Sonia Raman Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Ingram, Grizzlies, Barnes, Spurs

July 8th, 2024 at 5:17pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks were considered a possible trade suitor for Brandon Ingram this offseason, but they ended up not having much interest in giving the forward his next contract or surrendering either Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu in a trade with the Pelicans, league sources tell William Guillory of The Athletic.

As a result, the Pelicans and Hawks instead made a deal involving Dejounte Murray that didn’t include Ingram or either of Atlanta’ centers. Now it’s unclear whether New Orleans will be able to find a trade partner for Ingram, who will be on an expiring contract in 2024/25.

According to Guillory, both the Pelicans and Ingram would prefer not to go into training camp without an extension, since it may become a distraction. That could mean New Orleans will be looking to complete a trade by late September, but it also doesn’t sound like a new contract for the former All-Star is out of the question. Guillory cites “some optimism within the building” that Ingram and the Pelicans could work out an extension below the max that leaves both sides happy.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

The Grizzlies have officially announced Taylor Jenkins‘ new-look coaching staff for the 2024/25 season (Twitter link). Anthony Carter and Patrick St. Andrews are the only returning assistants, though one newcomer (Jason March) had been coaching the Memphis Hustle, while another (Erik Schmidt) was the Grizzlies’ head video coordinator. Joe Boylan (formerly of the Timberwolves), Patrick Mutombo (from the Bucks), Tuomas Iisalo (Paris Basketball), and Noah LaRoche are the other additions. Former assistants Blake Ahearn, Brad Jones, Scoonie Penn, Sonia Raman, and Vitaly Potapenko have all been replaced, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
LJ Ellis of SpursTalk shares his thoughts on the Spurs‘ impending acquisition of Harrison Barnes, explains why he likes the fit and why he expects the veteran forward to be a starter in San Antonio. As Ellis notes, more minor roster moves will be necessary to open up enough cap room to accommodate Barnes’ incoming salary, so he’s reluctant to give his final assessment of the deal until it’s clear what those moves will be.
As Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News points out (via Twitter), the Spurs wouldn’t have been in position to add both Barnes and Chris Paul if they had kept the No. 8 overall pick in the draft, which carried a cap hit of $6.26MM.

Grizzlies Hire Sonia Raman As Assistant Coach

September 11th, 2020 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have added a new assistant coach to Taylor Jenkins‘ staff, announcing today in a press release that they’ve hired Sonia Raman, MIT’s longtime women’s basketball head coach.

“We are beyond excited to welcome Sonia to the Memphis Grizzlies,” Jenkins said in a statement. “She has a high basketball IQ and a tremendous ability to teach the game, as well as a strong passion for the game. She is going to be a great addition to our current coaching staff.”

Raman, who spent 12 years running the woman’s basketball program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led the team to its first-ever NEWMAC championships in 2018 and 2019, as well as a pair of NCAA tournament berths. She’ll take the spot on the Grizzlies staff vacated by Niele Ivey, who left this spring to become the new women’s basketball head coach at Notre Dame.

According to former Grizzlies executive John Hollinger, sources told The Athletic that Raman “blew away” the Grizzlies during the interview process with her “Xs and O’s knowledge and personal skills.” She joins a group of assistants that also includes Brad Jones, Neven Spahija, Vitaly Potapenko, David McClure, and Scoonie Penn.