Rajon Rondo Asks Judge To Throw Out Gun Charge ... What About 2nd Amendment?!?

Rajon Rondo is hoping he won't have to fight a criminal gun charge much longer ... TMZ Sports has learned he's just asked a judge to throw out the count he's facing.

Court documents we obtained show the former NBA star's lawyer filed a motion on Tuesday to dismiss the unlawful carrying of a handgun charge prosecutors hit Rondo with following his arrest late last month.

In the documents, Rondo's attorney argues the charge is unconstitutional ... saying the ex-Boston Celtics point guard is protected by the Second Amendment right to bear arms that gave him the right to have the handgun cops say they found on him during a Jan. 28 traffic stop in Indiana.

"The statute under which Rondo is charged fails to be consistent with the Nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation," the docs state.

A judge has not yet made a ruling on the motion ... but there is a hearing on the docket scheduled for late March.

Rondo was first booked on the gun charge following allegations that a loaded, black, 9MM, Sig Sauer P365 was discovered under the cupholder of his car after cops pulled him over for not having plates on the back of his Tesla.

Cops said due to a previous case against Rondo, he was not allowed to have the firearm. In fact, in police documents, one officer wrote, "I asked Rondo Sr. if he was allowed to have a gun and Rondo Sr. said he was not allowed."

In addition to the gun charge, Rondo is also facing one count of possession of marijuana and one count of possession of paraphernalia in the case ... after cops said they found weed, THC gummies and a pipe with marijuana residue in his Tesla during the stop as well.

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Rondo -- a four-time All-Star -- last played in the NBA during the 2021-22 season.

Dennis Schroder Explains Fumbling $84M Deal W/ lakers ... Rep Gave Me Bad Advice!

Dennis Schroder is finally explaining one of the most puzzling contract moves in NBA history ... revealing exactly why he REJECTED an $80+ million offer from the Lakers, only to sign a deal worth less than $6 mil!

His (old) agent told him to pass on the incredibly lucrative offer!!!

Remember, the star PG said no to a 4-year deal worth $84M from the Purple and Gold back in 2021 ... thinking he could get more elsewhere.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen ... and instead, Dennis ended up signing a $5.9 million deal with the Celtics.

The NBA vet is finally explaining what happened, telling Yahoo Sports, "I would've signed it."

"I would never just leave money on the table. My mom didn’t raise me that way."

Of course, fans incessantly trolled the German athlete for what's considered to be one of the biggest fumblings of the bag in NBA history.

Schroder admitted going from $84 to $6 mil was a tough pill to swallow, but he understands he still got paid a crapload of money, and life with his wife Ellen and their family is awesome.

"I had two healthy kids, my mom, my siblings. I can buy anything I want," Schroder said.

"I had a $70 million contract before. A guy from Germany? From Braunschweig? I’m more than blessed. I’m with the people who love me and was there through the darkest days."

Schroder -- who's averaging nearly 15 points and 7 assists per game this season for the Raptors (he's playing on a 2-year, $25.4M deal) -- also said he plans to play into his 40s, believing he's got a lot left in the tank.

And, plenty of time to make up for those missed millions!

Ex-NBA Player Eric Montross Dead At 52 ... After Cancer Battle

Eric Montross -- the ninth overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft -- has passed away after a battle with cancer, his family announced Monday.

He was just 52 years old.

Montross was a star for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels ... winning a national championship in 1993 before playing eight seasons in the pros for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors.

"The family of Eric Montross (Laura, Sarah, Andrew, and Megan) is announcing that he passed away on Sunday, December 17, surrounded by loved ones at his home in Chapel Hill," a statement released by UNC said.

"Eric was diagnosed with cancer in March 2023, and his family is grateful for the tremendous support and the truly overwhelming love expressed by so many people as he battled with his signature determination and grace."

"They also thank the many members of the medical community -- and particularly those at UNC Lineberger Cancer Center -- who matched his fight with equal passion. To know Eric was to be his friend, and the family knows that the ripples from the generous, thoughtful way that he lived his life will continue in the lives of the many people he touched with his deep and sincere kindness."

Montross was an All-American for UNC ... and received All-ACC honors in 1993 and 1994.

He scored 2,071 points and recorded 2,159 rebounds over the course of his NBA career ... and went on to provide color commentary for Tar Heels basketball games after announcing his retirement in 2003.

Metta World Peace I Approve Lakers' I.S.T. Banner ... 'It Counts!!!'

