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Amico On Hawks, Howard, Drew, Coaches

May 7th, 2013 at 6:33pm CST by Alex Lee

The latest from Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico is Hawks-centric and touches on many of the same topics as Marc Stein's column from earlier today. The most noteworthy overlap between the reports is that the idea of Dwight Howard leaving L.A. after one season is gaining momentum in NBA circles. Amico writes that the Hawks are considered the favorite should Howard leave the Lakers, and they plan to make a big push for the All-Star center. Here are other notes from Amico's story:

The Hawks have eight expiring contracts – Josh Smith, Devin Harris, Zaza Pachulia, Kyle Korver, Johan Petro, Dahntay Jones, Anthony Tolliver and Shelvin Mack – and GM Danny Ferry believes that this is the summer that could "change the course of his franchise." The team also holds options on DeShawn Stevenson and Mike Scott that are no guarantee to be picked up.
Citing league executives, Amico writes that Atlanta is convinced the uncertainty surrounding the Lakers' future and a chance to return to his hometown will force Howard to consider them as a realistic landing spot. The Rockets and Suns are also expected to offer Howard a deal, but Amico's sources suspect the Hawks are the Lakers' only real competition.
The Hawks will have the financial flexibility to add Howard as well as another star to a roster that will already include Al Horford. Amico reports that the Hawks are also expected to actively explore trades as the draft approaches.
Amico's sources expect Ferry to handpick a replacement for Larry Drew, and he confirms Stein's report that Quin Snyder could be a target. Snyder and Ferry played together at Duke in the '80s and also were roommates at one point. Amico also mentions Mike Budenholzer and Thunder assistant Maurice Cheeks as potential options.

Coaching Rumors: Clippers, Pistons, Nets, Hawks

May 7th, 2013 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

The latest piece from Marc Stein at ESPN.com includes word that Dwight Howard remains more likely than Chris Paul to leave Los Angeles this summer. One source predicted to Stein that there's "zero chance" Paul signs with any team besides the Clippers. However, while Paul looks like a strong bet to return to L.A., the same can't be said for his head coach. Here are the latest rumblings on Vinny Del Negro and the rest of the NBA's coaching carousel:

Stein refers to Del Negro's dismissal as seemingly "inevitable" and suggests that the Clippers want to go "big" with their next hire. Stan Van Gundy is one name likely to surface, according to Stein.
If Del Negro is let go, Michael Malone, Alvin Gentry, and Byron Scott also figure to be a few top candidates for the position, according to Mark Heisler of HoopsHype.com. Stein endorses that list of contenders, particularly if the team's interest in Van Gundy doesn't go anywhere.
Kelvin Sampson is the Rockets assistant frequently mentioned as a head coach candidate, but J.B. Bickerstaff is also on the Pistons' list, says Stein.
Sampson and Mike Dunleavy aren't currently being considered for the Nets' opening, reports Stein.
Assuming Larry Drew is done in Atlanta, Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer and former Lakers assistant Quin Snyder are expected to be among the Hawks' targets, says Stein.
Coaching candidate Brian Shaw has yet to be contacted about job openings, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter). I'd assume the Pacers will give Shaw permission to interview for coaching jobs once Indiana is out of the playoffs.
Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com surveyed leagues execs, players, and team personnel on who would make a good first-time NBA coach, and Heat assistant David Fizdale, Grizzlies assistant David Joerger, and Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg were among the top selections.

Berger On Malone, 76ers, Hornacek, Nets

May 6th, 2013 at 5:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest news on coaching and GM vacancies courtesy of CBSSports.com’s Ken Berger..

