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Grizzlies Notes: Coaching Search, Joerger, Conley

May 8th, 2016 at 10:56am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Pacers coach Frank Vogel will be part of a long list of candidates to replace Dave Joerger, according to Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. Tillery expects the Grizzlies to reach out to veteran coaches David Blatt, Brian Shaw, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy. GM Chris Wallace promised a “thoughtful and comprehensive” process, adding that there is no rush to find a replacement. He plans to consider college coaches as well as NBA assistants. “We don’t have a guy,” Wallace said. “We’ll talk to people and see how it goes. It’s not about dealing from a pre-existing category. It’s about finding the right guy. We’re very much in the preliminary stages.” Tillery writes that “reshaping” the team, which the front office didn’t believe Joerger was willing to do, will be among the responsibilities for the next coach.

There’s more out of Memphis:

Wallace’s call for stability in the organization is laughable, writes Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal, pointing out that in the past four years, the Grizzlies have been through an ownership change, two GM changes and two coaching changes. Joerger had been expressing his unhappiness in subtle ways throughout the season, Calkins notes, and felt betrayed when Jeff Green and Courtney Lee were dealt away at the trade deadline. Joerger also said the roster was “old and slow” and repeatedly praised Jazz rookie Rodney Hood, whom the Grizzlies passed over in the draft. Calkins questions whether free agent point guard Mike Conley will want to re-sign with an organization that has seen so much turnover.
The Grizzlies may not have enough to offer on the free agent market, according to Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders. Memphis must decide by June 29th whether to pick up a $9.4MM option for next season on Lance Stephenson. If the Grizzlies keep him and all their other contracts while renouncing Matt Barnes and Chris Andersen, they will have about $60MM in guaranteed salary against a cap projected at more than $90MM. However, Conley carries a $14MM cap hold, which means money must be cut in other areas for the team to offer a max contract. Vince Carter and JaMychal Green are possibilities, as they both have contracts that won’t be guaranteed until January. Brandan Wright and his $5.7MM deal could be traded to clear more room. Dowsett speculates about Eric Gordon, Joe Johnson, Arron Afflalo, Gerald Henderson and Leandro Barbosa as possible free agent targets.

Southwest Notes: Davis, Pondexter, Lee, Grizzlies

March 19th, 2016 at 6:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans may decide to shut down Anthony Davis for the rest of the season, according to Jim Eichenhofer of NBA.com. The center/power forward hurt his left knee Friday when he collided with teammate Jrue Holiday and Portland’s C.J. McCollum. Davis is also dealing with a lingering shoulder problem. Coach Alvin Gentry said the Pelicans are waiting for more medical information before making a decision. “They’re going to talk to doctors this afternoon and we’ll know a lot more then … I just know that [his shoulder has been] bothering him,” Gentry said Saturday after practice. “We’re going to be on a conference call with doctors today. I think it’s something that’s kind of been there.”

New Orleans may decide not to take any chances with Davis’ health after he signed a maximum extension over the summer worth an estimated $145MM. The Pelicans expected to move up in the standings after reaching the playoffs last season, but they’re stuck in 12th place in the West at 25-43. They’re eight and a half games behind Dallas for the final playoff spot with 14 games remaining.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Pelicans small forward Quincy Pondexter, who has missed the entire season while recovering from knee surgery, vows to be ready by fall, Eichenhofer relays in the same story. “I guarantee I will be 100% by training camp,” Pondexter said, describing his status as “the beginning of a long rehab process, but it’s going really, really well so far.”
The Mavericks‘ David Lee, who faced the Warriors for the first time Friday since they traded him to Boston, is looking forward to next week’s trip to Golden State, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. That’s when Lee will receive the championship ring he earned with the Warriors last season. It wasn’t the path to a title that Lee wanted, as he fell out of the rotation during the season, but he doesn’t blame coach Steve Kerr for cutting his minutes. “Coach was always very up front and very fair to me last year,” Lee said. “And of course when he came to me and needed something in the playoffs, I was able to deliver.”
There will be a reunion of sorts tonight when the Grizzlies host the Clippers, according to Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times. The Memphis roster includes Matt Barnes, Lance Stephenson, Ryan Hollins and Alex Stepheson, all of whom spent time with the Clippers over the past three seasons.

