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Month: November 2024

Coaching Rumors: Magic, Atkinson, Pelicans, Blazers, Wizards

June 28th, 2021 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Although Penny Hardaway has reportedly emerged as a legitimate candidate for the Magic‘s head coaching job, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report says Kenny Atkinson‘s name continues to be the one most frequently linked to the Orlando job.

As Fischer notes – and as has been reported elsewhere – the Magic are believed to be seeking a candidate who has previous head coaching experience. While Hardaway holds the top job at the University of Memphis, he lacks the NBA experience that Atkinson has. Sources tell Fischer that former Blazers coach Terry Stotts also remains a strong option for Orlando.

Here are a few more coaching-related notes and rumors:

  • The Pelicans‘ search is expected to continue until at least later this week, with current New Orleans assistant Fred Vinson still to be interviewed, says Fischer. However, Jacque Vaughn appears to be the frontrunner for that job, sources tell Bleacher Report. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said last week that Vaughn’s candidacy was gaining traction.
  • Trail Blazers officials were caught off guard by Damian Lillard‘s public support for Jason Kidd early in the team’s coaching search, and several staffers were surprised the All-NBA guard didn’t name former Portland assistant David Vanterpool as his preferred candidate, according to Fischer. Lillard advocated for Vanterpool to be named Minnesota’s coach following Ryan Saunders‘ dismissal earlier in the year.
  • Spurs assistant Becky Hammon impressed the Trail Blazers during the interview process, but the background intel the team got on Hammon “was not nearly as complimentary pertaining to various aspects of day-to-day coaching responsibilities,” Fischer writes. While team owner Jody Allen liked Hammon, there were doubts about whether she was best suited to navigate “delicate waters” with Lillard, Fischer adds.
  • Fischer says that the Wizards‘ coaching search will be “lengthy and thorough,” which suggests that Washington may end up being the last team to fill its head coaching opening.
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Celtics To Hire Will Hardy As Assistant

June 28th, 2021 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics are finalizing a deal to add veteran Spurs assistant Will Hardy to Ime Udoka‘s new coaching staff, reports Jay King of The Athletic (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Celtics Hire Imu Udoka As Head Coach]

It’s a nice get for Boston and for Udoka, who worked as a Spurs assistant himself from 2012-19. Hardy joined San Antonio’s video department in 2011 and was later promoted to the coaching staff in 2015, so he and Udoka have several years of experience working together.

Hardy and Udoka were also both on Gregg Popovich‘s Team USA staff at the 2019 World Cup. Udoka reportedly developed a connection with Celtics players Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart during that time with the U.S. national team, which helped earn him Boston’s head coaching job.

Hardy has some Massachusetts roots, as he played his college ball at Williams College. He coached several of the Spurs’ Summer League teams between 2015-18, and has also received some consideration as a head coaching candidate in the past, having been linked to the Pacers, Knicks, and Thunder when they were conducting coaching searches in 2020.

There’s an expectation that the Celtics will continue to target experienced assistants to fill out their coaching staff in order to put first-time head coach Udoka in the best position to succeed.

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Rosters Announced For Olympic Qualifying Tournaments

June 28th, 2021 at 9:16am CST by Luke Adams

Four qualifying tournaments to determine the final four teams in the men’s basketball pool at the Tokyo Olympics are set to tip off on Tuesday. In advance of the Olympic qualifiers, the 24 teams involved have officially set their 12-man rosters, according to a press release from FIBA.

More than two dozen current NBA players are participating in the tournament, and 11 of the 24 teams competing for Olympic spots have at least one current NBA players on their respective rosters. Of those clubs, Team Canada has the biggest contingent of NBA players — eight of the 12 players on Nick Nurse‘s squad finished the season on an NBA roster. Turkey is next with four NBA players.

The four qualifying tournaments will take place in Serbia, Lithuania, Croatia, and Canada. Only the winner of each six-team group will advance to Tokyo. Those four winners will join Japan, Nigeria, Argentina, Iran, France, Spain, Australia, and the U.S. in the 12-team Olympic tournament.

