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Draft Notes: Ponds, Heron, Spellman, Melton

May 12th, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

After being passed over for the NBA Draft Combine, Shamorie Ponds of St. John’s is concentrating on team workouts to prove himself, writes Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog. The sophomore guard put up a 21.6/5.0/4.7 line for the Red Storm this season, but wasn’t among the 69 players who received combine invitations.

“For sure, I was most definitely upset,” he said. “I feel I deserved it.”

Ponds worked out today for the Cavaliers and has held a session with the Nets. Cleveland GM Koby Altman spoke with all the participants after the workout, and Ponds said he received positive feedback. “[Altman] said he really likes my game a lot, he really enjoyed watching it,” Ponds added. “There was great energy after the workout.”

Ponds still has workouts remaining with the Jazz, Pistons and Lakers and wants to reschedule sessions with the Knicks and Hawks that he had to cancel because of final exams. He will use the results of those workouts to determine whether to remain in the draft, a decision that has to be made by May 30.

There are more draft-related notes to pass on:

Today’s workout in Cleveland included three other prominent players in Auburn’s Mustapha Heron, Villanova’s Omari Spellman and USC’s De’Anthony Melton, Zagoria tweets. Heron also worked out Friday for the Nets along with Nevada’s Cody Martin, Georgia’s Kendrick Nunn, North Carolina’s Joel Berry and Stanford’s Reid Travis.
Michigan State’s Nick Ward had sessions with the Knicks and Thunder during the week and is set to work out for the Pistons this weekend, according to Brendan F. Quinn of the Athletic (Twitter link). Eight other teams have submitted requests to see the sophomore in action.
The Timberwolves brought in Rodney Bullock of Providence and Jalen McDaniels of San Diego State for a workout on Thursday, relays Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link).
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz take a look at the best selections for each of the lottery teams if they land in the top three.

Hawks To Hire Lloyd Pierce As Head Coach

May 11th, 2018 at 6:10pm CST by ChrisCrouse

6:10 pm: Pierce has reached an agreement with Atlanta to become the team’s next head coach, the Hawks announce via press release.

“As we set out to find a new head coach for our team, it was critically important to find a dynamic teacher who could connect with and develop our young core while instilling the culture and high standards we feel are necessary in a successful program,” said Hawks GM Travis Schlenk. “Lloyd Pierce checks every box, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him leading the Atlanta Hawks into the future.”

Pierce said that he’s been working toward this moment for a long time, adding that it’s an honor to become the Hawks’ new head coach.

“I have great respect for [Schlenk] and strong belief in his plan to bring a championship to the city of Atlanta. After spending time with ownership, it’s clear they have a deep investment in and commitment to making this a model organization. This opportunity is a perfect fit for me, and I’m eager to get started,” he said.

5:49 pm: The Hawks are closing in on a deal with Lloyd Pierce to make the Sixers’ assistant their new head coach, Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports reports (Twitter link) and Marc J. Spears of ESPN.com tweets that the Atlanta will announce Pierce as its head coach on Monday.

The contract will contain three guaranteed years with a team option for the fourth, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Pierce had his third meeting with the club today.

Earlier today, we heard that Atlanta was likely to present Pierce a contract offer and on the surface, the pairing makes sense. Pierce has been with the Sixers organization since the 2013/14 campaign, spending several seasons on the sideline as the team went through their long rebuild. The Hawks are in the midst of a similar situation, though it’s unlikely Atlanta’s rebuild carries on for as many seasons as Sam Hinkie’s Process did.

The Hawks mutually parted ways with Mike Budenholzer late last month and we heard rumblings that it had to do with the direction of the franchise. Budenholzer reportedly wants to be with an organization that’s committed to winning and Atlanta appears to be more focused on talent development.

Pierce is open to the challenge of building a team from the ground up and he believes his time in Philadelphia will help him with the Hawks.

