Nate McMillan Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hawks Interview Nate McMillan

May 15th, 2013 at 8:11pm CST by Michael Pina

The Hawks have interviewed Nate McMillan for their head coaching position today, reports Yahoo! NBA writer Adrian Wojnarowski. The team has not yet let go of current head coach Larry Drew, whose contract expires June 30th.

Atlanta's general manager, Danny Ferry, plans to conduct interviews with other candidates as well, but isn't ruling out the option of extending Drew's contract should no suitable coaches take his offer.

McMillan's last coaching stint came with the Trail Blazers, where he coached for seven seasons before being let go in 2012. The Hawks are also interested in Stan Van Gundy, but it's unlikely the former Magic coach returns to the NBA next season.

Bucks Rumors: Ellis, Sanders, Coaching Search

May 9th, 2013 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, the Bucks have been prioritizing "strong-willed" candidates as they search for a head coach to replace ousted interim coach Jim Boylan. In his latest piece, Berger sheds some light on one reason for that requirement and touches on a couple other Bucks notes. Let's check out the highlights….

Berger reports that Monta Ellis and Larry Sanders nearly came to blows in the locker room following the Bucks' Game Three loss to the Heat in the first round of the playoffs. According to Berger, Sanders called out the team for selfish play, saying that the Bucks needed "to start playing together as a team and stop worrying about next year."
Ellis "took umbrage" with Sanders' comments, rightly assuming that they were aimed at him and fellow free-agent-to-be Brandon Jennings, according to Berger. Both Ellis and Jennings are likely to test the free agent market this summer, and reports have suggested that Milwaukee won't necessarily be either player's first choice.
A member of the Sacramento group attempting to keep the Kings in the city has done some research on Ellis as a potential target if the team parts ways with Tyreke Evans, a source tells Berger.
Berger notes that Nate McMillan and Kelvin Sampson have interviewed for the Bucks' head coaching job so far, and adds that the team is expected to reach out to Stan Van Gundy and Steve Clifford as well. Berger had reported both of those names previously, though last week he suggested Van Gundy would interview for the job, whereas now that doesn't seem quite so certain. Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times has indicated Van Gundy is unlikely to end up in Milwaukee.

Nets Contact Jackson, Like Brown And Shaw

May 7th, 2013 at 10:51pm CST by Zachary Links

TUESDAY, 10:51pm: A source tells ESPN that Jackson is still open to coaching if he has a say on the roster, tweets ESPN L.A.'s Ramona Shelburne. Shelburne says that the legendary coach would prefer a front office gig, but would be willing to coach if he had power within the franchise. Jackson is a in "listen mode," not "look mode," Shelburne tweets, adding that it would have to be a perfect fit, a la Pat Riley in Miami (Twitter links here).

5:18pm: Jackson is not interested in a return to coaching and therefore will not become the next coach of the Nets, reports Tim Bontemps of the New York post, citing a league source. Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski confirms the Post report, also tweeting that Jackson's inclination remains to make his NBA return in a "broader management role."

MONDAY, 8:30pm: The Nets have contacted Phil Jackson about the possibility of becoming their next coach, a source told Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. After Jackson, the source says the list of current Nets' candidates consists of Larry Brown and Brian Shaw.

Nate McMillan, Jeff Van Gundy, and Stan Van Gundy aren't on the list, the source said, but that could change if the Nets strike out on their aforementioned top three choices. Celtics coach Doc Rivers would interest the Nets though if the Celtics agree to let him out of his current contract, the source said.

Jerry Sloan is a long-shot candidate for the gig, even though Deron Williams recently endorsed him. Nets GM Billy King understands that Jackson is not likely to come to Brooklyn to coach, but he is open to bringing Jackson into the front-office, according to the source. Jackson would perhaps join the Nets as the team's president while also getting a slice of stake in the club's ownership.

Shaw would be a likely coaching candidate if Jackson joined the Nets front office thanks to the prior ties between the two.

