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2019 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker

April 15th, 2019 at 9:36am CST by Luke Adams

So far this spring, we have yet to see the sort of NBA head coaching turnover we got a year ago, when eight teams made changes. However, a handful of clubs have parted ways – mutually or otherwise – with their head coaches since the end of the 2018/19 regular season.

In the space below, we’ll provide daily updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title. Some of these searches could extend well into the spring, so be sure to check back each day for the latest updates.

Updated 6-11-19 (11:05am CT)

Completed Searches:

Cleveland Cavaliers

Out: Larry Drew (story)
In: John Beilein (story)
Although Drew did an admirable job in difficult circumstances with the Cavaliers in 2018/19 after taking over for Tyronn Lue six games into the season, he never seemed to want the job on a permanent basis. He and the Cavs agreed to part ways at season’s end, and after a long interview process that saw the club focus primarily on NBA assistants, Cleveland decided to turn to the college ranks by hiring Beilein. The two sides reportedly agreed to a five-year contract. The Cavs later hired J.B. Bickerstaff as Beilein’s associate head coach.
Also considered: Juwan Howard (story), Jamahl Mosley (story), J.B. Bickerstaff (story), Alex Jensen (story), Ime Udoka (story), Ettore Messina (story), Steve Hetzel (story), David Vanterpool (story), Nate Tibbetts (story), Wes Unseld Jr. (story), Jordi Fernandez (story)

Los Angeles Lakers

Out: Luke Walton (story)
In: Frank Vogel (story)
Following Magic Johnson‘s abrupt resignation, general manager Rob Pelinka oversaw a bumpy search for Walton’s replacement. Williams and Lue were believed to be L.A.’s top two targets, but Williams turned down a Lakers offer to join the Suns, and a potential deal with Lue fell through. The Lakers’ Plan B was Vogel, who signed a short-term (three-year) contract that will coincide with the remaining term on LeBron James‘ deal. Vogel will be joined by new assistant Jason Kidd.
Also considered: Monty Williams (turned down offer), Tyronn Lue (negotiations fell apart), Jason Kidd (story), Juwan Howard (story), Frank Vogel (story), J.B. Bickerstaff (story), Lionel Hollins (story), Mike Woodson (story)

Memphis Grizzlies

Out: J.B. Bickerstaff (story)
In: Taylor Jenkins (story)
The Grizzlies‘ front office was in a state of upheaval this spring as well, as veteran general manager Chris Wallace was re-assigned to the scouting department as the same time as Bickerstaff was dismissed. The team’s new-look front office took its time determining Bickerstaff’s replacement and eventually decided on Jenkins, who has several years of experience working under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta and Milwaukee.
Also considered: Alex Jensen (story), Jarron Collins (story), Igor Kokoskov (story), Nate Tibbetts (story), Adrian Griffin (story), Sarunas Jasikevicius (story)

Minnesota Timberwolves

Retained: Ryan Saunders (story)
Newly-hired president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas launched a head coaching search after assuming control of the front office, considering several outside candidates for the job. Ultimately though, the Timberwolves decided to stick with Saunders, who was the team’s interim head coach during the second half of the 2018/19 season after Tom Thibodeau‘s ouster.
Also considered: Juwan Howard (story), David Vanterpool (story), Chris Finch (story), Darvin Ham (story)

Phoenix Suns

Out: Igor Kokoskov (story)
In: Monty Williams (story)
The turnover in the Suns’ head coaching ranks continued this spring, as the team elected to dismiss Kokoskov just one year after hiring him. Phoenix’s new management group made a strong long-term commitment to its new choice for head coach, agreeing to a five-year contract with Williams, who will be responsible for shepherding a young roster led by Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Mikal Bridges.
Also considered: David Vanterpool (story), Nate Tibbetts (story)

