Brad Stevens Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Smart, Marshall, Magic, Knicks

October 5th, 2014 at 8:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Celtics coach Brad Stevens is warning people not to read too much into early preseason lineups. However, the early readings indicate that rookie Marcus Smart has moved ahead of Evan Turner in the battle to serve as the team’s replacement point guard for the injured Rajon Rondo, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. More from the Eastern Conference..

After being claimed off waivers from the Lakers, Bucks guard Kendall Marshall is ready to be a part of Milwaukee’s youth movement, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Marshall hopes to play a key role as a pass-first point guard for Milwaukee, working alongside returning point guard Brandon Knight and combo guard Jerryd Bayless.
One of the newest members of the Magic, Evan Fournier, is fitting in well with the team, writes Ken Hornack of Fox Sports Florida. Hornack also adds, while Fournier is unlikely to be named a starter, he will be a valuable contributor due to his ability to create with the ball in his hands.
After clashing as opposing point guards, Jose Calderon and Knicks coach Derek Fisher have seamlessly transitioned into their new roles as player and coach, writes Peter Botte of the New York Daily News. Botte adds that Calderon has been impressed with how quickly Fisher has acclimated to being comfortable in his new coaching role.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

Celtics Notes: Grousbeck, Stevens, Draft

April 13th, 2014 at 11:35am CST by Eddie Scarito

Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck believes in the team’s plan to rebuild through the draft, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. Grousbeck said, “I’m not used to being out of the playoffs. I remember being back to the building phase back from ’03 to ’07, and we knew in ’03 that we didn’t have a team that was capable of winning. So we changed the coach and the general manager and really started over just building through the draft, with the goal eventually of maybe making a couple of transformative trades. And that’s really how it played out in ’07. So we really think we’re going to do the exact same thing. We’re going to draft and be patient and provide the payroll and support and steady hand necessary to bring this back, because I’m only interested in banners. I named my company ‘Banner 17’ – we got that one (championship in 2008). I might as well name it Banner 18, because that’s all we’re interested in.”

Poll: Experienced Coach Or First-Timer?

April 11th, 2014 at 8:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

As we approach the end of the NBA regular season, it’s the time of year when the annual coaching carousel begins to spin and a slew of faces will end up in brand new places. Heading into the 2013/14 season there were a total of 13 coaching changes, which if you’re keeping score at home, is the most ever in a single offseason.

We won’t know for sure just how many teams will be making a change on their bench until the playoffs are over. Normally you would think a playoff spot would ensure job security, but Lionel Hollins, Vinny Del Negro, and Larry Drew all weren’t retained after reaching the playoffs last year. So the exact number of vacancies are up in the air, but we know there will be some.

If your team is making a head coaching change, which would you prefer in your new hire? Do you want a veteran coach with years of experience to lead your team? One who has a proven track record, but also could be carrying baggage and bad habits picked up throughout the years. Or, would you prefer the energy and new ideas a first-time coach can provide? A new coach has more to prove, and might be more in touch with the pulse and culture of his players, but has no experience to rely on, and no track record to predict future performance.

Let’s look at how this year’s crop of new coaches fared as an example. First up, the ones with prior experience:

Doc Rivers (Clippers): The team is 55-24, first in the Pacific Division, and the third seed in the playoffs. Last year’s team went 56-26 under Vinny Del Negro, before Del Negro wasn’t retained and the team traded for Rivers.
Maurice Cheeks (Pistons): He was fired 50 games into the year with a record of 20-29. Detroit was 29-53 in 2012/13 under Lawrence Frank. After the team signed Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings in the off season, owner Tom Gores expected a much better record and for the team to make the playoffs.
Mike Brown (Cavaliers): The team sits at 32-47, which is good for tenth in the eastern conference. Last year under Byron Scott the team had a record of 24-58 and ended up with the first overall selection in the draft.
Larry Drew (Bucks): The Bucks sit at 14-64. which is good for the worst record in the league. In 2012/13 under Scott Skiles and Jim Boylan the team went 38-44.