COUNT 'EM!!!
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Let the haters hate, but Metta World Peace is all about the Lakers honoring their In-Season Tournament win with a banner ... telling TMZ Sports the accomplishment now gives L.A. bragging rights over the Boston Celtics!!

The Purple and Gold are reportedly hanging a memento in the Crypto.com Arena rafters to commemorate their recent title ... which was met with mixed reviews, considering the tourney doesn't hold nearly as much weight as winning the Finals.

We spoke with Metta -- a 2010 NBA champ -- about the move ... and he tells us he's a big fan!!

MWP explains he thinks being the first-ever IST MVP means a lot for LeBron James' legacy ... and while he still considers himself a Michael Jordan stan, he praised the King for maintaining his dominance at 38 years old.

In fact, Metta says he sees LeBron playing at least 25 seasons ... which should earn him George Washington's spot on the quarter!!

As for the banner, Metta says Laker fans can now rub it in their hated rivals' faces ... as they're the first franchise to raise an 18th banner!!

Cam'ron Finally Gets to Meet (& Greet) Nia Long ... After DM Slide Year-Plus Ago

Cam'ron slid into Nia Long's DMs over a year ago trying to holler, and it looks like he finally got his shot this weekend -- 'cause they linked up at a big shindig ... and took pics!

The rapper-turned-podcaster/TV host has been documenting this saga for a while -- way back in October 2022, he posted screenshots of some messages he sent Nia on IG ... this not too long after her messy split with Ime Udoka and that whole Celtics drama.

Anyway, it was a lengthy shot across the bow, where he's singing her praises ... and eventually just comes out with it and says he thinks they'd make a great couple together.

Apparently, NL never responded to that DM -- something Cam'ron made sure to tell his followers a couple weeks ago -- but now, some 14 months after the fact ... they finally got a chance to meet at Rich Paul's birthday party in L.A., where they hugged, talked and posed.

Here's the thing ... Nia actually posted this photo of the two of them cheesing first, but then took it down from her page -- but Cam'ron most certainly kept his version up, and added some extra ones to boot ... probably just to prove to everyone he had, in fact, seen her.

No word on whether this might lead to anything romantic, or if it's just a friendly hi-bye.

HI CAM 😏😏😏
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We actually got Nia out somewhat recently and asked her about this whole thing, and all she had to say to us (and to Cam, we suppose) was ... oh, hi there! Sounds like he got his in-person hello too.

Lord knows she's one of the most eligible bachelorettes in town these days -- aging like fine wine -- and has been one of Hollywood's most-coveted dames for a good long while.

Jeezy seemed to have his moment a month ago ... maybe now it's Cam's time to shine.

Atta boy!

Glen 'Big Baby' Davis Convicted Of Defrauding NBA's Healthcare Plan

Glen "Big Baby" Davis was just found guilty of swindling the NBA out of a ton of cash through the league's healthcare plan ... after authorities claim he accepted reimbursement for medical treatments he never received.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York announced the update in the case on Wednesday ... saying a jury determined the former Boston Celtics champion -- as well as fellow ex-NBAer Will Bynum -- were involved in a criminal scheme to defraud the NBA's Players' Health and Benefit Welfare Plan.

As we previously reported, a number of NBA alums -- including Darius Miles, Shannon Brown, Tony Allen, Jamario Moon, Tony Wroten, Melvin Ely and Ruben Patterson -- were accused of lining their pockets through the scheme by filing bogus claims for reimbursement with the league's healthcare plan.

Prosecutors previously claimed Terrence Williams, a 2009 NBA Draft first-round pick, was the mastermind behind it all.

OCTOBER 2021
DEFRAUDING THE SYSTEM
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams released a statement ... saying, "While many of the more than 20 defendants convicted in this case were well-known NBA stars, their conduct was otherwise a typical fraudulent scheme designed to defraud the NBA’s health care plan and net the defendants over $5 million in illicit profits."

Worth noting -- Davis reportedly made more than $33.1 million over the course of his career.

"Today’s conviction exemplifies that despite notoriety or success in sports or any other field," Williams added, "no one is exempt from criminal charges if they engage in fraud."

Ali Krieger All Smiles At Celtics-Knicks Game ... Despite Messy Split With Ashlyn Harris

ALL SMILES FRONT ROW

It seems Ali Krieger is doin' just fine after her highly publicized split with Ashyln Harris ... 'cause the soccer star was spotted smiling ear to ear at the Knicks game Wednesday.

