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Warriors Owner On Mark Jackson, Kerr, Arena

December 5th, 2014 at 10:13pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob had nothing but praise for his new head coach Steve Kerr while also relaying the reasons why he chose to fire Kerr’s predecessor, Mark Jackson, during a speaking appearance before venture capitalists in Menlo Park this week, Diamond Leung of The Bay Area News Group reports. While Lacob did credit Jackson for changing the Warriors’ culture, the owner said he didn’t think the team “could be great” without removing a coach he characterized as unwilling to hire better assistants and disliked by many in the organization, Leung notes.

“Right now, [Kerr] looks great,” Lacob said. “I think he will be great. And he did the one big thing that I wanted more than anything else from Mark Jackson he just wouldn’t do, in all honesty, which is hire the very best. Carte blanche. Take my wallet. Do whatever it is to get the best assistants there are in the world. Period. End of story. Don’t want to hear it. And [Jackson’s] answer . . . was, ‘Well, I have the best staff.’ No you don’t. And so with Steve, very, very different.“

Lacob continued, saying he thought at the time when he hired Jackson that the key for an inexperienced coach who he said “didn’t know X’s and O’s, really” was to hire the right staff around him, Leung relays. “You can’t have a staff underneath you that isn’t that good,” Lacob said. “And if you’re going to get better, you’ve got to have really good assistants. You’ve got to have people that can be there to replace you. We all know this from all of our companies. It’s . . . Management 101. A lot of people on the outside couldn’t understand it when we [fired Jackson].“

Lacob also discussed the status of the franchise’s new arena in San Francisco, which could be open in time for the start of the 2017/18 campaign, though the official target date for the ribbon-cutting is the 2018/19 season, Leung notes. Lacob said the arena project costs $800MM, and including office and retail space the price tag in privately financed dollars is “well over a billion.”

“We’re going to put a shovel in the ground, assuming the bureaucrats don’t slow us down any more next summer,” Lacob said. “And it’ll be built in 24 months. We’ve hired the contractors already, and we’ll open hopefully in fall of ’17. We told the world fall of ’18. We’re trying to move it up to fall of ’17, and it’s a real possibility we could do that.”

The Warriors recently moved the site of their proposed arena to the Mission Bay area of San Francisco after failing to muster civic support for a plan to build on Piers 30 and 32. The team has been seeking approval as it makes presentations about the design and traffic impact of the building to a local citizens advisory committee.

Warriors Notes: Nedovic, Jackson, D-League

November 14th, 2014 at 2:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

Golden State has an open roster spot, but it doesn’t appear as though the Warriors are in a rush to fill it. They avoided what would have been a three-game losing streak with Thursday’s win over the Nets, yet six of their next eight games are on the road, including four in the Eastern Time Zone. While we wait to see if the team calls for reinforcements during that stretch, here more from by the Bay:

The Warriors waived Nemanja Nedovic this week in part because they wanted to reap savings on his roughly $1.104MM guaranteed salary for this season, according to Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group, which suggests Golden State had set-off rights in mind. Those rights would allow the Warriors to avoid paying one half the difference between Nedovic’s new salary with Valencia of Spain and $816,482, which is the NBA minimum salary for a one-year veteran. It’s still unclear how much Nedovic will make on his Spanish deal.
Mark Jackson‘s tenure as Warriors coach ended acrimoniously this spring, but co-owner Joe Lacob doesn’t regret having hired him in 2011, as Lacob tells Bay Area News Group columnist Marcus Thompson. “Mark Jackson was a great hire,” Lacob said. “I know it’s hard for people to understand how we can change coaches when a coach won 51 games. But you have to look at it from our perspective: he did his job. I’m proud of the fact that we had Mark Jackson as a coach. And I like Mark Jackson, as a person and as a coach. It’s just that I felt, we felt, we needed to go to the next stage, and we felt if we do it in a different way, it would be better.”
Justin Holiday and Ognjen Kuzmic are headed on D-League assignment, the Warriors announced. Golden State frequently sent Kuzmic to the Santa Cruz Warriors last year, when he appeared in 28 D-League games and only 20 NBA contests.