“The main reason is just looking at their young players,” Pierce said earlier in the week. “They got four guys in the draft. They got a couple of young players that are on their roster. So what’s most important when you are dealing with young players and young talent, it’s the development and relational side of that. It’s kind of my track record. It’s anybody’s track record of how do you communicate, how do you work with players, how do you develop, what does that mean?”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Hawks Likely To Offer Head Coaching Job To Lloyd Pierce

May 11th, 2018 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce has emerged as the primary focus of the Hawks’ search for a new head coach, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Wojnarowski, with the 76ers now eliminated from the postseason, Pierce traveled to Atlanta today for a third meeting with Hawks officials. The club is expected to make a formal offer to Pierce soon, Woj adds.

Wojnarowski reported last week that Pierce would meet with Hawks ownership during his second interview with the team. At the time, Woj suggested that there was a “strong chance” Pierce would become Atlanta’s new head coach if that meeting went well.

However, a subsequent report indicated that Pierce was simply one of four finalists for the position, and that it would be premature to elevate him over the other candidates. Those other finalists are Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, Hornets assistant Stephen Silas, and Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga. Based on Wojnarowski’s latest report though, it sounds like Pierce is the strong frontrunner.

Pierce, whose NBA coaching career began with roles in Cleveland, Golden State, and Memphis, has been an assistant on Brett Brown‘s staff in Philadelphia since 2013. Pierce’s time the Warriors – while brief – overlapped with Travis Schlenk‘s tenure in Golden State’s front office. Schlenk currently serves as the Hawks’ general manager.

Pierce said earlier this week that he felt optimistic about his chances to replace Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta, as we relayed on Wednesday.

“The main reason is just looking at [the Hawks’] young players,” Pierce said. “They got four guys in the draft. They got a couple of young players that are on their roster. So what’s most important when you are dealing with young players and young talent, it’s the development and relational side of that. It’s kind of my track record.”

Hawks Waive Tyler Cavanaugh

May 11th, 2018 at 11:25am CST by Luke Adams

11:25am: The Hawks have officially waived Cavanaugh, the team announced today in a press release.

8:52am: The Hawks will waive forward Tyler Cavanaugh, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Wojnarowski writes that an early guarantee date, an ankle injury, and a coaching change all contributed to Atlanta’s decision to part with Cavanaugh.

An undrafted rookie out of George Washington University, Cavanaugh caught on with the Hawks for training camp last fall. While he didn’t earn a spot on the regular season roster initially, he inked a two-way deal with the club in November, then was promoted to the 15-man roster in December. For the season, the 24-year-old averaged 4.7 PPG and 3.3 RPG with a .441/.360/.810 shooting line in 39 games (13.3 MPG).

Cavanaugh’s contract with the Hawks included a non-guaranteed salary of $1,378,242 for the 2018/19 season. However, had he remained under contract through May 15, he would have received a partial guarantee of $450K, according to Basketball Insiders’ data. That trigger date forced Atlanta into a decision early in the offseason.

Cavanaugh will become an unrestricted free agent, assuming he goes unclaimed on waivers.

Hawks Working Out Six Prospects On Friday

May 10th, 2018 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks, who hold four of the top 33 picks in this year’s draft, are bringing in six more prospects for pre-draft workouts on Friday. Jaylen Adams (St. Bonaventure), Tyler Hall (Montana State), Kevin Huerter (Maryland), Jo Lual-Acuil (Baylor), Doral Moore (Wake Forest), and Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State) will get a look from Atlanta, according to a team release.

Lloyd Pierce Optimistic About Chances With Hawks

May 9th, 2018 at 4:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce feels good about his chances to become the next head coach in Atlanta after going through a second interview Tuesday, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Pierce, who had a dinner meeting with Hawks ownership, is among four finalists for the vacancy, along with Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, Hornets assistant Stephen Silas, and Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga. Pierce added that he isn’t sure when Atlanta officials will make their decision, but said his experience in Philadelphia prepared him for the opportunity.

