rim protect and his blocking coming from a secondary defender has been really good, so (I'm) happy for him." 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week... 

Atlanta (17-16): Trae Young scored 37 points with 13 assists to sneak the Hawks by the scorching Magic a 126-125 thriller. Atlanta quickly lost again to the Bulls after, and Chris Haynes reported that it wouldn't surprise rival executives if Young becomes the next NBA star to request a trade. The Hawks reassigned president Travis Schlenk, who's expected to cede control of the team to GM Landry Fields. Multiple reports also indicated John Collins remains available in trades, with the Nets, Jazz, Wizards and Pacers among interested suitors recently, according to Marc Stein. Atlanta's offense and defense, both ranked in the bottom half of the league, have them tied with likely lottery teams Chicago and Oklahoma City in net rating (-1.4). 

Boston (23-10): Lost more games against the Magic and Pacers, the latter coming in embarrassing fashion while Indiana took a 30-point lead and scored 71 points in the first half. Boston ranks last in offense over its last 10 games with a 105.9 offensive rating, their effective shooting fell to 28th (50.8%), while both their assist (60.5%) and turnover rates (14.3%) fell outside the top 10. The lone bright spot recently came from Robert Williams III, who followed up his return by building on his minutes and averaging 7.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 1.3 BPG on 71.4% shooting through three games. Brad Stevens, speaking in a rare media appearance at shootaround Friday, threw his support behind Joe Mazzulla, but wouldn't comment on his interim status.

Brooklyn (21-12): Took a 91-51 lead on the Warriors at halftime of a rousing beatdown where nine Nets scored double-figures. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving scored 81 points on Monday in a blowout win over the Pistons and the Nets have won eight straight games to pull within striking distance of the top seed in the east. They won't play on Christmas, which Durant took credit for due to the tumultuous, uncertain offseason. During their win streak, Brooklyn has scored 124.6 points per 100 possessions, in line with Boston's early season offensive heights, but still lag at 19th in defense.

Charlotte (9-24): Began conversations about signing restricted free agent Miles Bridges, who pleaded no contest to multiple domestic violence charges in November and avoided jail time for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend earlier this year in front of their two children. The NBA is investigating the case and it wouldn't be surprising if Bridges receives is a significant suspension if he's signed again. Bridges also received three years of probation in Los Angeles. Mychelle Johnson, his girlfriend, shared photos after the incident of extensive injuries nose, wrist, ear and neck from the alleged assault. Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward discussed uncertainty surrounding Bridges' future with Heavy earlier this season. 

Chicago (14-18): Melted down defensively on Sunday against the Timberwolves, allowing 150 points, before a report surfaced in The Athletic revealing tension between stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. The team has tried to address the rift with individual meetings, and wins followed against the Heat, Hawks and Knicks where DeRozan, LaVine and Nikola Vucevic all scored 20 points. DeRozan is eligible for a four-year, $153.7 million extension this offseason and Vucevic could receive $118.2 million for four years ahead of his free agency. It's more likely this team keeps it future options open. 

Cleveland (22-12): Fell to the Raptors after a hot second half for Toronto's shooters, but scored emphatic wins over the Mavericks, Jazz and Bucks, forcing Giannis Antetokounmpo to do nearly all of Milwaukee's scoring in a 114-106 game. J.B. Bickerstaff bench the Cavaliers' starters on Friday, though, for playing no defense and sent a message before a major matchup on Monday against the streaking Nets. Cleveland remains the No. 1 defense in the league by nearly one point per 100 possessions, but sit at 22nd in offense this month behind Detroit and are playing the league's slowest pace. 

“They kicked our ass, to be honest with you,” Donovan Mitchell said on Friday. “You can say you have nights like that, but after a win like we had against Milwaukee, it was kind of upsetting to come out the way we did as a group, especially the starters. I put it on the starting five. We’ll be better." 

Dallas (17-16): Kemba Walker led the Mavericks to overtime one week ago in a 100-99 loss to the Cavaliers, scoring 32 points with seven assists in 42 minutes as Luka Doncic sat. He's averaging 12.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 3.4 APG on 42% shooting. He fell to 5-for-15 over the next two games, as Dallas split a mini series with the Timberwolves, before Walker rested on Friday as Doncic poured 50 points and 10 assists on the Rockets. 

