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Joerger On Grizzlies’ Chances Next Season

August 24th, 2013 at 8:55pm CST by Spencer Lund

After interviewing high-profile head coaching candidates George Karl, Ed Pickney and Alvin Gentry for their vacant head coaching position, the Grizzlies promoted long-time assistant Dave Joerger to be their new head coach.

The team had parted ways with their most successful head coach in franchise history, Lionel Hollins, after disagreements with management – including ESPN stats guru John Hollinger - over the future of the team. 

Joerger hasn't ever coached at the NBA level, and now he's expected to lead the Grizzlies in their hunt for an NBA title. His first season as coach will come only an offseason removed from the team's farthest playoff run in franchise history last year when they appeared in the Western Conference Finals.

The Commecial Appeal's Ronald Tillery relates what Joerger told MVP season ticket holders at the FedEx Forum early this morning about his new team's chances next season and what it's like to finally coach an NBA team of his own:

On the biggest difference in being a head coach rather than an assistant this summer:

“The head coaching part of it I’ve gone through. Mentally, you’re always working on the next year,” Joerger admitted. “What’s different is all of the other things that come with it. The stakes are a lot bigger. There’s more media. It’s a bigger organization. Your time gets stretched more than any other time I’ve been a head coach and certainly as an assistant coach.”

On offseason improvements to stay up with other teams in the West:

“I feel like we addressed some of our team needs,” the new coach said. “We’ve added championship experience. We’ve added IQ. We’ve added shooting. We’re trying to grow from within. Those are all very positive. You better be ready to play in the West. Houston got better. Golden State got better. Minnesota got better. And the Clippers have definitely improved themselves. I also feel like we’ve kept up.”

 On the Grizzlies' offensive struggles last season:

“We do some things really well offensively, Joerger challenged. "I don’t want to lose those things. I want to add to them. On the front end of it, I want to add more pace. I want to add more ball movement. With the ball movement comes a continuation of offense. The ball can’t stop. When there’s eight seconds on the clock, the ball can’t just come out (and get stuck in isolation). We have to keep going. I’m trying to push the basketball. Other guys are going to have to be able to make decisions with the basketball at times. The ball needs to move.”

On rotational differences compared to Lionel Hollins' approach last season:

“I like our roster. I’m hoping we’ve created depth,” said Joerger. “I’m hoping Jerryd Bayless, Quincy Pondexter, Ed Davis and Kosta Koufos keep growing. If they do that and have a good year this year, then we have some really nice depth. We need those guys to make shots. They’ve got to play. And I’m looking forward to having that. I know what Mike Miller is going to give us from the perimeter. Hopefully, those other guys have a big year. I want the bench to be successful. It’s a long season and the West is a gauntlet.”

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Nuggets Considering Brett Brown As Head Coach

June 24th, 2013 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

After the Nuggets' bid to land Doc Rivers failed, the team will turn its attention to at least five other candidates for their head coaching opening. As Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports, the latest contender to emerge for the job is Spurs assistant Brett Brown, who met with Nuggets CEO Josh Kroenke and GM Tim Connelly on Sunday. Brown is being considered a "serious candidate" for the position, according to Wojnarowski.

Brown is the fifth potential head coach to receive an interview with the Nuggets. Former Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins, Pacers assistant Brian Shaw, ex-Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro, and Nuggets assistant Melvin Hunt have also met with the team about the opening.

One Spurs assistant, Mike Budenholzer, has already landed a head coaching job this offseason, having been hired by the Hawks. With Budenholzer in Atlanta, Brown, who has served as an assistant under Gregg Popovich for seven years, is expected to become the top assistant on Popovich's staff, unless he lands the Nuggets job. Brown also acted as the head coach for the Australian national team at the 2012 Olympics in London.

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Clippers Have Talked Contract With Scott, Shaw

June 22nd, 2013 at 4:39pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:39pm: It’s not clear whether Scott is the front-runner for the job, according to Broussard, whose report includes word from Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com that the Clippers intend to go after Rivers one more time once they have an alternative lined up. Broussard also points to the close relationship between Chris Paul and Scott, who was CP3’s coach in New Orleans. 

4:25pm: The Clippers began contract talks with Scott after his interview Tuesday, and they did the same Wednesday with Shaw, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports. Sources tell Turner that Scott and the Clippers are “getting there, but still talking,” with no agreement in place yet (All Twitter links).

4:01pm: The Clippers initiated discussion Friday night about the financial framework of a contract with coaching candidate Byron Scott, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. The team has not had similar talks with Brian Shaw and Lionel Hollins, two of the others that the team considers its primary alternatives to Doc Rivers.

