David Blatt Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Blatt, Allen, Nets Backcourt, Powell

April 28th, 2018 at 9:21am CST by marksuleymanov

The Knicks continue their search for a new head coach and a pool of nine candidates is slowly starting to shrink. With one interview left this weekend – for Spurs’ assistant coach James Borrego – there is a sense that David Blatt is the best fit in New York, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.

Blatt has not coached in the NBA since January 2016 when he was fired by the Cavaliers despite a 30-11 record. He has since returned to Europe and continued to coach successfully, and his ability to relate to international talent could benefit the Knicks.

“KP [Kristaps Porzingis] and Frank Nitti [Ntilikina] need him as he is the most qualified to finally make international players that arrive in New York comfortable and productive,” former Knicks European scout Tim Shea said to Berman. “He’d be a godsend.”

As we relayed yesterday, there is a belief that the Knicks are focused on Blatt and Mike Budenholzer, who recently parted ways with the Hawks. Both men bring impressive résumés, but one NBA source close to Blatt tells Berman that his ability to win would be invaluable to a Knicks team coming off another 50-loss season.

“He’s won everywhere he is, won everywhere in Europe,’’ the NBA source said. “This year was supposed to be rebuilding year in Istanbul and he wins the EuroCup. His résumé is impeccable.”

Check out more Atlantic Division notes below:

Most teenagers are not core pieces for an NBA team’s future, but Jarrett Allen, who spent most of the regular season as a 19-year-old standout for the Nets, is exactly that, Michael Scotto of The Athletic writes (subscription required). “He came along nicely,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “He impacts the game defensively right now with his length. He dunks everything around the rim and has shown a developing jumper. He could be a starter.”
With Jeremy Lin expected back to go along with incumbents D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead, the Nets‘ crowded backcourt will be worth watching, Net Income of NetsDaily writes. All of the aforementioned players bring their own skills and value and head coach Kenny Atkinson enjoys versatility on his roster.
While Norman Powell was a key player for the Raptors in the postseason last year, he has gone from X-factor to ex-factor, Dave Feschuck of the Toronto Star writes.

Knicks Focused On Budenholzer, Blatt

April 27th, 2018 at 10:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

Among all their coaching candidates, the Knicks are showing particular interest in former Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer and former Cavaliers coach David Blatt, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times.

Both men interviewed for the job in the past five days, and Knicks management “ramped up” its background work on Budenholzer and Blatt this week, according to Stein.

Budenholzer officially ended his relationship with Atlanta this week after requesting permission to interview for openings in Phoenix and New York. He has withdrawn from consideration for the Suns’ post, but is said to be particularly interested in joining the Knicks. Budenholzer led the Hawks to four straight playoff appearances before this season, but didn’t want to remain with a rebuilding franchise.

Blatt has been coaching in Turkey since being fired by Cleveland midway through the 2015/16 season. He took the Cavaliers to the finals in his only full NBA season, but was dismissed amid rumors that LeBron James preferred to have a former player as his coach.

Knicks Notes: Kanter, Blatt, Budenholzer

April 26th, 2018 at 9:23pm CST by marksuleymanov

Enes Kanter made an appearance in Oklahoma City for the Thunder’s first-round series against the Jazz. A former member of both the Thunder and Jazz, Kanter said he was there to support his friends and enjoy the game. The Turkish big man also addressed his opt-out, which he is likely to exercise and hit free agency this summer.

Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Kanter’s opt-out date is on June 29, at which point his future will be clearer. Kanter enjoyed a strong season with the Knicks, averaging 14.1 PPG and 11.0 RPG as New York struggled to another poor season. Kanter said he’s unsure what his future holds but he will talk with teams this offseason. He also spoke glowingly of his time in Oklahoma City.

“Man, I don’t wanna say nothing crazy and make the New York fans sad, but this place [was] always special for me,’’ Kanter said of OKC. “It doesn’t matter — 10, 15 years from now — it’s gonna always be in my heart, because it actually was my first home, Oklahoma City. I was just outside. Everybody was yelling. I can’t tell you how often I get texted, ‘Enes! Come back! You should come back! Come back!’ Whatever. I think it just shows how nice the Thunder fans are.”