The Gotham FC defender was sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden to watch NY's season opener against the Celtics ... and despite everything that's going on with her, Harris, and Harris' new lover, Sophia Bush, Krieger appeared to be happy as a clam.

She had seats next to celeb makeup artist Alexandria Gilleo, and at one point, the ladies filmed themselves having an absolute blast.

Of course, things were obviously not always this way for Krieger ... especially in the last few weeks.

As we reported, Krieger was hit with divorce papers from Harris last month ... before Harris quickly jumped into a relationship with Bush.

Krieger looked to be quite bitter over it all, using a Beyoncé "Lemonade" Instagram post to imply that she had been cheated on.

The 39-year-old, though, is showing signs of moving on -- with her mind clearly now more focused on rubbin' elbows with Whoopi Goldberg than on Harris' new 'ship.

Several other stars, meanwhile, were out courtside for the game as well ... Chris Rock and Michael J. Fox sat just feet away from Krieger at MSG.

Carmelo Anthony and his son, high school hoops star, Kiyan, made an appearance too ... as did Latrell Sprewell, who played for New York from 1999 to 2003.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Yankees star Aaron Judge, Fat Joe, Lindsey Vonn and Skylar Astin also showed up for the big rivalry game.

The home team sadly lost, 108-104 ... but lucky for them, there's 81 more tilts left!

Nia Long I Want Primary Custody Of Son With Ime Udoka ... He's Not Supporting Our Kid!!!

The split between Nia Long and Ime Udoka is getting nastier ... the actress is now asking for primary custody of the couple's child -- after she claims the NBA head coach has been failing to support the kid.

Long made the allegation in a court filing in Los Angeles last week ... while requesting a judge give her primary legal and physical custody of their 11-year-old son, Kez.

According to the docs, however, she did ask the judge to allow Udoka a reasonable opportunity to visit their kid to the extent "consistent with the child's best interest."

A ruling on the petition has not yet been handed down. Udoka has yet to respond.

As we reported, the couple broke up in late 2022 after 13 years together ... following allegations that Udoka had an affair with a team staffer while he was the Boston Celtics' coach.

Long had said at the time that the scandal was revealed that she was heartbroken ... adding that it was all "devastating" to her and her family.

Udoka, meanwhile, has since landed a new gig after the affair led to his ouster from Boston -- the 46-year-old just became the head coach of the Houston Rockets this offseason.

Paul Pierce Addresses Infamous Stripper Video, ESPN Exit ... On 'Stars On Mars'

"Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol" -- Jamie Foxx, T-Pain, and now, Paul Pierce ... 'cause the Celtics legend is opening up on his infamous stripper video that led to his ESPN firing -- saying he was boozin' hard the night he accidentally streamed his scandalous party on Instagram.

Pierce gave Lance Armstrong the lowdown on the whole controversy in the latest episode of the hit Fox celebrity competition show, "Stars on Mars" ... and he downplayed the whole incident -- even though he lost his TV gig over it.

The Truth explained he was playing poker at his friend's birthday party ... and there was "a lot of alcohol" involved.

"It was a big whole controversy," the Hall of Famer told Lance. "I mean it wasn't nothing illegal, but it was just girls ... girls shaking their ass."

Lance somehow knew nothing about the controversy ... so when he asked how the video even saw the light of day, Paul had to admit it was all his doing.

"I accidentally did, my dumb ass."

Lance hilariously scolded the hooper ... saying, "Bitch, how old are you?!"

Pierce enlisted fellow contestant Tinashe to vouch for the harmfulness of the clip ... and she said it wasn't all that bad on its own, but context had her understanding why it was such a big deal.

Of course, ESPN quickly parted ways with Pierce after the video went viral ... but he's seeing the silver lining in getting the boot, saying, "Maybe I wouldn't be on Mars if that didn't happen. See? Everything happens for a reason."

The whole episode drops Monday night at 8 PM ... so yeah, Pierce found his way back to television after all!!

Drake Tour Woman Face-Plants Down Stairs ... Freakout Over Jayson Tatum Cameo!!!

TATUM TUMBLE
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Jayson Tatum's appearance at Drake's concert on Wednesday night turned out to be a very painful experience for one fan ... 'cause during her freak-out over the Celtics star's cameo -- she wiped out down six rows of stairs.

The wild incident happened in the nosebleeds at TD Garden arena during the It's All A Blur Tour's stop in Boston ... after the rapper introduced the NBA star to the sold-out crowd.

