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2020 NBA Head Coaching Search Tracker

June 18th, 2020 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

During a typical NBA league year, there’s a pretty clear-cut period in the spring when the league’s various head coaching searches take place. A team parting ways with a coach generally makes that decision when the team’s season ends, then hires a replacement sometime before the draft and free agency.

That coaching-search window in 2020 lasted a little longer than that due to the fact that only 22 of 30 teams participated in the summer restart. A team like the Knicks, which wasn’t part of the return to play, launched its head coaching search in June and finalized it in July. However, the Thunder, who participated in the restart, didn’t finalize their coaching search until November.

Keeping that in mind, we created a space to track this offseason’s head coaching searches, whether they took place in June, November, or sometime in between. In the space below, we’ll provide frequent updates on the head coaching searches for each club that has yet to give anyone the permanent title, as well as noting other situations worth keeping an eye on.

You’ll be able to access this page anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Updated 11-11-20 (9:26am CT)

Active Searches:

None

Completed Searches:

Brooklyn Nets

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
    • Jacque Vaughn (interim)
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Vaughn (story)
    • Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (story)
    • Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue (story)
    • Lakers assistant Jason Kidd (story)
    • Former Knicks/Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy (story)
    • Former Warriors coach Mark Jackson (story)
    • Sixers assistant Ime Udoka (story)

Vaughn, who took over for Kenny Atkinson in August, was considered for the job on a permanent basis, but there was a belief that the Nets were seeking a more accomplished veteran coach to lead a roster headed by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

In Nash, Brooklyn didn’t exactly get a head coach with a lengthy résumé — the former two-time MVP has no previous coaching experience, even as an assistant. However, he has a good relationship with Durant after spending time as a Warriors consultant, and figures to command the respect of the Nets’ stars and veterans based on his success as a player.

Nash reportedly signed a four-year contract.

Chicago Bulls

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Sixers assistant Ime Udoka (story)
    • Former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson (story)
    • Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. (story)
    • Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
    • Mavericks assistant Stephen Silas (story)
    • Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley (story)
    • Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool (story)
    • Heat assistant Dan Craig (story)
    • Bulls assistant Chris Fleming (story)
    • Bulls assistant Roy Rogers (story)
    • Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin (story)

It always seemed unlikely that new Bulls executives Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley would keep Boylen in his current role, given his underwhelming results over the last two seasons and the fact that most front offices prefer to bring in their own head coach. They eventually relieved Boylen of his duties on August 14, hiring Donovan five-and-a-half weeks later.

While Chicago considered a wide range of candidates, including many current assistant coaches, the front office reportedly “aggressively pursued” Donovan, believing he was the best candidate on the market and the right fit to lead the Bulls’ promising young roster. He reportedly received a four-year contract worth approximately $24MM.

Houston Rockets

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
    • Mike D’Antoni (story)
  • Rumored candidates or targets:
    • Rockets player development coach John Lucas (story)
    • Former Knicks/Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy (story)
    • Former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson (story)
    • Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool (story)
    • Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. (story)
    • Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue (story)
    • Clippers assistant Sam Cassell (story)

D’Antoni and the Rockets were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension last offseason, resulting in him entering the final year of his current deal without any assurances beyond 2019/20. After the team was eliminated in the second round of the postseason, D’Antoni announced that he wouldn’t be returning to Houston, leaving the Rockets to seek a new head coach.

After a search process that saw them narrow their finalists to Silas, Van Gundy, and Lucas, the Rockets opted for the first-timer in Silas rather than a veteran with previous head coaching experience.

Indiana Pacers

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Pelicans assistant Chris Finch (story)
    • Former Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni (story)
    • Former NBA guard Chauncey Billups (story)
    • Heat assistant Dan Craig (story)
    • Heat assistant Chris Quinn (story)
    • Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool (story)
    • Nets associate head coach Jacque Vaughn (story)
    • Trail Blazers associate head coach Nate Tibbetts (story)
    • Spurs assistant Becky Hammon (story)
    • Spurs assistant Will Hardy (story)
    • Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley (story)
    • Mavericks assistant Stephen Silas (story)
    • Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
    • Bucks assistant Charles Lee (story)
    • Sixers assistant Ime Udoka (story)
    • Magic assistant Pat Delany (story)
    • Warriors assistant Mike Brown (story)
    • Former Kings and Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger (story)

While there were some whispers about McMillan’s job security early in August, it seemed as if the Pacers had put those rumors to rest by working out a one-year contract extension with their head coach a few days later. However, after being swept out of the first round by the Heat, Indiana changed course, announcing that McMillan had been relieved of his duties.

