Quin Snyder Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Ime Udoka Among Candidates For Hawks’ Coaching Vacancy

February 22nd, 2023 at 8:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks are considering Ime Udoka as a potential replacement for Nate McMillan, sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link).

Rumors swirled about several prominent coaches after McMillan’s dismissal was announced Tuesday, but this is the first time we’ve heard Udoka as a possibility. Stein notes that Atlanta officials have only acknowledged former Jazz coach Quin Snyder as a candidate, but adds that he’s heard Bucks assistant Charles Lee mentioned frequently among his sources.

Udoka parted ways with the Celtics last week after the organization removed the interim tag from Joe Mazzulla, according to Brian Robb of MassLive. Udoka had been under suspension since September for having an affair with a staff member.

The 45-year-old could be one of the most sought-after names on the coaching market when the season ends, so Atlanta has the chance to lock him down before any other teams make coaching changes. In his only year as a head coach, Udoka took the Celtics to the NBA Finals last season.

Udoka was briefly considered the favorite to replace Steve Nash when he reached a mutual agreement with the Nets to step down in November, but protests regarding Udoka’s conduct in Boston convinced Brooklyn to move in a different direction and give the job to Jacque Vaughn. We’ll have to see if a similar situation arises involving the Hawks or any other franchise that may consider hiring Udoka.

In addition to the names mentioned above, Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez, Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson, and South Bay Lakers coach Miles Simon are considered to be candidates in Atlanta’s coaching search. Interim head coach Joe Prunty will lead the team when it resumes its season on Friday.

Hawks’ Fields Discusses McMillan’s Dismissal, Coaching Search

February 22nd, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Addressing reporters in a press conference a day after dismissing head coach Nate McMillan, Hawks general manager Landry Fields framed the decision as a difficult but necessary one, per Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

According to Fields, the possibility of a coaching change had been on his radar for “the last month or so,” and he finalized the decision to make the move over the All-Star break after the Hawks closed the first half with losses to Charlotte and New York.

Asked about reports that McMillan considered resigning earlier in the season, Fields said that the Hawks’ coach never expressed that desire to him.

Fields also stated that Atlanta has already begun speaking to potential candidates to replace McMillan on a permanent basis, confirming that Quin Snyder is among the options the team will consider (Snyder was identified by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski as a leading candidate). The Hawks’ general manager declined to confirm any other names on Atlanta’s list of possible targets, explaining that he didn’t want to discuss anyone who’s under contract with another club.

Here are a few more highlights from Fields’ Wednesday presser, as relayed by Williams:

On whether Trae Young or any other Hawks players had input in the decision to dismiss McMillan:

“They did not have any role in this decision. I would not ever go to players on something like this. This was solely my decision at the end of the day. As far as a new candidate, to me our objectives and our values are clear. And the players fall in line with those, as well. So (I) don’t necessarily need their feedback on who that will be.”

On whether McMillan’s relationship with Young was part of the reason for his ouster:

“No, I think that at the end of the day, it came down to how all players were responding to his voice, and I just didn’t see it. I didn’t see the trajectory going anywhere that was going to be beneficial for us.”

On what qualities the Hawks are looking for in their next permanent head coach:

“Well, it always starts with a shared vision. And I always simplify that as being a championship-caliber franchise. And that’s not just with our goals, that’s our day-in-and-day-out approach.

“Character is something that is going to be high on our list, and I think it’s a big broad word but for us, having a great degree of emotional intelligence being able to connect not just with staff members, but also with players, is gonna be high on the list. Somebody that is able and willing to hold the line, accountability is huge for us. And then at the end of the day has a strong emphasis on development. That is something that we will be making sure is part of our priorities here with Atlanta. So, those would be some to start.”

On his expectations for the Hawks going forward:

“I believe we can get a lot better. I think that this is a very talented roster. And looking at our record, like it’s not acceptable with what I believe this roster can be. So that’s why we’re trying to make a change and level up.”

Hawks Dismiss Head Coach Nate McMillan

February 21st, 2023 at 5:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

5:01pm: The Hawks have issued a press release, confirming McMillan’s dismissal as well as Prunty’s promotion to interim head coach.

