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Odds & Ends: Tanking, DeRozan, Vucevic

November 29th, 2013 at 11:03pm CST by Ryan Raroque

While ownership, team executives, and coaches may sometimes choose to tank games (usually referred to by some as “focusing on the future”), Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld writes that players aren’t in on it, especially if they’re trying to prove themselves or avoiding the possibility that their potential replacement gets drafted.

Here’s more of tonight’s miscellaneous news and notes:

  • Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (via Twitter) wonders if the Raptors should look to move DeMar DeRozan while his value is high, especially if they can’t find a taker for Rudy Gay.
  • Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel writes that the Magic are trying to figure out center Nikola Vucevic‘s worth and thinks that the potential numbers on an extension could be between what Larry Sanders and Nikola Pekovic got from their respective teams this past summer.
  • Looking back at how his tenure as the Trail Blazers’ head coach came to an end, Pacers assistant Nate McMillan tells Joe Freeman of the Oregonian that his one regret was trying to fit Gerald Wallace into the starting lineup (to keep the veteran from becoming disgruntled) despite Nicolas Batum needing the development.
  • ESPN looked to 5 of its writers to give their thoughts on how much hope that Knicks, Nets, Cavaliers, Bulls, and Lakers fans should have moving forward this season.
  • Hoopsworld’s Moke Hamilton discusses what he calls the “Derrick Rose dilemma” for Chicago – deciding whether or not to stay the course or start tear down the current team in order to build for the future.
  • Although it’s possible that the Bulls will make a move or two to address the team’s current situation, Herb Gould of the Chicago Sun-Times points out that the return of Jimmy Butler to the lineup will help and how Chicago already proved they can at least stay competitive during the regular season without Rose.
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Eastern Notes: Knight, Pierce, McMillan

August 3rd, 2013 at 10:04pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes from around the Eastern Conference.

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Central Links: Bulls, Cavs, McMillan

July 13th, 2013 at 7:56pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson spent some time with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau today, and the coach provided him some insights into the the team's offseason plans–including the signing of the Bucks' Mike Dunleavy. 

Of Dunleavy, Thibs said that he complements Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer "extremely well," and "he moves well with the ball. We think he's a great fit" (Twitter link). Speaking of Rose, whom Thibodeau gushed about last month, the Bulls coach continued to praise his star's progress to Johnson via Twitter. According to Thibs, the summer has given Rose even more time to build his confidence and his leg strength, finally adding "He looks great."

Johnson's conversation with Thibodeau failed to touch on the relationship between Bulls general manager Gar Forman (Twitter link) and former assistant Ron Adams, who the Celtics may be looking to add to their bench.

Here's what else is happening around the Central division tonight…

  • Racine Journal Times columnist Gery Woelfel relays the same Thibodeau thoughts on Dunleavy and adds, via Twitter, that the Bulls got a strong endorsement for Dunleavy from his former college coach, Mike Krzyzewski. 
  • The Cavs appeared to have an excess of front court players after drafting Anthony Bennett with the number one pick and signing Andrew Bynum. That's the roster question the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer answers in her Saturday night mailbag.  
  • Cavs GM Chris Grant says he's been high on free agent signee Jarrett Jack ever since the guard came out of college. That's when Grant, then a member of the Hawks’ front office, was part of an unsuccessful effort to trade up to select Jack. Bob Finnan of the News-Herald provides details via Sulia. 
  • Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer opines that the Cavs’ recent draft picks and free agent signings allow them more flexibility and options. 
  • Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star suggests the Pacers’ biggest off-season move may have been hiring Nate McMillan as an assistant coach.
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Eastern Rumors: Jefferson, Knicks, Robinson

July 1st, 2013 at 8:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

Here's a look at the latest from the Eastern Conference on a busy first evening of free agency:

  • Al Jefferson will be meeting with the Bobcats on Wednesday, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, but Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer doesn't believe much will come of it (Twitter links).  
  • The small forward position is still a need for the Knicks and they inquired about both Francisco Garcia and Matt Barnes, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Twitter).
  • The Knicks spoke with Nate Robinson's representatives, but don't count on the diminutive point guard winding up back in New York, Berman tweets.
  • The Celtics are set to be a taxpayer in 2013/14, but president of basketball operations Danny Ainge hinted today that the team will try to get under the tax line, as Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com notes. Still, it looks like Rajon Rondo will be sticking around Boston.
  • The agreement between Mike Dunleavy and the Bulls figures to help second-rounder Erik Murphy make the Chicago roster, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. 
  • Beno Udrih's agent told Sean Deveney of the Sporting News (on Twitter) that his client is "less likely" to re-sign with Magic but a return is "not impossible".  The Pinnacle Management client has ten teams interested in him, according to his agent, though he wasn't specific on which clubs.  Deveney has heard that the Wizards and Celtics are among those with interest, though the Wizards are probably out, with Eric Maynor coming aboard.
  • The Pacers officially announced that they have hired Nate McMillan as associate head coach.
  • Patrick Ewing will be Steve Clifford's associate head coach in Charlotte, with Bob Beyer, Stephen Silas, Bob Weiss and Mark Price filling out the Bobcats staff, according to a team press release.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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Odds & Ends: KG, Pierce, D12, McMillan, Kanter

June 27th, 2013 at 5:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Draft rumors are dominating headlines today, but there are a few other stories and links we don't want to let slip through the cracks. Let's round them up….