The Pacers spoke to a long list of candidates as they sought McMillan’s replacement, conducting one of the NBA’s most in-depth coaching searches of the year. They ultimately landed on an under-the-radar choice in Bjorkgren, a Raptors assistant who doesn’t have any previous head coaching experience.

Los Angeles Clippers

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Former Knicks/Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy (story)
    • Warriors associate head coach Mike Brown (story)
    • Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
    • Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. (story)
    • Clippers assistant Sam Cassell (story)

The Clippers’ season ended in brutal fashion — less than a week after taking a 3-1 lead over Denver in the Western Conference Semifinals and being dubbed championship frontrunners by oddsmakers, they had blown that 3-1 lead and were out of the playoffs. Still, Rivers’ exit came as something of a surprise, given his championship résumé and his history with the franchise.

With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George eligible to reach free agency in 2021, the Clippers faced a ton of pressure to find the right win-now coach to lead the team next season and opted for an in-house option with championship experience. Lue, who received a five-year contract from the team, won a title during his first year as Cleveland’s head coach in 2016 and will try to do it again in Los Angeles after spending the 2019/20 season as Rivers’ lead assistant.

New Orleans Pelicans

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Also reportedly considered:
    • Former Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni (story)
    • Former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson (story)
    • Nets interim head coach Jacque Vaughn (story)
    • Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue (story)

An underwhelming finish to the 2019/20 season helped seal Gentry’s fate. He led the Pelicans to the postseason just once in five seasons and only had a single year remaining on his contract when he was dismissed on August 15.

The Pelicans’ coaching search ultimately led them to Van Gundy, whom the club trusts to teach and develop its young players, including potential franchise player Zion Williamson. Van Gundy, who will be coaching his fourth NBA team, received a four-year contract.

New York Knicks

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
    • Mike Miller (interim)
  • Also interviewed:

    • Miller (story)
    • Former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson (story)
    • Former Knicks coach Mike Woodson (story)
    • Sixers assistant Ime Udoka (story)
    • Magic assistant Pat Delany (story)
    • Bulls assistant Chris Fleming (story)
    • Spurs assistant Will Hardy (story)
    • Mavericks assistant Jamahl Mosley (story)
    • Warriors associate head coach Mike Brown (story)
    • Lakers assistant Jason Kidd (story)

Thibodeau was long cited as the presumed frontrunner in the Knicks’ head coaching search, but the team conducted a wide-ranging search rather than simply handing him the job. Atkinson generated some buzz during the process, with Miller and Kidd receiving serious consideration as well. In the end, however, the Knicks went with Thibodeau, agreeing to a five-year contract to make him their new head coach.

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • New coach:
    • Mark Daigneault (story)
  • Previous coach:
  • Rumored candidates or targets:
    • Timberwolves associate head coach David Vanterpool (story)
    • Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin (story)
    • Spurs assistant Will Hardy (story)
    • Thunder assistant Brian Keefe (story)
    • Sydney Kings head coach Will Weaver (story)
    • Bucks assistant Charles Lee (story)

The Thunder’s split with Donovan was, by all accounts, an amicable one. Donovan’s contract with the club expired in 2020 and with a potential rebuild looming, the two sides decided they didn’t ultimately see eye-to-eye on what the next few years would look like in Oklahoma City.

The club sought a first-time coach who would be comfortable going through a rebuilding process and found Donovan’s replacement in house in Daigneault. Having served as the head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue in the G League for five years and as a member on Donovan’s staff for a single season, the 35-year-old will get his first shot at an NBA head coaching job.

Philadelphia 76ers

  • New coach:
  • Previous coach:
  • Rumored candidates or targets:
    • Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue (story)
    • Former Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni (story)
    • Sixers assistant Ime Udoka (story)
    • Former Grizzlies/Kings coach Dave Joerger (story)
    • Bucks assistant Darvin Ham (story)
    • Warriors associate head coach Mike Brown (story)

Brown was let go by the Sixers approximately 24 hours after Philadelphia’s quick and disappointing playoff exit. He spent seven years with the franchise, but his time as head coach had run its course.

Having been in the market for a coach capable of challenging and commanding the respect of their star players, the Sixers zeroed in on D’Antoni and Lue before shifting their focus to Rivers when he left Los Angeles. They finalized an agreement with Rivers just 72 hours after word broke that he had parted ways with the Clippers.