The teams that move onto the Olympics may tweak their rosters for Tokyo, depending on the availability of certain players. For instance, if Greece were to win its qualifying tournament, perhaps Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo – who remains active in the playoffs for now – would make an effort to join the team in Tokyo next month.

Here are the NBA players on the OQT rosters:

Belgrade, Serbia

Kaunas, Lithuania

Split, Croatia

Victoria, Canada

There are also many former NBA players among the 24 rosters, including Mario Hezonja (Croatia), Milos Teodosic (Serbia), Jan Vesely (Czech Republic), Timofey Mozgov (Russia), and Anthony Bennett (Canada).

To view the full rosters, be sure to visit FIBA’s official site and click through to each team from there.

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Celtics Hire Ime Udoka As Head Coach

June 28th, 2021 at 8:04am CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 28: Five days after his deal with the Celtics was first reported, Udoka has been officially announced as the team’s new head coach. The organization issued a press release confirming the news.

“I would like to welcome Ime, Nia, Kez, and Massai to the Boston Celtics. Among the many outstanding qualities that Ime brings to the table are his character, humility, and competitiveness. He has a relentless work ethic and a vast array of experiences as a player and coach,” Stevens said in a statement. “He’s a leader that is warm and demanding, and we are so excited that he has chosen to join us in pursuit of Banner 18.”

JUNE 23: New Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has made a decision on his replacement, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Boston is finalizing a deal to hire Nets assistant Ime Udoka as the team’s new head coach.

Udoka, who appeared in over 300 NBA games as a player for the Lakers, Knicks, Blazers, Spurs, and Kings, transitioned into coaching following his retirement in 2012. He spent seven years as an assistant on Gregg Popovich‘s staff in San Antonio before joining the Sixers for the 2019/20 season. He was hired by the Nets last fall and focused on Brooklyn’s defense as one of the top assistants on Steve Nash‘s staff.

Udoka has interviewed for several open head coaching positions in recent years, having been linked to the Bulls, Pacers, Knicks, and 76ers a year ago and to the Cavaliers in 2019. He was due for a shot at a top job and quickly separated himself from the Celtics’ other candidates during the team’s coaching search, tweets Wojnarowski.

According to Woj, a number of Celtics players who participated in the 2019 World Cup for Team USA were impressed by Udoka, who was an assistant on the U.S. staff. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart all played on that team.

The Celtics’ head coaching job opened up three weeks ago when Danny Ainge stepped down from his position as the organization’s president of basketball operations and Stevens was moved into that role. Stevens, who led the coaching search, has had a busy first month on the job — he also completed the first trade of the NBA offseason, sending Kemba Walker to Oklahoma City last week.

The Celtics are the first team to complete a head coaching search this offseason, ahead of the Mavericks, Pacers, Pelicans, Magic, Blazers, and Wizards.

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Blazers, Chauncey Billups Agree To Five-Year Deal

June 27th, 2021 at 10:35pm CST by Luke Adams

10:35pm: The Blazers have issued a press release confirming they’re hiring Billups as their new head coach.

“Chauncey is a proven leader with an elite basketball IQ that has won everywhere he has been,” Olshey said in a statement. “He is prepared for the challenge of developing the championship habits and strategic approach we need to achieve the expectations and goals for our franchise.”

9:51pm: The Trail Blazers and Chauncey Billups have reached an agreement that will make the former NBA point guard the new head coach in Portland, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The team parted ways with former head coach Terry Stotts earlier in June.

It’ll be a five-year deal for Billups. The contract features four guaranteed seasons and a team option on the fifth year, per Wojnarowski, who adds that the new head coach will be officially introduced on Tuesday.

Blazers owner Jody Allen and president of basketball operations Neil Olshey met with finalists Billups, Mike D’Antoni, and Becky Hammon in Seattle this week. After their meeting with Billups, the Blazers’ franchise leaders were convinced he was the right candidate for the job, sources tell ESPN.

Portland is moving forward with Billups despite facing some criticism over the choice due to a 1997 sexual assault case involving the former All-Star. No criminal charges were brought against Billups, who was a rookie at the time, and the case was ultimately settled in civil court.