Coaching Rumors: Bucks, Pistons, Bobcats, 76ers

May 2nd, 2013 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this morning, we passed along word that the Sixers have received permission to interview Michael Malone and Jeff Hornacek for their head coaching position. Philadelphia is currently one of four teams actively seeking a new coach, but that number figures to increase in the coming weeks. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com has a little more on the Sixers and other teams exploring the coaching market, so let's round up the highlights from his piece:

Nate McMillan, who has met with the Pistons twice, is also near the top of the Bucks' list of targets, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

After the Bucks parted ways with Jim Boylan yesterday, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that Stan Van Gundy and Kelvin Sampson were expected to be among Milwaukee's top targets. According to Berger, both Van Gundy and Sampson will interview with the Bucks. Lakers assistant Steve Clifford is also expected to be considered for the position.
Bucks GM John Hammond is seeking a defensive-minded coach who can "control the locker room," says Berger.
Pistons owner Tom Gores is taking a lead role in in the club's coaching search, with one source telling Berger that Gores is "looking to put his stamp on this one." Sampson and Nate McMillan are among the Pistons' potential candidates.
Sampson, McMillan, Nate Tibbetts, and Quin Snyder will likely all be considered by the Bobcats, according to Berger.
In addition to the Philadelphia targets we've already heard about, the Sixers are eyeing Heat assistant David Fizdale, says Berger, adding that the team is also doing its homework on potential GM candidates.
Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni would like to add a defense-first assistant to his staff, and McMillan may be his first choice. However, with McMillan a decent bet to land a head coaching job this summer, D'Antoni may turn to former Suns coach Alvin Gentry, according to Berger.
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times also provides a coaching update this morning, tweeting that he has been told Jerry Sloan is "seriously considering" returning to the sidelines.

Latest On Pistons, Bobcats Coaching Searches

April 30th, 2013 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

3:21pm: The Bobcats have also requested permission to interview Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Sampson's Rockets remain active in the postseason, though the team is one loss away from elimination.

2:19pm: According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), Pistons GM Joe Dumars met with McMillan last week. Ownership is expected to be involved in today's formal interview, says Wojnarowski.

1:02pm: While the Cavaliers struck quickly to fill their head coaching opening, two other Eastern Conference lottery teams appear to be moving at a more deliberate pace. The Pistons have begun to interview candidates, according to Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News, who tweets that Lindsey Hunter interviewed with the team yesterday, while Nate McMillan will do so today.

McMillan and Hunter appear to be the early favorites for the Pistons' coaching job, but they're unlikely to be the only candidates interviewed by the club. With 14 teams still alive in the postseason, teams searching for a new head coach may have to wait until later in the spring to seek permission to interview assistants on those playoff clubs.

Meanwhile, the Bobcats have asked for the Cavaliers' permission to talk to assistant coach Nate Tibbetts, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). If that story sounds familiar, it may be because the Bobcats interviewed the Cavs assistant a year ago, before eventually hiring Mike Dunlap.

The Bobcats seem to be revisiting a number of past candidates, having also been linked this month to Pacers assistant Brian Shaw and former Lakers assistant Quin Snyder, both of whom were interviewed by Charlotte last spring.

Pistons To Meet With Nate McMillan

April 29th, 2013 at 9:47pm CST by Zachary Links

The Pistons have opened the interview process in their search for a new coach and are slated to meet with Nate McMillan, NBA coaching sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com. McMillan would appear to be an early favorite for the job alongside Suns interim coach Lindsey Hunter this week.

McMillan was recently said to be the frontrunner for the job, however the former Sonics coach later said that he had yet to talk to Joe Dumars & Co. Rockets assistant coach Kelvin Sampson is also projected to be in the mix when Houston's playoff run is over.

McMillan also openly campaigned to hook on with the Kings if they moved to Seattle. However, the vote earlier today from the league's relocation committee likely means that the team will be staying put in Sacramento.

Western Notes: McMillan, Kings, Kaman, Pekovic

April 26th, 2013 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

When I asked yesterday which playoff team down 2-0 in the first round had the best chance of coming back and advancing, over half of you picked the Grizzlies. Memphis delivered on the first step of that comeback last night, holding the Clippers to 82 points en route to a Game Three win.

Meanwhile, the Rockets only received about 5% of the votes in that poll, but their chances likely improved with word from the Thunder that Russell Westbrook will undergo surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his right knee. As we wait for official word on a timetable for Westbrook's return, let's check out a few notes from around the Western Conference:

Nate McMillan may be a top contender for the Pistons' head coaching opening, but Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press says there's a "belief around the league" that McMillan will wait to see what happens with the Kings, since he could also be a strong candidate there if the franchise moves to Seattle.
The NBA's relocation committee is expected to make a recommendation to the Board of Governors next Monday on whether or not to approve the sale and relocation of the Kings. However, an official vote by league owners may not come until May 13th, as Dale Kasler, Ryan Lillis, and Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee outline.
While Chris Kaman has said he'd like to return to Dallas next season, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com thinks the veteran big man just doesn't want to close any doors. MacMahon predicts Kaman will have to take a pay cut this summer, and will end up signing a one-year contract with a team besides the Mavericks.
Speaking to Mondo.rs (translation via HoopsHype), Nikola Pekovic reiterated a desire to re-sign with the Timberwolves this summer, adding that he has no intention of leaving the NBA to return to Europe.
Andre Iguodala's performance in this year's postseason could go a long way to exhibiting whether or not he's worth a long-term, big-money contract, according to Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post.

