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Eastern Notes: Magic, Tibbetts, Bucks, Heat, Lillard

July 18th, 2021 at 5:16pm CST by JD Shaw

The Magic are expected to hire Nate Tibbetts as an assistant on Jamahl Mosley‘s staff, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Tibbetts and Mosley worked together on the Cavs’ coaching staff during the 2011/12 and ’12/13 seasons.

Tibbetts also interviewed for a position with the Kings, Fischer reports. He last served as associate head coach with the Blazers, working for several years as an assistant coach under Terry Stotts.

The Magic, who hired Mosley earlier this month, finished the 2020/21 campaign with just a 21-51 record. That mark was the second-worst in the East and third-worst in the league, mostly caused by key injuries and a midseason decision to start rebuilding.

Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference tonight:

The Bucks suddenly find themselves one win from an NBA title after winning Game 5 on Saturday, as Jonathan Abrams of The New York Times details. The victory was sealed with a steal and alley-oop from Jrue Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo at the end of the contest.
The Heat have released their preseason home schedule for 2021/22, per an announcement on the team’s website. Miami’s first home game will be against Atlanta on Monday, October 4, just 78 days away. The league’s offseason will once again be shortened this year due to the altered schedule caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his latest “Ask Ira” mailbag, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether Bam Adebayo should serve as a roadblock in the Damian Lillard-Heat trade speculation. Portland likely wouldn’t entertain any offer for Lillard that doesn’t include Jimmy Butler or Adebayo, and to this point, neither Lillard nor the Blazers have indicated that a separation is being considered.

Draft Notes: Top Picks, Barnes, Mitchell, Green Room

July 16th, 2021 at 11:04am CST by Arthur Hill

With the draft less than two weeks away, more clarity is emerging about the top of the lottery, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The Pistons are reportedly listening to offers involving the No. 1 selection, but league sources tell O’Connor the most likely scenario is that they will keep the pick and take Cade Cunningham. Even if a trade does happen, teams around the league expect Cunningham to be taken first.

The Rockets are leaning toward Jalen Green with the second pick, sources tell O’Connor. Green’s elite athleticism and ability to create his own shot could eventually make him the best player in the draft, O’Connor adds, and rival teams are preparing for him to go to Houston.

Evan Mobley, who ranks higher than Green on many teams’ draft boards, appears to be a good fit for the Cavaliers at No. 3. They may consider a guard if Collin Sexton is traded by draft night, but Mobley makes sense with the current roster. Jalen Suggs appears headed to the Raptors with the fourth pick and would be a young replacement for Kyle Lowry if he leaves in free agency.

O’Connor cites league sources who believe the Magic like Scottie Barnes with the fifth pick, while the Thunder at No. 6 will decide between James Bouknight and Barnes if he’s still on the board. Jonathan Kuminga, who was considered a top five selection early on, isn’t getting much interest from either Orlando or Oklahoma City, O’Connor adds.

There’s more on the draft:

Many scouts and executives believe Barnes will be a top five pick, per Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Sources tell Wassmerman that the Magic are a good bet to take Barnes, but the Thunder will nab him if Orlando passes. Rival teams also believe the Raptors will consider him with the fourth pick if they’re determined to keep Lowry.
Baylor point guard Davion Mitchell held an individual workout for the Warriors on Thursday, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Moses Moody, Jalen Johnson and Kai Jones also worked out for the team, but they were in a group session that was held after Mitchell’s workout and interview. Slater examines the arguments for and against drafting Mitchell, who is a strong defender and improved greatly as a three-point shooter last season.
Kuminga is among the prospects who have received a Green Room invitation for draft night, Wasserman tweets. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that Jones (Twitter link) and Australian guard Josh Giddey (Twitter link) have also been invited to join the Green Room, which is reserved for prospects who are expected to be chosen early.

Southeast Notes: Mosley, Barnes, Wizards, Gallinari, Hornets

July 13th, 2021 at 12:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jamahl Mosley has interviewed for head coaching jobs before, but he said the experience with the Magic was different because of the relationships involved. In an interview with Josh Robbins of The Athletic, Mosley talks about his prior experience with president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman in Denver and front office official Anthony Parker in Cleveland.

“I started to sense that there was a little bit of a joy to where it was going,” said Mosley, who was officially hired Sunday morning. “That happened after the second or third interview. It felt good. And I met the DeVos family, and you just saw family. That’s when it really kind of set in.”