The progress toward an agreement with Scott could signal that the Clippers are finally ready to move on from their pursuit of Rivers, whom the Celtics have been unwilling to release from his contract for the Clips’ offer of a second-round pick. Scott interviewed for the job on Tuesday, and his meeting with owner Donald Sterling went “very well,” Broussard noted earlier this week. Scott reportedly hasn’t interviewed with another team since the Cavs fired him more than two months ago. Scott and the Clippers had preliminary discussions about the job weeks ago.

Scott has been employed as an NBA head coach for at least part of each of the last 13 seasons. He’s 416-521 overall with the Nets, Pelicans (then Hornets) and Cavs. Four of his teams have reached the playoffs, including his back-to-back Finals squads with New Jersey.

If the Clippers hire Scott, Hollins and Shaw could turn to the Nuggets, where both are candidates, as is former Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. Shaw has also been a candidate for the Sixers job, and the Grizzlies are looking for a new coach as well.

At the end of May, Hoops Rumors readers selected Scott as most likely to land the Clippers job among a field of six choices that didn’t include Rivers. Though much has changed since then, readers may still wind up being correct. 

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Door ‘Not Closed’ On Celtics, Clippers Deal

June 21st, 2013 at 8:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Rasputin of NBA trade rumors appears to be alive once more, as executives tell Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times that the Clippers will make another play on Monday for Celtics coach Doc Rivers. Reports on two occasions, including earlier today, have indicated that talks between the two teams were at an end, but one executive said to Turner tonight that, "The door is not closed yet on getting a deal done." Still, Rivers' agent has told the Clippers he's no longer interested in coaching the team, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who adds that Chris Paul, a proponent of bringing Rivers to L.A., has been displeased with the fallout of what looked to be a failed deal. 

The Clippers appear willing to be patient for a Rivers deal because Brian Shaw, Lionel Hollins and Byron Scott, their alternative coaching candidates, aren't likely to leave the market anytime soon. Two of those three haven't been offered a job by another team, according to Turner, adding that Scott hasn't even interviewed with anyone aside from the Clippers. 

Boston is seeking a 2014 first-round pick in return for allowing Rivers out of his contract, which has three more seasons left on it. The Clippers are only offering a second-rounder. Clippers owner Donald Sterling and Rivers have negotiated a five-year, $35MM deal, but there's been a growing doubt around the NBA that Sterling really wants to pay that much, according to Wojnarowski.

The Celtics and Clippers have been engaged in talks involving only Rivers and draft picks since commissioner David Stern expressed this week that the league was unlikely to approve any deal that gave the appearance that Rivers was being traded in tandem with players. Such a deal would violate the collective bargaining agreement, and even though the teams appeared to be trying to structure a deal involving Kevin Garnett that would be separate from the Rivers transaction, it appeared that, too, would be vetoed. The Celtics and Clippers may attempt to circle back to a Garnett deal once the Rivers situation is resolved.

Rivers and Ainge will reportedly talk throughout the weekend in hopes of reaching a resolution on his future with the Celtics by Monday, when the team has a press conference scheduled.

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Nuggets Hire Tim Connelly

June 17th, 2013 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

1:47pm: The Nuggets have officially announced the hiring of Connelly in a press release.

"We are extremely excited to have Tim join the Denver Nuggets organization," Kroenke said in a statement. "He comes from a great basketball background, possesses an incredibly strong work ethic and is a wonderful person. His passion and energy for the game of basketball are contagious and I am confident that he will be a great fit with us in Denver."

10:09am: The Nuggets have decided on their new head of basketball operations, agreeing to hire Tim Connelly to replace Masai Ujiri, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that Connelly's official title in Denver will be executive VP of basketball operations.

Connelly, who had previously been working as an assistant GM for the Pelicans, was named by Wojnarowski last month as a candidate for the Denver opening. Connelly was also linked to the GM job with the Timberwolves. He'll take the reins with a franchise that has lost its GM, its top assistant GM, and its head coach in the last several weeks.

Since the Nuggets' season ended with a first-round loss to Golden State, Ujiri has been hired as the Raptors' new head of basketball operations, Pete D'Alessandro has reached an agreement to become the Kings' general manager, and George Karl was let go by Denver when the two sides couldn't agree on an extension.

One of the first tasks facing Connelly this summer will be Andre Iguodala's free agency. Iguodala decided to exercise his early termination option and hit the open market, though he and the Nuggets have mutual interest in a new deal that keeps him in Denver.

Connelly also figures to assist team president Josh Kroenke in hiring a head coach to replace Karl. Lionel Hollins is scheduled to interview with the Nuggets on Wednesday, while Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post reports that the club will meet with Brian Shaw on Tuesday.

