Brad Stevens Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Team USA, G League, Sessions, D. Gordon

October 27th, 2018 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Steve Kerr and Brad Stevens are considered the most likely candidates to succeed Gregg Popovich as head coach of Team USA, but there could be other names in the mix, relays Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. During a recent podcast, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski mentioned Erik Spoelstra as a possibility, along with Nate McMillan and Villanova’s Jay Wright, although he added that the job will probably go to a current NBA coach.

ESPN colleague Brian Windhorst, who joined Wojnarowski for the show, questioned whether McMillan is really in the running, but called Spoelstra a “very strong” candidate, noting that he is highly respected around the league and is the second-longest-tenured head coach with the same team. Spoelstra’s main obstacle is that he’s not already on the Team USA staff.

There’s more NBA-related news to pass along:

The G League’s new alternative to college basketball is getting mixed reviews from some of the nation’s top high school players, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The league plans to offer $125K “select contracts” to top prospects who are at least 18 years old but aren’t yet eligible for the NBA draft. Givony talked to a few five-star recruits who haven’t chosen a college — along with their families — and found both interest and skepticism about the new arrangement. “My first reaction was I’d like to hear more,” said Richard Hurt, the father of top-10 recruit Matthew Hurt. “… There are some things that are intriguing about it. It’s not the money. It’s the opportunity to focus solely on what your craft will be. Similar to what a trade school would be.”
Ramon Sessions may be headed to Israel, notes Orazio Cauchi of Sportando. Maccabi Tel Aviv is reportedly considering an offer for the 11-year NBA veteran, who played a combined 28 games last season for the Knicks and Wizards. Sessions may replace another former NBA player, Jeremy Pargo, who will miss several weeks with an injury.
Drew Gordon tells NetsDaily.com that he sees the G League as his chance to return to the NBA after three years of being overseas. Gordon, who is playing for Long Island, has just nine games of NBA experience, all coming with the Sixers during the 2014/15 season. “I’ve basically been living my life out of four suitcases for the last five, six years,” he said. “It’s always interesting to immerse yourself into different cultures and having to live there for an extended period of time. You just have to learn to go with the flow with certain types of things and be able to adapt quickly and make changes with your game and everyday lifestyle.”

Atlantic Notes: Hayward, Dinwiddie, Graham, Sixers

October 14th, 2018 at 2:28pm CST by JD Shaw

Just one year following his gruesome ankle injury that sidelined him the entire 2017/18 season, Gordon Hayward made his return to the court this preseason with the Celtics. He appeared in three contests, working to regain his footing and talent that helped him become a top small forward in the league before the injury.

The Celtics refuse to rush the process of his return, allowing Hayward to control his pace and progression as Tuesday’s season opener against Philadelphia nears.

“I think Gordon will probably be a little limited early from a minutes standpoint,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters. “Not in any big way, but we’ll probably have to manage that just because he’s been out for so long.”

Despite the possible limitation, Hayward is expected to play in back-to-backs this season, Stevens added. The same goes for teammate Kyrie Irving, who underwent knee surgery in April. With a healthy Hayward and Irving, the Celtics are expected to be at the forefront of contention in the East.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie believes he should have won the Most Improved Player award last season, clarifying his comments in a detailed quote to The Athletic’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link). Indiana’s Victor Oladipo won the award, with Clint Capela finishing second and Dinwiddie coming in third.
Treveon Graham is making a serious case to be given more playing time, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Graham has provided physical defense for the Nets this preseason, nearly leading the team in plus/minus.
The 76ers have lofty expectations for the upcoming season, a situation the team hasn’t been accustomed to facing until this point, Keith Pompey of Philly.com details. The emergence of Markelle Fultz, the return of J.J. Redick, and the experience Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid now have could propel the Sixers to a top seed in the East.

Atlantic Notes: Fizdale, Thomas, Redick, Stevens

October 7th, 2018 at 3:59pm CST by JD Shaw

The Knicks have started their preseason on a high note, winning each of their three games under new head coach David Fizdale. Fizdale is known for his high energy, positive attitude and veteran mindset, with each of these habits quickly rubbing off on some of his players.

“Absolutely, heck yeah. I want to win everything,’’ Fizdale said after team’s victory over the Pelicans on Friday, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I want to win every game. These guys are building habits right now. And winning is a habit. Anytime we step on the court, if they decide to play checkers together, pool, ping-pong, I want them competing to win. We have to get that really rooted deeply into who we are.’’

Fizdale is well-respected across the league and has two NBA titles under his belt as an assistant with Miami. The Knicks hired him this past offseason as head coach, and he’s quickly made his mark on changing the overall culture of the organization.