Sacramento Kings

Out: Dave Joerger (story)
In: Luke Walton (story)
Just two days after they fired Joerger and one day after Walton officially left the Lakers, the Kings reached an agreement to hire Walton as their head coach on a contract that will run through the 2022/23 season. The expedited process reflected the fact that Walton was the No. 1 choice on Vlade Divac‘s wish list, as the recently-extended Kings GM wasted no time in going after his top target. Originally hired by the Lakers to focus on developing their young prospects, Walton should be tasked with a similar role in Sacramento, assuming an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Walton doesn’t prompt the team to change course.
Also considered: Ettore Messina (story), Monty Williams (story)

2019 NBA Draft Order Tiebreaker Results

April 12th, 2019 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s draft order is determined by the league’s reverse standings for that year, with the first four spots in the draft up for grabs via the lottery. However, when two teams finish the season with identical records, an additional step is necessary.

In order to determine which of those tied teams will move ahead of the other(s) in the draft order, the NBA conducts tiebreakers via random drawings. The league completed the random drawings for 2019’s tiebreakers today, and we have the results below. Let’s dive in…

Tiebreaker No. 1:

Teams: Phoenix Suns vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (19-63)
Draft positions: 2-3
Winner: Cavaliers

Tiebreaker No. 2:

Teams: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Dallas Mavericks vs. Memphis Grizzlies (33-49)
Draft positions: 7-9
Winner: Pelicans
Second place: Grizzlies
Note: Grizzlies’ pick will go to Celtics if it falls outside top eight; Mavericks’ pick will go to the Hawks if it falls outside top five.

Tiebreaker No. 3:

Teams: Sacramento Kings vs. Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Hornets (39-43)
Draft positions: 12-14
Winner: Hornets
Second place: Heat
Note: Kings’ pick belongs to Celtics (or Sixers if it’s No. 1).

Tiebreaker No. 4:

Teams: Brooklyn Nets vs. Orlando Magic (42-40)
Draft positions: 16-17
Winner: Magic

Tiebreaker No. 5:

Teams: Los Angeles Clippers vs. San Antonio Spurs vs. Indiana Pacers (48-34)
Draft positions: 18-20
Winner: Pacers
Second place: Spurs
Note: Clippers’ pick belongs to Celtics.

Tiebreaker No. 6:

Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Boston Celtics (49-33)
Draft positions: 21-22
Winner: Thunder

Tiebreaker No. 7:

Teams: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets (53-29)
Draft positions: 25-26
Winner: Trail Blazers
Note: Rockets’ pick belongs to Cavaliers.

Teams’ lottery odds didn’t really change as a result of today’s tiebreakers. In instances where two or more lottery teams finish with identical records, the lottery combinations are split evenly among them, with the tiebreaker winner getting one extra combination if there’s an odd number.

However, today’s results were still important. As a result of ending up at No. 8, for instance, the Grizzlies now have a 57.4% chance of retaining their own top-eight protected pick, something they don’t really want to do unless it jumps into the top four.

The Celtics, who already have three first-round selections for 2019 and would prefer to roll that Memphis pick over to 2020, will get it if it falls outside of the top eight. There’s only a 42.6% chance that will happen. The Grizzlies’ result was the only good news today for the Celtics, who lost their other three tiebreakers.

The pre-lottery 2019 draft order for the first round is listed below. For more information on the lottery odds for the top 14 teams, be sure to check out our recap from Thursday, as well as our glossary entry on the draft lottery. This year’s lottery will take place on Tuesday, May 14.

New York Knicks
Cleveland Cavaliers
Phoenix Suns
Chicago Bulls
Atlanta Hawks
Washington Wizards
New Orleans Pelicans
Memphis Grizzlies
- Note: The Celtics will receive this pick if it falls out of the top eight (42.6% chance).
Atlanta Hawks (via Dallas Mavericks)
- Note: The Mavericks will keep this pick if it moves up into the top four (26.2% chance).
Minnesota Timberwolves
Los Angeles Lakers
Charlotte Hornets
Miami Heat
Boston Celtics (via Sacramento Kings)
- Note: The Sixers will receive this pick if it moves up to No. 1 (1.0% chance).
Detroit Pistons
Orlando Magic
Brooklyn Nets
Indiana Pacers
San Antonio Spurs
Boston Celtics (via Los Angeles Clippers)
Oklahoma City Thunder
Boston Celtics
Utah Jazz
Philadelphia 76ers
Portland Trail Blazers
Cleveland Cavaliers (via Houston Rockets)
Brooklyn Nets (via Denver Nuggets)
Golden State Warriors
San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto Raptors)
Milwaukee Bucks

Information from Tankathon.com was used in the creation of this post.