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Clippers Notes: Rivers, Hollins, Shaw

June 16th, 2013 at 7:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Suddenly, the Clippers offseason has gone from a will he/won't he situation surrounding Chris Paul to much, much more.  Will the core of the Celtics franchise pick up a one way ticket out west?  Here's more on that and other notes out of L.A…

  • The Celtics and Clippers haven't had any conversation today on a potential deal, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).  We heard earlier today that the C's want Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan and at least one future first-round pick in return for Garnett and Rivers.  They're also insisting the Clippers take on the contract of either Jason Terry or Courtney Lee.
  • Former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins is not expected to do a second interview for the Clippers' vacant job, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter).  It's a two-man race for the job between Hollins and Brian Shaw, independent of the Doc Rivers situation.  Shaw, however, will do a second interview (link).
  • Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter links) spoke with a well-placed insider on the talks who cautions not to be surprised if there's no movement on the deal today.  He added that until the Clippers hire a coach not named Doc Rivers, or until the Celtics make an official announcement that Doc is staying, this isn't over.
  • While a deal makes sense for both sides, the roadblocks in place are substantial, writes Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld.
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Clippers/Celtics Updates: Sunday

June 16th, 2013 at 8:26am CST by Chuck Myron

There were a lot of moving parts involved in Saturday's dominant storyline, a proposed trade that would send Celtics mainstays Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett to the Clippers. Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com, with an assist from Chris Broussard, as well as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times rounded up the relevant details late last night. Based on their reports, here's what we know right now:

  • The Celtics are seeking Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan and at least one future first-round pick in return for Garnett and Rivers. They're also insisting the Clippers take on the contract of either Jason Terry or Courtney Lee.
  • The Clippers are reluctant to give up Bledsoe, in large measure because of his value for other potential swaps, perhaps a sign-and-trade for Dwight Howard. Still, a source tells Turner that a swap of Bledsoe and Blake Griffin for Howard won't happen.
  • An executive told Turner that the Clippers appear to be holding up the deal, while the Celtics want to hurry it along, given Rivers' desire to coach the Clips.
  • If the Clippers do the deal, they'd follow by pursuing Paul Pierce. The Celtics may waive Pierce by June 30th to prevent his $15.3MM contract, which is partially guaranteed for $5MM until that date, from becoming fully guaranteed.
  • Clippers owner Donald Sterling is willing to give Rivers a three-year deal worth about $6MM per year, or about $1MM less annually than what Rivers would make with the Celtics.
  • The Celtics are prepared to bring Rivers back as their coach if no deal is reached with the Clippers. Garnett, like Rivers, has yet to commit to playing next season, but the chance of him doing so would be significantly enhanced if Pierce is back with the Celtics as well.
  • If the trade doesn't happen by Tuesday or Wednesday, the Clippers will choose between Lionel Hollins and Brian Shaw for their next coach. Of the two, Hollins is the front-runner, but both are also in the mix for the Nuggets job.
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Odds & Ends: Clippers, Afflalo, Karl

June 15th, 2013 at 10:51pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Celtics–Clippers saga continues with Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski saying that Eric Bledsoe had been a part of discussions between the two teams until Saturday morning (Twitter). The Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett mentioned earlier that Doc Rivers might feel uncomfortable returning to the Celtics after this flirtation with the Clippers, but Wojnarowski said within the Celtics it hasn't been acrimonious between team and Doc (Twitter).

ESPNLosAngeles.com's Ramona Shelburne thinks the Clippers should dare the Celtics to cut Paul Pierce (he's owed $15.3MM if he's not waived before June 30th), and see if Kevin Garnett and Rivers will really hold to their promise to only be moved from the Celtics as a tandem (Twitter). Shelburne goes on to cite an objective league source who proposed the Clippers keep DeAndre Jordan and Bledsoe, sign Pierce after he's waived, and trade Caron Butler and a pick for Garnett (Twitter).

Shelburne also says that the Clippers have been "shaking every tree" looking for a third star to complement Blake Griffin and Chris Paul if he re-signs this summer (Twitter). According to Shelburne, the Clippers have expressed interest in Danny Granger and Arron Afflalo already as a possible third threat on their roster.

Here are some more tidbits about the Clippers and Celtics as well as other teams around the league on this rumor-filled Saturday night with a huge game 5 in the NBA Finals tomorrow.

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Clippers Drop Trade Offer For Rivers

June 15th, 2013 at 8:40pm CST by Spencer Lund

8:40pm: Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski writes that discussions between the Clippers and Celtics have stalled and the primary reason is Bledsoe. 