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Sixers Notes: Playoff Rotation, Richardson, Embiid

June 17th, 2020 at 7:57pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Alec Burks, who was traded to the Sixers at the trade deadline, could find himself out of the team’s playoff rotation if Brett Brown decides to go with a nine-man rotation, Derek Bodner of The Athletic argues in his latest mailbag. Bodner trusts Glenn Robinson III‘s shot more than Burks’ and cites Robinson’s comfort level playing off the ball as reasons for the choice.

Shake Milton, Josh Richardson, and Tobias Harris would likely start alongside Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Al Horford and Matisse Thybulle are strong candidates for major minutes and Bodner see Mike Scott getting considerable run, though Brown could mix things up depending on the opponent, with Furkan Korkmaz also an option.

Here’s more from Philadelphia:

  • Richardson could wind up being a trade chip if the salary cap decreases and ownership doesn’t want to pay a massive luxury tax bill, Bodner writes in the same piece. The scribe adds that from an on-court standpoint, the 26-year-old shooting guard can be a valuable long-term piece for the franchise.
  • The challenges of putting together a playoff rotation this season are different than last year for the Sixers, Rich Hofmann of The Athletic explains. The team had a statically superior starting five last season and just had to configure the bench, which was a tough ask. This season, there’s no clear dominant five. And while there are more options on the bench, Brown won’t be able to make decisions based on a large sample size due to the suspended season.
  • Chris Mannix is optimistic about the Sixers’ chances once play resumes, as he writes for Sports Illustrated. With every team out of tune, Mannix believes low-post play could become more important than shooting, and Philadelphia has the most dominant big man in the Eastern Conference.

 

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Knicks Plan To Interview Udoka, Others For Head Coach Job

June 17th, 2020 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

4:58pm: The Knicks are also expected to interview Bulls assistant Chris Fleming, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who hears that the club will likely meet with about eight-to-10 candidates in total. Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link) hears that Spurs assistant Becky Hammon is among those who could interview with the Knicks too, though that’s not yet confirmed.

3:54pm: In addition to meeting with Udoka, the Knicks also plan to interview Magic assistant Pat Delany, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). A former G League head coach for Miami’s affiliate, Delany has spent six years as an assistant coach under Steve Clifford, first in Charlotte and now in Orlando.

3:39pm: The Knicks intend to interview Sixers assistant Ime Udoka for their head coaching vacancy, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Udoka joins a list of candidates that includes Tom Thibodeau, Kenny Atkinson, Mike Woodson, and Mike Miller. Atkinson reportedly has some support within the Knicks’ organization, though Thibodeau is considered the frontrunner. Woodson and Miller are also expected to interview — if they haven’t already.

Udoka, 42, enjoyed a seven-year playing career that ended in 2011 after suiting up for the Spurs, Trail Blazers, Kings, Knicks and Lakers. He was part of Gregg Popovich‘s staff in San Antonio for seven seasons before joining the 76ers last spring. Udoka also interviewed for the Cavaliers’ head coaching job last year before the team hired John Beilen.

Interestingly, Udoka was recently reported to be a leading candidate for the Bulls’ head coaching job in the event that they move on from Jim Boylen. It’s not clear whether New York’s apparent interest in Udoka will prompt Chicago to accelerate its evaluation process with Boylen at all.

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Christ Koumadje Named NBAGL Defensive Player Of The Year

June 17th, 2020 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

Now that the remainder of the NBA G League’s 2019/20 season has been officially canceled, the league is moving forward with its end-of-season awards, announcing today that Delaware Blue Coats big man Christ Koumadje has been named the NBAGL Defensive Player of the Year.

Koumadje, who went undrafted out of Florida State in 2019, signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Sixers last July. Philadelphia waived him before the season began and made him an affiliate player for the Blue Coats.

A G League rookie, Koumadje emerged as the league’s most fearsome rim protector almost immediately, averaging an NBAGL-best 4.0 blocks per game in 33 contests. The Chad native also averaged a double-double, recording 11.3 PPG and 10.9 RPG in just 26.4 minutes per contest. His most impressive outing came on February 1, when he logged a triple-double consisting of 18 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 blocks.

It’s not clear if or when Koumadje will get a shot at the NBA level with the 76ers or another team. Some recent NBAGL Defensive Player of the Year winners, including Chris Boucher (2019) and DeAndre Liggins (2014, 2016) have played rotation roles in the NBA.