The woman started to jump up and down when Tatum got on stage -- and she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Jayson Tatum!!"

But, somehow during the meltdown, she lost her balance ... tripped over a chair -- and then face-planted all the way down several steps.

Check out the footage of the fall ... she hit the pavement HARD.

No word on if she suffered any significant injuries ... but the TikTok user who posted the clip humorously captioned it, "big tatum fan!" -- so we get the vibe she's doing all right.

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The night otherwise went off without a hitch ... and Drake seemed to be very pleased with his work inside the Celtics' home -- saying on his IG after the show, "Who else can get the Garden b(l)ooming like this?"

Next stop for Drake's tour is the Bell Centre in Montreal ... try to stay safe in your seats, everyone!

Doc Rivers Uncertain On NBA Coaching Future 'I'm Just Gonna Enjoy Life'

WHEREVER LIFE TAKES ME
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Doc Rivers says he has no idea if he'll ever return to an NBA sideline ... the coaching great tells TMZ Sports his future in the sport is completely up in the air.

We spoke with Rivers -- who was recently let go from his gig with the Philadelphia 76ers -- outside Jon & Vinny's in LA this week ... and he made it clear his main focus is enjoying his recently-cleared schedule.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do," Rivers told us. "I'm just gonna enjoy life."

The championship-winning coach was fired back in May after going 154-82 through three seasons in the City of Brotherly Love ... and if a coaching job isn't in the cards, there are rumblings he could put on the headset for a broadcasting role with ESPN.

Rivers didn't tip his hand on what's next for him ... but certainly seemed to be in great spirits as he deflected questions about whether teams were calling his line.

"I just enjoy life," he told us ... adding he was having a "phenomenal" summer.

The 61-year-old former NBA star is one of the most successful coaches in league history ... leading the sideline for the Magic, Celtics, Clippers and Sixers through the years.

Whether it's on the bench or in the booth, we're sure Doc won't be too far from hoops for long.

'Winning Time' Actor Larry Bird Will Love Our Show ... It's A 'Love Letter' To Him

IT'S ALL LOVE
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Magic Johnson may hate the show, but Larry Bird is gonna be THRILLED with the next season of "Winning Time" ... so says actor Newton Mayenge, who tells TMZ Sports he thinks the Celtics legend will love his portrayal in the project.

It's no secret -- some ex-Lakers superstars aren't too pleased with HBO's hit series that documents the Showtime era ... with Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar publicly ripping it to shreds.

We spoke with Mayenge -- who plays former NBAer Jim Chones on the show -- about the backlash from the OGs ... and while he says the WT actors would love their support and approval, they still have a job to do.

"It was a love story for them," Mayenge tells us. "If they don't necessarily see it that way, it's unfortunate, but we gotta continue to move forward."

Season 2 will focus on the Lakers' rivalry with the Boston Celtics, which means Larry Legend will play a huge part ... and Mayenge had nothing but praise for the guy tasked with the role.

"My castmate who plays him, Sean Patrick Small, he was born to play Larry Bird, first and foremost," Mayenge says.

"He freaking killed it. My personal opinion is Larry's gonna love it because once again, it's a love letter to him as well."

In fact, Mayenge even praises Small's hoop skills ... saying the guy "embodies" the Hall of Famer on and off the court.

We'll find out what Larry thinks when the season drops in August.

Marcus Smart Pens Emotional Letter To Fans ... After Trade To Grizzlies

Marcus Smart is proving goodbyes aren't easy ... the newly traded NBA star just penned an emotional letter to Boston fans after the organization traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies.

"Where do I even begin...as I start to think about the last 9 years I have a lot of emotions running thru me," the 29-year-old wrote Friday on Instagram. "Boston, you are a very special place to me."

The 2021-2022 Defensive Player of the Year was part of a three-team blockbuster trade on Wednesday, involving the Celtics, Grizzlies, and Wizards ... and Smart, who spent his entire 9-year career in Beantown, was sent to Memphis.

Kristaps Porzingis was shipped to the Celtics and Tyus Jones is headed to Washington.

"I grew up here and met some of my best friends here," Smart said. "I'll never forget my time here."

"Ultimately we didn't get that 18th banner but I'm VERY VERY proud of the success we had."

It wasn't just an emotional send-off for Smart ... as many Celtics fans were dismayed over the trade, and expressed their frustrations on social media.