Wojnarowski On LeBron, Rich Paul, Jackson

October 31st, 2014 at 12:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

The leverage that LeBron James has with his player option for 2015/16 has been overstated, since his reputation and brand simply couldn’t sustain the negative publicity that leaving Cleveland a second time would engender, opines Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Cavs’ upset loss to the Knicks in James’ first regular season game in Cleveland since his return this summer was a sobering affair for the wine-and-gold, and Wojnarowski’s column further dampens what had largely been a feel-good narrative for the team. Wojnarowski shares more than just his beliefs in his piece, and we’ll pass along the newsworthy tidbits here:

At least one executive from a team believes that when clubs met with agent Rich Paul during James’ free agency this summer, the agent was just stringing them along, as the exec tells Wojnarowski.
Paul doesn’t negotiate contracts for his Klutch Sports clients, instead delegating that task to Mark Termini, according to Wojnarowski. The agency wouldn’t exist if not for the financial support of James, Wojnarowski writes, describing Paul’s role as a “personable frontman” and as a deputy recruiter under James.
Klutch represents James and extension-eligible teammate Tristan Thompson, and the agents for the rest of the Cavs are on “full alert” as they try to keep their clients away from Klutch, as Wojnarowski details. The Klutch agency is selling the idea that if players join, the Cavs are likely to sign them to a deal, according to Wojnarowski.
People around the league are closely monitoring Klutch client Mark Jackson, though the general belief is that James wouldn’t want Jackson to coach his team, based on what the Yahoo! columnist describes as Jackson’s penchant for self-promotion, Wojnarowski hears. That same self-promotion nonetheless keeps Jackson on the radar, Wojnarowski believes.

And-Ones: Love, Mudiay, Byron Scott

July 29th, 2014 at 10:22pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Here are a few miscellaneous news and notes to pass along out of the Association tonight:

It’s a safe bet that Kevin Love will be traded from the Timberwolves before opening night this upcoming season, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
The NCAA had cleared top 2015 draft prospect Emmanuel Mudiay to play academically, but there were still issues about his status as an amateur when he decided earlier this month to instead play in China, multiple sources tell Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak insisted in a press conference today that the team saw Byron Scott as its preferred candidate from the beginning of its coaching search, as Mike Trudell of Lakers.com notes via Twitter. Kupchak also said that Scott’s appeal to Lakers fans and experience as a former Lakers player played a role in the team’s decision, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Former Warriors coach Mark Jackson has changed agents, dropping Arn Tellem in favor of Rich Paul, the agent for LeBron James, TNT’s David Aldridge reports amid his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. Jackson denied a report before the Cavs hired David Blatt that he was interested in Cleveland’s head coaching job.
Hawks swingman Kyle Korver has gone from being the 51st pick in the 2003 draft to arguably becoming one of the league’s most valuable role players, and Grantland’s Zach Lowe takes a comprehensive look at the evolution of the sharpshooter’s game over the years. In another piece, Lowe briefly touches on the effect that Jeff Hornacek had on Korver’s development when Hornaceck was an assistant on the Jazz.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Nets, Hollins, Nelson

July 1st, 2014 at 9:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Celtics 2013 second round pick Colton Iverson is back from Turkey and confident that he’ll make the C’s roster, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. “I knew when I got drafted last year that there was a pretty good chance I would have to go overseas,” said Iverson. “I was here working, trying to impress, and do everything possible to help the team. I knew there was a slim chance just with the roster. I think this year there is a little bit better chance and I know the opportunity is all mine for the taking. I think if I just come out and show what I can do in summer league and the next couple days here, I will really help myself. So I’m coming along with a different mindset that it’s mine for the taking and it’s all up to me.” Here’s more from around the NBA..

