2013 August | Hoops Rumors

The NBA’s Head Coaching Carousel

August 13th, 2013 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Back in June, I compiled a list of the longest-tenured head coaches in the NBA, a collection of names that seems somewhat comical just a couple months later. Since then, the league's second- and third-longest-tenured coaches (Doc Rivers and George Karl) have been replaced, as has No. 7 (Lionel Hollins).

The 2013 offseason involved a flurry of head coaching movement that ultimately saw nearly half of the league's teams make changes. 13 clubs will start the 2013/14 with a new head coach, and there's no guarantee that many of the other 17 are safe in the long-term either. Here's a breakdown of the current statuses of the NBA's 30 head coaches:

New hires:

Atlanta Hawks: Mike Budenholzer
Boston Celtics: Brad Stevens
Brooklyn Nets: Jason Kidd
Charlotte Bobcats: Steve Clifford
Cleveland Cavaliers: Mike Brown
Denver Nuggets: Brian Shaw
Detroit Pistons: Maurice Cheeks
Los Angeles Clippers: Doc Rivers
Memphis Grizzlies: Dave Joerger
Milwaukee Bucks: Larry Drew
Philadelphia 76ers: Brett Brown
Phoenix Suns: Jeff Hornacek
Sacramento Kings: Michael Malone

Firmly entrenched:

Chicago Bulls: Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau and Bulls ownership haven't always seen eye to eye, but the two sides agreed to a lucrative four-year extension for the former Coach of the Year last fall, so Thibodeau should remain on Chicago's bench for the foreseeable future.
Dallas Mavericks: Rick Carlisle. The Mavs inked Carlisle to a long-term extension last year that should keep him under contract through at least 2016.
Golden State Warriors: Mark Jackson. Earlier this offseason, the Warriors picked up Jackson's option for 2014/15, meaning he's locked up for two more seasons. Owner Joe Lacob has also said he envisions Jackson as the team's long-term coach.
Houston Rockets: Kevin McHale. With Dwight Howard having signed with the Rockets, McHale figures to play a key role in ensuring D12 excels in Houston. McHale still has two years remaining on his contract, and owner Leslie Alexander has said his head coach is "not going anywhere."
Indiana Pacers: Frank Vogel. Vogel's Pacers arguably overachieved in 2012/13, coming within a single win of the NBA Finals. Indiana locked its head coach up earlier this year to a deal that runs through 2014/15.
Miami Heat: Erik Spoelstra. Spoelstra's latest contract extension is set to expire after the 2013/14 season, but coming off two consecutive championships, the Heat's head coach will get a new deal if he wants one. Team president Pat Riley has said he expects Spoelstra to remain in Miami after Riley himself is gone.
New Orleans Pelicans: Monty Williams. Williams has only led New Orleans to a .409 winning percentage in his three seasons with the team, but it's unlikely he'll be on the hot seat anytime soon, after agreeing to an extension that keeps him under contract through 2016.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Scott Brooks. Despite the Thunder's disappointing finish in 2012/13, Brooks remains the team's long-term choice at head coach, having signed a four-year extension last summer.
San Antonio Spurs: Gregg Popovich. The Spurs figure to keep Popovich around as long as he wants to stay, though perhaps that won't be a whole lot longer. The NBA's longest-tenured coach has indicated he may retire when Tim Duncan does.

Wait-and-see:

Los Angeles Lakers: Mike D'Antoni. The Lakers have repeatedly thrown their support behind D'Antoni, who will no longer have to worry about finding the best way to utilize Howard. With two more guaranteed seasons remaining on his contract, D'Antoni looks safe for now, but another rocky season in L.A. will have fans calling for a change.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Rick Adelman. Adelman's future with the Timberwolves is only uncertain because it's not clear how much longer he wants to stay in Minnesota. His wife's health problems had Adelman reportedly considering resigning, and while the Wolves expect him back for 2013/14, it still hadn't been 100% confirmed as of earlier this month.
New York Knicks: Mike Woodson. Woodson doesn't start the season in any danger of losing his job, but '13/14 is the last guaranteed year on his contract, so an early exit from the playoffs next year could mean trouble for Woodson's long-term future in New York.
Orlando Magic: Jacque Vaughn. There are no indications at all that the Magic are unhappy with Vaughn, who was just hired last summer. However, after he led the team to an NBA-worst 20-62 mark in 2012/13, it's probably premature to assume the team is certain that he'll be the coach for the next five or 10 years.
Portland Trail Blazers: Terry Stotts. The blurb on Vaughn and the Magic can also be applied to Stotts, who was hired last summer as well. It's still too early to assume he's in any trouble or to assume he's the team's long-term answer.
Toronto Raptors: Dwane Casey. Entering the last year of his contract, Casey looks safe for now, but he was hired by the team's previous regime. Masai Ujiri and company could decide to bring in their own head coach a year from now.
Utah Jazz: Tyrone Corbin. Although Dennis Lindsey and the Jazz endorsed Corbin at the end of the season, he'll be entering the final year of his contract. The team stuck with Corbin after he had some issues with former Jazz players like Raja Bell and C.J. Miles, but it's not clear yet whether he's in the club's long-term plans.
Washington Wizards: Randy Wittman. Anything less than a postseason berth will likely be viewed as a disappointment for the Wizards in 2013/14. If Wittman can't get the team to the playoffs in the final year of his deal, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Washington explore other options next summer.

