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Odds & Ends: Grizzlies, Gelabale, Van Gundy

January 13th, 2013 at 9:34pm CST by Zachary Links

There has been lots of trade talk surrounding the Grizzlies, particularly small forward Rudy Gay, but Jeff Caplan of NBA.com opines that this team deserves the opportunity to stay together and make a run at the title in 2013.  Power forward Zach Randolph agrees with that sentiment.  "That’s what happens when you get new owners," said Randolph. "Mr. [Michael] Heisley (the Grizzlies’ previous owner), he had a vision of keeping us all together. He took care of all of us to build a team and try to win a championship. Now the new owner probably wants to do something different. But it’s a business."  Here's more from around the league…

  • Spanish team Valencia Basket announced that they have granted Mickael Gelabale permission to travel to the U.S. to negotiate a deal in the NBA, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.  The forward has an NBA out in his contract with Valencia to exercise by end of January.  If Gelabale doesn't find an agreement in NBA, he will return to Spain to finish out the season with Valencia.
  • Former Magic coach Stan Van Gundy spoke to Chris Mannix of NBC Sports (on Twitter) about why he wouldn't be interested in the Nets' head coaching job.  "I just don't think that's a place [my family] would relocate to at this point," Van Gundy explained.
  • Van Gundy also expressed a similar opinion to Caplan and said that he didn't understand why the Grizzlies would move Gay right when they are accomplishing the kind of success that they've been building for (Twitter link).
  • Derek Page of HoopsWorld checked in with Rockets rookie Terrence Jones and wonders if he is NBA ready at this stage.  Jones has been shuttled between Houston and the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers this season.
  • The D-League's influence is growing bigger and bigger every year, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.  Nearly 30% of the NBA's current players have had D-League experience.  This season, a record 49 NBA players have been assigned a record 100 times to the D-League.  For a full list of this year's assignments and recalls, check out our handy running post.
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Pacific Notes: Jamison, Petrie, Stan Van Gundy

December 29th, 2012 at 10:00pm CST by Ryan Raroque
After a turbulent start to their season, the Lakers have won six of their last seven games as they look to climb back into the Western Conference playoff picture. For most, the recent hot streak could only have brightened the mood for the organization and their fans alike. Antawn Jamison, however, doesn't seem to share the same change in sentiment. Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times delves into the puzzling situation that the 15th-year veteran has found himself in, going from nearly 30 minutes per game to not being in the rotation at all. Here are more Pacific Division notes: 
  • Sam Amick of USA Today writes that some people close to both Kings GM Geoff Petrie and the Maloof brothers do not think that Petrie's 19-year run with the organization will extend beyond this season. Going further, Amick also writes about how the unilateral decision by ownership to reinstate DeMarcus Cousins went against the wishes of the front office, and that Petrie was not part of the reinstatement process.   
  • Stan Van Gundy says that Dwight Howard has not "looked himself" this season, specifically noting the lack of explosiveness and quickness that he had shown before, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times. However, the former Magic head coach believes that Howard is more than capable of adjusting to his situation and insists that the two are in good standing with each other.
  • Pau Gasol has seemingly found his rhythm within Mike D'Antoni's offense, and the addition of a potent three-point shot has certainly helped expedite that process, writes Janis Carr of the Orange County Register.  
  • Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times believes that the Clippers and their 16-game winning streak face a tough test ahead of them, with four of the next five games against above .500 opponents.
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Eastern Notes: Cousins, Nets, Hibbert

December 29th, 2012 at 5:22pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pistons reportedly have plenty of interest in DeMarcus Cousins, but Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News believes GM Joe Dumars has cooled on Cousins as Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond have developed (Twitter link). In another tweet, Goodwill asserts that Detroit won't be dealing any picks and thinks that the Celtics could offer Rajon Rondo in what would be the most attractive trade package for Sacramento. With that aside, here are a few more links we've gathered up out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

  • Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun believes the Raptors would have to bite if the Kings offered Cousins for Andrea Bargnani, but he's not optimistic Cousins can overcome his volatile personality (Twitter links).
  • Tim Bontemps of the New York Post dissects Mikhail Prokhorov's remarks to reporters on Friday, concluding that the Nets owner is sold on Phil Jackson and would entertain keeping P.J. Carlesimo for the rest of the season if he can't get the Zen Master of Jeff Van Gundy immediately. 
  • Roy Hibbert got off to a disconcerting start this season after signing a four-year deal for the maximum in the offseason, but his play has picked up of late, as HoopsWorld's Joel Brigham chronicles. 
  • Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel believes the Magic, at 12-16, have little chance of landing a high lottery pick, and writes that the team should set its sights on making the playoffs instead. Schmitz also speculates that Stan Van Gundy's next coaching job will be on the West Coast, and doesn't foresee Phil Jackson taking the Nets job.
  • In a Q&A with The Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer, Cavaliers guard Shaun Livingston discusses the career-altering injury he suffered six years ago, being cut by the Rockets, and playing alongside Kyrie Irving. 
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Nets Coaching Search Rumors: Friday

