George Karl Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Coach/GM Rumors: Hollins, Karl, Kings, Nuggets

June 7th, 2013 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

According to Sam Amick of USA Today, Lionel Hollins and the Grizzlies spoke yesterday, and the door hasn't closed entirely on the possibility of the head coach remaining in Memphis. However, Hollins has begun to explore his other options, talking by phone to a pair of Clippers executives yesterday and planning to fly to Los Angeles early next week, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (via Twitter). Here's the latest on the Grizzlies, the Clippers, and plenty of other teams in the market for a coach or GM:

While a reunion with Hollins or a promotion of assistant David Joerger remain possibilities for the Grizzlies, Memphis has emerged as the early frontrunner for George Karl, says Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
The Clippers have interest in both Hollins and Karl, but are prioritizing championship experience, a source tells Berger. Brian Shaw fits that bill, as both a player and an assistant coach, and is expected to formally interview with the Clippers on Monday, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
The Kings continue to pursue Larry Bird, although it would be a surprise if he was hired, a source tells Berger. If the Kings were able to land a big name like Bird – or perhaps Mike Dunleavy or Chris Mullin – it would be as team president, with the authority to hire a GM.
David Morway is interviewing today for the Kings' GM job, says Berger. It doesn't appear Sacramento will receive permission to speak to Nuggets assistant GM Pete D'Alessandro though, since Denver would like him to continue helping owner Josh Kroenke with the team's coaching search.
D'Alessandro also appears to be the favorite for the Nuggets' open GM job, with a source telling Berger that Denver may not even interview outside candidates.
Earlier today, Kroenke told reporters, including Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post (Twitter links), that Masai Ujiri would almost certainly have left Denver to accept the Raptors job even if the Nuggets had matched Toronto's offer.

David Fizdale, Melvin Hunt On Sixers’ Radar

June 7th, 2013 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Maurice Cheeks is said to be the frontrunner for the Pistons' head coaching job, and the openings with the Clippers, Nets, and Nuggets appear to be turning into a game of musical chairs featuring Brian Shaw, Lionel Hollins, George Karl, and others. Since Sam Hinkie was hired in Philadelphia though, we haven't heard a whole lot about the Sixers' head coaching targets.

According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter), a pair of assistant coaches are on the 76ers' radar: David Fizdale of the Heat and Melvin Hunt of the Nuggets. Fizdale had been mentioned as a candidate for Detroit earlier in the Pistons' process, and actually was said to be on the Sixers' list before Hinkie was hired as well. Hunt, meanwhile, hasn't received any head coaching buzz since he was named as a potential Cavs candidate back in April.

Besides Fizdale and Hunt, Rockets assistants Kelvin Sampson and Chris Finch have also been cited as possible candidates for the Sixers' job, while Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal tweeted earlier this week that Philadelphia appears to have interest in Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger.

Grantland's Zach Lowe also noted yesterday that Hinkie has long been an admirer of George Karl's offensive creativity, but Lowe hears from coaching sources that the new GM may prefer to develop a strong relationship with a first-time head coach of his choosing.

Odds & Ends: Brewer, Shaw, Larkin

June 6th, 2013 at 11:02pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Despite his limited role in Oklahoma City, Ronnie Brewer sounded open about a possible return to the Thunder: "I'm still very young and still have a lot of basketball left in me so if it's here or somewhere else I'll continue to play basketball. This is a great organization and (has) great players, great coaches, great fans. So hopefully I can continue to play here” (Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman reports). Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous notes:

Though George Karl's coaching style may fit well with GM Sam Hinkie's focus on analytics, Grantland's Zach Lowe says that one name to look out for with regard to the 76ers' head coaching vacancy is Chris Finch, who is currently an assistant to Kevin McHale with the Rockets and the head coach of Great Britain's national team. Lowe gets the sense that Hinkie is looking to build a strong relationship with a first-time NBA coach, and Finch – who also served as a coach for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers – was reportedly able to develop a good working relationship with Houston team brass while handling his responsibilities in the NBDL.
As far as the Nets' coaching search goes, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News cites a source who says that Brooklyn is seeking a "fresh face," which may indicate that Brian Shaw is ahead of Lionel Hollins on their wish list.
When it comes to Kris Humphries and the Nets, Roderick Boone of Newsday tweets that both parties would welcome a trade.
Shane Larkin looked very impressive in his workout with the Jazz today, according to Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News. Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune writes that center prospect Jason Washburn made an impression during his visit with Utah as well.
Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee says that one name to look out for as a possible assistant coach for Michael Malone's staff is Roy Rogers, who worked as an assistant for Lawrence Frank on the Pistons last season and is credited for playing a vital role in Andre Drummond's development.
Marcus Thompson II of Mercury News notes that Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes of the Warriors will participate in Team USA's minicamp in July.
Sean Deveney of the Sporting News opines that the era of retread coaches in the NBA is over.
Gene Wang of The Washington Post briefly profiles Khalif Wyatt following the 6'4" guard's workout with the Wizards earlier today.

Odds & Ends: Clippers, Collins, Shaw, Karl

June 6th, 2013 at 8:05pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports that Lionel Hollins met with the Clippers today and engaged in a lengthy conversation about their head coaching job. Turner also relays that Brian Shaw is expected to interview with team brass on either Monday or Tuesday next week (Twitter links). As for George Karl, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles tweets that while the Clippers haven't spoken to him directly, they have been in contact with his representative. Both ESPN's Marc Stein and Shelburne report that Karl and Shaw have emerged as the team's top two candidates for the job.

As we gear up for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, here are a few miscellaneous notes to share from around the league tonight:

As far as his next contract goes, Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki says that it'll probably be a two- or three-year deal (Jon Machota of SportsDayDFW).
Sam Amick of USA Today hears that the Grizzlies reached out to Karl almost immediately after he was let go in Denver today. The Nuggets had to grant permission to Memphis in order to reach out to Karl because the severance agreement hasn't been finalized and the 62-year-old coach is still under contract.
Amick notes that the Grizzlies had their sights set on assistant Dave Joerger as their top candidate to replace Hollins, but made that option contingent on whether or not Karl would become available.
Sportando.net's Emiliano Carchia tweets that former NBA player Andres Nocioni is in talks regarding a contract extension with Baskonia, a Spanish ballclub that participates in the ACB and Euroleague.
Flip Saunders confirmed on KFAN radio in Minnesota that the Timberwolves currently have Victor Oladipo ahead of Ben McLemore on their draft board, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
ESPN Insider Chad Ford says that many teams are bummed that Dario Saric is considering withdrawing his name from this year's draft, adding that several NBA executives had him ranked in their top five or top seven prospects. He also mentions that there are other teams who had no intention of drafting Saric that aren't thrilled with the news either, considering the notion that the draft gets weaker when talent leaves. Interestingly enough, Ford says he wouldn't be surprised if some NBA teams that are currently in Italy for the Eurocamp will try to travel to Croatia in order to make an attempt to persuade Saric to keep his name in consideration this year (All Twitter links).
Ricky Ledo's agent, Seth Cohen, tells SNY.tv's Adam Zagoria that his client will not work out for the Thunder (Twitter link).
For whatever it's worth, Shaquille O'Neal said that he and Chris Webber would like to own the Kings (Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram noted the comment via Twitter).

Nuggets Eyeing Hollins, Shaw, McMillan, Gentry

June 6th, 2013 at 6:38pm CST by Luke Adams

6:38pm: Denver has been granted permission to speak with Hollins, a source tells Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).

6:20pm: In addition to Hollins and Shaw, league sources say that the Nuggets plan to examine Nate McMillan and Alvin Gentry for their head coaching vacancy as well (Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski tweets).