Canton Charge swingman Sir’Dominic Pointer and Westchester Knicks forward Kenny Wooten were the top two runners-up in G League Defensive Player of the Year voting. Wooten is on a two-way contract with New York, while Pointer was in the midst of a 10-day with Cleveland when the NBA suspended its season in March.

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NBA To Prorate Bonus, Incentive Criteria Using March 11 As End Of Season

June 15th, 2020 at 11:28am CST by Luke Adams

A number of players with performance incentives and bonus clauses in their contracts didn’t get the opportunity to earn those bonuses in 2019/20 due to the suspension of the NBA season and the league’s subsequent hiatus.

However, according to Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the NBA and NBPA have reached an agreement on how to handle performance incentives in ’19/20. The criteria for those bonuses will be prorated, using March 11 as the end of the regular season, so stats accumulated during the eight “seeding games” this summer won’t count toward those incentives.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Proration]

For instance, Tyus Jones‘ contract with the Grizzlies includes an $858K bonus in the event that Memphis wins 33 games. Prior to the hiatus, the Grizzlies had 32 victories. Rather than needing the Grizzlies win one more game when play resumes, Jones will already be assured of his bonus, since a 32-33 record prorated over a full 82-game season would work out to 40 wins.

Similarly, Raptors guard Kyle Lowry has a series of bonuses related to his All-Star berth and his team’s postseason success that require him to play at least 65 games. When the season went on hiatus, Lowry had appeared in 52 of Toronto’s 64 games. Prorated over an 82-game season, that would work out to approximately 67 of 82 games, so Lowry will be considered to have met that 65-game threshold. He’ll receive his $200K All-Star bonus and could earn up to another $1.5MM, depending on how far the Raptors advance in the playoffs.

ESPN’s Bobby Marks broke down a number of these bonuses and incentives in an earlier Insider-only story. Another important one, noted by Shelburne and Wojnarowski, affects Sixers center Joel Embiid.

The final three years of Embiid’s maximum-salary contract, through 2022/23, had previously only been conditionally guaranteed, with the 76ers retaining the ability to gain salary relief if the veteran center suffered a career-threatening injury related to his back or feet. In order to fully guarantee those salaries, Embiid had to log 1,650 minutes this season.

When the season was suspended, Embiid was only at 1,329 minutes played. However, Philadelphia had only played 65 of 82 games. Prorated over a full season, Embiid’s average number of minutes per Sixers game (approximately 20.45) would work out to 1,677, surpassing the 1,650-minute threshold and ensuring his upcoming salaries are fully guaranteed.

Players whose bonuses and incentives rely on a percentage are unaffected by proration. For example, Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber would receive a $75K bonus for an 80% free-throw rate and another $150K for a 40% three-point average. His percentages are currently 86.3% and 37.4%, respectively, so he’ll receive the first bonus — but not the second. The same would have been true if he had finished at 80.1% and 39.9%.

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Ime Udoka Reportedly ‘Frontrunner’ To Be Bulls’ Next Coach

June 6th, 2020 at 11:45am CST by marksuleymanov

Sixers assistant coach Ime Udoka is currently the favorite to become the Bulls‘ next head coach, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

With the NBA’s 22-team format for resuming the 2019/20 campaign approved, Chicago is now in the offseason stage, as the club will not travel to Orlando. As we relayed last month, current head coach Jim Boylen appears to be on the hot seat, and Bulls ownership have indicated they’ll approve a new hire should Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley choose to make a change.

Udoka, 42, enjoyed a seven-year NBA career that ended in 2011 after suiting up for the Spurs, Trail Blazers, Kings, Knicks and Lakers. He was part of Gregg Popovich‘s staff in San Antonio for seven seasons before joining the Sixers. Udoka was also interviewed for head coach with the Cavaliers before the job was given to John Beilen.

Chicago has failed to crack 30 wins since 2017, the same year they made their most recent playoff appearance. Under Boylen, the Bulls were 22-43 before the coronavirus pandemic suspended play. As Chicago readies for next season, hiring a coach that can take an inexperienced team with youth and potential back into contention will be key.

Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin will also be “in the picture” for the Bulls if they replace Boylen, Cowley notes, echoing what we heard earlier this spring.

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What Lottery, Draft Rules Mean For Traded 2020 First Round Picks

June 5th, 2020 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

It got a bit lost in the shuffle amidst all of Thursday’s updates, but the NBA provided some important details on how this year’s draft lottery seeding and odds will work. They are as follows:

  1. The eight teams not included in the Orlando restart will be the top eight teams in the lottery standings.
  2. The 9-14 spots in the lottery will be made up of the six teams that don’t make the playoffs following this summer’s “seeding games” and possible play-in tournaments. Their seedings and odds will be based on their records as of March 11.
  3. The rest of the first round will be sorted by record, as usual. The order will be based on teams’ regular season results and the results of the eight seeding games this summer.