Fizdale’s decision to bring in Hall of Famers Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing to discuss what it means to play for the Knicks was praised this week, with the second-year head coach now focused on getting his team ready for the regular season.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Lance Thomas is working hard to maintain his status as the Knicks’ starting power forward, Berman writes in a separate story. “Lance is just … man is he a good leader,’’ Fizdale said. “He’s just a really good leader. Those guys respect him big time. When he speaks, the gym shuts down and everybody listens.”
J.J. Redick has provided some much-needed firepower off the bench for the Sixers, as detailed by NBA.com’s Brian Seltzer. Redick shot a perfect 10-of-10 against the Mavericks on Friday.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens offered strong words of support for assistant Jerome Allen this week, according to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports. Allen pled guilty to accepting a $18K bribe from the parent of a prospective recruit when he coached for Pennsylvania in 2014.

Celtics Assistant Allen Faces Suspension

October 5th, 2018 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics assistant coach Jerome Allen faces a suspension after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to accepting an $18K bribe when he was Penn’s head coach in 2014, according to an ESPN report.

Allen has been on Brad Stevens’ staff since 2015, months after he was fired by Penn. He will likely retain his current job but receive punishment for his actions, the story continues. The suspension will likely be in the two-week range, according to a Boston Herald report. The plea agreement requires him to repay the $18K in addition to a $200K fine.

Allen accepted the bribe from the father of a prospective student in order to get the teenager admitted to the university as a listed recruit.

Allen issued a statement on Friday which read in part, “I am heartbroken that my players — current and former — will know that I broke the law. But, I do hope that some good may come out of this I wish to model to my young players how one accepts responsibility for wrongdoing, including the consequences that come from unlawful behavior.”

Allen coached the Quakers for five-plus seasons and failed to win more than nine games in any of his last three seasons.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Nets, Stevens, Raptors

September 23rd, 2018 at 8:02pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

With training camp kicking off this week, on-court expectations the Knicks aren’t particularly high for the upcoming season. As Marc Berman of the New York Post explains, the organization has shifted its focus to player development and building a strong culture for the 2018/19 campaign.

After years of misguided attempts to make the playoffs, team president Steve Mills is excited about what the team is building, laying the groundwork with the recent hirings of Scott Perry as GM and David Fizdale as head coach.

Berman points out that all summer the discussion throughout the organization has been about patience, process and not skipping steps, words and phrases you would expect to hear from a team that is finally focused on building a contender in a more efficient manner.

With Kristaps Porzingis expected to miss a good chunk of the season, Fizdale will have the opportunity to work and develop the young players on the team, including 2018 first round pick Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina, the talented defensive point guard.

The Knicks have their own 2019 first round draft pick and significant space under the salary cap to spend in free agency should they look to contend in the 2019/20 season. For now, the focus is on player development and instilling a successful culture behind the scenes in order to set the organization up for sustained success in the future.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson is focused on Brooklyn’s defense in the upcoming season, as he believes it’s the area the team can show the most improvement. Brian Lewis of the New York Post points out that such improvement will have to come organically, as the Nets didn’t add any standout defenders in the offseason despite the plethora of moves they made to improve their roster.
Despite all of the offensive firepower and talent on the Celtics‘ roster, head coach Brad Stevens still has concerns heading into the upcoming campaign. As Steve Bulpett writes for The Boston Herald, Stevens wants to make sure the Celtics don’t simply go through the motions on the offensive end of the court as a result of their talent and depth.
From their change in head coach to the addition of Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors are preparing for a training camp and season like no other, says Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. All eyes will be on the Raps this season as they look to not only compete for a championship, but also work to convince Leonard to re-sign in the 2019 offseason.

Celtics Notes: Theis, Bird, Irving, Schedule

August 10th, 2018 at 8:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Forward Daniel Theis is making steady progress in his recovery from a torn left meniscus injury and expects to be ready for training camp, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston reports. The 6’9” German native was enjoying a solid rookie campaign before his season ended in mid-March. Theis has returned to the team’s training facility to continue his rehab and recently began doing full-court sprints. “I’ve been back two weeks,” he told Blakely. “I’ve been doing new stuff every day.” Theis was a rotation player last season, appearing in 63 games, including three starts. He averaged 5.3 PPG and 4.3 RPG in 14.8 MPG. He’ll have to fight for minutes next season with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum established as starters and Marcus Morris, Semi Ojeleye, Guerschon Yabusele and rookie Robert Williams also on the 15-man roster.

In other developments involving the Celtics:

Swingman Jabari Bird considers his first opportunity to play last season as a turning point in his career, as he explained to Marc D’Amico of Celtics.com. Bird got his number called in the second half with the team trailing by eight against the Sixers. Boston rallied for its first win of the season. “Getting drafted is one thing. That’s an honor. Playing Summer League and having some good games, that’s one thing,” he said. “But when you do it in an NBA game, regular season, road game, hostile environment, it just felt like I really belong at this level. Moving forward, I just knew: I’m here for a reason.” Bird parlayed his two-way deal last season into a standard two-year contract this summer with the first season guaranteed.
Kyrie Irving is expected to opt out of his contract next summer and become a free agent but coach Brad Stevens has no plans to discuss the situation with his point guard, Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports reports. Stevens told Mannix that the atmosphere around the franchise speaks for itself. “I’m not going to talk to him about it at all,” Stevens said. “One of the things I want to do is give everything I can to all these guys while they’re here. Hopefully, the people that are here recognize that it’s a really good environment with a high upside for a long time.”
In his latest post, Blakely offers a month-by-month breakdown of the Celtics’ just-released regular-season schedule.