12:37pm: The Nuggets have received permission from the Pacers to interview Shaw, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Denver has also lodged a formal request with the Grizzlies to speak with Hollins, Berger adds (via Twitter).

Although Shaw and Hollins are viewed as the Nuggets' top targets, ESPN.com's Marc Stein names Quin Snyder as a potential under-the-radar candidate (Twitter link).

10:42am: Having parted ways with George Karl, the Nuggets are eyeing a pair of the offseason's most frequently mentioned head coaching candidates. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter), Denver plans to request permission to speak to Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins and Pacers assistant Brian Shaw.

As we've heard this week and reiterated this morning, Shaw appears to be near or at the top of both the Clippers' and Nets' wish list, so he may ultimately end up having to choose between multiple offers. Hollins is also a candidate for both clubs, though it sounds like L.A. has a little more interest in the Grizzlies' coach than Brooklyn does. The Clippers were also linked to Karl even before he became available, so if their interest in him becomes more serious now, it could create an opportunity for the Nuggets to get a better shot at Shaw or Hollins.

If the Nuggets do zero in on Hollins, it's conceivable that Denver and Memphis could essentially trade head coaches, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, who says the Grizzlies intend to reach out to Karl (Twitter links).

Given how fresh the Karl news is, no other names have surfaced yet as potential candidates for the Nuggets. But Wojnarowski tweeted this morning that the team is confident in its ability to land an elite coach, considering how much talent is on the roster.

Nuggets Part Ways With George Karl

June 6th, 2013 at 6:10pm CST by Luke Adams

6:10pm: Karl's agent, Warren Legarie, offered his thoughts to ESPN about the Nuggets' decision:

"This was not the ideal situation, obviously George would've preferred to stay on. But I can't praise Josh Kroenke enough for the way in which he handled a really difficult situation. [Kroenke] was always straightforward and honest & very clear about what they were prepared and not prepared to do" (All Twitter links via Ramona Shelburne).

10:11am: 2012/13's NBA Coach of the Year will not return to his team's bench next season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Wojnarowski reports that the Nuggets have parted ways with George Karl, informing him this morning that he won't be retained for the final year of his contract (Twitter links).

Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com had both reported within the last week that Karl's status in Denver was unsettled, since the team didn't seem inclined to pick up his 2014/15 option, which would have left him on an expiring deal next season. According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Karl had been pushing for a contract extension, and team ownership wasn't prepared to give him one.

The move is the latest in an incredibly busy offseason for head coaching turnover. 11 NBA teams have now parted ways with the head coach with whom they finished the season, and there could be more changes on the way, including Lionel Hollins in Memphis. Karl had been the third-longest-tenured coach in the NBA, behind only Gregg Popovich and Doc Rivers.

With Karl out of the picture and Masai Ujiri now running the Raptors, the Nuggets will be in the market for both a new coach and general manager in the coming weeks. Wojnarowski tweets that the Nuggets believe they can attract an elite coach, given their roster, and that they preferred to take that chance rather than moving forward with an unhappy Karl.

As for Karl, Chris Mannix of SI.com rightly points out (via Twitter) that his presence on the market figures to change the thinking of some teams still searching for a new head coach. Based on the fact that he had been seeking an extension with the Nuggets, it appears Karl still wants to keep coaching. We've already heard his name linked to the Clippers' search and Grantland's Zach Lowe (Twitter link) wouldn't be surprised if the Sixers called him as well. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports (via Twitter) that the Grizzlies also intend to reach out to Karl.

Still, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer cautions (via Twitter) not to rule out the possibility of Karl sitting out the season or coaching overseas, given how much he enjoyed his previous experience in Europe. Personally, I'd think the former is more likely than the latter.

Western Notes: Hollins, Clippers, Iguodala, Love

June 6th, 2013 at 5:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on her report this morning which indicated that negotiations between the Grizzlies and Lionel Hollins had become "dormant," Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com took to Twitter to add a couple more details.

