Mike D’Antoni Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Knicks, Bucks, Heat, Nicholson

May 21st, 2012 at 12:54pm CST by Daniel Seco

Here's the latest news and headlines from around the NBA…

There are five ways the Knicks' Big 3 can improve in their second season together, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the Bradley Center will be now known as the BMO Harris Bradley Center in a step toward getting the Bucks a new arena in the near future.
The Heat's success is predicated on strong play by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade but also relies on a different role player stepping up each night, suggests Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets that the Thunder and the Celtics are the two most likely teams to draft St. Bonaventure's Andrew Nicholson.
Teams from smaller markets are at a serious disadvantage when it comes to winning an NBA championship, writes Richard Florida of The Atlantic.
HoopsWorld's Joel Brigham gives his take on the top five comebacks in NBA playoff history.
Commissioner David Stern filled the NBA's Competition Committee with his own people so that changes can be made to existing rules, writes Matt Moore of CBSSports.com.
Kurt Helin of NBC's ProBasketballTalk blog says Mo Williams expects to pick up his player option of $8.5MM for the 2012/2013 season.
Mike D'Antoni isn't up to much these days after resigning as the Knicks head coach in March, writes SI.com's Jack McCallum.

Coaching Rumors: Ewing, Magic, D’Antoni, Drew

May 18th, 2012 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Bobcats are still the only NBA team actively searching and conducting interviews for a new head coach, a number of other clubs could be looking to make a change in the coming weeks. Here's the latest on a few coaches and potential openings:

Marc Berman of the New York Post hears that Patrick Ewing has a "good chance" of becoming the Bobcats' next coach. According to Berman, the Magic likely wouldn't consider Ewing for their position if they were to part ways with Stan Van Gundy.
Speaking of Van Gundy and the Magic job, Berman adds that Mike D'Antoni would be on Orlando's "short list" if the team were to make a change. Word out of D'Antoni's inner circle suggests the former Knicks coach is content sitting out next season unless a "very compelling opportunity" arises, says Berman.
Hawks coach Larry Drew is still awaiting word from the team about whether they'll pick up his option for next season. Drew tells Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he considers his relationship with Atlanta's players to be strong: "That’s something I take a lot of pride in and spent a lot of time talking about and trying to work on. Player relationships are so important on this level, how you deal with your best player all the way down to the guy who might not even dress out during games. I thought I did a good job with that. I thought my staff did a good job with that."
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer examines why former NBA big men rarely become head coaches.

Southeast Notes: Redick, Magic, Hawks, Bobcats

May 11th, 2012 at 4:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few Friday afternoon odds and ends out of the Southeast Division….

J.J. Redick has one non-guaranteed year remaining on his contract and the Magic haven't indicated whether he'll be brought back, as he tells Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: "I think I'm down the totem pole. Obviously, the Magic have a decision to make about my contract. It's pretty much out of my hands. I think I've done everything I can do at this point."
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel is "hearing whispers" that Mike D'Antoni would be interested in coaching the Magic if the job opened up (Twitter link). Of course, even if that were true and the team fires Stan Van Gundy, there's no guarantee the interest would be mutual.
An NBA.com column examines the decisions the Hawks will have to make on their front office and roster this offseason.
Heat players and coaches aren't bothered by comments made by Pacers coach Frank Vogel about the team's propensity for "flopping," writes Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
The Bobcats likely won't hire a coach this month, according to Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer, who implores the team to take its team and make sure they find the right candidate for the job.

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Woodson, D’Antoni

March 29th, 2012 at 10:23pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks have a well-earned night off after a 108-86 thrashing of the Magic on Wednesday evening thanks to a balanced effort led by Carmelo Anthony and Iman Shumpert. With the victory, the Knicks are now 8-1 under new head coach Mike Woodson, who took over for Mike D'Antoni, who resigned on March 14th. Let's take a look at what else is going on with the Knicks as they continue to deal with the injury bug.

Tasked as the Knicks' top scoring option since his arrival from the Nuggets, Anthony has finally stepped up as a scorer with two consecutive 25-point performances in his last two games, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
While Woodson once had a respectable NBA career that stretched over a decade, his foray into coaching was not something he had initially anticipated doing, says Howard Beck of The New York Times.
By shifting away from D'Antoni's style of play to a heightened emphasis on defense, the Knicks have become more of a complete team driven by energetic play and forcing turnovers, reports Jim Cavan of The New York Times.