“I would like to thank Nate for his leadership and professionalism during his time with the Hawks. He is truly a class act, and we appreciate the graciousness and work ethic he brought with him every day,” Hawks GM Landry Fields said. “Decisions like these, especially in-season, are always extremely difficult, but we believe it’s in the best interest of our team to move forward with another voice leading the way.”

4:24pm: The Hawks have fired head coach Nate McMillan, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

Atlanta is one of the league’s most disappointing teams. The Hawks currently rank eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 29-30 record.

Assistant Joe Prunty will be the interim coach, but the franchise is looking at some bigger names to become the permanent head coach, according to Wojnarowski.

Former Jazz coach Quin Snyder tops the list of candidates with Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson also on the Hawks’ radar (Twitter links). The team will conduct a wide-ranging search, which will begin immediately.

The Hawks have one of the league’s top point guards in Trae Young and made a blockbuster trade to acquire Dejounte Murray from San Antonio as his backcourt partner. Yet, they have floundered around the .500 mark for much of the season.

McMillan was named the club’s interim coach in March 2021 in place of Lloyd Pierce. Atlanta made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals, prompting the Hawks to remove the interim tag and give him a four-year contract in July 2021.

The Hawks finished the regular season at 43-39 and lost in the first round of the playoffs last spring. A report surfaced last month that stated McMillan was unlikely to remain the head coach beyond this season.

Young has had disagreements with McMillan, although their relationship has reportedly been smoother since an incident that was highly publicized in early December. McMillan had reportedly considered resigning this season, but team officials were able to talk him out of it.

Prunty was the Bucks’ interim head coach during the 2017/18 season and finished with a 21-16 record. Milwaukee lost to Boston in the opening round of the playoffs that season.

Prunty has been an assistant on eight NBA teams. He spent a season with Phoenix and wasn’t in the league for two years before joining the Atlanta staff prior to last season.

Nets Notes: Irving, Simmons, Tsai, Udoka, Snyder

November 4th, 2022 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

Neither Kyrie Irving nor Ben Simmons will be available for the Nets this weekend, as Irving begins to serve a suspension levied against him by the team and Simmons remains sidelined due to a knee issue. Still, while Irving has disappointed the franchise off the court and Simmons hasn’t looked like his old self on the court, a trade involving either player is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on the most recent episode of his Lowe Post podcast that Irving is essentially “radioactive” as a potential trade candidate (hat tip to RealGM): “Even if you drop the price to nothing, the baggage is just too much.”

As for Simmons, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports stated on his own podcast – Please Don’t Aggregate This – that he doesn’t believe the former No. 1 overall pick has any trade value either.

“I was talking to the team who has designs to rebuild Monday night when I was at Barclays Center,” Fischer said, per HoopsHype. “And like I asked that question, and I was told pretty point blank that they would have been interested in him before the season started and seven or eight games later now that interest has dissipated.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Addressing the apology to the Jewish community that Irving posted on Instagram late last night, Nets general manager Sean Marks said today that it was “a step” in the right direction, but that he still wants to have Irving meet with the team and Jewish leaders before being reinstated, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter links). Marks added that Brooklyn has not considered waiving Irving.
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt also referred to Irving’s apology as an “encouraging step,” but said the ADL still isn’t accepting Irving’s donation, as he first announced on Thursday (Twitter links).
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Friday during an appearance on Get Up (video link) that Nets owner Joe Tsai had initially hoped Irving’s misstep could be a “teachable moment,” without any significant team discipline required, while Nets management and the NBA had pushed Tsai to be more punitive. Following Irving’s repeated refusal to apologize or to clarify that he isn’t antisemitic, Tsai realized a more serious step was necessary.
Although Marks has denied that any decisions have been made about the Nets’ next head coach, the team is believed to be in the final stages of negotiations with Ime Udoka, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who notes that Marks and Udoka have the same representatives at CAA and says he expects those talks to conclude in the coming days. Despite Quin Snyder being considered a potential target for Brooklyn following Steve Nash‘s exit, the team had no substantial contact with Snyder to gauge his interest in the job, sources tell Fischer.
In a roundtable for The Athletic, Alex Schiffer, Jay King, and Jared Weiss discuss why the Nets would hire Udoka following his ugly exit from Boston. Meanwhile, Ian O’Connor of The New York Post argues that rushing into a deal with Udoka will be Brooklyn’s latest losing bet.