According to Shelburne, talks between the two sides never really even got to money or terms, since there was a sense that the short-term deal the team wanted was a sign to Hollins that he wasn't really wanted back. Although Hollins wanted to return, coming back on a two-year contract with increased expectations and perhaps a lesser roster was a problematic scenario, says Shelburne.

Here are a few more notes from around the Western Conference:

One source told Shelburne that Hollins was scheduled to speak with the Clippers this afternoon (Twitter link).
Michael Lee of the Washington Post tweets that the Suns have named Pat Connelly – the former Wizards' director of player personnel – as an assistant GM. Ken Berger of CBS Sports added that Phoenix also hired Ronnie Lester – formerly the scouting director of the Lakers – as a scout along with promoting Trevor Bukstein as another assistant GM (Twitter links).
According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Clippers' front office loves Brian Shaw as a head coaching candidate, while owner Donald Sterling may prefer George Karl.
Asked by TNT's David Aldridge what effect Karl's ouster in Denver would have on his odds of re-signing with the Nuggets, Andre Iguodala replied, "Good question. Need some time to let it sink in."
Ten years after the Spurs nearly landed Jason Kidd in free agency, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports looks back on a summer that would have changed the futures of two points guards, one (Kidd) who retired this week, and another (Tony Parker) who is playing in his fourth NBA Finals.
Appearing on ESPN's Sportscenter today (link via ESPN.com), Kevin Love said he had "absolutely" moved past any negativity he felt toward the Timberwolves and is looking forward to seeing what Flip Saunders will do as the team's new head of basketball operations.
John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune wonders if Danny Granger would make sense as a trade target for the Pelicans.

George Karl Rumors: Nets, Raptors, Grizzlies

June 6th, 2013 at 12:15pm CST by Luke Adams

In a surprising turn of events, the Nuggets informed George Karl earlier today that they wouldn't be retaining him for the final year of his contract, parting ways with the reigning Coach of the Year and beginning a search for a new head coach. While we've already heard that Lionel Hollins and Brian Shaw are among Denver's likely targets to replace Karl, there are also a number of reports surfacing on Karl's ouster from Denver and what his future might hold. Let's round them up….

Don't expect the Nets to be an aggressive suitor for Karl, according to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post, who hears from a source that Brooklyn doesn't have much interest.
Karl also appears unlikely to follow Masai Ujiri to Toronto. Grantland's Zach Lowe tweets that Karl isn't a candidate to replace Dwane Casey this summer, and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports adds (via Twitter) that even if the Raptors' job opens up next summer, Karl isn't expected to be a candidate.
The Pistons also won't pursue Karl, since they're already close to making a hire, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
As we heard earlier today, the Grizzlies have some interest in Karl. According to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (via Twitter), if the Grizz can't work out a new deal with Lionel Hollins, they'll shift their focus to Karl, Dave Joerger, and Alvin Gentry.
We've heard the Clippers mentioned as a suitor for Karl multiple times, and L.A. does indeed have "strong interest" in him, says Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).
Mannix estimates that, based on his last couple contracts, Karl's price tag figures to be about $4-5MM annually for three or four years, with the potential to climb higher if there's a bidding war (Twitter links).
Karl's desire for an extension and the Nuggets' unwillingness to give him one was cited as the primary reason the two sides parted ways, but Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida hears there were a few other differences in opinion as well. Among them, according to Tomasson: Management placed the blame on Karl for losing the Golden State series; management wanted JaVale McGee to play more after he received a big four-year contract; and management would have liked to see young players such as Evan Fournier played more often and veterans like Andre Miller played less, even if it cost the team a few of its 57 regular-season wins (all four Twitter links).