How will the Mavericks manage Walker? It could be an intriguing story to follow if they can mirror Blake Griffin's plan in Boston, checking in to spell Doncic and having the freedom to operate in the starting lineup on those nights while sitting on others. Walker had last scored 32 points on Dec. 23, 2021, when he dropped 44 points on the Wizards while he played for the Knicks, which capped a stretch of three games where he averaged 31.3 PPG. He still has that in him for some amount of time. 

Denver (20-11): Nikola Jokic tore back into the MVP conversation this week with 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists to beat the Hornets, a 13-point triple-double against the Grizzlies to assume first place in the west, then 29 points and 11 assists over the Blazers in Michael Porter Jr.'s return from a 13-game absence with a drop foot condition. Porter scored 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting and Jokic now boasts better stats than his last two MVP campaigns in 2021 and 2022, 24.9 PPG, 10.9 RPG and 9.2 APG on 61.5% shooting. 538's RAPTOR rating also values Jokic's defense, which ranks in the top-three of the site's individual plus-minus measurements. It's winning time for this group with their health intact and the Finals feels like a possibility.

Detroit (8-27): Lost their fifth straight game, 130-105 against the Hawks, as blowouts mount and their only path to victory seemingly falling on Bojan Bogdanvoic's offensive exploits. The wing scorer is averaging 20.8 PPG on 48.8% shooting and should be one of the most popular names of the trade deadline, but the setbacks stand as a reminder of how far away this group stands. They're seemingly committed to the leadership structure though, having extended GM Troy Weaver.

Golden State (15-18): If the NBA Playoffs started today, the defending champions wouldn't even be in the west play-in tournament. The Warriors trail the Timberwolves by one game for the 10th seed after a historic first-half beatdown at the hands of the Nets. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins all missed the game, as Curry continues to recover from his shoulder injury and Wiggins nears a return from the adductor injury that's cost him most of December. James Wiseman played 28 minutes after being recalled from a 10-game stint in the G-League, scoring 30 points in the loss. 

"Right now, I think we are very fragile," Draymond Green said Friday. "You start going through these things and then you start believing them. Once you start believing them, it becomes who you are. The only way to break them is by being mentally tough."

Houston (9-23): Lost five straight games to land back in prime lottery position. Seeing continued progress from Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. in tandem with the tanking must excite Rockets fans. Houston ranks 14th in defense this month, even as they struggle to score as a team due to Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.'s inefficiency and turnovers. Only the Warriors have given up the ball more, and while Smith's 44.6% shooting this month is a marked improvement, you still wonder what the upside is for a player averaging less than one assist per game in December. Eric Gordon will be an interesting name closer to February around the league, and The Athletic assessed what the Rockets could do with him and other veterans.

Indiana (17-16): Hanging on in the east playoff race and continuing to show their competitiveness by upsetting the Celtics in Boston behind 71 first-half points and an early 30-point lead. Chris Duarte hit big shots late in the third quarter to stifle the Celtics' comeback in his second game back from an extended absence with an ankle injury. Tyrese Haliburton poured 43 points on the Heat two nights later to extend the winning streak on the road. Aaron Nesmith, shooting 51.7% from the field this month, scored 15 points against his old team in the win and reflected on his time with the Celtics pre-game. 

"I got over (the trade) and got ready for this opportunity,” he said. “Getting my rhythm back and getting in the flow of playing with these guys, everything has fallen into place. (Defense) is something I have to credit my time here, that was how I was able to play here. If I got in the game, it was because I was able to play defense here. So that really helped me over the past two years, being able to take that into Indiana and help it grow even more.”

Clippers (19-15): Norman Powell returned from his late November groin injury to start a five-game road trip where Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points in a close loss to the 76ers. It began the first fully healthy stretch of the season for a battered LA group starting to resemble the super team they formed and cemented in recent seasons that could be the deepest in the league. Powell scored 21 points in 23 minutes off the bench, Paul George added 22, but they ran into both James Harden and Joel Embiid playing at their highest levels. They rank 26th on offense this month, but Leonard is up to 47.7% from the field through eight games and George is hitting 38.5% of his 8.1 three-point attempts per game. They want Luke Kennard to get aggressive as a shooter.