December 28th, 2012 at 9:28pm CST by Luke Adams

While it's been less than 24 hours since the Nets dismissed Avery Johnson, plenty of rumors are already swirling about how the team will replace its head coach. For now, P.J. Carlesimo has the interim job, but the Nets are reportedly expected to launch a "broad" search that will begin in earnest in the new year. Yesterday, multiple reports suggested that Phil Jackson was the Nets' number one choice, though TNT's David Aldridge said the club didn't necessarily have a top target. In any case, it seems Jackson is very much on Brooklyn's radar. Here are Friday's updates on the NBA's second head coaching search of the season, with any new items added to the top throughout the day:

  • We've heard already tonight that Jeff Van Gundy is unwilling to coach the Nets this season, and now Ric Bucher of 95.7 Game, appearing on the NBC Sports Network, said Phil Jackson won't coach the team this year either, no matter how much money owner Mikhail Prokhorov is prepared to offer. Jackson instead prefers to wait until the end of the season, like Van Gundy. Bucher identified Van Gundy and Mike Dunleavy as the Brooklyn's next favorite choices, but notes that Brooklyn would much prefer Jackson. 
Earlier updates:
  • Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, speaking at a press conference, said, "Now P.J. (Carlesimo) is the head coach and if it becomes necessary, you know who the usual suspects are," as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com tweets. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News rounds up Prokhorov's open remarks via Sulia.
  • Prokhorov said he backs Carlesimo. and refused to talk about Phil Jackson, Bondy tweets. The owner wouldn't answer questions about other candidates, either, reports Howard Beck of the New York Times (Twitter link). Prokhorov said he liked Johnson, but that the results weren't acceptable, according to Newsday's Rod Boone (Twitter link).
  • Prokhorov said he made the decision to fire Johnson last week, Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record notes via Twitter.
  • Deron Williams yesterday expressed surprise at Johnson's firing, and had more on his support for his deposed boss today, as Tim Bontemps of the New York Post documents. "Nobody asked me what they should have done with Avery, because if they’d asked me I would have said he needs to be our coach," Williams said.
  • Jeff Van Gundy has interest in coaching the Nets, but he doesn't want to interview as long as interim coach P.J. Carlesimo is on board, as we passed along earlier.
  • While the Nets are expected to take their time with their coaching search, "the Jackson aspect of the equation has the potential to move quickly in one direction or another," says Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
  • Nets officials will begin meeting with owner Mikhail Prokhorov over the next couple days to identify candidates and set parameters for the search, according to Berger. No candidates will be contacted until Prokhorov is "formally looped in" to the process.
  • Industry sources believe that Jeff Van Gundy is getting closer to considering a return to coaching, and the Nets are more interested in the former Knicks coach than his brother Stan Van Gundy, according to Berger.
  • Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported today that Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson is a "significant" candidate for the Nets' opening. However, the Nets have yet to contact the Rockets to ask permission to speak to Sampson, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Still, if there's mutual interest between Brooklyn and Sampson, the Rockets won't stand in his way, according to Berger (Twitter link).
  • Appearing on Sirius XM Radio today, Mike Dunleavy, who is from Brooklyn, said that coaching the Nets would be a "dream come true" (Twitter link).
  • In addition to Jackson, the Nets' list of potential targets includes Mike Dunleavy, Jeff Van Gundy, Nate McMillan, and Jerry Sloan, according to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard. Sloan, who Broussard calls a long shot, declined to comment on the Nets or Deron Williams, but said he'd be opening to coaching in the NBA again (Twitterlinks).
  • A source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that the Nets' job would definitely interest Jackson and that it's something he figures to explore. Jackson's rep, Todd Musburger, said yesterday that his client didn't have interest in the position "at this time," but Berger says that statement should be taken quite literally — just because he wasn't interested immediately doesn't mean that Jackson wouldn't be intrigued after doing his due diligence on the franchise.
  • Jackson would prefer to run a franchise from a front-office position and mentor a younger head coach, rather than coach himself, according to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link), though he doesn't rule out the Zen Master for the position. Bucher also adds Mike Dunleavy's name to the mix as a potential candidate.
  • Sam Amick of USA Today reiterates that the Nets' coaching search is expected to be "wide-ranging."

 

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Nets Coaching Search Rumors: Thursday

December 27th, 2012 at 9:42pm CST by Luke Adams

While many have already been labeling Deron Williams as a "coach killer," the Nets' decision to fire Avery Johnson today wasn't on D-Will, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). SI.com's Chris Mannix agrees, noting (via Twitter) that no Nets players, including Williams, were consulted before the decision was made. No matter who was behind the move, the Nets are in the market for a new coach, with P.J. Carlesimo taking over in the interim. We'll round up today's rumblings about the search right here, with the latest updates at the top….