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Coaching Rumors: Kidd, Nuggets, Clippers, Suns

June 13th, 2013 at 2:39pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of teams held press conferences to announce their new head coaches earlier today, as the Pistons introduced Maurice Cheeks, while the Nets introduced Jason Kidd. At the presser in Brooklyn, Kidd revealed that before he was hired by the Nets, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban contacted him to ask if he was interested in learning the business side of the NBA with Dallas (Twitter link via Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv). Kidd ended up opting for a coaching job with one of his former teams over an executive role with another. Here's more of the latest coaching-related rumblings from around the league:

  • The Nuggets are focused on landing either Lionel Hollins or Brian Shaw for their head coaching opening, and will only consider other candidates if they're unable to land one of those top two targets, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Spears reports that Hollins will interview with the team on Saturday, while Denver hopes to have Shaw in for a meeting next week.
  • Spears adds within the same piece that the Nuggets are leaning toward promoting Pete D'Alessandro to assume the role of general manager, though we heard earlier today that Tony DiLeo is firmly in the mix as well.
  • Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post also takes a look at the top two candidates for the Nuggets' coaching opening.
  • The Clippers initially were scheduled to interview Nate McMillan today, but had to cancel that meeting to accommodate Hollins, who is meeting with the team today and tomorrow. However, the Clippers are still trying to work out a time to bring McMillan in, perhaps early next week, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
  • Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic has the details on the three new assistant coaches the Suns have added to Jeff Hornacek's staff.
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Latest On Clippers’ Coaching Search

June 12th, 2013 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

2:55pm: Because Hollins was attending an NBA competition committee meeting in San Antonio today, his interview with the Clippers will be pushed back to Thursday and Friday, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. McMillan had been scheduled to meet with the team on Thursday, but that interview was cancelled and may not be rescheduled, given the club's "lukewarm" interest in McMillan, says Turner.

Hollins, meanwhile, expects to interview with the Nuggets on Saturday after meeting with the Clippers.

10:11am: As the Nets appear to be closing in on Jason Kidd, a coaching candidate with no previous experience, the Clippers continue to interview previous head coaches for their own opening. According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter), owner Donald Sterling is seeking a candidate with head coaching experience and is a fan of Lionel Hollins, who will meet with the team today.

Stein reports (via Twitter) that Hollins remains "firmly in the mix" for the Clippers' job, and that today's sitdown with the team will be the third time the former Grizzlies coach has spoken to the club. In addition to Hollins, the team has also met with Byron Scott and Brian Shaw, with Shaw still a "strong contender" for the job, says Stein.

Although we heard earlier in the week that the Clippers will also interview Nate McMillan tomorrow, it sounds as if he may not be as strong a candidate for the position as the other contenders. Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reported last night that George Karl is still in play for the job as well, though it's unclear if the team has scheduled a meeting with the ex-Nuggets coach.

Reports have yet to indicate whether there's a specific timeline for a Clippers hire, but I would guess that after this week's interviews, the team will at least narrow its search to a smaller list of finalists.

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Coaching Updates: Clippers, Jent, Snyder, Kidd

June 10th, 2013 at 5:57pm CST by Luke Adams

It's already been a busy day when it comes to NBA coaching news and rumors, with the Pistons officially reaching an agreement with Maurice Cheeks, the Grizzlies parting ways with Lionel Hollins, and Jason Kidd emerging as a serious candidate for the Nets. Here are a few more of the latest updates relating to potential head coaches and assistants:

  • The Clippers interviewed Brian Shaw today, and have meetings lined up with Byron Scott on Tuesday, Hollins on Wednesday, and Nate McMillan on Thursday, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). Ramona Shelburne and Chris Broussard of ESPN.com note that many of those candidates have already spoken to the Clippers at length on the phone, but these are the first in-person meetings scheduled by the team.
  • The Kings have officially hired Chris Jent as an assistant coach, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. We heard last week that Michael Malone had made Jent a three-year offer to become his top assistant in Sacramento.
  • Just hours after we heard that Quin Snyder had left CSKA Moscow to return stateside for an NBA job, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets that the Hawks have hired Snyder as an assistant on Mike Budenholzer's staff.
  • Josh Newman of SNYNets.com spoke to Jeff Van Gundy about whether or not Kidd would make a good head coach for the Nets.
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Nuggets Eyeing Hollins, Shaw, McMillan, Gentry

June 6th, 2013 at 6:38pm CST by Luke Adams

6:38pm: Denver has been granted permission to speak with Hollins, a source tells Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). 