Mosley chose to sidestep a question about the end of his time in Dallas, where he served as an assistant to Rick Carlisle for the past seven years. There was an expectation that Mosley might become the Mavericks‘ next head coach when Carlisle left for Indiana, but the front office chose Jason Kidd instead.

“It’s me moving forward, and that’s the best thing,” Mosley said. “I’m moving into a situation that allows me to grow, allows me to walk into exactly what I started out doing, and that’s developing and helping young men become better individuals on and off the court.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Magic, who hold picks No. 5 and 8 in this year’s lottery, brought in Florida State forward Scottie Barnes for a private workout over the weekend, Robbins tweets. Barnes is ranked sixth on ESPN’s big board and is considered a possible top-five pick.
With Bradley Beal eligible for free agency next summer, the Wizards may value veteran help more than the No. 15 pick they hold in the draft, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. He notes that not many teams are willing to part with useful players in exchange for a mid-round draft choice, but he proposes a few trades involving the Knicks, Lakers, Hawks, Grizzlies and Pacers.
Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari has confirmed on Instagram that he will play in the Tokyo Olympics. Gallinari has been representing Italy in international competitions since he was a teenager, but this will be his first Olympic Games.
The Hornets are hosting six players today in a pre-draft workout, according to a tweet from the team. Taking part are West Virginia’s Derek Culver, prep school player Jimma Gatwech, Nikita Mikhailovskii of Avtodor (Russia), UNC-Greensboro’s Isaiah Miller, Georgetown’s Jamorko Pickett and Kentucky’s Olivier Sarr.

Southeast Notes: Crowder, Heat, Mosley, Wizards

July 11th, 2021 at 3:50pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Heat made a key personnel decision that could have adversely impacted their 2020/21 season in letting Jae Crowder walk as a free agent during the 2020 offseason, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The club opted to not sign Crowder to a long-term deal so that it could keep its coffers open for the summer of 2021, when Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was scheduled to be a free agent. Of course, Antetokounmpo then signed a lucrative extension with Milwaukee, and the Bucks would go on to sweep the Heat 4-0 in the first round of the 2021 postseason.

Crowder, meanwhile, signed a three-year, $29.2MM deal with the Suns. Though Crowder’s statistical numbers may be modest, Winderman notes that his toughness and versatility would have significantly aided Miami’s 2020/21 season. Crowder is now bringing those same attributes to bear for the Suns in the NBA Finals. The club is up 2-0 against the Bucks.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Team Nigeria head coach Mike Brown sang the praises of Heat forwards Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala after they contributed to Team Nigeria’s 90-87 exhibition match upset over Team USA in an Olympics tuneup game, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Achiuwa and Okpala’s contributions went beyond their minor offensive output. Their Miami teammate Gabe Vincent, meanwhile, enjoyed a stellar offensive game for Nigeria, scoring a team-high 21 points on 66.7% field goal shooting.
Several current and former Magic players expressed their excitement when the news broke today that Orlando would be hiring Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley to be the club’s new head coach, writes Chris Hays of The Orlando Sentinel. “I’m happy for him,” Magic forward Jonathan Isaac told Hays. “He’s been faithful to the grind and the league for many years.” Former Magic guard J.J. Redick, who was coached by Mosley in Dallas this season, tweeted “Love this!!”
The Wizards, who have the No. 15 pick in the 2021 draft, will hold pre-draft workouts for six draft candidates on Monday, per a team press release. Richmond guard Blake Francis, Florida guard Tre Mann, Avtodor Saratov forward Nikita Mikhailovskii, Tennessee swingman Yves Pons, Stanford forward Oscar Da Silva, and Coppin State wing Koby Thomas will all get a look from Washington’s brain trust.

Magic Hire Jamahl Mosley As Head Coach

July 11th, 2021 at 11:05am CST by Arthur Hill

11:05am: The deal with Mosley has been finalized, the Magic announced on Twitter.

“We would like to welcome Jamahl and his family to the Magic family,” president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman stated in a press release. “Within the NBA coaching community, Jamahl is considered a rising star. His coaching path is rooted in player development. He is a communicator and connector, and we look forward to him leading our group.”

9:11am: Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley will be the new head coach of the Magic, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Mosley has agreed in principle to a four-year contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

A report on Thursday suggested that Mosley was the frontrunner for the position, which has been vacant since Steve Clifford and the team agreed to part ways in early June. Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. was the other finalist for the job.