Atlantic Notes: Williams, D’Antoni, Celtics, Diaw

March 21st, 2012 at 9:31am CST by Luke Adams

Dwight Howard's decision to waive his early termination option and remain in Orlando may have surprised his agent, writes Ken Berger of CBS Sports. According to Berger, Dan Fegan was "telling anyone and everyone that Dwight was Brooklyn-bound." D12's unexpected decision is a reminder that no one knows exactly what a player is thinking, Berger says, pointing out that the same goes for Deron Williams, who will explore free agency this summer.

Here are a few more notes out of the Atlantic Division:

Speaking of Williams, he told reporters, including Anthony Sulla-Heffinger of the New York Post, that he's looking forward to the Nets' new arena in Brooklyn: "[The Barclays Center] is going to be state of the art, it's going to be the best arena in the NBA hands down. I’m excited to see it when it’s complete and hopefully play there."
Nothing that happens for the rest of this season will affect Williams' decision on whether or not to sign with the Nets this summer, tweets Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger.
Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo thinks Mike D'Antoni will return to the sidelines soon, but says it won't happen for his team, according to Mark Hale and Marc Berman of the New York Post. Colangelo says the Raptors are "in the first year of what I hope will be a long-term relationship" with coach Dwane Casey.
Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com fields reader questions in a mailbag focused on potential free agent pickups for the Celtics.
Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com wonders if Boris Diaw, who agreed to a buyout with the Bobcats, could be a candidate to sign with the Celtics.

D’Antoni Fallout: Carmelo, Lin, Amare, Phil Jackson

March 15th, 2012 at 8:07am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks and Mike D'Antoni parted ways yesterday due to "conflicting visions" about the team's future. Part of that conflict may have stemmed from D'Antoni's desire to trade Carmelo Anthony to the Nets in exchange for Deron Williams, an idea James Dolan adamantly opposed. Needless to say, players, coaches, and reporters around the league are talking about D'Antoni's exit from New York, so let's round up a few links on the subject:

Despite reports earlier this week suggesting Anthony was at odds with the Knicks coach, Carmelo says he and D'Antoni "never had any issues." Added Carmelo: "Any disagreements that he had with us as a team we talked it out and we went from there" (via ESPNNewYork.com).
Jeremy Lin on D'Antoni: "What he did for my career, I’m not going to forget what he did for me personally. It’s very emotional. I’m sad to see him go and I owe a lot to him" (via New York Daily News).
According to Amare Stoudemire, not everyone was buying into D'Antoni's system, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. "It made it look bad," Stoudemire said. "I guess stepping down was the best way for him."
Phil Jackson will be a prime candidate to take over the full-time Knicks job, as Marc Berman writes.
The Knicks shouldn't expect Jackson to come out of retirement to save them, says Ian O'Connor of ESPNNewYork.com.
Knicks GM Glen Grunwald called D'Antoni's decision to step down a "selfless move," says Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
Nets coach Avery Johnson was surprised by the announcement, as he tells Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. When Pistons coach Lawrence Frank was told of the news, he called it "ridiculous" and "a damn shame," writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.

D’Antoni Advocated Trading Carmelo For Williams

March 14th, 2012 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

When Mike D'Antoni and the Knicks agreed to part ways today, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports heard the two sides had "conflicting visions of the club's future." TNT's David Aldridge expands on that point on NBA.com's Hang Time Blog, saying that D'Antoni wanted the Knicks to explore trading Carmelo Anthony for Deron Williams.

According to Aldridge, D'Antoni believed such a deal would've been beneficial for both franchises, and that adding Williams to the Knicks would've eased the pressure placed on Jeremy Lin. James Dolan, however, had no interest in dealing Carmelo, and he and D'Antoni agreed to terminate D'Antoni's position after meeting today.

While the idea isn't one that had been rumored at all, it's probably one the Nets would've liked to explore, if Dwight Howard remains with the Magic for next season, as is now expected. If Howard isn't ticketed for Brooklyn this summer, the chances of Williams remaining a Net may take a huge hit.

Mike D’Antoni No Longer Coaching Knicks

March 14th, 2012 at 1:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Mike D'Antoni is out as the head coach of the Knicks, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). One source cited "conflicting visions of the club's future" and called the move a mutual decision, adds Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Sam Amick of SI.com confirms that the decision was mutual, rather than D'Antoni resigning or being fired (Twitter link).