"Marcus Smart has been my favorite player since he was drafted in 2014, and Boston made the playoffs every year since," a fan said on Twitter after the trade. "Regardless of return, I’m very disappointed."

Another fan tweeted, "I am literally dead inside. Not Marcus Smart. There’s no way we traded Marcus Smart. I refuse to believe it."

Unfortunately for Celtics fans, the trade's real ... and now Smart gets a fresh start in Bluff City.

"Let's get to work. 💪🏾"

Boston Celtics Fans Storm The Streets After Buzzer-Beater Win!!!

Boston Celtics fans were partying like they won the championship Saturday night ... celebrating in the streets of Beantown after the team's miraculous buzzer-beater win against the Miami Heat.

Local Boston reporters captured video of fans honking their horns, dancing, and even climbing street poles moments after the Celtics big win.

If you think the celebration is over the top ... then you probably weren't watching the game. Trailing by one with less than a second left on the game clock, Derrick White tipped in the go-ahead shot to save the Celtics season.

The Celtics are now on the brink of making NBA history ... becoming the first team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series, and the city is feeling it!

No question the Celtics will be feeding off fan energy ... star forward Jayson Tatum told the press, "I've never been so excited to go back to Boston in my life."

Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals will go down in Boston on Monday night.

Glen 'Big Baby' Davis Joe Mazzulla Should Keep His Job ... If Celtics Beat Heat

LET'S MAKE HISTORY
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Glen "Big Baby" Davis isn't ready to give up on first-year head coach Joe Mazzulla just yet ... telling TMZ Sports if the Celtics are able to come back and beat the Heat and advance to the NBA Finals, he deserves to keep his job.

We got Davis out at LAX just hours before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals tips off at the TD Garden in Boston ... and the NBA champ said Mazzulla's future with the team is contingent upon whether or not he can rally Boston from down 3-1 to beat Miami in the ECF.

"If you pull this off, you get to stay," Davis said. "If you don't, you're outta there buddy."

FYI -- no team has EVER been able to come back from trailing three games in NBA playoff history ... but after winning Game 4 on Tuesday, the Celtics are hanging on by a thread.

Davis also weighed in on why the Celtics have been inconsistent this season ... and he's pointing the finger at former head coach Ime Udoka, who was suspended by the team following an infidelity scandal last year.

"It f***ed the whole team up," Glen said. "They just had to go get another coach. It kind of f***ed 'em up a little bit."

Udoka, who was engaged to Nia Long, was suspended by the Celtics for the entire 2022-23 season ... even after the first-year head coach led the Cs to the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Although Udoka is no longer with the team, Davis still views the 2-seeded Cs as a good team ... but said Boston's dynamic duo of Jayston Tatum and Jaylen Brown needs to play better.

"Jayson Tatum. Jaylen Brown. They better get that s*** in order, got dammit -- at least a good fight," Davis said. "We can come back. I truly believe. Miami hasn't been good all year. They haven't been consistent. They're playing well right now. We just gotta get on the same level."

Davis actually thinks it's possible Boston can be the first team to come back from down 3-0 ... saying he "truly believes" the Celtics have what it takes.

Derek & Hannah Jeter Date Night At Heat Playoff Game ... 18 Days After Son's Birth

Derek Jeter's on full-time daddy duty, but that didn't stop him from catching some playoff basketball, pulling up to Game 4 of the Heat vs. Celtics series in Miami with his wife Hannah ... just 18 days after their son was born!

And, HJ looks amazing!

Cameras captured The Captain throughout the evening ... as he chatted with his wife as the Celtics looked to avoid the sweep at the hands of Jimmy Butler's Heat squad.

Of course, DJ and Hannah -- who got married in 2016 -- have been on cloud nine since announcing their son, Kaius Green Jeter, was born on May 5.

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The couple now has 4 kids.

Derek and Hannah weren't the only celeb in the building ... PGA Champion Brooks Koepka, actor Jeremy Piven, and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards were there, too.

Derek's former Yankees teammate, Alex Rodriguez, a minority owner with the T-Wolves, was also at the game.

What's interesting ... no NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit, but it has happened in baseball.

Ear muffs, Yankees fans.

Jeter and A-Rod starred on the infamous 2004 NYY team that blew a 3-0 lead to the Boston Red Sox, the first time in MLB history.

The Celtics defeated the Heat 116-99, forcing a Game 5 in Boston on Thursday ... and C's fans are hoping they can recreate some of the Red Sox magic from '04.

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