With those rules in mind, we have a pretty good sense of how traded first round picks for 2020 will be affected, so let’s take a closer look…

Picks whose fates have essentially been decided:

Cavaliers‘ first-round pick (traded to Pelicans if not in top 10)

  • As the league’s second-worst team in 2019/20, the Cavaliers can’t fall below sixth in the lottery, so they’ll keep their pick, which will land anywhere from No. 1 to 6.

Sixers‘ first-round pick (traded to Nets if not in top 14)

  • The Sixers have a nine-game lead on Orlando, which means they’ve now clinched a playoff spot and will send their pick to Brooklyn. It’s currently projected to land at No. 19 or 20, but it could move up or down based on this summer’s seeding games.

Pacers‘ first-round pick (traded to Bucks if not in top 14)

  • Like the Sixers, the Pacers have now clinched a playoff spot, which assures they’ll send their pick to Milwaukee. This pick is also currently projected to land at No. 19 or 20 (Philadelphia and Indiana are tied at 39-26), but it could move higher or lower once play resumes.

Rockets‘ first-round pick (traded to Nuggets)

  • This pick is unprotected, so the Rockets will send it to Denver. At 40-24, the Rockets are tied with Oklahoma City, putting their pick in line to be No. 21 or 22. They’re bunched up with a few teams in the standings though, so that could change when play resumes.

Jazz‘s first-round pick (traded to Grizzlies if it falls between 8-14)

  • The Jazz have now clinched a spot in the postseason, so they’ll keep their pick for at least one more year. It’s currently projected to be No. 24 overall, but that may change.

Nuggets‘ first-round pick (traded to Thunder)

  • An unprotected pick, the Nuggets’ first-rounder is currently projected to be No. 25. They’ll send it to Oklahoma City.

Clippers‘ first-round pick (traded to Knicks)

  • This is another unprotected selection, which the Clippers will send to New York. For now, it projects to be No. 27.

Bucks‘ first-round pick (traded to Celtics)

  • The Bucks, who will send this pick to Boston, have a four-game lead for the NBA’s best record, so this selection will likely be No. 30, though it could theoretically move up a spot or two.

Picks whose fates remain up in the air:

Nets‘ first-round pick (traded to Timberwolves if not in top 14)

  • At 30-34, the Nets have a half-game lead over Orlando and a six-game cushion over Washington. If they slump when play resumes, there’s a scenario in which they lose their playoff spot. The Magic would have to pass them and the Wizards would have to pull to within four games before beating Brooklyn twice in a row in a play-in tournament.
  • If the Nets miss the playoffs, this pick would end up at either No. 13 or 14 in the lottery standings, and Brooklyn would keep it.
  • If the Nets hang on a clinch a playoff spot, it figures to be the No. 15, 16, or 17 pick, and they’ll send it to the Timberwolves.

Grizzlies‘ first-round pick (traded to Celtics if it’s not in top six)

  • The Grizzlies have a 3.5-game lead over three Western teams (Portland, New Orleans, and Sacramento), with a four-game cushion over San Antonio and a six-game cushion over Phoenix.
  • They’re in position to secure a playoff spot, and if they do, they’ll send this pick to the Celtics. It would fall between Nos. 15-17.
  • If the Grizzlies lose their playoff spot, they’ll move to No. 14 in the lottery standings. In all likelihood, the pick would end up there and they’d still have to send it to Boston. However, they’d have a minuscule chance (2.4%) of moving into the top four via the lottery, in which case they’d keep the pick.

Thunder‘s first-round pick (traded to Sixers if not in top 20)

  • Based on the Thunder’s current 40-24 record, this pick currently projects to be No. 21 or 22, in which case OKC would have to send it to Philadelphia.
  • However, if the Thunder lose ground during this summer’s seeding games, they could be surpassed in the standings by as many as three teams, meaning the pick could end up in the No. 18-20 range. In that case, Oklahoma City would keep it.
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More Details On Friday’s Board Of Governors Call

June 1st, 2020 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s concern among some NBA owners about the fact that a 22-team return-to-play format would result in a number of small-market teams not playing any games for nine months or more, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe.