The coaching change comes in the midst of a six-game losing streak, and on the heels of multiple reports that suggested D'Antoni, Carmelo Anthony, and the Knicks were at odds. ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported last night that D'Antoni had lost the Knicks' locker room, while Marc Berman of the New York Post suggested that either Anthony's or D'Antoni's days in New York were numbered.

Assistant coach Mike Woodson will take over as the interim coach, says Wojnarowski (via Twitter). However, the position figures to draw interest from big-name coaching candidates as well. SI.com's Sam Amick reported earlier today that former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan may be interested in returning to the bench for New York.

Whoever ends up coaching the Knicks long-term will have to figure out a way to maximize the talents of Anthony, Jeremy Lin, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler, who figure to make up the team's core for the next few years. The coaching change means that the Knicks almost certainly won't make a major trade before the deadline, preferring instead to give Woodson a chance to work things out with the current roster.

Assistant coaches Dan D'Antoni and Phil Weber have also parted ways with the Knicks, tweets Wojnarowski.

Carmelo, D’Antoni, Knicks At Odds

March 14th, 2012 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

10:10am: Anthony says he doesn't want to be traded and that he supports D'Antoni, tweets Iannazzone.

9:45am: Al Iannazzone of Newsday hears most Knicks players aren't upset with D'Antoni, and are more bothered by Anthony not buying into the coach's system (Twitter link).

8:44am: Leon Rose, Anthony's agent, tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that reports of his client wanting out of New York are "total nonsense" and "laughable" (Twitter link).

7:29am: With the Knicks in the midst of a six-game losing streak, still winless in March, there's at least one team executive who would like to trade Carmelo Anthony, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. But MSG Chairman James Dolan doesn't intend to trade any Knicks today or tomorrow.

"He said he's not trading anyone," said a source who has direct contact with Dolan. "He said it's up to the coach to figure it out."

For the coach, Mike D'Antoni, "figuring it out" may not be so easy. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports that D'Antoni has lost the Knicks' locker room during the team's current losing streak.

"The players like Mike as a person," a source said. "They think he's a good guy. But he doesn't have the respect of the team anymore."

According to Broussard, players are questioning D'Antoni, complaining about playing time, and confused about the coach's offensive and defensive schemes. Sources close to the situation tell Broussard that some players, including Anthony, have strayed from the system, mixing in some of their own plays with D'Antoni's and creating a "mess."

"Half the team is trying to do what coach says and the other half is doing something different," one source said. "Then it spills over to the defensive end because players are (ticked) off about somebody taking a bad shot."

During the Knicks' current slide, plenty of observers have questioned whether Anthony and D'Antoni can coexist on this Knicks squad, speculating that one will have to go sooner or later for the team to reach its full potential. Marc Berman writes about this topic in his latest column for the New York Post, noting that the player and coach talked last night in an attempt to work things out. However, before that discussion, 'Melo told a confidant that he might prefer a trade out of New York, and only wanted to remain a Knick if D'Antoni didn't return next season, according to Berman.

I can't imagine the Knicks will blow things up before tomorrow's trade deadline. The current coaching staff and roster should have until the end of the season to try to right the ship, but the team could definitely consider major changes this summer if the situation doesn't improve.

Kyler On Nash, Howard, D’Antoni

February 6th, 2012 at 10:34am CST by Luke Adams

In an NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler shares a few updates on some trade candidates and a coach on the hot seat. Let's check out the highlights….

Suns sources indicate they're open to a two-year extension for Steve Nash at the end of the season. Nash could earn more money by staying in Phoenix than he could by signing elsewhere, so that could be a reason he and his agent haven't expressed any desire for a trade.
The Lakers have always been behind the Nets and Mavericks on Dwight Howard's list of preferred destinations, according to Kyler. Howard views the Nets as Plan A, with the Lakers, Mavericks, and Magic as backup plans, Kyler hears.
The Magic, who could offer Howard significantly more money than any other team this summer if they keep him, still believe they can retain their star center. Until Howard makes it unquestionably clear that he'll leave in free agency, the Magic won't feel obligated to move him.
Although the Knicks probably need to replace Mike D'Antoni, there's no clear candidate to step in for him, says Kyler. An outside replacement is unlikely during the season, and none of the in-house candidates would represent a clear upgrade.