Check out more Knicks notes below:

David Blatt met with the Knicks in Europe on Thursday, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post. It was Blatt’s second interview with the Knicks. The former Cavaliers head coach is one of several candidates for the Knicks’ search to fill their vacant head coach position.
As we relayed earlier today, Blatt is seeking another opportunity in the NBA as he feels he did not maximize his potential during his first stint in Cleveland.
After Mike Budenholzer‘s mutual parting with the Hawks, general manager Travis Schlenk gave a strong endorsement for the coach and wished him well, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Budenholzer has already interviewed with the Knicks and he reportedly prefers to land the gig in New York. The Knicks are mulling over numerous candidates, but with Bundeholzer no longer employed by the Hawks, New York wouldn’t have to compensate Atlanta for his services.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Kanter, Blatt, Celtics

April 26th, 2018 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

While much has been made of the Sixers‘ “Process,” the team has also taken a melting-pot approach to building its roster, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, who observes that Philadelphia’s lineup features key contributors from Australia, Croatia, Cameroon, Italy, and Turkey. As Reynolds writes, Brett Brown, who spent nearly two decades living overseas, is an ideal head coach for that sort of diverse locker room.

“It’s all basketball, but the true side of how people coach, speak, say, play the game is different,” Brown said. “And that collection now that I have with everybody is like is a melting pot of all people’s experiences. That equals a team. I mean, I love it. I love the geo-political conversations. I love that diversity on the court, off the court. I enjoy it.

“This global instinct and sort of global feeling that we have in Philadelphia interests me very much,” Brown added. “I embrace it. For me, it’s another layer of why I enjoy coaching this team.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Speaking to Fred Katz of The Norman Transcript, Enes Kanter continues to sound like a man thinking about opting out of his contract. After being reminded that he’s technically a member of the Knicks, Kanter replied, “Until July 1, yes. We’ll talk to teams. We’ll see.” Kanter previously suggested that he’s leaning toward declining his player option, but agent Mark Bartelstein quickly walked those comments back. For what it’s worth, Kanter could sign a new deal with New York if he opts out, and has said multiple times that he’d like to stick with the Knicks.
Former Cavaliers head coach David Blatt wants another shot to coach an NBA team, indicating that he wants to redeem himself after feeling that he didn’t “realize my potential” in Cleveland. Marc Berman of The New York Post passes along the quotes from Blatt and explores the possibility of the veteran coach landing the Knicks job.
While the odds of the Celtics making a deep postseason run are significantly reduced as long as Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are sidelined, youngsters Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have stepped up and are showing star potential. Marc D’Amico of Celtics.com and ESPN’s Chris Forsberg both examine the impressive development of Tatum and Brown.

Latest On Knicks’ Head Coaching Search

April 20th, 2018 at 9:00pm CST by Austin Kent

9:00pm: The Knicks will meet with Mike Budenholzer on Sunday, Ian Begley of ESPN tweets.

7:48pm: Add James Borrego to the list of candidates scheduled to interview with the Knicks regarding their coaching vacancy. Ian Begley and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN report that the current Spurs assistant has been granted permission to interview for the position.

Borrego was previously linked as a potential Suns candidate although it wasn’t known at the time whether he had been granted permission to interview there.

Worth noting is that Borrego worked with Knicks general manager Scott Perry in Orlando between 2012 and 2015, serving as an assistant and eventually interim head coach prior to joining San Antonio.

Here’s more on the search for a new Knicks’ coach:

Representatives from the franchise will travel abroad to interview David Blatt this week. Wojnarowski and Begley write that Blatt has a strong relationship with Knicks president Steve Mills but doesn’t have a relationship with Perry.
For what it’s worth, the ESPN scribes say that Jerry Stackhouse and David Fizdale both made strong cases for themselves in their previously conducted interviews.
And finally, Kenny Smith‘s interview with the franchise is now in the books, although the ESPN piece gives no indication of how it went. Smith is a native of New York but has no coaching experience.

Knicks Notes: Coaching Search, O’Quinn, Noah

April 18th, 2018 at 10:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks aren’t afraid to take their time as they look for their next coach, according to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. Today was Mark Jackson‘s turn to interview with team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry in Los Angeles, one day after Jerry Stackhouse. News broke tonight that TNT analyst Kenny Smith will be interviewed Friday. Sessions are also scheduled for David Fizdale, Mike Woodson and David Blatt, and Isola states that more candidates could emerge.

Fizdale had an interview today with the Suns and seems to have emerged as the most popular coach on the market. He has a connection with James Jones, a former Heat player who now works in the Phoenix front office and is reportedly a strong advocate for Fizdale. The Knicks are attracted to Fizdale because he has experience with a winning organization in Miami and he has a strong connection to LeBron James, whom the Knicks haven’t given up hope of someday acquiring, Isola adds.