Grizzlies’ C.J. Miles Opts In For 2019/20

April 12th, 2019 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies sharpshooter C.J. Miles has exercised the player option on his contract for the 2019/20 season, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Miles had informed Peter Edmiston of The Athletic (Twitter link) on Thursday that he intended to opt in.

The decision locks in Miles’ $8,730,158 salary for next season, putting him on track to reach unrestricted free agency in 2020.

Miles’ decision doesn’t come as a surprise, since the 32-year-old struggled mightily in 2018/19, turning in his worst season in a decade. He’s also not healthy at the moment, having been ruled out for the season last month due to a stress reaction in his left foot.

The 14-year veteran, who started the season with the Raptors, was sent to the Grizzlies as part of the package for Marc Gasol in February. In total, Miles appeared in 53 games (16.2 MPG) for Memphis and Toronto, averaging just 6.4 PPG on .360/.330/.828 shooting. In his previous six seasons entering this year, he had averaged 11.2 PPG and shot 37.5% on three-pointers.

Depending on which direction the Grizzlies go this summer, it’s possible the club will look to move on from Miles via trade or buyout. If he returns to Memphis, the veteran swingman will look to compete for minutes on the wing.

With Miles’ $8.7MM+ salary locked in, the Grizzlies now have approximately $86.6MM in guaranteed money on their books for next season, per Basketball Insiders. Given that Jonas Valanciunas looks like a decent bet to pick up his $17.62MM player option as well, Memphis projects to be an over-the-cap team this offseason, barring cost-cutting moves.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Grizzlies Fire J.B. Bickerstaff, Re-Assign Chris Wallace

April 11th, 2019 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

3:44pm: The Grizzlies have sent out a press release officially confirming Bickerstaff’s firing and the front office changes detailed below.

“In order to put our team on the path to sustainable success, it was necessary to change our approach to basketball operations,” Pera said in a statement. “I look forward to a re-energized front office and fresh approach to Memphis Grizzlies basketball under new leadership, while retaining the identity and values that have distinguished our team.

“I want to thank Chris and John for their long-term service and dedication to the Memphis Grizzlies and for their considerable contributions to our past successes, and look forward to their contributions to our future ones. I also want to thank J.B. for his leadership and commitment to our organization in his time as our coach.”

3:01pm: The Grizzlies are shaking up their front office and coaching staff, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the team has dismissed head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and re-assigned head of basketball operations Chris Wallace to the scouting department. VP John Hollinger will also move to a senior advisory role, Wojnarowski adds.

The Grizzlies will promote Jason Wexler to team president and will have him oversee both the basketball operations and business operations for the franchise, reports Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Wexler had previously been the club’s president of business operations.

According to Wojnarowski, Zach Kleiman – previously an assistant GM – will be elevated to executive VP of basketball operations and will take the lead on day-to-day basketball matters. Memphis will launch a search for a new head coach and will also pursue some more experienced basketball executives to join the front office, sources tell Woj (Twitter link).

The news comes just hours after Wallace addressed local media in his end-of-season press conference, telling reporters that he wasn’t particularly concerned about his job security and that Bickerstaff was expected to return for next season.

It’s not a particularly good look for the Grizzlies, who probably shouldn’t have let Wallace move forward with his end-of-season presser and discuss his plans for Memphis’ future if they intended to do this later in the day. David Cobb of The Memphis Commercial Appeal calls it “blatantly disrespectful” (Twitter link), while longtime Grizzlies beat writer Ronald Tillery asserts that team owner Robert Pera “doesn’t care about” Memphis’ fans or players (Twitter link).

