Mike Woodson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks May Make Run At Tom Thibodeau

December 11th, 2013 at 4:05pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks might attempt to pry Tom Thibodeau out of his contract from the Bulls, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who gets the sense that current Knicks head coach Mike Woodson will only last until owner James Dolan can find a splashy replacement. Soon-to-be free agent Carmelo Anthony wouldn’t object to the move, Stein also hears. Thibodeau, like Anthony, is a client of the Creative Artists Agency, a firm with close ties to the Knicks.

Thibodeau has two seasons remaining on his deal with Chicago, but he’s reportedly feuding with Bulls GM Gar Forman. It would nonetheless be hard to convince the Bulls to let him go, Stein writes, but the ESPN scribe figures the Knicks stand a better chance of pulling that off than they do of landing marquee names like John Calipari, Phil Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and Stan Van Gundy.

The Knicks are also apparently considering assistant GM Allan Houston as a possible replacement for Woodson. Houston played for the Knicks when Thibodeau was an assistant coach for the team. Perhaps Houston could serve as an interim if the Knicks decide to replace Woodson during the season, with a pursuit of Thibodeau happening in the summer, but that’s just my speculation.

Coaching transactions between teams are rare, but the Knicks once received compensation for letting Pat Riley go to the Heat, and this summer’s Doc Rivers swap is the most recent example. The Celtics acquired a 2015 first-round pick in exchange for letting Rivers out of his deal so the Clippers could hire him, but the earliest first-rounder the Knicks can surrender is their 2018 pick. The NBA prohibits teams from exchanging players for coaches, so it would indeed be difficult for the Knicks to bring Thibodeau back to Madison Square Garden.

Carmelo Only Knick Off-Limits For Trade

December 11th, 2013 at 9:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks fell further into last place in the Atlantic Division last night with a loss to the Cavaliers, and with a 5-15 record, Carmelo Anthony is the only player who’s certain not to be traded, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. The free agents the team signed this past offseason become eligible to be traded Sunday, except for Cole Aldrich, who becomes trade-eligible on December 23rd, and J.R. Smith, who isn’t allowed to be traded until January 15th.

Some have suggested trading Anthony might be the Knicks best course of action, but a recent report indicated that New York has no plans to do so. He’s likely to become a free agent at season’s end, but there are few expiring contracts on the team’s books, limiting flexibility. It would be especially difficult to find takers for Amar’e Stoudemire, the team’s highest-paid player, given that he’s making nearly $21.7MM this year and is set for more than $23.4MM next season. Four Knicks have deals that end after this season, but they’re among the cheapest on the books, and Chris Smith‘s minimum salary for 2014/15 is non-guaranteed

There have been plenty of rumors about Iman Shumpert, and the team is apparently trying to boost his value by telling other front offices that Mike Woodson‘s coaching is hiding the full extent of his abilities. Woodson knows his job isn’t on solid ground. He senses that the vote of confidence owner James Dolan gave him last month no longer applies, according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, who hears from a source that, “People are just waiting for Dolan to snap.”

Knicks Notes: Woodson, Houston, Williams, Calipari

December 10th, 2013 at 9:25pm CST by Alex Lee

After tonight’s 15 point loss to the 8-13 Cavaliers, the Knicks are now 5-15 and have matched the worst start in franchise history, writes ESPN New York’s Ian Begley, who adds that there are serious questions about head coach Mike Woodson‘s job security in New York, as we well know. Here are some additional reactions to tonight’s loss, as well as some speculation as to where the team could go from here:

Woodson is far more concerned about his job security than he lets on to the media, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein, who openly wonders if the coach will survive tonight’s loss. Stein adds that a coaching change can only result in the Knicks playing harder given the state of the roster. Stein says that momentum is building for assistant general manager Allan Houston to end up as interim head coach. We heard a week ago that owner James Dolan was prepared to make Houston the next coach if the team continued to flounder. (Twitter links)
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated agrees that Woodson’s time in New York could be up, and says that we should expect to hear John Calipari‘s name in connection with the Knicks’ job. Mannix doesn’t understand why the Knicks would name Houston the interim coach over assistant coach Herb Williams, but Stein reminds us that Houston can get a better look at the personnel from up close. (Twitter links)
Agreeing with Stein’s sentiment, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweets that the Knicks’ problems go way beyond the head coach, essentially implying that night after night of sellouts at the Garden will have fooled Dolan into a cosmetic change if that is, in fact, all that the owner chooses to do.

Atlantic Notes: White, Marshall, Rondo, Knicks

December 10th, 2013 at 4:43pm CST by Chuck Myron

At least three NBA teams are showing interest in Royce White, agent George Bass of AAI Sports tells Sarah Lyall of The New York Times, in comments that jibe with what White said a week ago. The 16th overall pick in last year’s draft recently hired Bass after parting ways with his representatives at ASM Sports. White says he’s ready to play, but when the Sixers waived him before the season, there’s was apparently more to their decision than concerns over his mental health difficulties, Lyall writes.