It’s too early to identify a front-runner in the Sixers search, but things sound promising for Warriors assistant Mike Malone. Philly execs have contacted the Warriors multiple times about Malone, including several conversations with consultant Jerry West. In fact, the Sixers are consulting players who’ve played under both Malone and Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer to get a feel for how the two candidates differ, according to one source.
To the surprise of some rival executives, the Sixers‘ coaching search is being led by GM Tony DiLeo, whose contract expires this summer. With team president Rod Thorn moving into a smaller role and DiLeo’s contract expiring, rival execs expect the Sixers seek out a new decision maker as well. In fact, that process has already begun through back-channel conversations, one person contacted on the Sixers’ behalf told Berger.
Nets star Deron Williams has been vocal in his support of Jerry Sloan for the job but also has a strong relationship with Jeff Hornacek. In addition to the Sixers, the former Jazz sharpshooter has attracted interest from the Bobcats, Suns, and Bucks, sources told Berger.
The Suns are in the advanced stages of their GM search and the latest word is that Celtics assistant GM Ryan McDonough‘s is gaining momentum. Bucks assistant GM Jeff Weltman has been viewed as the favorite in some circles, however, and the Suns also have interviewed Spurs exec (and former Knicks GM) Scott Layden.
The Clippers are expected to can Vinny Del Negro and Hawks are expected to let Larry Drew go, league sources said. The Clippers are said to be “exploring all options,” while the Hawks’ decision on Drew’s future is expected “sooner than later,” sources said. It is widely believed that GM Danny Ferry prefers to install his own head coach in Atlanta.

Coaching Notes: Pistons, Bucks, Sampson

May 3rd, 2013 at 5:34pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll have to wait until July for most of this summer's player movement, but a handful of coaches are already on the move. Here's the latest on a pair of head coaching searches and a Trail Blazers assistant heading south:

A new candidate has emerged in the Pistons' head coaching search, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who reports that Detroit is eyeing Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer. Wojnarowski says Joe Dumars traveled to San Antonio and met for several hours with Gregg Popovich's top assistant earlier this week. The Pistons are also expected to line up a meeting with Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson when possible, says the Yahoo! scribe.
Despite their reported interest in Sampson, the Bucks haven't asked for permission to speak to him yet, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, noting that the Bucks are still free to talk to Sampson's agent.
Sampson himself told reporters, including John Rohde of the Oklahoman, that he won't talk to any interested teams until the Rockets/Thunder series is over "one way or the other."
The Bobcats have requested and received permission to interview Lakers assistant Steve Clifford, reports Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
Former Blazers interim head coach and current assistant Kaleb Canales is leaving Portland to take on a similar assistant role with the Mavericks, according to Jason Quick of the Oregonian (Twitter link). Canales will replace offensive coordinator Jim O'Brien, who is retiring from coaching, Rick Carlisle tells Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com (Twitter link). As TNT's David Aldridge points out (via Twitter), this isn't the first time Carlisle attempted to get Canales to Dallas.

Pistons Rumors: Hunter, Budenholzer, Cheeks

April 22nd, 2013 at 6:40pm CST by Chuck Myron

For most of the 2000s, the Pistons were playoff regulars, but in the 2010s, the only way the team has drawn headlines at this time of year is through the draft lottery or with a coaching change. That's the case again in 2013, as we detail in the latest dispatches from the Palace.

If the Suns let go of Lindsey Hunter, a move that seems increasingly likely, he could become a candidate for the Pistons coaching vacancy, as Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press suggests. Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer and former Sixers and Blazers head coach Maurice Cheeks, who's believed to want another head coaching job, could also emerge as candidates, Ellis believes.
Two coaches who apparently won't have a shot at the Pistons job are Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson and Nets interim coach P.J. Carlesimo, according to Ellis.
Zeljko Obradovic, who spent 13 seasons coaching Panathinaikos in Greece, tells El Juego de Naismith that he would consider taking a coaching job in the NBA this summer if a team with a chance to make the playoffs reaches out to him, (translation via Sportando). Obradovic pointed to his relationship with the Pistons, who invited him to observe training camp last fall and attend the team's game against the Knicks in London this past season. Still, Obradovic's agent, Alexander Raskovic, tweets that they won't negotiate any deal until after the season. It's unclear if Raskovic means the end of the NBA's postseason or the end of European play.
Pistons assistant GM George David is excited about having won a pair of draft-order tiebreakers, particularly the one that gave the Pistons the No. 7 overall position heading into next month's lottery, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. "The difference between having six or seven, or seven or eight, or five or six, becomes – as Pistons fans, I’m sure, recognize – extremely valuable to our team over the last three or four drafts," the executive said. "If we were one slot lower than where we were in Andre (Drummond)’s draft, Brandon (Knight)’s draft or Greg (Monroe)’s draft, there’s a very, very high probability that none of those guys are on our roster. When you’re picking that high, the difference between one slot is really, really big."