The ESPN duo reports that Thunder owner Clay Bennett expressed those concerns on last Friday’s Board of Governors call, openly wondering if the NBA could bring back all 30 clubs when it resumes play. Other team owners, including Josh Harris (Sixers) and Robert Sarver (Suns) “enthusiastically” backed the idea of having as many teams as possible in the bubble environment, per Woj and Lowe, who add that Hawks owner Tony Ressler wants his team to be able to play in Orlando even without a path to the postseason.

While some team owners are in favor of having all 30 teams resume play, commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA don’t appear as bullish on that idea, given the health and safety concerns tied to bringing so many people to Orlando. Additionally, as ESPN’s report notes, Silver reminded those on Friday’s call that many players – and some teams – are “far less invested” in the idea of conducting several weeks of camps and enduring a quarantine period in order to play a handful of regular season games.

Wojnarowski and Lowe provided several more details on Friday’s conference call. We’ll round up the highlights right here:

  • One Eastern Conference official on Friday’s call described the push to include as many teams as possible as follows, according to ESPN: “The message was something bigger, reminding people that some teams can’t just reopen the doors in nine of 10 months and so easily sell tickets or a sponsorship without having played basketball for that long.”
  • With the NBA focusing on a 22-team return to play, there have been conversations about the teams left out of this season’s resumption holding mandatory summer training camps or even participating in regional fall leagues to help bridge the gap between seasons, per ESPN. Such a concept would need to be collectively bargained with players, and Woj and Lowe say there’s an expectation that the league will reach out to the NBPA to discuss the issue.
  • The NBA is still determining how a potential play-in tournament would work in the 22-team format, Woj and Lowe say. It remains unclear how much of an advantage the current No. 8 seeds would receive in such a tournament, especially if they widen their leads on non-playoff teams when the season resumes. The unbalanced nature of bringing back 13 Western teams and just nine Eastern squads also complicates the play-in issue.
  • According to ESPN’s report, the NBA estimates that a 22-team format with some regular season games and a play-in tournament will be worth “several hundred million dollars more in revenue” than a 16-team format that advances straight to the postseason.
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Sixers May Have To Break In New Starting Lineup

May 31st, 2020 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill
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And-Ones: Bonuses, Travel, Blazers, TBT

May 28th, 2020 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

While it’s not at or near the top of the NBA’s list of priorities at this point, one issue the league will have to address is how players bonuses and incentives will be determined for the 2019/20 season. In an Insider-only story, Bobby Marks of ESPN identifies a number of interesting cases that remain up in the air due to the fact that the season has been suspended and may not be completed in full.

For instance, Tyus Jones‘ contract with the Grizzlies calls for him to receive a bonus worth $858K if the team wins 33 or more games. Memphis was at 32 wins when the NBA went on hiatus. Sixers center Joel Embiid, meanwhile, would have his salaries for the next three seasons become fully guaranteed if he logs 1,650 minutes this season — he was 321 minutes short of that mark when the league suspended play.

As Marks explains, the outcome of some of those incentives may have to be negotiated, but in general, the most logical approach would be for the NBA to prorate a player’s stats over a full 82-game season. For instance, if the Sixers finish the season having played just 65 out of 82 games, Embiid’s per-game minutes average for 65 games (20.4 MPG) would be prorated over 82 games. That would work out to 1,677 minutes, so he’d receive his guarantee. The same goes for Jones, since the Grizzlies were on pace to win well over 33 games.

That approach, which the NBA took during the 2011/12 lockout season, wouldn’t help players who have incentives tied to percentages — for instance, a player who needed to make 35.0% of his three-point attempts to earn a bonus and finished at 34.7% wouldn’t receive that extra money.

As we wait to see how the NBA resolves that issue and others, let’s round up a few more basketball odds and ends…

  • NBA players and staff who are outside the country are now permitted to re-enter the United States via a U.S. Department of Homeland Security issue, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. That will benefit not only international players like Luka Doncic and Sekou Doumbouya, who returned to their home countries during the hiatus, but also Raptors players and coaches who are currently in Toronto.
  • In a piece that focuses primarily on the Trail Blazers, Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN looks at what it’s been like for players to return to their teams’ practice facilities this month during an ongoing pandemic.
  • The Basketball Tournament (TBT), an annual summer event that features a number of former college standouts and overseas players, isn’t being postponed or canceled, according to organizers. As Myron Medcalf of ESPN details, participants will be tested repeatedly for COVID-19 and a team will be eliminated if one of its players tests positive. The plan is to move forward with the tournament in July.
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