Now for how the first-time coaches performed:

Jason Kidd (Nets): The Nets are at 43-35, which is good for the fifth overall playoff seed. Kidd replaced interim coach P.J. Carlesimo, whose team finished 2012/13 with a record of 49-33.
Brad Stevens (Celtics): Stevens, taking over for Doc Rivers, has gone 23-55, but has the re-building team heading in a positive direction. Last year’s team went 41-40.
Mike Budenholzer (Hawks): The Hawks have gone 35-43 and currently hold the final playoff spot in the east. Last year’s Larry Drew led squad went 44-38.
Steve Clifford (Bobcats): Clifford has led the Bobcats to a 40-38 record and the sixth seed in the east. Under Mike Dunlap the team went 21-61 during last year’s campaign.
Brian Shaw (Nuggets): The Nuggets have been hampered by injuries all season, and sit at 35-44. Shaw replaced coach of the year winner George Karl, who led the team to a record of 57-25.
David Joerger (Grizzlies): Joerger replaced Lionel Hollins and has guided the team to a record of 46-32, and has the team is one game out of the final playoff spot. Last year the team went 56-26.
Brett Brown (Sixers): Under Brown the Sixers have the second worst record in the league at 17-61, including a record-tying 26 game losing streak. Last season under Doug Collins, the team went 34-48.
Jeff Hornacek (Suns): The Suns are one of the most improved teams in the league with a record of 47-31, and hold the seventh seed in the western conference. Last year under Lindsey Hunter and Alvin Gentry the team went 25-57.
Mike Malone (Kings): Under Malone the Kings have gone 27-52. During the 2012/13 season under Keith Smart the team ended up 28-54.

This means that in their first seasons with their new teams, experienced coaches went 121-164 (.424), and the first-timers went 313-391 (.444). There are many different factors outside a coach’s control that contribute to the team’s final record, but the nature of the NBA is that the coach is the first one to take the heat.

Now it’s time to vote. If your team makes a coaching change this off season, do you want an experienced person hired, or would you prefer the team brings in a brand new face? Cast your vote below and feel free to give your thoughts in the comments section below.

Celtics Owner On Rondo, Stevens, Free Agents

March 11th, 2014 at 10:21pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck sat down with Bob Neumeier of CSNNE at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference to discuss a handful of team-related topics. Although Grousbeck admitted some disappointment about the team’s struggles this season, he remains focused on the future: “I had hoped for a better record than this, I know Brad Stevens had hoped for a better record for sure, because he’s a guy that would light himself on fire to win even a quarter of the game much less the whole game…So we’re about winning around here. It’s not happening for us this year, but we’re going to take a long-term view.”

You can find more of Grousebeck’s notable comments below (link provided from a CSNNE Staff Report).

On Rajon Rondo:

“… I can’t imagine the Celtics without him. It’s challenging. There’s a lot of interest in him. He’s going to come up in a year on his free agency. So we’re going to try to keep him. I hope it works out. If it doesn’t work out we’ll go to Plan B. But he’s been great for us, he’s got us a ring, and is now the captain of the team, and I love having him here.”

On Stevens:

“Now having Brad replace Doc, I wasn’t sure I was ready for Doc to go, but it seemed to be time when it all shook out. Brad is, I can’t think of a more fabulous coach and up-and-coming coach in the league. I think there’s 30 teams one way or the other that are envious of our coach right now.”

On attracting premier free agents to Boston:

“The more I hear about free agency in Boston and the more that I see all the money that’s … the money in the league has doubled just even since I’ve been here. Everything’s doubled and almost doubled again. There’s tons of money. What these guys don’t have is a ring. If we can get it to a place … we really attracted Kevin Garnett here with a chance to win a championship. You can say technically he wasn’t a free agent, but really technically he was. He didn’t have to come to Boston and he did. So in my opinion KG was a free agent who came to Boston and won a championship. And there are other guys out there that want to win rings, and if they want to win them, I think we have to be in the mix.”

Forsberg’s Latest: Fredette, Asik, Green

February 25th, 2014 at 8:23pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Some Celtics fans may have been upset with their team’s the lack of activity around the trade deadline, but Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston opines that acquiring Jimmer Fredette (if he reaches a buyout agreement in Sacramento) would be the perfect mea culpa, especially with the city’s ‘love’ of reclamation projects. All in all, Forsberg suggests that Fredette would be better suited to join a contender at this point, where he’d have an opportunity to jump-start his career in an offense-focused role and the expectations would be minimal.

Here’s more out of his latest Celtics mailbag:

Forsberg wonders if the team would revisit efforts to acquire Omer Asik from the Rockets this summer, when they’ll have a $10.3MM trade exception as well as plenty of draft picks to offer.
As with many players on the roster, Jeff Green‘s future in Boston could be tied in part to the draft and whether the Celtics end up drafting a player at his position.
There’s always the chance that Kelly Olynyk becomes trade fodder, but Forsberg believes the more cap-effective route would be to nurture the young center and hope his game continues to evolve.
When asked who he thinks will definitely return next year, Forsberg says that with so much hinging on the Celtics’ draft position and who they add on draft night, it’s difficult to say with any certainty. The exceptions are head coach Brad Stevens and – unless they can find a taker by giving up some assets – Gerald Wallace.
Colton Iverson’s NBA future depends on how crowded Boston’s roster is and his development. The team currently owns his rights and has kept tabs on him overseas, and Forsberg notes that the 7’0 center can rejoin the team for summer league with a chance to compete for an official roster spot.
As for the lack of trades around the deadline, Forsberg says the team put a high price on their talent, and as evidenced with the lack of activity around the league, few teams were willing to give up draft picks to acquire players.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Bradley, Lawal