Latest On Cavs’ Coaching Search

April 23rd, 2013 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

While the Cavaliers' coaching search involved reaching out to Phil Jackson, it appears unlikely that the 11-time champion will be interested in Cleveland's rebuilding project, as Bob Finnan of the News-Herald writes. Finnan has plenty of other details on the team's search to replace Byron Scott on the bench though, so let's dive in and check out the highlights….

One prominent agent told Finnan that the Cavs have a "fixation" on Mike Brown. According to Finnan, Danny Ferry and the Hawks could have interest in Brown if they let go of Larry Drew, so Cleveland is hoping to move quickly on the former Lakers coach.
In addition to contacting Jackson, the Cavs may have also reached out to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who isn't interested, says Finnan.
Nate McMillan, who is rumored to be in the mix for the Pistons' opening, doesn't appear to be high on the Cavs' list. Finnan notes that it may be because McMillan is too similar to Scott.
The Cavs haven't inquired on Flip Saunders, who is open to a return to the NBA.

Nate McMillan Front-Runner To Coach Pistons?

April 22nd, 2013 at 7:53pm CST by Chuck Myron

7:53pm: McMillan also tells The Plain Dealer that the Cavs have not spoken to him about their opening.

7:35pm: McMillan tells Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune that neither he nor agent Lonnie Cooper has had contact with an NBA team about its coaching position (Twitter link).

6:55pm: Sources tell Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News that Nate McMillan has emerged as the frontrunner for the Pistons head coaching vacancy. The Pistons are seeking a proven coach, and it seems McMillan, whose record in 478-452 with the Blazers and Sonics, fits the bill for them. Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News heard last week that McMillan was a potential candidate.

McMillan has apparently expressed interest in the Cavs head coaching job as well, and he's been expected to interview for the Sixers opening. McMillan said in March that he's "definitely looking to get back into coaching" and expressed interest in coaching the Kings if they moved to Seattle and parted ways with Keith Smart. McMillan's name came up when the Nets and Lakers changed coaches in the middle of this past season. He interviewed with the Bobcats last summer.

The 48-year-old former point guard last coached in the NBA with the Blazers, who fired him at the trade deadline in March 2012. He's coached parts of 12 seasons in the NBA, but has only once taken a team past the first round of the playoffs, with the Sonics in 2004/05. He was an assistant coach on Team USA's Olympic squads in 2008 and 2012, both of which won gold medals.

Cavs Rumors: Brown, Gilbert, Assistants

April 21st, 2013 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

A majority of Hoops Rumors readers don't believe Phil Jackson will consider coaching the Cavs, even though a source tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that Jackson would "absolutely" listen if the team called. While the Zen Master is far and away the biggest name associated with the team's search, there are plenty of other candidates, and there's news on several of them this morning:

The team has had informal conversations with former coach Mike Brown about a reunion, writes Bob Finnan of The News-Herald, who passes along a report from WKYC-TV in Cleveland that Brown and owner Dan Gilbert will meet Sunday.
A source tells Finnan that Brown would be the top choice for the Hawks if they decide to make a coaching change. That's no surprise, given the ties between Brown and Atlanta GM Danny Ferry.
The Cavs aren't expected to discuss the opening with any college coaches, and the hiring process will move swiftly, according to Finnan.
Finnan adds Melvin Hunt of the Nuggets and Michael Curry of the Sixers to the list of assistant coaches who may receive interviews, which already included Michael Malone (Warriors), Brian Shaw (Pacers) and David Fizdale (Heat).
The Cavs will indeed interview Shaw, just as they did when they hired Byron Scott in 2010, reports Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer.
Flip Saunders, Nate McMillan and Avery Johnson have all either directly or indirectly expressed interest in the position, Pluto also writes.
The Cavs have a chance to make an impression on Kyrie Irving with their coaching hire, so that means much is riding on the team's decision, opines fellow Plain Dealer scribe Bud Shaw.