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter), Bickerstaff conducted exit meetings with Grizzlies players today, discussing expectations for the summer and ways to improve. Bickerstaff’s own exit meeting with ownership happened afterward.

Bickerstaff, who took over as the Grizzlies’ interim head coach during the 2017/18 season when David Fizdale was fired, led the team to an underwhelming 15-48 record to finish the season. However, Memphis opted to make Bickerstaff the permanent head coach last spring, citing his connection with – and his ability to develop – the team’s players. After posting a 33-49 record in 2018/19, the Grizzlies will now once again be on the lookout for a new head coach.

As for Wallace, this isn’t the first time he has been demoted by Grizzlies ownership. Initially hired as the team’s general manager in 2007, he was displaced in 2012 when Jason Levien assumed control of basketball operations. Wallace regained his front office power in 2014, with mixed results since then.

Prior to selecting Jaren Jackson with the fourth overall pick in the 2018 draft, Wallace’s first-round selection since ’14 were Jordan Adams, Jarell Martin, and Wade Baldwin. His most notable free agent signing over the last few years was Chandler Parsons, who received a four-year, maximum-salary contract from the Grizzlies and has limited to just 95 games since then due to injuries.

While Wallace’s front office has made a few savvy moves, including netting a first-round pick for Jeff Green, his missteps – such as flipping that first-rounder to Boston for Deyonta Davis and Rade Zagorac – likely outnumbered his successes. Since winning 55 games in 2014/15, Memphis has gone 140-188 in four seasons and hasn’t won a playoff series.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Grizzlies Notes: Bickerstaff, Conley, FAs, Anderson

April 11th, 2019 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

J.B. Bickerstaff‘s first full season with the Grizzlies may have been a little underwhelming in terms of the team’s win-loss record (33-49), but given all the injury problems that plagued the team throughout the year, it seems the team is happy with his performance. General manager Chris Wallace said as much today, telling reporters that Memphis plans to bring Bickerstaff back for next season, according to David Cobb of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

“J.B. and his staff did a great job keeping everybody together and improving both individually and team-wise down the stretch,” Wallace said.

As for his own future, Wallace said he and owner Robert Pera have yet to sit down for their end-of-season meeting. However, he didn’t sound particularly concerned about his job security, per Cobb.

“That’s between me and Robert,” Wallace said. “I don’t want to go into that publicly. I’m very comfortable here and comfortable working with him and really not worried about my situation at all.”

[UPDATE: The Grizzlies have fired Bickerstaff and re-assigned Wallace]

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

According to Cobb, Wallace said today that he expects the Grizzlies to continue listening to trade offers for point guard Mike Conley this offseason, though that doesn’t mean Conley will be moved. “Teams are going to continue to knock on our door leading up to the draft and into the summer,” Wallace said. “We value Mike. We’d love to keep moving forward with him. We’ll see where it goes.”
The Grizzlies would like to retain the players they acquired in exchange for Marc Gasol at the trade deadline, including Jonas Valanciunas and Delon Wright, Wallace said today (via Cobb). Valanciunas has a player option for 2019/20; Wright will be eligible for restricted free agency. According to Wallace, Valanciunas is “a true Memphis Grizzly” who has loved playing in Memphis, while Wright “fit in very well both on and off the floor.”
Forward Kyle Anderson will undergo thoracic outlet decompression surgery next week on his right shoulder, the Grizzlies announced in a press release. He’s expected to make a full recovery and should be ready to go for the 2019/20 season, according to the team.
Joakim Noah will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and there’s no guarantee he’ll stick with the Grizzlies, but he appreciates that the club was willing to take a chance on him following his disastrous stint in New York. “Memphis was the only team that showed me any consideration,” Noah told ESPN’s Zach Lowe. Asked if he expects to remain on an NBA roster next season, Noah replied, “F— yeah.”