November 2nd, 2013 at 9:01am CST by Chuck Myron

The stripped-down Sixers have somehow managed to start 2-0, with wins over the Wizards and Heat. Still, not all is rosy in Philadelphia, where Evan Turner and GM Sam Hinkie appear to be suffering from a disconnect. Turner has spoken about feeling unwanted with coach Brett Brown, who doesn’t think the issue will cause problems for the team this year, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer observes. Here’s more on the Sixers and their Atlantic Division rivals:

Avery Bradley isn’t worried that he and the Celtics couldn’t come to a deal on an extension, and neither is GM Danny Ainge, notes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. “It doesn’t mean anything other than we talk next summer,” Ainge said. “He’s a big piece of our future.”
The Sixers waived camp invitee Gani Lawal last week, and he’s headed back to Italy, where he played last season. Lawal has agreed to a deal with Olimpia Milano, reports Chema de Lucas of Gigantes (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia).
Paul Pierce knew weeks before the Celtics traded him to the Nets this summer that his time in Boston was short, writes Chris Mannix of SI.com, who examines the attitudinal adjustment Pierce and Kevin Garnett have brought to the Nets.
Executives from rival teams are convinced the Celtics have some sort of clause in their six-year contract with Brad Stevens that would allow them to recoup money in case Stevens leaves early, according to Ian Thomsen of SI.com. That’s an indication of the unusually high stature Stevens has as he enters his first NBA job.

Atlantic Rumors: Noel, Bradley, Brooks, Stevens

October 27th, 2013 at 8:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes Nerlens Noel must grow physically and emotionally if he’s to live up to his expectations in the NBA, so, according to the Inquirer scribe, he’d be better off not returning from his left knee injury at any point this season. Coach Brett Brown this week attempted to dispel the notion that any decisions had been made about when Noel would play again, after making it seem on Monday as though Noel was likely to miss the season. The Sixers hoped injured center Andrew Bynum would come back to lead them deep into the playoffs last year, but there’s not much on the line this time around for Philly’s ragtag bunch. Here’s more from the Atlantic:

The Celtics and Avery Bradley continue talks about an extension, but no deal is imminent for the Mitchell Butler client, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. The 2014/15 team option on MarShon Brooks‘ contract is still a matter of debate in the front office, Murphy adds.
Former Suns GM Steve Kerr doesn’t say whether he was interested in Brad Stevens, but he does tell Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that several GMs around the league had wanted to hire Stevens before the Celtics did.
Isiah Thomas last coached in the NBA with the Knicks in 2007/08, but he explains to Washburn that he hasn’t closed the door on a return to the bench.
Trade acquisition Andrea Bargnani struggled for the Knicks in preseason, and he isn’t a lock to keep his job as starting power forward, as Marc Berman of the New York Post details.

Odds & Ends: Adelman, Lakers, Knicks, Stevens

October 5th, 2013 at 10:55pm CST by Spencer Lund

Here are a few links from around the NBA on a slow Saturday night that also saw a lot of interesting preseason action…

Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman told Jerry Zgoda of the Minnesota Star Tribune, via Twitter, that he’s not too happy about playing 4 preseason games in 6 days, but Zgoda tweets that Adelman will play a lot of young guys on Monday against CSKA Moscow.
Adelman would rather play an NBA team, Zgoda rehashes on Twitter, but he’s anxious to play a game because “I think we need one. You really don’t get a good feel for where you are until you play another team” (Twitter).
The Wolves' coach also called Robbie Hummel a “ tough kid,” who he could see being a lottery selection if not for the knee injuries (Twitter).
Lakers assistant coach and "de facto defensive coach" Kurt Rambis tells Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times that defense is a team effort. "Everybody's got to be connected. Everybody's got responsibilities and duties and they have to adhere to those."
Defense was also the theme on the other coast as Knicks coach Mike Woodson tried to familiarize the Knicks youngsters on Saturday with the proper defensive technique for various offensive looks, writes George Willis of the New York Post.
Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com spoke with Celtics coach Brad Stevens about his team and getting enough sleep during a hectic NBA schedule Stevens has yet to experience.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Wizards, Hawks