Steve Nash Out As Nets’ Coach

November 1st, 2022 at 11:56am CST by Arthur Hill

The embattled Nets have decided to make a coaching change after their 2-5 start. Steve Nash is being replaced as head coach, with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania of The Athletic reporting that Nash and the team have agreed to part ways (Twitter links).

“We want to thank Steve for everything he brought to our franchise over the past two-plus seasons,” general manager Sean Marks said in a press release announcing the move. “Since becoming head coach, Steve was faced with a number of unprecedented challenges, and we are sincerely grateful for his leadership, patience and humility throughout his tenure. Personally, this was an immensely difficult decision; however, after much deliberation and evaluation of how the season has begun, we agreed that a change is necessary at this time. We wish Steve, Lilla and their family all the best in the future.”

Assistant coach Jacque Vaughn will take over as acting head coach for tonight’s game against the Bulls, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Vaughn also served as the team’s interim coach when Kenny Atkinson was fired in 2020, and he was widely considered to be the favorite to become the permanent head coach before the team opted for Nash.

The Nets are expected to consider suspended Celtics head coach Ime Udoka and former Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). He adds that Boston is willing to part with Udoka if he receives an offer. Brooklyn’s front office has “quietly done due diligence” on the circumstances that led to Udoka’s suspension, reports Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).

[UPDATE: Nets Plan To Hire Ime Udoka As Head Coach]

Nash’s status became an issue this summer amid Kevin Durant‘s trade request. In a meeting with team owner Joe Tsai to try to resolve their differences, Durant reportedly expressed a lack of confidence in Nash and Marks and asked for them both to be dismissed.

Nash attempted to smooth things over with Durant and told reporters at media day that their relationship was solid. However, the team’s slow start led to a growing realization that some type of change had to be made, and management decided to start with the head coach.

Nash tweeted out a statement thanking Tsai and Marks for the chance to coach the team and called it “an amazing experience with many challenges that I’m incredibly grateful for.”

“It was a pleasure to work with the performance team, front office and players everyday,” Nash wrote. “I’m especially grateful to my coaching staff and video room who are a talented group with so much character and professionalism.”

Nash compiled a 94-67 record in two-plus seasons with Brooklyn, but he was only able to win one playoff series. The Nets were swept out of the playoffs by the Celtics in the first round last season.

Northwest Notes: Markkanen, Mitchell, Ainge, Snyder, Adelman

September 17th, 2022 at 11:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

Lauri Markkanen reached the 30-point mark in three of Finland’s seven games at EuroBasket, leading the country’s national team to the quarterfinals. Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, who traded for Markkanen, was paying close attention, according to Ryan McDonald of the Deseret News. “He’s really coming into his own,” Ainge said. “We’re seeing things in him, grabbing rebounds and going coast-to-coast with the dribble. Those are things you haven’t really seen out of Lauri yet, and so we’re excited about his future.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Donovan Mitchell took exception to Ainge’s recent observation that the Jazz‘s former core group “really didn’t believe in each other,” pushing back on that claim during an interview with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “I don’t think we didn’t believe [in each other],” Mitchell said. “I said at the end of the season, ‘Don’t trade [Rudy Gobert]. Let’s figure this out, let’s do.’ And that didn’t happen. For him to say that after six months around the team, I disagree. But you know, at the end of the day, that’s his decision.”
Mitchell offered high praise for former Jazz head coach Quin Snyder and expects him to get another head coaching job, he said on a podcast with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (hat tip to McDonald). “Losing a guy like Quin as the leader, as our coach, that was big for me, just not knowing what to expect next and how to go about it into training camp and whatnot,” Mitchell said. “That was tough, but I always loved Quin. I appreciated Quin. Quin’s going to get another job wherever. He’s going to do an amazing job, but ultimately he needed a break.”
Nuggets assistant coach David Adelman has agreed to a two-year extension, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Adelman is Michael Malone’s lead assistant and served as acting head coach when Malone had COVID last season. He has spent the past five seasons in Denver.

Northwest Notes: Gobert, Mitchell, Billups, Nurkic

September 3rd, 2022 at 8:36am CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly realizes it was a risk dealing so many draft picks and rotation players for Rudy Gobert but felt the club needed another impact player to get to the next level, he told Michael Rand of the Minneapolis Star Tribune on a podcast.

