Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Dave Joerger A Strong Contender For Pacers’ Coaching Job

October 2nd, 2020 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers are meeting with head coaching candidates this week and next, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that former Grizzlies and Kings coach Dave Joerger has met with the team and is considered a “strong contender” for the position.

Wojnarowski says that Pelicans assistant Chris Finch is among the candidates to meet with Indiana, and adds that Chauncey Billups will also get an interview.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst previously reported that the Pacers had talked to over 20 candidates about their head coaching job, but it’s possible those conversations were informal in nature, and that the team is now narrowing down the field as it conducts more in-depth interviews.

While we don’t know the full list of the 20+ candidates who have talked to the Pacers, Finch’s name is the 19th we’ve heard linked to the job, as our head coaching search tracker shows. Indiana’s interest in Joerger and Billups had been previously reported.

After parting ways with Nate McMillan, Pacers management talked about wanting to hire a head coach who takes a “modern approach” to the game and has the ability to connect with younger players.

Victor Oladipo Downplays Trade Rumors

October 1st, 2020 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo has been the subject of trade rumors recently, with a report earlier this week suggesting that the two-time All-Star is “looking to move on” from Indiana. Appearing on “The Fat Joe Show” on Instagram Live on Wednesday, Oladipo addressed that report for the first time, as Chris Sims of The Indianapolis Star writes.

“I knew that question was coming. I don’t know what you’re talking about, man. I’m a Pacer, man. … I’m a Pacer,” Oladipo replied when asked about his future in Indiana and whether a move to the Knicks, Fat Joe’s hometown team, might be in the cards. “All these other rumors … I can’t control the rumors. I’m just focused on my knee.”

Oladipo is entering a contract year and reportedly plans to reach free agency in 2021 rather than negotiating an extension with the Pacers before then. That’s standard procedure for stars looking to maximize their earnings, but it has fueled trade speculation, especially given the team’s playoff struggles in recent years.

An Indianapolis Star report in July indicated that Oladipo’s top two priorities in free agency will be maximizing his earnings and putting himself in position to win championships. In his conversation with Fat Joe this week, the 28-year-old downplayed financial motivations, suggesting that he’s focused solely on winning.

“Charles Barkley is one of the greatest ever, for sure. But he don’t have a ring, though. … Not saying that Charles Barkley ain’t a great player, but at the end of the day, I want to be able to show my kids, when I have them, how great of a player I was,” Oladipo said. “And in order to do that, you gotta show them some hardware. So that’s what I’m locked in on doing, man. I want some hardware and I want a lot of hardware.”

If Oladipo is unconvinced that the Pacers have the pieces necessary to contend for a title, that would be a red flag for the front office, who won’t want to lose the standout guard for nothing in free agency. Oladipo’s assertions that he’s “a Pacer” are unlikely to bury these trade rumors, so the situation continues to be one worth monitoring.

Questions That Coaching Candidates Need To Answer

September 29th, 2020 at 6:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers are looking for a coach and Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files goes over some of the questions those candidates need to answer, including their ability to develop young players and their plan to make the team’s offense more potent.

Pacers’ Oladipo, Turner Viewed As Offseason Trade Candidates?

September 28th, 2020 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo is “looking to move on” from Indiana this offseason, sources tell Jared Weiss of The Athletic, who writes that Pacers big man Myles Turner is “possibly in the same boat.”

Weiss is a Celtics beat writer and his update on Oladipo and Turner is buried within a piece about Boston’s future and upcoming roster decisions. However, J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star confirms Weiss’ intel, tweeting that – based on conversations he has had – Oladipo and Turner are the two Pacers most likely to be moved before the 2020/21 season begins.

There has been some smoke on the Oladipo front for several months now. A report in the spring indicated that opposing teams were monitoring his situation in Indiana as he prepared to enter a contract year in 2020/21. A series of subsequent stories in July named the Heat as a probable suitor and indicated that the two-time All-Star intends to reach free agency in 2021 rather than signing an early extension with the Pacers.

An Indianapolis Star report at that time suggested that Oladipo’s top two priorities in free agency will be maximizing his earnings and putting himself in position to win championships. Whichever team holds Oladipo’s Bird rights when he reaches free agency will have the ability to offer him the most money and years, so if he’s not confident in the Pacers’ ability to compete for titles over the next several years, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him start pushing for a deal to a preferred destination.