September 26th, 2013 at 10:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune discusses the health of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, Luol Deng's uncertain long-term future with the franchise, how Mike Dunleavy Jr. will look to mesh with the roster, and how Jimmy Butler will handle a move to starting shooting guard as five things to look at for the Bulls going into fall. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago (via Twitter) says that Chicago's official training camp roster is expected to be released tomorrow but doesn't expect Malcolm Thomas or Chris Wright to be on the list.
Michael Lee of CSN Washington wonders if John Wall is ready to lead the Wizards to the playoffs, who will step up in the absence of Emeka Okafor, if Bradley Beal is primed for a breakout season, what to expect from Otto Porter, and the health of Nene as the team's top storylines heading into training camp.
Hawks GM Danny Ferry wouldn't set a timeline for the return of Louis Williams (who is still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery), though he did say that the eighth-year guard has been playing one-on-one games and has had no restrictions in doing so. Ferry also appeared encouraged about what Dennis Schröder can contribute to the team now as a promising prospect and said that Lucas Nogueira and Mike Muscala still need to continue their development overseas (USA Today via the Associated Press).
As Tom Layman of the Boston Herald points out, Celtics coach Brad Stevens will look toward Avery Bradley to be the team's floor general while they wait for the return of Rajon Rondo. In another piece, a handful of college coaches had positive comments for Stevens regarding how they believe he'll be able to transition to the NBA game (NBA.com via the Associated Press).
With Steve Mills in place as the Knicks' newest GM, Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld thinks that it will be important for Mills to start forming a strong relationship with Carmelo Anthony now, especially with the possibility that he could become a free agent this upcoming summer.
Since arriving in New York City, Anthony has been able to build his brand and explore plenty of business opportunities, writes Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report. From the sound of it, Zwerling doesn't think that Anthony will be leaving New York anytime soon, even with an opt-out clause at the end of the season.
Ian Begley of ESPN New York examines the orange and blue's current situation at small forward.
With the rest of the NBA's power elite growing tired of the Heat's dominance, Sam Amick of USA Today delves into why the 2013/14 season could be Miami's toughest campaign for a title yet. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes that the Bulls are especially eager to put a halt to the Heat's reign as the NBA's top dog.

Ainge On Pierce, KG, Rivers, Stevens

September 6th, 2013 at 11:08pm CST by Chuck Myron

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge presided over a summer of drastic change for his team, trading Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets, arranging a deal that saw Doc Rivers head to the Clippers, and making the surprise hire of new coach Brad Stevens. Ainge spoke with Grantland's Bill Simmons about those moves and other subjects for a podcast, and NetsDaily provides a transcript that covers the Brooklyn-related items. We'll pass along some of the highlights from that, along with a few more of Ainge's quotes:

On how the trade with the Nets came to be:

"Like a lot of trades, it evolved from something completely different into a bigger deal. (It was) something that I really didn't think would happen, simply because it takes sort of a special, unique circumstance in order for a trade like that to go through, and the tax ramifications of Brooklyn are I would call unique in today's day and age in the NBA right now with the new CBA. But (the Nets were) a team that was really going for it, and money was not an object, and that was probably the reason why we got a better offer today than we would've even gotten two or three years ago."

On the influence agent Jeff Schwartz had on the Nets deal:

"I also think that Paul has a connection with having the same agent as Deron Williams and Jason Kidd, and I think there probably was some discussion going on there. I don't know that for sure, but my guess is that they had some conversation about it. I know that Paul was the one who talked KG into wanting to do the deal or letting go of his no-trade clause to make the deal happen and that took some convincing to do."

On the current value of Pierce and Garnett:

"I just think it came to the point where those guys as the best two players on a team aren't going to go very far. Those guys as a 3rd and 4th, or 4th and 5th, however you look at it, are pretty dang good still, and I think (Brooklyn) is going to have a terrific team next year."

On losing Rivers:

"I thought Doc would be our coach for a long time. When Doc signed his new contract (with the Celtics), we'd even talked about him being Jerry Sloan, and Gregg Popovich, and breaking Red Auerbach's all-time record as a Celtic coach. We knew that our guys were getting older, but we thought that this time might come, so I had anticipated Doc being around for a long time. I never had any idea that he would want out, but I understand it, and I understand the Clippers have much more to offer right now than we do on the court. I just thought that Doc wanted to continue to participate with me and (owners) Wyc Grousbeck and (Stephen Pagliuca) and (continue) to try to rebuild this thing as we had done before. At the same time, I do understand that that's not fun, and that's not fun (for) coaches."

On his pitch to Stevens and the new coach's lengthy contract with the C's:

"I think that a six-year commitment might have made a difference. I'm not sure. We never had a negotiation. His wife was his agent, and his wife wanted to understand the language in one paragraph that we explained to her, and that was basically the entire negotiation."