3:16pm: Mike D’Antoni, Mark Jackson, Randy Wittman and Mike Woodson are among the names Buckner hears connected to the job (Twitter link).
12:42pm: Bulls lead assistant coach Jim Boylen is also drawing mention, Berger hears (Twitter link). Boylen was a Pacers assistant from 2011-13.
12:26pm: Jeff Hornacek is expected to become a candidate as well, league sources tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). The former Suns coach is apparently interviewing for the Kings vacancy this week, and the Rockets are reportedly trying to arrange an interview with him, too.
11:20am: Nate McMillan and Brian Shaw are in the discussion to fill the head coaching vacancy on the Pacers, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Frank Vogel‘s contract expired and president of basketball operations Larry Bird decided against re-signing him. McMillan has been Indiana’s lead assistant since 2013 when he replaced Shaw, who left for the head coaching job with the Nuggets.
Shaw hasn’t coached since the Nuggets fired him last year at the end of a disappointing tenure in which he went 56-85. McMillan will reportedly interview for the Kings head coaching job today or Friday.
The 50-year-old Shaw spent two seasons with the Pacers as Vogel’s top deputy after seven years as a Lakers assistant. Incoming Lakers head coach Luke Walton would reportedly like to hire Shaw as an assistant, but many believe executive Jim Buss is wary of those with ties to Phil Jackson, whom Shaw played for and later coached under.
McMillan, 51, has a much lengthier resume as an NBA head coach, having compiled a 478-452 regular season record and a 14-20 mark in the playoffs during parts of 12 seasons with the SuperSonics and Trail Blazers. Portland fired him midway through the 2011/12 season.
Many speculated that former Rockets coach Kevin McHale, Bird’s longtime teammate, would become a candidate for the Pacers head coaching job if the position opened, but Bird said today that he won’t hire him.
Can’t believe anybody would even interview Mike D’antoni. Larry would go crazy with him. Woodson would be his best fit.