Everything is quiet on the Nets/Lionel Hollins front at the moment, but signs are pointing toward an agreement, tweets Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. Brooklyn has no immediate plans to interview anyone else for the position.
Nets GM Billy King told WFAN that Jameer Nelson is “on the list” of potential free agents that Brooklyn could target, tweets Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record.
Mark Jackson was rumored to be a possible coaching candidate for the Nets, but he’s not under serious consideration now, tweets Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops.
New Warriors guard Shaun Livingston told David Aldridge of NBA.com (on Twitter) that his departure from the Nets was a “long time coming” and admitted that the team’s limitations in how much money they could offer was a factor. He went on to say that Jason Kidd‘s bizarre exit from Brooklyn wasn’t a major factor from him but also “didn’t help matters” (link).
Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com runs down five potential free agent targets for the Knicks, including Pau Gasol, Jordan Hill, and Andrew Bynum.

Lionel Hollins Front-Runner If Kidd Replaced

June 29th, 2014 at 9:01pm CST by Charlie Adams

Lionel Hollins is the early front-runner to take over coaching duties for the Nets if Jason Kidd isn’t heading the team next season, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. We’ve heard that Kidd’s attempted power play to gain more control of basketball operations in Brookyln will likely put him out of the job, whether or not he eventually winds up taking a position with the Bucks.

Hollins hasn’t coached since leading the Grizzlies to the 2012/13 Western Conference finals, but he’s also been mentioned as a potential candidate to fill the Lakers’ head coaching vacancy. George Karl is another serious candidate to take over for Kidd, says Amick, but Hollins seems to be the club’s top option for the time being.

Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson are unlikely to be considered for the Nets job, sources tell Amick, who notes that it’s equally remote that a prestigious college coach is considered for the role. Brookyln’s desire to win in the short term is the primary reason why they’re seeking a coach with experience, says Amick.

Latest On Jason Kidd

June 28th, 2014 at 11:30pm CST by Cray Allred

The Bucks offered no comment to David Aldridge of NBA.com regarding the Jason Kidd bombshell (Twitter link), but there is plenty of chatter elsewhere. Here’s the latest:

Kidd’s demands for the Nets were about more than gaining control, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). The first-year coach was miffed at the salary figures first-time coach hires have been bringing in, especially the contract Derek Fisher received. The Knicks are paying Fisher $4MM in guaranteed salary per year, substantially more than what Kidd earns.
Michael Lee of The Washington Post points out (on Twitter) that Kidd’s total earnings as a player dwarf those of Steve Kerr and Fisher.
Wojnarowski confirms that it is unlikely Kidd will remain with Brooklyn in any scenario (via Twitter). While the Yahoo! scribe’s source says GM Billy King is somewhat forgiving, ownership would not be open to keeping Kidd around.
A source tells Wojnarowski that a realistic compensation package from the Bucks to the Nets would be “a bunch of second-round picks” (Twitter link).
Mark Jackson‘s name is coming up in the Nets front office as a potential replacement for Kidd, reports Ohm Youngmisuk ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter).
Howard Beck of Bleacher Report tweets that Lionel Hollins and George Karl would also draw interest from Brooklyn for a coaching vacancy.
Lawrence Frank would not be a candidate to replace Kidd, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.

Cavs Show Interest In Mark Jackson?

June 17th, 2014 at 10:39am CST by Charlie Adams

JUNE 17TH: Jackson, speaking on 95.7 The Game in California, denied reports of Cleveland’s interest, as Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News group notes (Twitter link).

“Those are nothing but rumors and speculation,” Jackson said.

JUNE 12TH: The Cavs have spoken directly with Jackson about the job, but no formal interview is in the works, and it’s unclear just how serious the Cavs are about the former Warriors head man, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

JUNE 11TH: The Cavs have made “back-channel inquiries” about ex-Warriors coach Mark Jackson, relays Bob Finnan of The Morning Journal, echoing a report from Joe Kotoch of probasketballdraft.com. This is the second new name to emerge as a potential candidate for the Cavs’ open coaching job in less than 24 hours, as we heard this morning that Cleveland was interested in Pacers’ assistant Nate McMillan.