Following the Pacers’ elimination from the postseason in August, Oladipo didn’t suggest in his public comments that he was seeking an exit ramp out of Indiana, but he also didn’t strongly commit to the franchise. His situation will be worth watching closely going forward, especially since the Pacers showed in 2017 with Paul George that they’re not afraid to trade a disgruntled star a year ahead of his free agency.

As for Turner, he has been the subject of trade rumors in the past, since there have long been questions about his positional overlap with fellow big man Domantas Sabonis. Both players are on reasonably team-friendly deals, with Turner locked up through 2023 and Sabonis under contract through 2024. However, Sabonis may have emerged as the Pacers’ preferred long-term building block in 2019/20, as he earned an All-Star berth for the first time.

Indiana has long denied that it wants to break up the Turner/Sabonis frontcourt duo, but many executives around the NBA remain convinced it will happen at some point, and T.J. Warren‘s success as the team’s de facto power forward this summer will only fuel those trade rumors. Moving Turner could help the Pacers acquire a player – or player(s) – who would fit better with their core.

Windhorst’s Latest: Coaching Rumors

September 25th, 2020 at 6:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers have interviewed more than 20 candidates for their head coaching opening and are now scheduling second interviews, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

Appearing on The Jump (video link) on Friday, Windhorst said that former Kings coach Dave Joerger, Bucks assistant Darvin Ham and 76ers assistant Ime Udoka are among the candidates expected to receive second interviews with the Pacers. ESPN analyst Chauncey Billups is also in the mix.

Windhorst doled out a number of other tidbits regarding coaching vacancies:

The Sixers have focused in on two high-profile candidates, Mike D’Antoni and Tyronn Lue, and that could impact what the Pelicans will do. New Orleans is “very interested” in Clippers assistant Lue, who won a championship in Cleveland with current Pelicans executive David Griffin. However, the Pelicans may have to wait until Philadelphia decides what it wants to do before pursuing Lue in earnest.
The Thunder appear to be going into rebuild mode and that increases the chances it will hire a first-time head coach. Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool, Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin and perhaps Spurs assistant Will Hardy have emerged as contenders for the job.
As previously reported, the Rockets are looking seriously at Clippers assistant and former Houston player Sam Cassell and ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy.

Coaching Rumors: Donovan, Billups, Bjorkgren, Walton

September 23rd, 2020 at 11:04am CST by Arthur Hill

Bulls executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas made a personal connection with Billy Donovan that helped him land his new coach, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said this morning on “Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin” (video link). After Donovan left the Thunder two weeks ago, Karnisovas wanted to set up a meeting right away, according to Woj. The Bulls executive flew to Donovan’s Florida home a few days later and was able to sell him on the job.

Wojnarowski notes that Chicago has a recent history of taking chances on college coaches and veteran assistants, but has rarely hired someone with previous NBA head coaching experience. He adds that the Bulls have the talent to compete for a playoff spot in the East and Donovan could turn them into a desirable market for free agents.

Donovan said he didn’t want to be part of a rebuilding job in OKC, but Wojnarowski believes that will be less of a concern in Chicago. He said the Thunder are “cycling down” with a lot of veteran players and draft picks and may bottom out for a while before becoming good again. The Bulls have “players on the uptick” and could become contenders with the right coach.

There’s more on the NBA’s coaching carousel:

Wojnarowski passed along a few other rumors today (video link). The Sixers are ready to start bringing in coaching candidates and have already started conversations with Mike D’Antoni and Tyronn Lue. Chauncey Billups is a name to watch for the Pacers, who have shown a willingness to hire former players with no coaching experience and surround them with a veteran staff. The Pelicans have been doing a “ton of background” and haven’t started formal interviews yet. The Rockets like interviewing a lot of people whenever they have an opening and will consider various combinations of head coaches and lead assistants. Woj expects the interview process to be lengthy in both Houston and Oklahoma City.
Raptors head coach Nick Nurse told Sirius XM Radio that assistant Nate Bjorkgren has interviewed for the opening with the Pacers (Twitter link).
The Kings‘ front office shakeup shouldn’t affect the job security of coach Luke Walton, Sam Amick of The Athletic said on a recent HoopsHype podcast. Amick believes new head of basketball operations Monte McNair was told before he was hired that the organization is “pretty invested both financially and kind of spiritually in Luke.”