6:20pm: In addition to Hollins and Shaw, league sources say that the Nuggets plan to examine Nate McMillan and Alvin Gentry for their head coaching vacancy as well (Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski tweets). 

12:37pm: The Nuggets have received permission from the Pacers to interview Shaw, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Denver has also lodged a formal request with the Grizzlies to speak with Hollins, Berger adds (via Twitter).

Although Shaw and Hollins are viewed as the Nuggets' top targets, ESPN.com's Marc Stein names Quin Snyder as a potential under-the-radar candidate (Twitter link).

10:42am: Having parted ways with George Karl, the Nuggets are eyeing a pair of the offseason's most frequently mentioned head coaching candidates. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter), Denver plans to request permission to speak to Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins and Pacers assistant Brian Shaw.

As we've heard this week and reiterated this morning, Shaw appears to be near or at the top of both the Clippers' and Nets' wish list, so he may ultimately end up having to choose between multiple offers. Hollins is also a candidate for both clubs, though it sounds like L.A. has a little more interest in the Grizzlies' coach than Brooklyn does. The Clippers were also linked to Karl even before he became available, so if their interest in him becomes more serious now, it could create an opportunity for the Nuggets to get a better shot at Shaw or Hollins.

If the Nuggets do zero in on Hollins, it's conceivable that Denver and Memphis could essentially trade head coaches, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, who says the Grizzlies intend to reach out to Karl (Twitter links).

Given how fresh the Karl news is, no other names have surfaced yet as potential candidates for the Nuggets. But Wojnarowski tweeted this morning that the team is confident in its ability to land an elite coach, considering how much talent is on the roster.

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Coaching Rumors: Hollins, Nets, Clippers, Shaw

June 5th, 2013 at 1:44pm CST by Luke Adams

As I noted yesterday when examining the longest-tenured coaches in the NBA, four teams – the Pistons, 76ers, Nets, and Clippers – are still in the market for a new head coach, while a couple other positions could open up later in the offseason. In addition to those head coaching openings, plenty of assistants are being hired, or moving from one NBA team to another. Here are today's rumors on those head coaching searches and the assistant coaching carousel:

  • Although the Clippers have asked and received permission to speak to Lionel Hollins, the Nets' initial request to speak to Hollins was turned down, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter links). Tillery adds that Brooklyn has yet to make another request since being denied on the day after the Grizzlies' season ended.
  • No teams have requested permission yet to speak to Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger, but the Sixers are believed to have interest, tweets Tillery.
  • A report yesterday indicated that the Nets and Sixers were among the teams that have contacted Larry Brown about their head coaching openings. Brown threw cold water on that report today though, according to John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer, saying he's happy at SMU. CSNPhilly.com, meanwhile, reports that Brown would likely have interest in returning to the NBA if it meant running a franchise. I'd be surprised if anything came of this.

Earlier updates:

  • Less than 24 hours after ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Chris Broussard reported that Brian Shaw was a "serious target" for the Nets, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that Shaw also appears to be the Clippers' top choice at this point. Since no official interviews have been conducted yet, the situation remains fluid, but the Clippers are intrigued by Shaw's youth, championship experience, and developmental skills, according to Shelburne.
  • Talks between Jeff Van Gundy and the Clippers have cooled, and the team has yet to ask permission to speak to Nuggets coach George Karl, though he remains a possible target. Lionel Hollins, Byron Scott, and Alvin Gentry also remain under consideration for Los Angeles, says Shelburne.
  • Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times provides the same list of contenders for the Clippers' job, though he's even more bearish on the likelihood of the team hiring Van Gundy, writing that he's essentially "out of the running." Shaw, meanwhile is gaining momentum for the position, according to Turner.
  • Although the Pistons' search appears to have been narrowed down to Nate McMillan and Maurice Cheeks, there's no guarantee a decision happens this week, sources tell David Mayo of MLive.com.
  • Following up on a report from Frank Isola of the New York Daily News last week which suggested Patrick Ewing could be hired as an assistant in Charlotte, Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com says Ewing is interviewing for the Bobcats' lead assistant job today. The former Knicks big man has also received interest from the Kings, writes Haynes.
  • Newly-hired Kings head coach Michael Malone is also talking to Ohio State assistant Chris Jent about joining his staff in Sacramento, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
  • Yet another Lakers assistant coach appears to be on his way out of L.A., as Darvin Ham will talk to the Bobcats and Hawks about a spot on their respective staffs, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
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