Coach/Exec Rumors: Jackson, Kupchak, Walton

March 15th, 2016 at 8:43am CST by Chuck Myron

People close to Knicks president Phil Jackson raise the possibility that the Zen Master would offer to coach home games for the team next season and have Kurt Rambis coach on the road, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. It’s unclear what the chances of that coming to pass are, but it would stand as an intriguing compromise if Jackson meets resistance to the idea of hiring Rambis full-time, Shelburne posits. Jackson has often cited his health as he’s maintained in recent years that coaching is out of the question, but people around the 70-year-old say he appears to have more energy than usual, and he’s lost 20 of the 30 pounds he gained since taking the Knicks job, according to Shelburne. The ESPN scribe has several other coaching and front office revelations:

Sources close to Jackson and the Lakers tell Shelburne it’s unlikely he leaves the Knicks to work for the Lakers and owner Jeanie Buss, Jackson’s fiancee. Jackson is enamored with his life in New York, Shelburne points out, nonetheless cautioning that nothing is certain, especially with the ever-cryptic Zen Master.
Multiple vacancies may well open in the Lakers front office after next season, the last in the three-year timetable for executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss. It’s tough to see GM Mitch Kupchak continuing if Jim Buss steps down, even though Kupchak’s contract carries past next season, Shelburne writes. The Lakers must advance to at least the second round of the playoffs for Buss to keep his job, sister Jeanie Buss said to Sam Amick of USA Today last month, though she’s otherwise been vague about that benchmark, referring to the conference finals in another interview.
It’s tough to say whether Warriors assistant Luke Walton would take either the Knicks or Lakers head coaching jobs if offered, those close to the situation tell Shelburne. Both teams are reportedly poised to target him in the offseason.
Former Knicks coach Derek Fisher didn’t tell anyone from the organization that he was going to Los Angeles for a weekend in October, the trip on which he and Matt Barnes had their controversial encounter. Fisher had planned to make it back in time for practice the next Monday, but mechanical problems led to a flight delay that prevented him from returning, and his absence sparked the questions that brought the incident with Barnes to light, as Shelburne details.
Fisher replied in only one-word answers when Jackson would text observations and suggestions, and the former point guard missed a Knicks coaches’ retreat that Jackson organized at the end of summer, according to Shelburne, but Jackson downplays the lack of communication. “Trying to create autonomy for Derek kind of separated me from direct contact,” Jackson said to Shelburne. “[GM] Steve Mills was [in] closer contact with Derek than I was because of our relationship in the past. Also, you guys [in the media] want to harp in on the fact that he was a puppet perhaps. I wanted him to have the autonomy to make decisions on his own and not feel like I was an overload.”

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Williams, Fisher

March 11th, 2016 at 9:01am CST by Chuck Myron

Carmelo Anthony would reportedly give strong consideration to approving a trade to the Clippers if he decides to waive his no trade clause, and Marc Berman of the New York Post makes the case for the Clips as Melo’s top choice outside the Knicks. Still, ‘Melo says he’s laughing off such talk, Berman notes.

“My name is always associated with L.A., whether it was earlier with the Lakers, now it’s the Clippers,’’ Anthony said. “I try not to pay attention to that. I laugh it off. People always try to make scenarios and situations. But nothing’s happened.’’

He’s not the only Knick associated with L.A., as we examine amid the latest on the blue-and-orange:

Derrick Williams says the Lakers showed heavy interest in him this past summer when he instead signed with the Knicks, the combo forward told Berman for a separate piece. The Southern California native is anxious to return home for games at the Lakers and Clippers this weekend, but he called New York “home away from home,” as Berman relays, adding that the Knicks are hoping he opts in to his $4.598MM salary for next season. “I felt like I picked the right spot where I wanted to be — that was New York to play with Carmelo, I knew they had a great pick in [Kristaps Porzingis], all the pieces we have here,” Williams said. “We haven’t played well the last month, but I don’t think it sums up our whole season.’’
Derek Fisher‘s essay addressing his preseason encounter with Matt Barnes left many questions unanswered, opines Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (All six Twitter links right here). The ex-Knicks coach comes off poorly as he blames the media and not Barnes for the story’s continued presence, Isola opines, wondering why the coach didn’t explain why he was away from the team when the incident took place. Fisher nonetheless deserves praise for his work with Porzingis, Isola believes.
Anthony isn’t alone in a desire to cash in, but his quest for lucrative paydays over the years helps explain why he’s on a losing team, contends Shaun Powell of NBA.com.