“The main reason is just looking at their young players,” he said. “They got four guys in the draft. They got a couple of young players that are on their roster. So what’s most important when you are dealing with young players and young talent, it’s the development and relational side of that. It’s kind of my track record. It’s anybody’s track record of how do you communicate, how do you work with players, how do you develop, what does that mean?”

The Hawks will add to their young talent base in the draft, Pompey notes, holding the fourth-best odds at the top pick heading into next week’s lottery, along with two more first-rounders at No. 19 and 30 and a high second-rounder at No. 33.

After making the decision to start rebuilding, Atlanta fell to the bottom of the Eastern Conference at 24-58. It’s familiar territory for Pierce, who joined the Sixers in 2013 and has been through the darkest days of “the Process.” He is also considered to be a candidate for the opening in Milwaukee, but the Bucks haven’t contacted him yet, according to Pompey.

“I think in coaching, it’s not taking a step back,” Pierce said. “It’s taking on a different challenge, a different responsibility. In this case, it would be a different role.”

Draft Notes: Washington, Ward, Brown, Hudson

May 8th, 2018 at 10:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kentucky freshman forward PJ Washington is working out for the Clippers this week and will meet with the Timberwolves and Bucks before next week’s draft combine, Fletcher Page of the Louisville Journal Courier reports. Washington, who has already visited the Celtics and Nets, has a pinky finger injury that will require surgery, Page continues. Father Paul Washington told Page that his son isn’t assured of staying in the draft.

“It’s real simple — if he’s guaranteed a first round pick, then he’ll stay in the draft,” Paul Washington said. “If he doesn’t get that, we’ll have to make a decision. It’s PJ’s decision.”

The 6’8” Washington is listed at No. 51 among Jonathan Givony’s top 100 prospects at ESPN.com. He averaged 10.8 PPG and 5.7 RPG for the Wildcats.

In other draft developments:

Michigan State sophomore center Nick Ward will work out for the Pistons this weekend, Brendan Quinn of The Athletic tweets. Ward has already worked out for the Knicks and Thunder and at least eight other teams are interested in bringing him in, Quinn adds. He averaged 12.4 PPG and 7.1 RPG for the Spartans. He is not listed among Givony’s top 100 prospects.
The Hawks are bringing in six prospects on Wednesday, according to a team press release. South Carolina forward Brian Bowen, Auburn guard Bryce Brown, Purdue guard Nojel Eastern, Maryland forward Bruno Fernando, Florida shooting guard Jalen Hudson and Utah Valley center Akolda Manyang are the players visiting Atlanta. Hudson, ranked No. 45 by Givony, is the most prominent member of the group.

Hawks Narrow Coaching Search To Four Finalists

May 7th, 2018 at 10:44pm CST by Luke Adams

MAY 7, 10:44pm: Pierce’s previously-reported second interview with the Hawks will take place on Tuesday, Marc Spears of The Undefeated tweets.

MAY 6, 6:39pm: The Hawks have narrowed down their list of head coaching candidates to four finalists, reports Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. According to Cunningham, Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce, Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, Hornets assistant Stephen Silas, and Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga remain in the running.

Pierce has emerged this weekend as a frontrunner for the position, with a Saturday report indicating he’d get a second interview for the job. Earlier today, we heard that Pierce would meet with Hawks ownership early this week, and could receive a job offer if that meeting goes well.

However, the Hawks are considering three other assistants from around the NBA, including Tibbetts, who has already met with team owner Tony Ressler, according to Cunningham. A source with knowledge of the Hawks’ plans tells Cunningham that Pierce’s own meeting with Ressler hasn’t yet been officially scheduled, adding that it’s premature to view him as a lock for the job over Atlanta’s other finalists.

As Cunningham details, David Fizdale interviewed with the Hawks and met with Ressler as well, but reached an agreement on Thursday to become the Knicks’ new head coach, taking him out of the mix for Atlanta.