Lakers (13-19): Anthony Davis suffered a stress injury in his right foot and is out indefinitely, the Lakers announced on Friday, before falling to the Hornets, 134-130 at home. ESPN reported the Lakers remain hopeful he'll avoid surgery and that rest can allow him to return in January. That assessment sounds like some level of wishful thinking given Davis' injury history and his importance to holding a team together that already faced major challenges with him playing at a MVP level. The Lakers allowed 7.1 fewer points per 100 possessions with Davis on the floor, ranking in the 91st potential, with his overall +11.3 impact ranking in the 92nd percentile of NBA players. They allow 1.15 points per possession when he sits. Look out below. 

Memphis (20-11): Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane played together for the first time this season on Friday, beating the Suns by 25 points while Bane scored 17 on 4-for-13 shooting while Brandon Clarke added 24 points off the bench. They're already the best defense in the NBA this month, allowing 102.1 points per 100 possessions, and their offense should climb from 14th if Bane continues his production from before his toe injury. They may receive another boost from Danny Green, the injured veteran who came back from Philadelphia in the De'Anthony Melton trade, who hopes to return from ACL surgery before the all-star break. Meanwhile, in an ESPN interview, Morant looked past the west at the Celtics as a Finals matchup. 

Miami (16-17): Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler all scored 20 points, but it wasn't enough against the Pacers at home since Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield combined for 64 points alone. Butler sat and the Heat fell to the Bulls earlier in the week, and only the Celtics have struggled worse offensively than Miami this month. They rank 26th for the season on that end, worse than Orlando, Oklahoma and Detroit. 

Milwaukee (22-10): Briefly overtook the Celtics at the top of the east before losing to the Nets on Friday, 118-100, continuing an offensive skid of their own. Boston and Milwaukee will face off on Christmas as arguably the league's two best teams, but also the 30th and 18th-ranked offenses in the league this month. They both boast narrow positive net ratings and should enter the game healthy after Joe Ingles returned from ACL surgery to start 1-for-11 in his first three games since January. Khris Middleton is shooting 32.5% through his first seven games back and Pat Connaughton has also struggled. 

Minnesota (16-17): Won 3-of-4 entering Boston on Friday and felt good about the way they've spread the floor around Rudy Gobert with Karl-Anthony Towns injured. Then, the big man had a baffling game as the Timberwolves faded in the second half, dribbling behind his back on a dribble handoff while Naz Reid looked like a better offensive option for most of the game. Anthony Edwards scored 30 points and they lost handily, turning the ball over and relying on Jaylen Nowell to take 17 shots off the bench. It's hard to see an identity with this group, now 17th in offense and 16th in defense.

New Orleans (20-12): Trey Murphy III led seven double-figure Pelicans scorers with 23 points while Zion Williamson sat their overtime win over the Thunder. Williamson entered COVID protocols and missed the last two games, including a win against the Spurs. Brandon Ingram remained out with a left toe injury, and those two have still only logged 10 games next to CJ McCollum as a trio despite the Pelicans starting sixth in offense and defense. 

New York (18-15): On a two-game losing streak after winning eight straight, dropping their contests against struggling Bulls and Raptors teams. The Knicks' recent defensive resurgence didn't carry over to Friday or support RJ Barrett in a 44-point outing against Chicago. Pascal Siakam lit them up for 52 points earlier in the week and the Warriors played them undermanned. They're still the No. 3 offense and No. 2 defense in the league this month, with Julius Randle, Quentin Grimes and Barrett leading the two-way charge while Jalen Brunson hits threes. They're playing a tight rotation, which may add to sustainability concerns, but they've at least stabilized themselves with a strong month and given the front office some guidance entering winter. 