Latest On Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies, Clippers, Nets

June 6th, 2013 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

Even though a reunion appears unlikely, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported earlier this week that Lionel Hollins and the Grizzlies had continued to talk about a possible extension for the head coach. That no longer appears to be the case, however, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com, who hears that discussions between the two sides have gone "dormant" over the last few days.

According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (cited in Shelburne's article), the Nets initially asked for permission to speak to Hollins last week, at which point they were told the Grizzlies wanted to keep negotiating with their head coach before allowing him to speak to other teams. Now that talks between Hollins and the Grizz have stalled, Memphis has granted the Clippers permission to speak to Hollins and also informed the Nets that Brooklyn has the clearance to interview him, says Shelburne.

Given the strong interest the Nets have in Brian Shaw, it's not clear if the team will circle back to Hollins, but it appears that option is available. As for the Clippers, they may also prefer to hire Shaw, but Shelburne writes that Hollins remains a strong candidate for L.A. since he's a veteran coach with an extensive track record, while Shaw has never had a head coaching job.

George Karl has also been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Clippers, but both Shelburne and Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post report that L.A. has yet to ask Denver for permission to speak to Karl. It seems to me as if the Clippers' potential interest in Karl won't evolve into anything serious.

Coaching Rumors: Hollins, Nets, Clippers, Shaw

June 5th, 2013 at 1:44pm CST by Luke Adams

As I noted yesterday when examining the longest-tenured coaches in the NBA, four teams – the Pistons, 76ers, Nets, and Clippers – are still in the market for a new head coach, while a couple other positions could open up later in the offseason. In addition to those head coaching openings, plenty of assistants are being hired, or moving from one NBA team to another. Here are today's rumors on those head coaching searches and the assistant coaching carousel:

Although the Clippers have asked and received permission to speak to Lionel Hollins, the Nets' initial request to speak to Hollins was turned down, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter links). Tillery adds that Brooklyn has yet to make another request since being denied on the day after the Grizzlies' season ended.
No teams have requested permission yet to speak to Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger, but the Sixers are believed to have interest, tweets Tillery.
A report yesterday indicated that the Nets and Sixers were among the teams that have contacted Larry Brown about their head coaching openings. Brown threw cold water on that report today though, according to John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer, saying he's happy at SMU. CSNPhilly.com, meanwhile, reports that Brown would likely have interest in returning to the NBA if it meant running a franchise. I'd be surprised if anything came of this.

Earlier updates:

Less than 24 hours after ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Chris Broussard reported that Brian Shaw was a "serious target" for the Nets, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that Shaw also appears to be the Clippers' top choice at this point. Since no official interviews have been conducted yet, the situation remains fluid, but the Clippers are intrigued by Shaw's youth, championship experience, and developmental skills, according to Shelburne.
Talks between Jeff Van Gundy and the Clippers have cooled, and the team has yet to ask permission to speak to Nuggets coach George Karl, though he remains a possible target. Lionel Hollins, Byron Scott, and Alvin Gentry also remain under consideration for Los Angeles, says Shelburne.
Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times provides the same list of contenders for the Clippers' job, though he's even more bearish on the likelihood of the team hiring Van Gundy, writing that he's essentially "out of the running." Shaw, meanwhile is gaining momentum for the position, according to Turner.
Although the Pistons' search appears to have been narrowed down to Nate McMillan and Maurice Cheeks, there's no guarantee a decision happens this week, sources tell David Mayo of MLive.com.
Following up on a report from Frank Isola of the New York Daily News last week which suggested Patrick Ewing could be hired as an assistant in Charlotte, Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com says Ewing is interviewing for the Bobcats' lead assistant job today. The former Knicks big man has also received interest from the Kings, writes Haynes.
Newly-hired Kings head coach Michael Malone is also talking to Ohio State assistant Chris Jent about joining his staff in Sacramento, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Yet another Lakers assistant coach appears to be on his way out of L.A., as Darvin Ham will talk to the Bobcats and Hawks about a spot on their respective staffs, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.