The Blazers looked into that incident before formally offering the job to Billups on Friday, and he encouraged the examination, says Wojnarowski. Billups’ answers in conversations with team officials aligned with findings from an independent investigation, and the Blazers didn’t learn anything they felt disqualified Billups from being offered the position, Woj adds.

Billups has no previous head coaching experience, but was considered a future head coach or GM during his days as a player based on his leadership and his heady approach to the game. Since retiring in 2014, he has worked as a broadcaster and – in 2020/21 – as an assistant coach on Tyronn Lue‘s Clippers staff.

The Blazers intend to be aggressive about filling out Billups’ staff with experienced coaches to help ensure a smooth transition, says Wojnarowski.

Billups will be tasked with elevating a team that has stalled out in the postseason in recent years. He’ll also play a major role in making sure franchise player Damian Lillard remains happy in Portland. A report from Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports on Sunday suggested that the Blazers’ roster shortcomings and the backlash to the coaching search have created some uncertainty about Lillard’s commitment to the organization.

However, Lillard has long expressed his desire to remain in Portland long-term and he remains under contract for four more years. He also publicly endorsed Billups early in the club’s coaching search. While it’s still possible he could ask for a trade, the Blazers will do all they can to address Lillard’s potential discontent.

The Celtics (Ime Udoka), Pacers (Rick Carlisle), Mavericks (Jason Kidd), and Blazers have now completed coaching searches this month. The Wizards, Magic, and Pelicans remain on the lookout for new head coaches.

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Jazz EVP Lindsey Transitioning To Advisory Role; Zanik To Run Basketball Ops

June 27th, 2021 at 10:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Jazz executive vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey is transitioning to an advisory role with the franchise, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Although Lindsey has been the head of basketball operations in Utah in recent years, general manager Justin Zanik has run day-to-day operations in the front office since 2019 and he’ll continue to do so going forward, sources tell ESPN. Head coach Quin Snyder will also continue to have a “significant organizational voice,” says Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

New Jazz owner Ryan Smith is expected to take the opportunity to evaluate the basketball operations department to “see where it can be strengthened,” Woj adds (via Twitter). Tony Jones of The Athletic (all Twitter links) also suggests that more front office changes are on the way, with former Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge among those who could be in the mix to join the Jazz. Ainge was linked to Utah immediately after word broke that he was stepping down from his job in Boston.

However, Wojnarowski stresses that Smith and Zanik have worked well together, and Jones says the plan is for Zanik to head up the basketball operations department going forward. If Ainge comes aboard, it won’t be to lead the front office, according to Jones. It’s unclear if Ainge would be interested in a role where he’s not making the final decisions.

Lindsey, confirming his move to an advisory position, shared a statement with Wojnarowski:

“In recent years, I have had conversations with the Miller family and then Ryan Smith when he came on board about moving into an advisory role. This is an appropriate time to make the transition with the organization on such solid footing. … I look forward to making contributions to the Jazz in a different way, while enjoying more time with my wife Becky and our four children.”

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And-Ones: Midseason Tournament, Martin, Grant, Musa

June 27th, 2021 at 8:43pm CST by JD Shaw

The NBA could benefit from adding more incentives if it chooses to create a midseason tournament, Jabari Young of CNBC writes. The league would likely use money as a primary incentive, whether it be for a charity, a social justice organization, or for the players.

While no plans have been finalized, the NBA is actively seeking ways to improve the viewing experience for fans during the regular season. The league recently added a play-in tournament, which has received mixed reactions from fans and teams.

As we relayed last month, the NBA hopes to eventually add a midseason tournament, though it would have to agree with the players’ association first. In addition, two-thirds of the league’s 30 team owners would have to approve of the idea, with 2022/23 being the earliest that it could be tested.