Orlando (13-21): Swept the Celtics in their weekend mini series with a lockdown effort on Sunday before they beat the Rockets and Spurs, having now won 8-of-9 and exploding into the play-in picture in the east. Paolo Banchero is hitting threes now on top of his steady diet of mid-rangers and finishing that led to his historic start for a rookie. Banchero and Franz Wagner have both averaged over 21 PPG this month, while Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony have generated 10.8 APG while scoring efficiently. Bol Bol's steady play continues and this looks like the team showing what it's capable of with its wide array of young talent all present, and they've been missing Wendell Carter Jr., who played 19 minutes Friday, and Jonathan Isaac. 

Philadelphia (19-12): They've won 7-of-10 and their latest over the Clippers featured James Harden and Joel Embiid playing at their highest levels and connecting at the level many imagined them reaching immediately after Harden arrived in February. Harden dished 21 assists in a 20-point triple double while Embiid added 44 points on the roll in 38 minutes. Harden only averaged 0.72 points per possession running pick-and-roll this year and Embiid only ranked in the 36th percentile to start the year as a roller. Embiid screening for Harden 17 times per game, averaging 36.0 PPG this month on 55% shooting, but they could've done better than 1.02 PPP on those sets and they finally did on Friday, thriving in a two-man game against the Clippers.

Phoenix (19-14): Devin Booker unloaded 58 points on the Pelicans one week ago to settle the Suns through an uneven month, but he missed the last three games with groin soreness that further exposed depth concerns for Phoenix. Chris Paul is averaging 12.0 PPG on 40.2% shooting in 19 appearances this season, missing time too and leaning on his passing more than ever with 8.7 APG. Mikal Bridges is cooling off this month and Cam Payne is their fifth-leading scorer. They're 25th in defense this month, which is where you look at Deandre Ayton, and while it's not even 2023, it's hard to imagine the Suns making the Finals less than two years after they took a 2-0 lead on the Bucks in the championships series. 

Portland (17-16): Fell to the Thunder twice in a mini series and the Nuggets on Friday in another step back for a team that looked promising to start the year. Oregon Live reported Gary Payton II could make his Blazers debut in the coming days after they've fallen to 24th in defense and the low end of the play-in tournament picture in the west. Damian Lillard became the all-time leading scorer in franchise history, surpassing Clyde Drexler with 18,041.

Sacramento (17-14): Domantas Sabonis is doing some astounding heavy lifting, posting a pair of 20-20 games this week and averaging 20.3 PPG, 15.1 RPG and 7.4 APG on 65.9% shooting this month. They've only won 6-of-11 though, losing to the Hornets and Wizards this week and falling to 17th in offense this month. De'Aaron Fox is shooting 22.9% from three, while Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk have all gone cold from three. 

San Antonio (10-22): They're not worth watching yet. Rookie Jeremy Sochan makes them worth a glimpse though, with his many homages to Dennis Rodman extending to the free throw line, where he's working on his form with one-handed form. He's shooting 50% from the line this season. 

“During shootaround, before I even touched the ball, Coach Pop and Coach Brown came up and said, ‘You’re shooting with one hand this game," he said. "I just did it. It’s more about my development than how it looks. I’m just going to listen to them and try my best.”

Toronto (15-18): Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby and Fred VanVleet reminded everyone how fun and effective this core can be, frustrating Joel Embiid and the 76ers in a close loss before beating the rolling Knicks and Cavaliers. Siakam is averaging 28.2 PPG on 48.1% shooting in December, while Scottie Barnes and Gary Trent Jr. round out an effectively five-deep team when it comes to double-figure scoring. That's enough to manage a 12th-ranked offense this month, but their defense is slipping and trade calls have started. It feels too soon to give up on this core. The clock is ticking. 

Utah (19-16): This continues to be a remarkable story. They slipped up against elite Bucks and Cavaliers teams to begin the week, then Lauri Markkanen and company refocused and blew past the Pistons and Wizards with back-to-back 120 point performances. Their manageable schedule continues through the new year and as more teams begin fading, they remain eighth in offense to basically draw even with their competition. Shooting fortune undoubtedly plays into their standing above .500. They're fourth in offense and 13th in net rating through 35 games though. That's a playoff team. 

Washington (13-21): This sums it up well. The Wizards have young players, but a dim future, according to the Washington Post.