“We’re trying to redefine how the league views us,” Connelly said. “We knew we gave up a lot, but the hardest thing to find is elite talent and elite ‘happy’ talent is even harder to find.”

However, there will be a transition period. “It won’t be easy or seamless,” Connelly added. “I’m sure there will be some clunky moments initially. But we felt like we took a huge step forward with the acquisition of Rudy.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Donovan Mitchell thanked former Jazz coach Quin Snyder and Utah fans in an Instagram post as he waits for the blockbuster deal with the Cavaliers to become official. “Thank you for the memories and the incredible times… you guys watched me grow up on and off the floor… Coach Quin thank you for giving me the opportunity and trusting me to lead this team for the past 5 years‼️”
Grading the impending deal, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News gives the Jazz a B-plus and the Cavs a B. Todd notes the Jazz accomplished their goal of trying to get younger and to come away with some assets for future use. There’s also the possibility of Mitchell or some of Cleveland’s other stars eventually bolting in free agency, which would make those unprotected picks and pick swaps even more valuable.
Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups is at the EuroBasket tournament in Germany and feels it’s important to show support for his players, such as Bosnia’s Jusuf Nurkic, he told Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops.net. “I love to see guys go play on their national teams,” Billups said. “Because you’re playing the right way. You’re playing with a purpose and obviously because of that experience you’ll be in shape.”

Northwest Notes: Terry, Jazz Coaching Search, Wesley, Daniels, OKC

June 18th, 2022 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jason Terry was among the first candidates to interview for the head coaching vacancy with the Jazz last weekend, and he tells Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson he was happy with the results (Twitter link). Terry says his extensive track record at several levels of basketball should give him an advantage.

“When you talk about mentoring, teaching and player development, I’d like to say my skills speak for themselves,” he said. “I have a vast amount of experience at all levels — college, pro, G League, management, playing obviously 19 years, so with that said alone, I feel like I’m a good man for the job.”

Fifteen potential candidates have been linked to Utah since Quin Snyder stepped down earlier this month. Terry, who interviewed with CEO Danny Ainge and general manager Justin Zanik, said it would be a pleasure to work for such a well-run franchise.

“Their organization has been first class since I’ve known it, for the 19 years I played and after,” Terry said. “I can tell they’re headed in the right direction. They’ve got a great core nucleus of guys and talent that speaks for itself. They’ve been the class of the Western Conference, though they haven’t won a championship yet or been to the NBA Finals. I just think they’re the right voice away.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Kenny Atkinson’s change of heart regarding the Hornets means the Jazz no longer have the advantage of being the only team conducting a coaching search, writes Ryan McDonald of The Deseret News. Terry Stotts, one of the finalists for the job in Charlotte, is also reportedly a candidate in Utah, and McDonald wonders if anyone else the Jazz are considering will emerge as a possibility for the Hornets. He also speculates that owner Michael Jordan could consider hiring Snyder, who has connections to North Carolina.
As one of the best ball-handlers in the draft, Notre Dame guard Blake Wesley could be an option for the Nuggets with the 21st pick, per Ron Gutterman of NBA.com. Wesley also possesses a high basketball IQ and would immediately become one of the best defenders in Denver’s backcourt, Gutterman adds.
In an interview with ESPN Australia (video link), Dyson Daniels says the Thunder were his favorite team and Russell Westbrook was his favorite player when he was younger. Oklahoma City holds the No. 2 and No. 12 picks in Thursday’s lottery, but Daniels is likely to be selected in between that range.
Silvio De Sousa, formerly of Kansas and Tennessee-Chattanooga, had a Thursday workout with the Thunder, tweets Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. Marcus Weathers will work out for OKC on Monday (Twitter link).

Northwest Notes: Gobert, Snyder, Nuggets, Jovic

June 11th, 2022 at 12:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With the Jazz seemingly ready to shake up their roster following yet another underwhelming postseason appearance, All-Star center Rudy Gobert could be made available in a trade. Tony Jones and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic assess the potential fit of Gobert on the Hawks, and what a hypothetical deal could cost Atlanta.