“They just told me they didn’t want to keep me at this point in time, and that’s pretty much the gist of it,” he said. “There was a lot being said in meetings, and all of it was contradictory — ‘You’re supertalented; you can play; you can be an excellent player in the league, but we don’t want to keep you at this time.’”

There’s more on a player that Philadelphia seems more enthusiastic about in our roundup from the Atlantic Division:

There were rumors that the Sixers were interested in Kendall Marshall right after the Wizards released him at the start of the season, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Marshall is now with Philly’s D-League affiliate, which makes sense, Coro says.
Rajon Rondo said today that he’s had “no conversations” with Carmelo Anthony about joining forces, in response to the rumor that Anthony is recruiting the point guard, notes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). Yet saying otherwise would probably constitute tampering, as Frank Isola of the New York Daily News suggests (on Twitter).
Rondo would be an awkward on-court fit with Anthony and many of the current Knicks, opines Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal.
Knicks owner James Dolan met with Mike Woodson right after Sunday’s 41-point loss to the Celtics for a conversation that “must have been as pleasant as root canal” for the embattled coach, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. At least one player was also in the meeting, Isola adds.

New York Notes: Knicks, Nets, JVG, Carmelo

December 5th, 2013 at 5:44pm CST by Ryan Raroque

We’re less than an hour before tip-off between the Atlantic Division’s cellar dwelling Knicks and Nets, and despite both teams’ struggles to start the season, one of the two will be able to avoid sinking further for now with a win tonight. Here’s some of the latest out of Manhattan and Brooklyn:

SB Nation’s Tom Ziller goes into detail about what’s ailing the Knicks and Nets, how both teams should fare over the course of the season, and what may be in store if things continue to go poorly.
To those who doubt that Knicks owner James Dolan would be willing to work with Jeff Van Gundy again after the latter’s abrupt in-season exit over a decade ago, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reminds us that in April 2008, Van Gundy had been considered for the the head coaching job by then-team executive Donnie Walsh. Isola also states that Dolan approved of the team’s interest in Van Gundy back then as well, although the former head coach would later tell Walsh that he wasn’t interested (Twitter links).
Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld ponders what the current trade market for Carmelo Anthony is, and, considering that the Knicks star has the option to become an unrestricted free agent after this season and/or won’t necessarily have to commit long-term elsewhere if traded, argues that the team will have no other choice but to explore low-ball offers at this point.
Following last season’s team exit interview, Mike Woodson was under the impression that Jason Kidd would be returning for another season with the Knicks, and was caught off-guard by the 40-year-old point guard’s retirement: “Absolutely I thought he was coming back…I did. I was surprised. Jason spent a long time in this league. He has the right to retire and move on. Obviously he had something else going and wound up here as a head coach. We would’ve loved to have him back. It wasn’t the case” (Marc Berman of the New York Post via Sulia).

Knicks Notes: Van Gundy, Woodson, Tyler

December 4th, 2013 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve already taken a look at one struggling New York team this morning, having rounded up a few Nets updates. Let’s head over to Manhattan and check in on the city’s other sub-.500 NBA franchise….

Appearing on ESPN Radio in New York today, Jeff Van Gundy dismissed speculation that he might replace Mike Woodson as the Knicks’ head coach, suggesting that the team’s problems are roster-related rather than coaching-related (all Twitter links via Frank Isola of the New York Daily News).
Jeremy Tyler has returned to action for the D-League’s Erie BayHawks and the Knicks are “closely monitoring” his progress, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. A source tells Berman (Twitter link) that New York will likely wait at least three to five games before considering re-adding Tyler, who was in camp with the team before undergoing stress fracture surgery.
Daniel Leroux of RealGM.com examines what the Knicks’ future core might look like, particularly if the team decides Carmelo Anthony isn’t the answer as the long-term cornerstone of the roster.

Knicks Considering Allan Houston As Next Coach

December 3rd, 2013 at 11:19pm CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks assistant GM Allan Houston has seemed like a GM-in-waiting the last few years, but Frank Isola of the New York Daily News hears the team’s former shooting guard could soon fill a different role. Owner James Dolan is prepared to make Houston the team’s next head coach if Mike Woodson doesn’t turn the team around soon, Isola writes.

Dolan expressed confidence in Woodson’s ability less than two weeks ago, but the Knicks haven’t won since, and other reports suggest the team’s management is souring on its coach. The front office has apparently scolded Woodson for his public criticism of Iman Shumpert and is telling other teams that Woodson’s mishandling of Shumpert is obscuring the third-year swingman’s value.

Having Houston take over the coaching reins would be an odd move, but as Isola points out, the team’s preseason replacement of former GM Glen Grunwald with Steve Mills seemed to come out of nowhere. Houston made two All-Star games around the turn of the century as a player for the Knicks, becoming a favorite of Dolan’s. Houston failed to live up to an inflated contract he signed in 2001, but he’s remained in the good graces of the Knicks following his retirement as a player in 2005.