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Heat Invite Eric Griffin To Training Camp

August 13th, 2013 at 12:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Unrestricted free agent Eric Griffin has signed a training camp deal with the Heat, according to RealGM.com. RealGM's transactions log lists the contract as having been finalized last Friday. As a training-camp invitee, Griffin won't have a guaranteed contract, and figures to be cut before opening night unless he wins a battle for a 15-man roster spot.

Griffin, 23, went undrafted out of Campbell in 2012, after averaging 15.7 PPG and 8.6 RPG in his senior year in college. The 6'8" forward spent last season in Italy, averaging 17.5 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 28 contests for Fileni BPA Jesi, before earning a spot on the Heat's Summer League team last month.

Gary Forbes To Work Out For Lakers, Knicks

August 13th, 2013 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

Unrestricted free agent Gary Forbes is expected to work out for the Knicks next week, after working out for the Lakers today, according to Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (Twitter links). Both teams only have minimum-salary slots to offer free agents, so if either team were to bring Forbes aboard, it would have to be for the veteran's minimum or on a training-camp invite.

Forbes, 28, spent two seasons in the NBA, playing for the Nuggets in 2010/11 and the Raptors in 2011/12. In 111 career games, the 6'7" forward averaged 5.8 PPG and 2.0 RPG to go along with a decent 12.4 PER in 13.5 minutes per contest.

Forbes was sent to Houston by Toronto in the deal that netted the Raptors Kyle Lowry, and was released by the Rockets before spending the 2012/13 season playing international ball. He averaged 28.4 PPG and 7.8 RPG in 27 games for China's Zhejiang Guangsha Lions.

The Knicks and Lakers figure to work out plenty of players in search of a body or two to fill out their respective 15-man rosters. We heard last week that Sean May, D.J. White, and Lester Hudson were among the other former NBA players working out for New York.

Bobcats Rumors: Jefferson, Roster, Trades

August 13th, 2013 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

Zach Lowe's latest column for Grantland.com focuses on the Bobcats, and the efforts the team is making to move toward playoff contention. As Lowe notes, it's hard to see how the current players and assets held by the Bobcats point to a future as a 55-win team, but that's not necessarily every club's number one goal. For Charlotte, the short-term goal is returning to respectability, and the team feels like signing Al Jefferson this offseason is a step in the right direction. Here are a few of the most interesting tidbits from Lowe's piece:

The Bobcats considered sitting on some of their cap room, like the Sixers have done, or using it to absorb salaries and gain assets, like the Jazz did, but ultimately decided to spend it on Jefferson. "Of course, we had discussions about those options," said team president Rod Higgins. "We could have just sat on that money. But we've had a lot of losses over the last two years. We've gotten to the point now where we just want to compete. We have to send that message to our fans."
Jefferson didn't meet with any other teams in free agency besides the Bobcats and Jazz. Utah told Jefferson on July 1st that they weren't interested in re-signing him, which came as no surprise. "I told my teammates all season, 'Utah would be a fool to bring me back, with Enes [Kanter] and Derrick [Favors]," Jefferson said.
The Jazz did offer to sign-and-trade Jefferson to a team that didn't have room to sign him outright, but the big man was quickly sold on the Bobcats' pitch.
Lowe suggests that moving Kemba Walker in a Jrue Holiday-esque deal for a 2014 first-rounder could benefit the Bobcats, but the team doesn't appear to be seriously mulling that kind of move. Still, Higgins isn't ruling anything out, telling Lowe, "If there are opportunities to make this team better via trade, we will do that."
Higgins also denied that the Bobcats ever seriously discussed trading 2012's No. 2 pick (which became Michael Kidd-Gilchrist) in a deal for James Harden.
Lowe points out that, since none of the Bobcats' young players like Walker, Kidd-Gilchrist, Gerald Henderson, Cody Zeller, and Bismack Biyombo project as franchise guys, the team should have the flexibility to keep most or all of them long-term. That could put the club on a path similar to the Nuggets, who put together a collection of solid players worth between $6-11MM since moving Carmelo Anthony.
According to Lowe, executives around the league still aren't sure who makes the final calls on basketball decisions in Charlotte, with owner Michael Jordan, GM Rich Cho, and Higgins all involved in the process.