Shortly after the Hawks parted ways with Mike Budenholzer, a report indicated that the team was looking to find an up-and-coming coach who could evolve along with Atlanta’s young roster. As such, it’s perhaps no surprise that none of the team’s finalists – Pierce, Tibbetts, Silas, and Larranaga – have held a permanent head coaching job in the past.

Checking In On NBA Head Coaching Searches

May 7th, 2018 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

It has been nearly four weeks since the NBA regular season ended, and while a few head coaching situations have been resolved since then, several more remain unsettled. With so many candidates being linked to so many separate jobs, it’s time to check in on this spring’s coaching searches to see where they stand.

Let’s dive in…

Completed searches:

Memphis Grizzlies

Named interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff the permanent head coach.
The Grizzlies’ search wasn’t much of a search at all. Rather than bringing in outside candidates, the team doubled down on Bickerstaff, having been impressed with his developmental work, if not his record (15-48).

New York Knicks

Hiring David Fizdale to replace Jeff Hornacek.
An extensive search resulted in the hiring of Fizdale, who was perhaps the most coveted candidate on the market this spring — the Suns reportedly made Fizdale an offer for their job, and he spoke to multiple other teams. The former Grizzlies coach will be officially introduced as Hornacek’s replacement this week.

Phoenix Suns

Hiring Igor Kokoskov to replace interim head coach Jay Triano.
While the Suns reportedly offered the job to Fizdale before deciding on Kokoskov, they sound pleased with how their search turned out. An assistant in Utah, Kokoskov is finishing up his playoff run with the Jazz. His deal with the Suns figures to be made official once Utah is eliminated.

Ongoing searches:

Atlanta Hawks

While Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce appeared to be emerging as the frontrunner for the Hawks’ job over the weekend, a Sunday evening report suggested three more assistants – Nate Tibbetts (Blazers), Stephen Silas (Hornets), and Jay Larranaga (Celtics) – are also in the mix. Those appear to be Atlanta’s finalists, though Jarron Collins and Darvin Ham have also interviewed.

Charlotte Hornets

Ettore Messina, David Vanterpool, Ime Udoka, Jim Boylen, Nick Nurse, and Jerry Stackhouse have reportedly talked to the Hornets about their head coaching job. However, Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga and Spurs assistant James Borrego are viewed as the current frontrunners. Charlotte is conducting second interviews with both Larranaga and Borrego, with owner Michael Jordan present at those meetings.

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons’ search just got underway today, as the team parted ways with Stan Van Gundy. They’re on the lookout for a new head of basketball operations too, so they may address that position before hiring a new coach.

Milwaukee Bucks

A playoff team, the Bucks got a late start on their head coaching search, but they’re making up for lost time, reportedly lining up interviews with Ettore Messina, Steve Clifford, David Blatt, Becky Hammon, James Borrego, and more. Two former NBA head coaches, Mike Budenholzer and Monty Williams, are said to be among the favorites for the Milwaukee job.

Orlando Magic

The Magic indicated at season’s end that they’d be in no rush to hire a new head coach, and they’ve made good on that promise, with very few reports surfacing on their candidates. They reportedly received permission to interview Blazers assistant David Vanterpool and Spurs assistant Ime Udoka, and have also been linked to Nick Nurse and Jerry Stackhouse of the Raptors. No clear frontrunner has emerged yet though.

To follow updates on the head coaching searches beyond this snapshot, be sure to check out our tracker.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Hawks Working Out Six Prospects On Monday

May 6th, 2018 at 7:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks will be working out six draft prospects on Monday, the team announced in a press release. Terence Davis (Ole Miss), Tyler Davis (Texas A&M), Brandon Goodwin (Florida Gulf Coast), Jared Harper (Auburn), Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech), and Luke Maye (UNC) will participate in the session.