Jones opines that rim-rolling Hawks center Clint Capela has been a great fit with Atlanta. While he may not be at the level of Gobert as an all-around player, he is on a considerably more team-friendly contract. Kirschner notes that Gobert, a four-time All-NBA honoree and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, would be an obvious improvement at the position, and could help a defensively-challenged Hawks club upgrade on that end overall.

The duo discusses their hypothetical framework for a trade package. Multiple deals are posited that include Capela, draft compensation, and either guard Bogdan Bogdanovic or promising young forward De’Andre Hunter. On the Hawks side, Danilo Gallinari and John Collins are also considered as potential alternate trade candidates.

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

Jazz head coach Quin Snyder kicked off a potential summer of upheaval for Utah when he opted to leave the club he had coached for eight seasons earlier this week. Eric Walden and Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune take a deep dive into Snyder’s departure. Snyder – who oversaw a lot of the team’s development during his tenure, including the design of their practice facility – made a list of pros and cons before ultimately deciding to depart.
After struggling defensively this season, the Nuggets may target players to help shore up their perimeter defense in the draft. Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports identifies seven wing prospects for Denver in the 2022 draft. Mike Singer of the Denver Post also explores five point guard prospects the Nuggets may consider as options behind current reserve point guard Monte Morris, including Kentucky guard TyTy Washington Jr., Overtime Elite guard Jean Montero, and Gonzaga guard Andrew Nembhard.
6’10” wing prospect Nikola Jovic, currently with KK Mega Basket, could be available for the Nuggets when they make their selection in the 2022 draft with the No. 21 pick. After undergoing a Friday workout with Denver, the 19-year-old Serbian NBA prospect discussed the session with the Nuggets and the impact of Denver’s reigning two-time MVP, Serbian legend Nikola Jokic, per Kyle Fredrickson of the Denver Post. “I showed a little bit of everything,” Jovic said. “A little bit of my shot. A little bit of my passing skills. Guard skills. Low-post skills,” Jovic said. “I see myself as a guy who always knows what the coach wants me to do on the court.” Jovic also spoke about Jokic’s impact in their homeland: “For (Jokic) to be the two-time MVP, all the kids now, everybody wants to play basketball. Everyone is up late to watch him.”

Fischer’s Latest: Gobert, Jazz, Bulls, P. Williams, Snyder, Spurs

June 7th, 2022 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

Confirming a pair of earlier reports, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report states that the Jazz haven’t entertained inquiries on Donovan Mitchell, but have been willing to engage in talks involving Rudy Gobert, with the Bulls among the potential suitors for the three-time Defensive Player of the Year.

According to Fischer, a Bulls offer for Gobert would – as expected – start with center Nikola Vucevic. The “popular package” discussed by various league executives would also include Patrick Williams, according to Fischer, who notes that the Jazz have long been seeking a wing defender like the former No. 4 overall pick.

However, as Fischer writes, the Bulls weren’t interested in discussing Williams during in-season trade talks for Jerami Grant, so it remains to be seen how open they’d be to including him in an offer for Gobert. If Williams is off the table, adding Coby White and Javonte Green would work from a salary-matching perspective, Fischer observes, but presumably the Jazz would be seeking a more substantial return for one of their two All-Stars.

Here’s more from Fischer:

The Jazz offered Quin Snyder a variety of contract structures in an effort to keep him in Utah, but those offers were rebuffed, with Snyder deciding it was time to move on. The expectation in league circles is that Snyder – who is highly regarded by Spurs CEO R.C. Buford – would be the leading candidate for the coaching job in San Antonio when Gregg Popovich steps down, says Fischer.
The Jazz are still working on their list of head coaching targets and will begin to formally reach out to candidates in the coming days, according to Fischer. One of the names included in the team’s preliminary list of candidates was Terry Stotts, who has the same representation as Snyder and spent several weeks around the Jazz in 2021/22, Fischer notes.
While there’s some skepticism around the NBA about how much Jazz CEO Danny Ainge will cater to Donovan Mitchell, Ainge isn’t viewed as someone who “scours the market of the NBA’s up-and-coming head coaches,” Fischer writes. In other words, if Mitchell and team owner Ryan Smith both want to bring in former Jazz assistant Johnnie Bryant as Snyder’s replacement, Ainge likely wouldn’t stand in the way, sources tell Fischer.