Grizzlies' Van Exel Interested In Cincinnati Coaching Job

April 9th, 2019 at 3:48pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Grizzlies assistant coach Nick Van Exel has interest in the University of Cincinnati coaching gig, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). Van Exel, who played at the university, will be looking to follow in the footsteps of fellow Grizzlies assistant Jerry Stackhouse, who transitioned from Memphis’ bench to Vanderbilt’s head coaching job last week.

Jerry Stackhouse Turned Down NBA Interviews

April 8th, 2019 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jerry Stackhouse turned down interviews with two unnamed NBA teams before taking the Vanderbilt head coaching job, he said during his introductory press conference, as relayed by Adam Sparks of the Nashville Tennessean.

Stackhouse served as an assistant coach with the Grizzlies this season.

“I can’t say there are too many college situations that I was looking to go to with my trajectory being what it was in the NBA,” Stackhouse said. “I was on pace to sit down and talk about a head coaching job in the NBA this offseason already with a couple of teams. I had those interviews lined up.”

Stackhouse replaced Bryce Drew, who was fired after the season. Vanderbilt went winless in 18 Southeastern Conference games.

Stackhouse had his share of interviews last summer for NBA head coaching openings. He was a candidate for the Charlotte, New York and Toronto jobs. He doesn’t have college coaching experience but has been in the professional ranks since retiring as a player after 18 years in the league. He was an assistant under Dwane Casey with the Raptors and coached their G League affiliate, Raptors 905, to two championship finals.

Vanderbilt’s athletic director Malcolm Turner, who like Stackhouse is a North Carolina alum, is the former president of the G League. Turner convinced him to take over the downtrodden program.

“I’m ready to anchor down,” Stackhouse said. “As a head coach, I want to teach. It doesn’t matter at what level that I got in. People felt like I was on a trajectory in the NBA. But when I had an opportunity to come here and meet with (Turner), it was an opportunity that I couldn’t resist.”

Celtics Notes: Grizzlies’ Pick, Smart, Injuries, Irving

April 8th, 2019 at 8:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics’ front office hopes the first-round pick the Grizzlies owe them doesn’t convey this year, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe tweets. The pick is top-8 protected and the Celtics “really” don’t want it this June, a source told Himmelsbach. The pick is top-6 protected next year and has no protections in 2021. The illusion of a potential top-three pick makes it more valuable as a bargaining chip in trades, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweets.

We have more on the Celtics:

Marcus Smart‘s health is a concern heading into the playoffs. He suffered a strained oblique against the Magic on Sunday, Tim Bontemps of ESPN reports. The combo guard is averaging 8.8 PPG, 4.0 APG and 1.8 SPG in 27.5 MPG this season. Jayson Tatum suffered a left shin contusion in the game.
Coach Brad Stevens will have to get creative with his rotation in the final regular-season game against Washington on Tuesday. The team’s PR department lists seven prominent players as out, one questionable and two others probable, Bontemps tweets.
Wins like the blowout victory over Indiana on Friday that locked up home-court advantage in the first round will make it more difficult for Kyrie Irving to leave in free agency, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. While Irving is difficult to read, multiple Celtics have told Blakely that the point guard’s confidence and faith in his younger teammates has never wavered. “It doesn’t always come out right, what he says, but he’s got our back,” one unnamed teammate said.

Draft Notes: T. Jones, J. Smith, Dawkins, Tyree

April 8th, 2019 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Duke guard Tre Jones published an Instagram post this weekend in which he strongly hinted that he’s leaning toward returning to school for at least one more year. Nothing is official yet, but if Jones does elect to stick with the Blue Devils for his sophomore season, it would be big news for the program.

Currently, Jones ranks 29th on Jonathan Givony’s 2019 NBA draft big board at ESPN.com, including fourth among point guards. According to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (via Twitter), the Knicks, Grizzlies, Hornets, Pelicans, Hawks, and Thunder have all done a “great amount” of background work on Jones.