And-Ones: Suns, Fisher, Satoransky, Bennett

March 10th, 2016 at 1:54pm CST by Chuck Myron

Suns owner Robert Sarver said he’s committed to keeping GM Ryan McDonough for next season and optimistic about the team’s position for the future, in an extensive interview with Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Sarver referred to rookie Devin Booker as a potential face of the franchise and also expressed belief in fellow recent first-round picks Alex Len, T.J. Warren and Archie Goodwin. The owner maintains faith in disappointing offseason signee Tyson Chandler, believing that he’ll perform better next season, when he’ll be 34. Still, Sarver insisted that he’ll leave matters of player personnel to McDonough and company, even as he feels a responsibility to set the tone.

“My biggest regret is that, as a manager of people, I feel I let the organization down in terms of the culture,” Sarver said to Coro. “I didn’t put my hand print on that culture and maybe didn’t hold people as accountable as I should and really make sure we’re putting that together. But I’m starting to see some of that.”

Sarver also stumped for public funding of a new arena and pointed to a clause in the team’s lease at Talking Stick Resort Arena, its existing home, that would allow the Suns to leave in 2021, as Coro relays. See more from around the NBA, which has seen the last of referee Joey Crawford, as Steve Aschburner of NBA.com reports:

Derek Fisher insists he didn’t lose his job as Knicks coach over character or integrity issues, as he writes in an essay for The Cauldron blog on SI.com. Fisher addressed his preseason encounter with Matt Barnes at the home of Barnes’ estranged wife, writing that he didn’t retaliate against Barnes during the incident and that he never had issues or much of a relationship with Barnes before that. Still, Fisher failed to address why he was in California and away from the Knicks when the episode took place, notes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
It’s still possible for the Wizards to sign draft-and-stash prospect Tomas Satoransky this summer even in the wake of the four-year extension he signed with Barcelona of Spain, which doesn’t include an NBA out until 2017, a source tells Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post. The Wizards could buy out Satoransky’s contract before the extension kicks in, Castillo hears, adding that Washington would likely sign him to a two-year deal with a team option on the second season if the team brings him stateside.
Luis Scola‘s professionalism is well-known around the league, and Anthony Bennett, cognizant his NBA career was teetering on the brink, sought out his advice not long before the Raptors waived the former No. 1 overall pick last week, team sources tell Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. The release of Bennett was an eye-opener, rookie Delon Wright said, as Smith also notes in his look at the roles of nonstars in the NBA.

Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Antetokounmpo, Fisher

February 9th, 2016 at 7:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The presence of Kristaps Porzingis offers whomever is named the permanent coach of the Knicks hope, a luxury not enjoyed by the team’s last few hires, Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post writes. Kurt Rambis, who was named interim coach after Derek Fisher was fired, believes the rookie will develop into the type of player others will want to play alongside, Bontemps adds. “Well, clearly he’s a player that is going to be around this franchise for a long time,” Rambis said. “He’s a rookie, and I think a lot of us forget that he’s 20 years old and he’s still growing and filling out as a human being. He’s going to be learning today, tomorrow, for the rest of the year, the next five or six years, until he figures out where he is and how he can play in this league. But at some point in time he’s going to be a dominant force in this league.”

As for who may be coaching Porzingis next season, Jeff Hornacek, Tom Thibodeau, Brian Shaw and Luke Walton are all reportedly in the running. Here’s more from New York:

Longtime Phil Jackson confidant Charley Rosen suggests that the alleged physical encounter between Fisher and Matt Barnes this past fall indeed played a role in Jackson’s decision to terminate Fisher’s employment as coach Monday, as Rosen writes for Today’s Fastbreak. Jackson called the situation embarrassing but said it was no factor in the coach’s dismissal. Rosen also writes that he foresees Rambis funneling more plays on offense to Porzingis.
The decision to fire Fisher was an admission of failure by Jackson in his choice of Fisher as coach, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News writes. The team has faced a disconnect between coaches and Jackson over the executive’s insistence upon running the triangle offense, Isola adds. “That’s their problem,” said one NBA head coach of the Knicks. “They have a coach in Phil who doesn’t want to get on the bench and coach but is coaching the team anyway. That will always be the problem.”
Jackson discounted Rajon Rondo‘s assertion that he wouldn’t be a good fit in the triangle offense, as the executive believes it is a system every player can thrive in, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “I know there was a bit about Rondo the other day that kind of came up and it was laughable because all players can fit in a sound offense,’’ Jackson said.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo has returned to the Westchester Knicks, New York’s D-League affiliate, now that his 10-day contract has expired, the team announced. New York can still opt to sign Antetokounmpo to one more 10-day pact this season.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Grizzlies Notes: Chalmers, Barnes, Carter, Martin

January 25th, 2016 at 11:50am CST by Chuck Myron

The Grizzlies are just 25-20, but GM Chris Wallace said he feels “optimistic and bullish” about the team and doesn’t feel compelled to make a deal as the trade deadline approaches, according to Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. The No. 1 priority in free agency this summer for Memphis is re-signing Mike Conley, Wallace confirmed, but the Grizzlies aren’t planning an no-holds-barred attempt to win this season at the expense of the long term, as Tillery details.

“We are not going to do anything — even if it gives us a bump — that will significantly compromise us in the future,” Wallace said. “Part of watching your cap is watching the back end of your roster. We made a decision to fill up the back end of the roster with an eye on the future.”

Wallace praised recent trade acquisitions Mario Chalmers and Matt Barnes, calling Chalmers “best backup point guard we’ve had in the nine years I’ve been here,” Tillery notes. Both are set for free agency at season’s end. See more from Memphis:

The current Grizzlies roster might be flawed, but it still may be too expensive for the team to maintain, contends Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal as he takes a broad look at the cap situation for the franchise and the moves that it’ll be able to make financially. Still, don’t expect the Grizzlies to move toward a serious rebuild, Herrington writes.
Herrington suggests the team will “almost certainly” use the stretch provision to waive Vince Carter this summer, since the sides essentially agreed to a two-year deal in 2014 that they structured as a three-year contract only to reduce the tax burden for Memphis in the first year, Herrington explains. Carter’s salary is partially guaranteed for $2MM, so the stretch provision would break that into three equal parts each season through 2018/19.
Grizzlies camp cut Lazeric Jones has signed with Pinar Karsiyaka of Turkey, the team announced (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). Ismail Senol of Turkey’s NTV Spor first reported the move (Twitter link; translation again via Carchia). Jones had been playing with the Grizzlies D-League affiliate in Iowa as an affiliate player.
The Grizzlies have assigned Jarell Martin to the D-League, the team announced. It’s D-League assignment No. 4 on the season for the rookie who missed the first two months of 2015/16 recovering from a broken foot.

Western Notes: Barnes, Kerr, Barea

January 17th, 2016 at 8:08pm CST by Will Joseph

Grizzlies small forward/power forward Matt Barnes was slapped with a $35K fine from the league for his comments about Knicks coach Derek Fisher, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports tweets. Before the two teams played Saturday, Barnes said: “Every man who looks at the situation knows what’s right and wrong. Violence is never the answer, but sometimes it is. … I just don’t like him, plain and simple. He knows I don’t like him.” After the game, however, Barnes claimed he had moved on from the October incident that led to a two-game suspension, Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal writes.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

The Warriors could benefit right now from Steve Kerr because the coach’s return would give them a necessary jolt of adrenaline in their quest to repeat as champions, Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group opines. There is still a strong expectation that Kerr will be back at some point this season, but there are no guarantees, Kawakami reports.
J.J. Barea, who has three more years left on his deal after this season, said he is “having the best time of his life” while competing for minutes on the Mavs. Barea made that and other comments in an appearance on The Afternoon Show with Cowlishaw and Mosley on KESN-FM 103.3 in Dallas (interview transcription via the Dallas Morning News). “Dallas is like my second home away from Puerto Rico,” Barea said. “I feel comfortable and I love it. I don’t want to be anywhere else. My family loves it. I got a bunch of friends. I feel like when I play for Dallas I’m playing for Puerto Rico.”