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • The Sydney Kings and former NBA first-round pick Jarell Martin have exercised their mutual option for next season, the team announced. Martin, who averaged 17.9 points in 28 games this year, will return to the club for a second campaign. “Even though Jarell put up strong numbers, we still only got to see a small sample of what he can do in this league – coming in late, dealing with injuries, adjusting to the physicality – we expect him to have a big year” team CEO Chris Pongrass said, as relayed by Sportando.
  • Jerian Grant is receiving interest from Olimpia Milano (Italy) and Lokomotiv Kuban (Russia), according to SDNA (hat tip to Sportando). Grant holds five seasons of NBA experience (2015-20), most recently playing in Greece.
  • Former Nets forward Dzanan Musa and Anadolu Efes have parted ways, according to Basket Faul (as relayed by EuroHoops). Musa played 49 games with Brooklyn from 2018-20, originally signing with Efes in January.
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Community Shootaround: Conference Finals Outcomes

June 27th, 2021 at 7:29pm CST by JD Shaw

With the start of the NBA Finals around the corner, it’s time to examine who might represent the East and West in the annual championship series this year.

The Bucks and Hawks are currently tied 1-1, with Milwaukee winning Game 2 on Friday night 125-91. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Hawks star Trae Young recorded just 15 points and nine turnovers.

In the West, the Suns lead the Clippers 3-1, with Game 5 set to commence on Monday night. Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard (knee) has already been ruled out for the contest. Game 4 featured some ugly shooting performances from both sides, but Phoenix prevailed to take a commanding lead in the series.

Both the Clippers and Hawks have overcome long odds numerous times during the postseason — the Clippers came back to beat the Mavericks in a seven-game first-round series, then won four straight to beat the Jazz after trailing 2-0 the next round. The Hawks, meanwhile, were not expected to make it here.

“What I like about this team is we always beat the odds,” Hawks center Clint Capela recently said, as relayed by Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “People just don’t expect us to do it. People keep doubting us, and we just keep shocking them. In Houston, it was really a championship mentality every year, so it was almost like a must-win game, every game.”

With that in mind, what do you think? Do the Clippers have enough left in the tank to pull off a third postseason miracle? Will the Hawks win another series despite being widely viewed as the underdogs?

Take to the comments section below to share your opinions!

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Kawhi Leonard Ruled Out For Game 5

June 27th, 2021 at 6:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

JUNE 27: Leonard has officially been ruled out for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Mark Medina of USA Today tweets. Leonard will remain in Los Angeles to continue his knee rehabilitation.

JUNE 26: Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard hasn’t played yet in the Western Conference finals and it doesn’t appear he’ll return for Game 5 on Monday. Sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that it’s “highly unlikely” Leonard will make the trip to Phoenix (video link).

Leonard is recovering from a right knee injury that he suffered June 14 against Utah. He didn’t accompany the Clippers for the opening two games of the series with the Suns, and there are concerns that air travel would be harmful to the knee, according to Haynes.

Speaking to reporters today, coach Tyronn Lue said that Leonard, who has been ruled out of tonight’s Game 4, continues to offer advice to his teammates and has been “a lot more vocal” since the injury, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

The news is better for Clippers teammate Marcus Morris, who has been cleared to play tonight, Youngmisuk adds (via Twitter). Morris, who is also dealing with a knee issue, was a game-time decision on Thursday.

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Penny Hardaway Emerges As Serious Candidate For Magic Job

June 27th, 2021 at 6:03pm CST by JD Shaw

The Magic interviewed University of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway for their head coaching position, with Hardaway now emerging as a serious candidate for the job, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Hardaway, who played six seasons with Orlando from 1993-99, has coached at the University of Memphis for the past three years. He’s considered to be one of the top guards in Magic history, making the All-Star team four times during his tenure with the franchise.

The Magic and coach Steve Clifford parted ways earlier this month after finishing the season 21-51 — that was the third-worst record in the league. The team has missed the playoffs in seven of its last 10 seasons and is currently in a rebuilding phase.

Along with Hardaway, Orlando has requested to interview Suns assistant Willie Green and Bucks assistant Charles Lee, according to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins.

The team has already interviewed Spurs assistant Becky Hammon and is expected to interview current assistants Tyrone Corbin, Pat Delany and Steve Hetzel, along with Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr., says Charania. In addition, Marc Stein of The New York Times also reported (via Twitter) that Orlando requested to interview Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley.

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