Mosley, 42, has been an assistant to Rick Carlisle in Dallas for the past seven years and has earned a reputation for building relationships and developing young talent. He had been expected to leave the organization after the Mavs hired Jason Kidd as head coach when Carlisle left.

Orlando had been targeting a young coach to oversee the team’s rebuilding effort. The roster is loaded with players in their early 20s after the Magic parted with Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier at the trade deadline in March.

Now that Orlando has hired a head coach, only two teams are still conducting coaching searches. Those teams are New Orleans and Washington.

Mosley Will Have To Find Top Option

July 9th, 2021 at 7:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

On the surface, Jamahl Mosley won’t have a lot of pressure as the new head coach of the rebuilding Magic — provided that he finalizes an agreement — but he’ll face some obstacles, Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes. The current roster doesn’t have a clear No. 1 offensive option and that could create some chemistry issues. In the same piece, Robbins reveals that president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman and GM John Hammond are expected to receive contract extensions. Both have one year remaining on their deals and the length of their new contracts will likely coincide with Mosley’s deal.

Mosley Emerges As Top Candidate For Magic Head Coaching Job

July 8th, 2021 at 6:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley has emerged as the strong frontrunner for the Magic’s head coaching job, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Negotiations are ongoing between the 42-year-old Mosley and Orlando’s brass, but his reputation in developing players, building relationships and holding them accountable has made him the top choice for the rebuilding Magic, Wojnarowski adds.

Orlando had narrowed its list to Mosley and Wes Unseld Jr., who remains a strong candidate to get the Wizards’ head coaching job. Mosley is also a finalist for that job and was expected to meet with Washington for a second interview on Friday.

Mosley spent the past seven years as an assistant under Rick Carlisle. He also spent four years apiece with the Cavaliers and Nuggets prior to joining Dallas’ staff. He’s currently an assistant coach on the U.S. Select team.

Mosley was expected to leave Dallas after being passed over for the team’s head coaching job in favor of Jason Kidd.

Magic Work Out Corey Kispert

July 6th, 2021 at 7:09pm CST by Eli Cohen

Corey Kispert, the sharp-shooting senior out of Gonzaga, worked out today for the Magic, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The 6’6″ guard/forward would fill a much-needed role for a Magic team that is well-stocked at some positions but still low on shooters.

Wizards Identifying Finalists In Head Coaching Search

July 5th, 2021 at 1:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Having moved through the first phase of their head coaching search, the Wizards are identifying finalists and are zeroing in on a handful of assistant coaches from around the NBA, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Jamahl Mosley (Mavericks), Darvin Ham (Bucks), Charles Lee (Bucks), and Wes Unseld Jr. (Nuggets) are among the candidates who remain in contention for Washington’s coaching job and who will meet with the team again, Wojnarowski reports. Sources tell Wojnarowski that Mosley and Unseld are also serious candidates to fill the Magic‘s coaching vacancy.

While some clubs that have sought a new head coach this offseason have made it a priority to land a candidate with previous head coaching experience, it appears the Wizards are very open to the idea of hiring a first-timer. Virtually all of the candidates linked to Washington throughout the process – including those listed above – lack head coaching experience.

As we’ve noted in previous stories, hiring Unseld would perhaps be the best story for the Wizards, since his father was a D.C. legend who played for the team and held various positions with the organization following his retirement. However, Mosley, Ham, and Lee are all also accomplished assistants who have worked for multiple NBA teams and who have received head coaching interest in the past.

In addition to the Wizards and Magic, the Pelicans also continue to search for a new head coach, as our tracker shows.

Hardaway, Atkinson Not Prioritized For Head Coach Opening

July 4th, 2021 at 1:38pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Though he was up for the head coaching position with the Magic, Memphis head coach (and former four-time Orlando All-Star) Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway never seemed like a leading contender for the gig, opines Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel. Hardaway withdrew his name from consideration and opted to remain in the NCAA for now.
Former Nets head coach and current Clippers assistant coach Kenny Atkinson, who oversaw a successful rebuild in Brooklyn, appears to not be one of the major candidates for the Magic head coaching job, writes Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel. Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr., Spurs assistant Becky Hammon, Suns assistant Willie Green, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, and three assistants of now-former Magic coach Steve Clifford all will interview or have already interviewed for the job. Hays wonders why Atkinson’s name hasn’t also made the cut, given his track record as a solid coach adept at developing young talent.