There were contradicting reports on whether or not Jackson would be a serious candidate for Cleveland’s head coaching position, but this latest info seems to suggest that the Cavs hold at least some level of interest in the current ESPN analyst. Still, Finnan hears from a source that a job offer from Cleveland might not be enough to lure Jackson away from the booth.

Jackson went 121-109 during his three-year tenure in Golden State, which ended on a sour note when he was fired after his team suffered a first-round playoff defeat at the hands of the Clippers. Amid rumors of dysfunction and friction with ownership, Jackson was still able to maintain the support of his players, some of whom disagreed with the team’s decision to fire him.

The Cavs’ coaching search has been wide reaching, spanning from several big names in the college ranks, to would-be first-time head coaches, to established veterans like Jackson. A report earlier this week indicated that Cleveland has reached out to around 11 different candidates about the job. The Cavs and Lakers are the only teams remaining without a head coach.

And-Ones: Wolves, Jazz, Warriors

June 4th, 2014 at 10:21pm CST by Alex Lee

With Donald Sterling reportedly agreeing to allow the sale of the Clippers, the league focus can shift to where it belongs this time of year: the NBA Finals. The Heat are in San Antonio tomorrow night for Game One. Until then, let’s look at what else is going on around the Association:

Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 is confident the Timberwolves will hire a new coach before the NBA Draft on June 26 and expects the announcement to happen in the next week or two. (Twitter links) This timeline makes sense, as we know the Wolves intend on trying to sell the new hire to Kevin Love but could still trade him, presumably in a deal that involved draft picks, before June 26 should it not work out.
A one-to-one affiliation between the Jazz and the D-League’s Idaho Stampede is likely to be announced soon, reports Gino Pilato of the D-League Digest. This news comes several months after the Blazers decided to end their relationship with the Stampede. The Fort Wayne Mad Ants are poised to become the only D-League team with multiple affiliations.
With Steve Kerr hired to restore order in Golden State after the firing of Mark Jackson, it’s time for the Warriors to “let peace and harmony reign,” opines Marcus Thompson of the Mercury News.

And-Ones: Knicks, Dirk, Pacers

June 3rd, 2014 at 11:11pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Knicks president Phil Jackson is flying to Turkey in mid-June for his son’s wedding and “desperately wants” to have the team’s head coaching search wrapped up before his trip, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Though Jackson recently admitted a natural interest in coaching the team himself, he conceded that he physically wouldn’t be able to handle it. To further ice the notion that Jackson could return to the sidelines, Berman reports that Jackson will need a second knee replacement in the future.

You can find more of tonight’s miscellaneous news and notes below:

Per Berman, a source within Mark Jackson‘s inner circle says that the former Golden State head coach may be reluctant to coach the Knicks with too heavy an influence coming from the president’s office.
In response to tonight’s report that Dirk Nowitzki will be among the Rockets’ free agent targets this summer, Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW says that the 35-year-old Mavericks forward won’t be leaving Dallas this summer.
Pacers president Larry Bird isn’t looking to make any major shakeups to the current roster; however, he did suggest that the Indiana could look to trade into the first round of this year’s draft as a means of improving the team, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Yesterday, we passed along that Alvin Gentry was scheduled for a second interview with the Jazz today. Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times clarifies that Gentry flew to Utah today and will actually have his second interview tomorrow. Also, sources tell Turner that the Warriors want Gentry to join Steve Kerr‘s coaching staff as an associate head coach (Twitter links).
Free agent Greg Stiemsma would love to return to the Timberwolves, as he tells Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link). That probably won’t happen, since the team will priortize point guards and wing players, according to Wolfson.
Following a pre-draft workout on Sunday, T’wolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders told reporters that he expects Kevin Love to play in Minnesota next season, writes Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s David Blatt and former Lakers assistant/current CSKA Moscow head coach Ettore Messina are two international head coaches who warrant consideration for the Lakers’ coaching vacancy, opines Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.