Eastern Rumors: Knicks, Nets, Frank, Bulls

December 3rd, 2013 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

This morning, we rounded up several of the latest rumors out of New York, with both the Nets and Knicks off to brutal starts to the 2013/14 season. Throughout the day, a few more Nets and Knicks items have trickled in, along with a few updates on their Eastern Conference rivals. Let’s dive in and check in on the latest….

Ian Begley of ESPN New York hears from league sources with knowledge of Knicks trade talks that GM Steve Mills has been citing Mike Woodson‘s coaching as a reason why Iman Shumpert has struggled this season. According to one source: “They’re saying that Shumpert’s a better player [than he’s shown], but Woodson isn’t using him right.”
Carmelo Anthony acknowledged that Knicks players are concerned about Woodson’s job security, but stressed that the blame should fall on the players rather than on the coach. Begley has the details and quotes in a separate piece.
Asked about a report that indicated he wants to be traded, Mirza Teletovic denied knowing anything about it, according to Newsday’s Rod Boone (via Twitter).
Nets assistant Lawrence Frank has been re-assigned, and will no longer be on the bench for games, Jason Kidd told reporters today, citing “different philosophies” (Twitter links via Howard Beck of Bleacher Report).
GM Gar Forman told ESPN Radio in Chicago that he still hopes to work out a new deal with Luol Deng next summer, but Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com believes the Bulls will want Deng to accept a hometown discount. In a column, Friedell explains why there’s no better time than the present for Forman and the Bulls to trade deng.
The Bulls assigned Marquis Teague to the Iowa Energy earlier today, but according to Forman, Teague’s stint won’t be long-term — the young point guard could be assigned and recalled occasionally throughout the season (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune).
Examining the Wizards in a column for The Score, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com suggests the acquisition of Marcin Gortat should be the last move the team makes this year that involves adding a veteran with little upside. In fact, Washington shouldn’t rule out trading away a veteran like Trevor Ariza in the right deal, says Deeks.

New York Rumors: Woodson, JVG, Teletovic

December 3rd, 2013 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

We heard last night that Knicks veterans Metta World Peace and Kenyon Martin had a heated exchange on Sunday prior to the team’s game against the Pelicans, a contest in which Iman Shumpert and Carmelo Anthony had a confrontation of their own. As Marc Berman of the New York Post details, those are just the two latest incidents in a string of run-ins dating back to Halloween, when Shumpert and Tyson Chandler got into a shouting match over a defensive breakdown. World Peace and Tim Hardaway Jr. also had a recent confrontation, according to Berman.

Our own Zach Links pointed out last night that the Knicks’ recent discord can’t be a good sign for the job security of coach Mike Woodson. The club’s nine-game losing streak isn’t helping matters either. Here’s more on the Knicks and their crosstown rivals, as the two teams prepare to meet in Brooklyn on Thursday night:

Knicks owner James Dolan gave Woodson a vote of confidence last month, but that doesn’t apply indefinitely, as Berman writes in a second piece. Noting that Dolan is “obsessed” with the Nets, Berman suggests that a loss on Thursday could trigger a major move — perhaps either a trade or a coaching change.
If the Knicks decide to replace Woodson, the team would be open to bringing back Jeff Van Gundy, who likely would have interest in the position, says Berman. A potential Van Gundy return may be more likely in the offseason rather than during the season, however. Berman adds that JVG may want input on personnel decisions if he returns to coaching, which could be a factor in whether or not he makes his way back to New York.
Jason Kidd‘s seat in Brooklyn isn’t as hot as Woodson’s, but Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post wonders if the Nets regret not hiring Brian Shaw. As Dempsey details, the current Nuggets coach looked like the frontrunner for the Brooklyn job earlier this year, before Kidd emerged practically out of nowhere.
According to Mirza Teletovic‘s agent Misko Raznatovic, he and his client are interested in a trade that would sent Teletovic to a team that would give him more playing time. The Sarajevo Times passes along the quotes from Raznatovic on the little-used Nets forward (hat tip to Sportando).

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Garnett, Rondo, Young

December 1st, 2013 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics are just 7-12, but they could have moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with a win last night. Instead, they lost to the Bucks, the worst team in the woeful Eastern Conference. That leaves the Raptors on top of the Atlantic at 6-9. Here’s more on the four teams chasing Toronto:

Knicks management has scolded coach Mike Woodson for his public criticism of trade candidate Iman Shumpert, notes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Kevin Garnett looked all of his 37 years at the start of the season, but more recently he’s shown why the Nets traded for him this summer, fellow Post scribe Tim Bontemps observes.
Rajon Rondo is a long way from the end of his playing career, but he’s spoken to Brad Stevens about getting involved in coaching some day, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald examines.
In a piece for Philly.com, SB Nation’s Michael Levin tries to peg Thaddeus Young‘s trade value, opining that his contract won’t discourage other teams from taking him on. Young’s deal runs through 2015/16 and has $28.2MM left on it, including this year.