Central Notes: Bulls, Pistons, Cavaliers, Atkinson

September 22nd, 2020 at 6:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With a new VP of basketball operations in control and now a new head coach set to stalk the sidelines, the Bulls with finally get fresh eyes for this year’s draft. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic takes an extensive look at Chicago’s various draft options with the fourth pick this season, as well as the team’s other pressing offseason issues.

Vecenie examines several options in play for the Bulls with the pick, assessing the potential fits of Illawarra Hawks guard LaMelo Ball, Georgia forward Anthony Edwards, Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton, Ulm guard Killian Hayes, Auburn wing Isaac Okoro, and Maccabi Tel Aviv forward Deni Avdija. Vecenie also appraises some realistic options for the Bulls’ No. 44 pick this season.

There’s more out of the NBA’s Central Division:

As the Pistons began their three-week team camp, Pistons head coach Dwane Casey and new general manager Troy Weaver found themselves aligned in terms of their thoughts on the team’s roster, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “We’ll talk about certain players and see the same things,” Casey said. “I think that’s very, very important that you look at the type of people you want to compete with, the type of people you want to go to battle with.”
This offseason, the Cavaliers front office, led by general manager Koby Altman, will prioritize adding “defensive-minded players” and “length and athleticism,” per Spencer Davies of Basketball News. The team has the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, and will have access to the full mid-level exception as it weighs potential additions.
As the Pacers continue their search for a new head coach, the team has conducted background research on former Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson, according to a new episode of the HoopsHype Podcast featuring Michael Scotto and guest Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Bulls Hire Billy Donovan As Head Coach

September 22nd, 2020 at 5:18pm CST by Luke Adams

5:18pm: The Bulls have officially announced Donovan as their new head coach.

“We are very pleased to welcome Billy and his family to the Chicago Bulls. The success that he has sustained over the course of his coaching career puts him on a different level,” Karnisovas said in a statement. “We feel his ability to help his players reach their potential, both individually and collectively, will mesh well with our roster. Whether as a player or as a coach, he has won everywhere his career has taken him, and we hope that will continue here in Chicago.”

5:00pm: The Bulls and Billy Donovan have reached a deal that will make him Chicago’s new head coach, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, new Bulls executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas “aggressively pursued” Donovan this month, as he and GM Marc Eversley felt that the former Thunder coach was the best candidate available.

Donovan, who had spent the last five years in Oklahoma City, parted ways with the Thunder following their elimination from the postseason earlier this month. He compiled a 243-157 (.608) regular-season record with the franchise during that time, making the postseason in each of his five years in OKC. He did arguably his most impressive work in 2019/20, guiding a roster that wasn’t viewed as playoff-ready to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

While the Thunder reportedly had interest in retaining Donovan, there was a sense that the veteran coach didn’t want to stick around through a rebuilding process. In Chicago, he won’t be taking over a team that’s ready to immediately contend, but Karnisovas and the Bulls sold him on a “partnership and vision for a talented young roster,” as well as a chance to lead one of the NBA’s marquee franchises, says Wojnarowski.

The Bulls had been in the market for a new head coach since dismissing Jim Boylen in mid-August. At the time, Karnisovas indicated the team would conduct a comprehensive search and would focus on hiring someone who “puts the relationship with players first” and is “a good communicator.”

Among the candidates interviewed by Chicago, Kenny Atkinson, Ime Udoka, Darvin Ham, and Wes Unseld Jr. were said to have made good impressions in their meetings with the organization. However, Donovan was always viewed as a strong candidate for the job, having been linked to the Bulls immediately after his departure from Oklahoma City.

With Donovan off the market, a handful of teams still in the midst of their coaching searches will have to look elsewhere. The former Florida Gators coach was said to be on the Sixers‘ short list and reportedly met with the Pacers as well.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pacers Interview Billy Donovan

September 21st, 2020 at 11:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have added another name to their list of head coaching candidates, having interview former Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan last week, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

While Donovan’s addition increases the number of candidates connected to the Pacers to a total of 18, Charania hears that the team is expected to only interview about a dozen contenders for the job. From there, the plan is for Indiana to trim its list approximately in half, then to conduct in-person interviews with the finalists.

Examining What Pacers Players Hope To See From New Head Coach

September 20th, 2020 at 3:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files examines what Pacers players are hoping to see from their next head coach. Indiana fired Nate McMillan from his position in August, ending his four-year tenure as head coach of the team. “It’s up to me to step up to the plate and find the right person to lead the locker room again and be creative as a new-age coach,” team president Kevin Pritchard said last month.