Dwane Casey Chosen Coach Of Year

June 25th, 2018 at 8:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Dwane Casey was named the league’s Coach of the Year at the NBA’s second annual awards show.

This continues the awkwardness of Casey getting a top coaching award for his efforts with a franchise that fired him after the playoffs. He was let go by the Raptors after they were swept by the Cavaliers. His peers at the National Basketball Coaches Association also named him their Coach of the Year days before he fired.

He was named the Pistons’ new head coach earlier this month.

The Jazz’s Quin Snyder and Celtics’ Brad Stevens were the other finalists. The Rockets’ Mike D’Antoni earned the honor the previous season.

Hayward Should Be Fully Cleared By Mid-August

June 18th, 2018 at 9:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Gordon Hayward should be fully cleared for basketball activities no later than mid-August, Celtics coach Brad Stevens told the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach.

Hayward underwent a surgical procedure on May 30th to have a plate and screws removed from his surgically-repaired left fibula and ankle. The timetable after the surgery was 6-8 weeks before Hayward could return to basketball activities. Stevens said Hayward was close to participating in 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 scrimmages before he experienced irritation related to the plate inserted during the initial surgery.

“He just had a little bit of pain in the back side of his foot and that’s why they decided to remove the plate,” Stevens told Himmelsbach.

The late surgery appears to be just what Hayward needed.

“Everything is good and pointed toward being back exactly where he was — hopefully pain-free, because that plate is taken out — in the middle of July, which probably points to an early August, mid August fully cleared time frame,” Stevens said.

Boston still reached the Eastern Conference Finals despite Hayward’s devastating opening night injury. His name has been tossed into trade rumors involving the Celtics’ potential pursuit of Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard.

Atlantic Notes: Irving, Stevens, Leonard, Brown, Ujiri

June 14th, 2018 at 5:52pm CST by marksuleymanov

There has been speculation that Kyrie Irving‘s days in Boston may be numbered as he can hit the free agent market after next season. We already noted that Irving will not consider an extension this summer as his focus is coming back healthy from knee surgery and helping the Celtics capture a championship.

A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston examines all the reasons why it makes sense for Irving to stay in Boston beyond next season. As Blakely notes, the Celtics’ ability to field a winning team and to offer him the most money, along with the chance of leading a team to a championship, are all reasons for Irving to remain in Celtics green. Blakely also notes the stability of the Celtics’ front office and coaching staff as strong points since Irving’s stint with the Cavaliers included four head coaches and three general managers.

A healthy Irving will strengthen a team that was on the brink of an NBA Finals appearance. In addition to Irving, Gordon Hayward is expected back healthy next season. A strong year — along with Boston’s resources — could lead to Irving signing long-term in Beantown.

Check out more Atlantic Division notes below:

Brad Stevens is regarded as one of the NBA’s premier coaches. He has led the Celtics to the playoffs in four of his five NBA seasons and to the conference finals the past two years. As he gears up for the 2018/19 season with a healthy roster, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders explains why next season may be the most important of Stevens’ career.
NBC Sports Boston discussed whether or not it makes sense to deal one of the Celtics’ top young players in a trade for Spurs superstar Kawhi Leonard. We relayed yesterday that Boston made an offer for Leonard before the trade deadline this past season.
After Bryan Colangelo’s departure from the Sixers due to his alleged use of burner accounts, head coach Brett Brown was given the role on an interim basis until a replacement general manager is hired. Derek Bodner of The Athletic (subscription required) writes about the challenge Brown faces and how it may be too much responsibility.
President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said the Raptors are “open for business” as the team tries to construct a more sustainable roster, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.

Shane Larkin Out For Game 5; Doubtful To Return During Series

May 23rd, 2018 at 6:13pm CST by clarkcrum

As we relayed earlier today, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said yesterday that there was a chance injured guard Shane Larkin could return before the end of the Eastern Conference Finals, but that he was is doubtful to play in Game 5.

However, the team’s most recent injury report has now ruled Larkin out for tonight’s pivotal matchup with the Cavaliers, and further conveys that Larkin is doubtful to return during this series.

Larkin suffered a left shoulder sprain during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Sixers and has not been able to play since. His absence wasn’t particularly noticeable after the Celtics began the conference finals with a 2-0 lead, but the team was almost certainly more hopeful for his return after the Cavs tied the series at two games apiece on Monday night.

Larkin, 25, developed into a solid rotation player during his first season with Boston after injures allowed him more playing time. He will be an unrestricted free agency this summer.