As we wait for official word from the Duke guard, here are a few more draft-related updates:

Maryland freshman forward Jalen Smith, a potential draft candidate, has elected to return to the Terrapins for his sophomore season, the school announced today in a press release. “I’m excited to return to Maryland for my sophomore year and advance my education as I continue to develop both on and off the court with my teammates and coaching staff,” said Smith, who averaged an impressive 17.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 3.0 BPG in two NCAA tournament games.
UCF guard Aubrey Dawkins has submitted the paperwork necessary to declare for the 2019 draft, according to a press release. The 6’6″ junior left a strong final impression, having racked up 32 points against Duke in UCF’s second-round NCAA tournament loss.
Ole Miss junior guard Breein Tyree has announced that he’ll test the draft waters, maintaining his college eligibility during the process (Twitter link). Tyree averaged a team-high 17.9 PPG on .459/.375/.831 shooting in 33 games in 2018/19.

Notable Draft Lottery Races To Watch This Week

April 8th, 2019 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The 16-64 Knicks have clinched the NBA’s worst record for the 2018/19 season, but a number of other spots behind them in the draft lottery remain very much up for grabs, as our reverse standings show. Now that every NBA team only has one or two games left on its schedule, here are the key races and games to keep an eye on this week:

The battle for No. 2:

A nine-game losing streak for the Cavaliers has pulled them even with the Suns for the No. 2 spot in the lottery standings, as both teams head into their final game of the season at 19-62. Each club plays its last game on Tuesday, with the Cavs hosting Charlotte while the Suns play in Dallas.

The Hornets are still fighting for their playoff lives and the Suns have a 7-33 road record this season, so it wouldn’t be surprise if both Cleveland and Phoenix lose and finish at 19-63. In that scenario, a coin flip would decide which team gets the second spot in the lottery standings and which team finishes third. Their odds at a top pick would be the same either way, but the third-place team could fall to as far as No. 7 in the draft, as opposed to No. 6.

Four teams separated by one game between Nos. 6-9:

The Wizards (32-49) currently sit at No. 6 in the lottery standings, but the Grizzlies (32-48), Mavericks (32-48), and Pelicans (33-48) are right there with them. Adding intrigue to this logjam is the fact that the Grizzlies would like to see their top-eight protected first-round pick convey to Boston this season, while the Mavs probably wouldn’t mind keeping their top-five protected first-rounder.

Memphis, with the most incentive to win out, has perhaps the toughest schedule of this group, with games on tap in Detroit on Tuesday and vs. Golden State on Wednesday. The Pistons are still fighting to make the postseason, and the Warriors reportedly intend to play at least half of their regulars in the 82nd game. Wins won’t come easy for the Grizzlies.

The Pelicans’ final game comes on Tuesday vs. Golden State, in a contest which will likely feature the other half of the Warriors’ regulars.

The Wizards finish at home vs. the Celtics, who might be resting some top players now that they’ve sewn up the No. 4 seed in the East.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, have a winnable game at home vs. Phoenix on tap for Tuesday before finishing their season in San Antonio on Wednesday. The Spurs may still be battling for playoff seeding at that point.

The difference between finishing sixth and ninth in the lottery standings is significant. The No. 6 team has a 9% chance at the No. 1 pick and a 37.2% chance at a top-four selection. For the No. 9 team, those odds dip to 4.5% and 20.2%, respectively.

Minor back-of-the-lottery intrigue:

The Heat and Hornets are both 38-42 and remain in the hunt for the postseason. They’re currently just ahead of the 39-42 Kings in the lottery standings.

If Miami (vs. Philadelphia, at Brooklyn) and Charlotte (at Cleveland, vs. Orlando) both win out and the Kings lose in Portland on Wednesday, Sacramento would move up from No. 14 to No. 12 in the lottery standings. That’s not really a huge deal, since the No. 12 team is still a real long shot to move up.

Still, Sixers and Celtics fans will certainly take note of the difference between No. 14 (0.5% chance at the No. 1 pick; 2.4% chance at a top-four pick) and No. 12 (1.5% and 7.2%, respectively). If the Kings’ pick jumps to No. 1, Philadelphia would get it. If it lands anywhere else – including Nos. 2, 3, or 4 – it’ll go to Boston.