Poll: Changes To The NBA’s Draft Lottery?

August 13th, 2013 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

In an Odds & Ends post yesterday, we passed along a piece written by Steve Kerr for NBA.com, in which the former Suns general manager and current TV analyst presented a few ideas for the NBA might alter its draft lottery.

The discussion isn't a new one, but it has ramped up again recently as teams like the Sixers and Jazz have chosen to position themselves for a high lottery pick in 2014 rather than attempting to contend for the postseason. Given how strong the 2014 draft class, led by Andrew Wiggins, is expected to be, it makes sense for teams who don't view themselves as legit contenders to position themselves to lose a lot of games, based on how the NBA's current lottery system works.

There doesn't seem to be a single potential solution that everyone can agree on, but some of Kerr's ideas are intriguing. Among them:

Even out the lottery odds, so that each of the league's 14 non-playoff teams has a 1-in-14 shot at getting each draft slot from one to 14. In this scenario, Kerr says, the top five picks would be up for grabs, so the league's worst team would pick no lower than sixth.
Reward the Nos. 7 and 8 playoff teams more. Kerr suggests that if there were more incentives to simply earn a postseason spot, even if it meant a quick first-round exit (think the No. 8 Bucks against the Heat this year), teams could make a greater effort to contend. He proposes that the eight teams who are eliminated in the first round of the playoffs could be given the top eight picks of the second round of the draft (Nos. 31-38).
Regulation to alter lottery odds. In this scenario, the teams with the NBA's three worst records would be ineligible for a top-three pick, with the other lottery teams having a 1-in-11 chance. As such, there would at least be incentive to avoid being one of the league's absolute bottom-feeders.
Deeper weighted lottery odds, meaning that the odds are determined in part (or entirely) by lottery teams' winning percentages against one another — the better you played against other lottery clubs, the better chance you have to land a top pick.
Rotate the draft order annually, so that for every 30-year stretch, each of the league's teams picks once in every spot between No. 1 and No. 30. Although Kerr doesn't specify a pattern, I have to assume it would be randomized, so that a team could pick, for instance, 16th one year, 27th the next, and first the year after that. That would make more sense for competitive balance than having a team pick first one year, second the next, third after that, and so on.

What do you think? Do you like any of Kerr's suggestions, or do you think the lottery system is about as fair as possible the way it is? If you have your own ideas for changes the NBA should try, feel free to share them in the comments section.

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Odds & Ends: Union, Lucas, Draft, Brown

August 12th, 2013 at 9:30pm CST by Zachary Links

With the offseason winding down, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld identified who the real contenders will be in 2013/14. The back-to-back champion Heat top the list with some of the other usual suspects, including the Spurs and Thunder. The Bulls should be vaulted back into contention with the long-awaited return of Derrick Rose. The Clippers are a bona fide contender after re-signing Chris Paul, landing Doc Rivers as coach, and adding J.J. Redick. The Nets, who now boast the most expensive roster in the NBA by far, hope to be among the league's elite with first-time coach Jason Kidd at the helm. And of course, the Rockets will be one of the most intriguing teams to keep an eye on after luring Dwight Howard away from L.A. Here's more from around the Association..

NBPA executive committee member Jerry Stackhouse told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that LeBron James' comments about the union felt like a "kick in the stomach". "I don't think he's had any dialogue with anybody since the All-Star break, but it is what it is," Stackhouse said. "To make that statement about where we are as a union right now, he was misinformed."
Point guard John Lucas III was a safe choice for the Jazz, in the sense that he won't threaten Trey Burke or expect to be the main one-guard for the long-term. However, Utah believes they have more than a capable stop-gap and more than a positive locker room influence in the veteran, writes Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) runs down the 2014 NBA Draft and notes that its remarkable depth could make it the best ever. Ford's latest big board has Andrew Wiggins at the top, followed by Kentucky's Julius Randle, Australian Dante Exum, Duke's Jabari Parker, and Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart.
Sean Deveney of the Sporting News gives his immediate and long-term outlook for the league's 13 new coaches. The list starts with the latest hire, 76ers coach Brett Brown.
Jordan Hill's summer assignment is to become the stretch four that the Lakers need, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Hill missed 53 games last year, mostly because of back and hip trouble.