There’s more tonight from New York:

Jackson’s aversion to analytics may doom his chances with the Knicks, writes Gary Peterson of The San Jose Mercury News. Jackson had a reputation as an old-school coach with the Warriors and was often dismissive of modern techniques. “The [Golden State] analytics staff encountered more resistance than they anticipated,” said Erik Malinowski, author of a book on the building of the Warriors.
Backup center Kyle O’Quinn isn’t ready to make a decision on his player option, relays Jordan Lauterbach of Newsday. O’Quinn, who recently changed agents, will earn $4.26MM if he decides to opt in for next season. “I came into the season, I don’t want to say without a role, but knowing that anything can happen,” he said. “Whether it be trade talks or things like that, I think I handled it well by putting myself in a solid position where I could display what I could do.”
The Knicks should resist the temptation to stretch Joakim Noah‘s contract over the next five seasons, advises Bobby Marks of ESPN. Marks points to Deron Williams in Brooklyn and Josh Smith in Detroit as instances where teams have regretted compromising their long-term flexibility. Marks also recommends delaying an extension for Kristaps Porzingis to create more cap room for next summer.

Kenny Smith To Interview With Knicks

April 18th, 2018 at 8:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kenny Smith is the latest addition to the Knicks’ coaching search, according to an ESPN report. The TNT analyst, who has no NBA coaching experience, will reportedly interview with the team Friday. Smith played in the league for 10 seasons and joined Turner Sports in 1998.

The Knicks have already held interviews with Mark Jackson and Jerry Stackhouse and plan to bring in David Fizdale later this week. That will be followed next week by a session with David Blatt.

They have also received permission from the Clippers to talk to assistant coach Mike Woodson, but he’s not in the top tier of candidates, according to ESPN.

Latest On Suns’ Head Coaching Search

April 18th, 2018 at 8:32am CST by Luke Adams

We passed along several updates on the Suns‘ search for a new head coach on Tuesday night, relaying reports on the club’s plan to interview former Magic coach Frank Vogel, along with details on an upcoming meeting with former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale. We also noted that Phoenix’s interview with Mike Budenholzer took place on Monday and Tuesday this week, as the current Hawks coach sat down with Suns GM Ryan McDonough and owner Robert Sarver over those two days.

As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski writes, the Hawks and Budenholzer are open to ending their partnership, so if the Suns decide he’s their man, there could be a path to making it happen. Still, there are roadblocks that would need to be cleared, as Atlanta would likely require compensation in order to let Budenholzer out of his contract with the team, which still has two years and $13MM left on it.

Here’s more on the Suns’ head coaching search:

While the Suns have mostly focused on getting to know Budenholzer so far this week, they’re considering several other candidates, including Steve Clifford and David Blatt, according to Wojnarowski, who says the team has been in contact with both of those former NBA coaches.
Confirming the Suns’ contact with Clifford, Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic writes that the ex-Hornets coach is expected to interview with Phoenix. A source tells Bordow that the club hasn’t yet ruled out any candidates, and expects to have “many conversations” with prospective hires.
Spurs assistant James Borrego has drawn interest from the Suns as a potential target, per Bordow. It’s not clear whether the team has received permission from San Antonio to meet with Borrego, or if Phoenix’s discussions about the veteran assistant remain internal for now.

Knicks To Interview Mark Jackson Wednesday

April 16th, 2018 at 9:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mark Jackson will interview for the Knicks head coaching job on Wednesday, Chris Haynes of ESPN tweets.

The former Knicks point guard and Warriors head coach has already been named a candidate for the job and this confirms the Knicks’ interest. New York’s brass interviewed Jerry Stackhouse on Tuesday. Stackhouse has been coaching the Raptors’ G League team, Raptors 905, after a long playing career.

Ex-Grizzlies coach David Fizdale, former Cavs coach David Blatt and ex-Knicks coach Mike Woodson are among the other known candidates for the position.

Jackson, an analyst on ABC’s top NBA broadcasting team, compiled a 121-109 record with the Warriors from 2011-14 and took them to the playoffs in two of his three seasons.

Latest On The Knicks’ Coaching Search

April 16th, 2018 at 4:19pm CST by ChrisCrouse

APRIL 16th, 4:19pm: Stackhouse is interviewing with the Knicks this afternoon, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets.

APRIL 15th, 2:13pm: New York is planning to meet with David Fizdale, Mark Jackson, and Jerry Stackhouse for the organization’s head coaching gig, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com. All three are expected to be in high demand this hiring season.

Mike Woodson is also on the Knicks’ radar, as they have received permission from the Clippers to talk to their former head coach. However, Woodson is not considered to be in the “top tier” of the organization’s initial candidates.

The Knicks have also set up a meeting with David Blatt, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link). Blatt, who is considered one of the most successful coaches in European basketball history, took the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals during his only full season with the club.

The team fired coach Jeff Hornacek last week after just two seasons with the franchise. He finished his stint with a record of 60-104.