The Clippers are willing to part with Jordan and a first round pick for Garnett and the rights to Rivers, but have refused to include Bledsoe in the package, according to Wojnarowski's sources. Garnett will only waive the no-trade clause in his contract if Rivers joins him with the Clippers, the sources added.

Danny Ainge has requested Bledsoe and a second first-round pick for Garnett and Rivers' rights, but everyone involved believes Bledsoe's inclusion would get the deal done. 

Not only that, but sources tell Wojnarowski that Rivers has informed Clippers management they shouldn't give up Bledsoe so they can acquire him as coach, saying he'd like to coach him with the Clippers.

Rivers has yet to talk with Chris Paul about his plans for the summer and would need to do so, if he were to come west. It's believed that if Garnett and Rivers are traded to the Clippers that will lead Paul to sign with them in July.

It should also be noted that all sides involved in the trade discussions want to get a deal done soon, and don't want the discussions to linger much longer. 

Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald confirms that the Celtics-Clippers deal appears dead for now and the only question is whether the trade discussions have made it too awkward for coach Rivers to return to the Celtics. Rivers has three years, at $7MM per, remaining on his contract. 

8:10pm: The Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett reports that sources have told him the Celtics-Clippers trade talks are "dead," and now the bigger question is whether Doc will feel awkward he expressed interest in coaching another team (Twitter links). 

7:42pm: Wojnarowski says discussions between the Clippers and Celtics have "stalled," and the question becomes how soon before one side–or both–bails (Twitter). 

Wojo adds that throughout the back-and-forth with the Clippers, the Celtics have insisted to Doc Rivers that if it doesn't go through, they want him back as coach (Twitter). 

7:34pm: Sources tell Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski the Clippers–Celtics trade for Rivers and Garnett is "not looking good, but I wouldn't say (it's over) for sure" (Twitter).

Wojnarowski continues to reiterate the primary obstacle standing in the way of the deal: the Clippers are unwilling to part with Jordan and Bledsoe, and sources tell Yahoo Sports that Celtics GM Danny Ainge wants Bledsoe. (Twitter).

Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com says that the Clippers were looking for a long-term asset for Bledsoe (Twitter). 

6:34pm: After flirting with the possibility of seizing Celtics coach, Doc Rivers, as well as Kevin Garnett, in a deal we've been following all day, it seems the Clippers will be moving on and will offer their head coaching position to either Brian Shaw or Lionel Hollins some time this week, according to the Los Angeles Times' Brad Turner (Twitter).

Rivers has been informed the Clippers won't accept the Celtics' offer, and he's prepared to stay with the Celtics moving forward (Twitter). Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com adds that the Clippers were very resistant to parting with DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe in the effort to acquire Rivers and Garnett since Garnett is only under contract for two more years and the younger Bledsoe is more valuable (Twitter).

Shelburne adds that the Clippers felt strong about the Hollins and Shaw coaching options and weren't ready to "mortgage the farm" for Doc (Twitter).

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Western Notes: Ginobili, Hollins, Shaw, Nuggets

June 15th, 2013 at 4:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

Manu Ginobili said before the Finals that he would consider retirement after the series, and he reiterated that sentiment today in speaking to reporters, including Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. "There's a small chance," Ginobili said. "It's not that I'm really considering, but I can never say 'no' for sure, because I sometimes consider it." If the soon-to-be free agent returns next season, it seems overwhelmingly likely he'll do so with the Spurs, notes Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com. Here's more from a busy Saturday around the Western Conference:

  • Lionel Hollins was so impressive in his interview Friday with the Clippers, he may have moved ahead of front-runner Brian Shaw, Shelburne tweets. Of course, the Clippers are in heavy pursuit of Doc Rivers as well, so the situation appears fluid.
  • If Shaw doesn't land the Clippers job, he probably won't be coaching in L.A. anytime soon. Late Lakers owner Jerry Buss adored Shaw, but his successors aren't as high on him, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter links).
  • Hollins was supposed to interview with the Nuggets today, but flight delays prevented that, tweets Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. The interview has been rescheduled for Wednesday, reports Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post (Twitter link).
  • New Kings coach Michael Malone had input in the decision to bring Pete D'Alessandro aboard as GM, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who adds that D'Alessandro is a proponent of DeMarcus Cousins.
  • Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson recounts his successful efforts to keep the Kings in town to Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee.
  • Jody Genessy of the Deseret News details the free agent mini-camp the Jazz are holding this week with two dozen NBA hopefuls.
  • HoopsWorld's Joel Brigham sizes up six teams likely to be in the running for Andre Iguodala, who's set to opt out of his contract with the Nuggets.
  • Fellow HoopsWorld scribe Susan Bible ponders what's next for the Thunder.
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