Lou Amundson Hopeful That He’ll Sign Soon

August 12th, 2013 at 7:45pm CST by Zachary Links

At this stage of the offseason, Lou Amundson finds himself among the top remaining players on the open market. Now, after meeting with two NBA teams last week, the forward is hopeful that he'll reach a decision on his next club, a source tells Shams Charania of RealGM.

Amundson has drawn interest from several teams seeking frontcourt depth, including the Knicks. The Heat, Kings, Mavericks, Hawks, and Pacers have also been linked to the 6'9" forward at one point or another.

The 30-year-old averaged 1.9 PPG and 2.7 RPG with the Pelicans (née Hornets), Bulls, and Timberwolves last season. Amundson, who went undrafted in 2006, has played seven seasons in the NBA with career averages of 3.7 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 12.8 minutes per contest.

Louis Amundson

LeBron James Won’t Run For NBPA Presidency

August 12th, 2013 at 7:25pm CST by Zachary Links

7:25pm: James might throw his support behind the possible candidacy of Jones, a source told Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.

6:26pm: After days of "careful consideration and research," LeBron James has decided he will not run for president or first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, a person familiar with James' decision told Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. James was said to be giving it serious consideration due to concerns about the direction of the union.

Ultimately, James decided that he doesn't have enough time at this point in his career to give a top position in the union attention that it requires. James called Heat teammate and NBPA secretary-treasurer James Jones earlier today to inform him of his decision. The two-time NBA champion has been aware all along that his packed schedule could preclude him from pursuing lead job with the union, despite his interest.

"I'm not sure I have the time to do it, but it's something I'm going to think about with my team and go from there," James said last week. "But I think we all can agree there's been a lot of transition in our union in the last couple of years. If it's not me in that seat then I hope it's someone who is comfortable with it and can do the job."

Yesterday, Hoops Rumors readers correctly predicted that James ultimately wouldn't run for NBPA president. The union will have to pick a successor to Derek Fisher in the near future as well as an executive director to take over for the ousted Billy Hunter.

T-Wolves Want To Sign Pekovic By Start Of Camp

August 12th, 2013 at 5:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Timberwolves have said repeatedly that they have every intention of retaining restricted free agent Nikola Pekovic. The saga has now dragged into mid-August without a pact between the two sides, but president of basketball operations Flip Saunders says that he has earmarked the start of training camp as the deadline for a deal, writes Tim Leighton of the Pioneer Press.

"I believe we are the best situation for him,'' Saunders said. "I do believe that Pek knows what we have brought in and that this is a positive place. I think we are moving in the right direction.''

The 6-foot-11, 290-pound big man earned $4.8MM last season and he can expect a sizable pay raise in his next deal. The question for Pekovic, who averaged 16.3 PPG and 8.8 RPG in 62 games, is how much of a bump he will get. The Wolves are dangling a four-year extension worth about $48MM plus incentives while the 27-year-old's agent is said to be seeking something with an average annual value of $15MM.

International Notes: Nogueira, English, Ennis

August 12th, 2013 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Today's international news and rumors deal with a pair of former NBA players and a pair of 2013 draft picks. Here's the latest on the notable names from around the globe:

Hawks first-rounder Lucas Nogueira will play for Spain's Asefa Estudiantes Madrid for the 2013/14 season, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 16th overall pick will almost certainly be the highest pick from this year's draft to spend next season overseas — 28th overall pick Livio Jean-Charles looks like he'll be the only other first-rounder heading to Europe.
According to a La Gazzetta dello Sport report, passed along by Sportando, Italian club Virtus Roma has interest in Kim English. English was selected in the second round of the 2012 draft by the Pistons, but was released earlier this offseason.
Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida writes that the Heat were hoping that James Ennis would join the club's D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls. However, Miami didn't want to sign Ennis and have him taking up one of the Heat's 15 roster spots for 2013/14, so Ennis would have only made about $25K if he'd joined the Skyforce — he opted for a more lucrative contract in Australia instead.
Ukrainian club BC Budivelnyk has officially signed Blake Ahearn, who has played for the Heat, Spurs, and Jazz, and spent last fall in camp with the Pacers (hat tip to Sportando, via Twitter).

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