Southwest Notes: Brewer, Barnes, Williams

January 15th, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

More than two dozen players became eligible to be traded today, and among them is Corey Brewer, about whom the Rockets and Suns reportedly had serious discussions as they entertained a swap that would also include Terrence Jones going to Phoenix for Markieff Morris. Still, Suns GM Ryan McDonough denied that any deal was prearranged or pending as he spoke Wednesday on the “Burns & Gambo” show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, as Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com transcribes. McDonough predicted lots of activity between now and the February 18th trade deadline and promised he’ll take an aggressive approach, though he said he can envision Morris remaining with Phoenix through the end of the season, adding that the Suns are “under no pressure to do anything immediately.” While we wait to see what happens on that front, there’s more on the Rockets and other Southwest Division teams:

Improved defense, better 3-point shooting and the presence of Patrick Beverley in the starting lineup instead of Ty Lawson have sparked the Rockets to improved play, as Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com details, but GM Daryl Morey isn’t satisfied. “I’m worried given our goals,” Morey said, according to Watkins. “We still have a lot of improvement to do and we’re working towards that.”
The performance Matt Barnes has put on for the Grizzlies lately makes it clear his controversial October encounter with Knicks coach Derek Fisher isn’t a distraction to the team and that he’s been one of the most valuable Grizzlies on the court, writes Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. The 35-year-old has maintained his high level of defensive play all season, and more recently he’s begun to regain his usual shooting touch, Tillery notes. Barnes delivered pithy comments to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, saying, “I don’t talk to snakes” when asked if he’ll speak to Fisher while the Knicks are in Memphis for Saturday’s game. Barnes sent threatening text messages to Fisher in the weeks preceding Barnes’ alleged physical attack on Fisher at the home of Barnes’ estranged wife, a source told Marc Berman of the New York Post.
A pair of small trade exceptions expired for Southwest Division teams this week, vestiges of the three-team trade that sent Jeff Green to the Grizzlies. The Pelicans allowed their $507,336 Russ Smith trade exception to lapse, while the Grizzlies didn’t find a use for the $396,068 leftover scrap of the Quincy Pondexter trade exception. Memphis used most of that Pondexter exception, originally valued at $3,146,068, to take in Luke Ridnour, whom the Grizzlies promptly flipped for Barnes.
Chris Herrington of The Commericial Appeal doesn’t think the Grizzlies will issue a second 10-day contract to Elliot Williams, whose existing 10-day deal expires at the end of Sunday (Twitter link).

Southwest Notes: Davis, Barnes, Perkins

January 14th, 2016 at 7:40pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Anthony Davis is still behind in voting for All-Star Game starters, as returns that the NBA released today show, so his chances of triggering higher salaries on the extension he signed this summer are fading. He’d need to make up a deficit of 173,877 votes that separates him from the final starting spot by the close of voting Monday to trigger the Derrick Rose rule, which would give Davis a salary of a projected $24.9MM instead of $20.4MM next season. The difference would amount to $25.875MM over the life of his contract, based on those same projections. He could still invoke the rule if he earns an All-NBA nod or wins the MVP award in the spring.

Here’s the latest from out of the Southwest Division:

Grizzlies small forward Matt Barnes isn’t optimistic that the appeal the NBPA filed on his behalf regarding the two-game suspension he received for an off-court incident involving Knicks coach Derek Fisher in October will bear fruit, Ian Begley of ESPN.com writes. “I appreciate the support I’ve got from not only my peers throughout the NBA but NFL and from the entertainment world,” Barnes told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “It means a lot that the NBPA has filed an appeal on my behalf, but I won’t hold my breath. I’ve never had so much as a tech rescinded. I highly doubt I’ll be reimbursed a dime of that suspension money!“
Kendrick Perkins, who signed with the Pelicans as a free agent this past offseason, is frustrated by the lack of effort exhibited by some of his teammates, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports relays. “It’s very disappointing. At the end of the day, this is not what I signed up for,” Perkins told Spears. “I signed up after I looked from the outside, coming in to a good young team that has been making strides in the right direction. We got real comfortable. We ain’t got long to make a push. At this point in time, we are all just searching to find the right lineups and who is going to come out and compete at a high level every night. That’s been our main problem before anything else. We just come out too many nights and don’t compete at the level we need in order to win. What really is the key to everything is our level of competitiveness.”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.