Earlier updates:

  • Phil Jackson's representative, Todd Musburger, tells TNT's David Aldridge in a text that Jackson currently has "no interest" in the Nets' job (Twitter link).
  • Nate McMillan isn't on the Nets' radar right now, according to Mannix (via Twitter).
  • Johnson had "badly wanted" a contract extension from the Nets, and was surprised when the team engaged in talks with GM Billy King before talking about a new deal for the coach, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
  • Brooklyn isn't expected to begin its coaching search in earnest until the new year, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).
  • The Nets are launching a "broad" search that will include a call to Phil Jackson, among others, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein. However, TNT's David Aldridge points out (via Twitter) that nothing seems to have changed regarding Jackson's desire to gain organizational control in any job he accepts.
  • Talks with the Lakers got Jackson thinking about coaching again, so he'd at least listen if and when the Nets call, says Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).
  • According to Aldridge (Twitter link), the Nets have yet to contact Nate McMillan or Brian Shaw, but that doesn't mean they won't do so eventually.
  • McMillan, David Blatt, and both Van Gundys (Stan and Jeff) are candidates Ken Berger of CBSSports.com thinks the Nets may consider in their search. However, "the answer to whether the Nets will consider [John] Calipari is an unequivocal no," according to Berger.
  • In an email to Mannix at SI.com (Twitter link), Stan Van Gundy reiterated something we heard earlier today, writing that he has "no interest at all" in the Nets' job.
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Reactions To Nets’ Firing Of Avery Johnson

December 27th, 2012 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets fired Avery Johnson earlier today, after the Nets had won just three of their last 13 games. With home games against the Bobcats and Cavaliers up next on the schedule, interim coach P.J. Carlesimo will have the opportunity to turn things around immediately. However, not everyone believes firing Johnson was the right call, and it remains to be soon who the next permanent coach will be in Brooklyn. Here are a few reactions and follow-up items in the wake of Johnson's dismissal:

  • In musing about whether the Nets could make a run at Phil Jackson, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports notes (via Twitter) that management doesn't believe the Triangle offense fits the current roster.
  • Johnson's firing caught some members of the Nets organization off guard, and was clearly a decision made by owner Mikhail Prokhorov, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. On the other hand, Wojnarowski tweets that it was GM Billy King who made the final decision.
  • According to one Nets player, there was no indication after last night's loss that this move was coming, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The player tells Bondy he was "blindsided" by the news.
  • RealGM.com's Jarrod Rudolph (Twitter link) believes Stan Van Gundy would be a good fit in Brooklyn, but the ex-Magic coach has no interest in the job, according to Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
  • While Grantland's Zach Lowe says he isn't a big fan of Johnson, he adds that the Nets have unrealistic expectations for this team, which wasn't far off the pace that most pundits predicted (Twitter links).
  • A veteran executive tells TNT's David Aldridge that he thinks the Nets will hire a big-name replacement for Johnson, rather than a young, up-and-coming coach (Twitter link).
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Odds & Ends: Kings, Van Gundy, Howard, Louisville

December 18th, 2012 at 6:54pm CST by Alex Lee

The Kings, currently 7-17, will be a team to watch as the season progresses.  Yesterday, there were some contradictory reports as to whether the team would deal Tyreke Evans, who will be a restricted free agent this offseason.  Earlier this month, we heard that DeMarcus Cousins, despite his third-year struggles, will not be made available.  Asked about the possibility of the Celtics acquiring Evans and/or Cousins today, CSNNE's A. Sherrod Blakely tweeted that while the talented duo isn't yet available, that will likely change.

Here are some other odds and ends from around the League:

  • Stan Van Gundy talks about his grievances with commissioner David Stern, his disagreements with the Magic front office, and his continued communication with Dwight Howard, among other topics, with Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca on Slate's Hang Up and Listen podcast.
  • Speaking of Howard, the Lakers center will be a free agent next summer. But HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler gave an emphatic "no" when asked on Twitter whether Howard would entertain a return to the Magic.
  • Writing for Forbes, Darren Heitner says that although the idea has initially been met with skepticism, Louisville should be near the top of the list for the next city to get an NBA team.  Using the highly profitable University of Louisville basketball program as an example, Heitner says that Louisville is a "basketball city in a basketball state."
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Stern On Profits, Silver, Expansion, Kings

October 25th, 2012 at 5:41pm CST by Ryan Raroque
Earlier this afternoon, we passed along reports that David Stern had set an official date for his retirement. There were several other topics that the NBA Commissioner spoke on during a teleconference today, and here are some of the highlights (mostly in the form of Twitter links):   
  • The league is doing very well financially, as Stern specifically mentioned that an 86% renewal of last year's season ticketholder subscriptions as well as record sponsorships are among the significant sources of profit.
  • Between now and April, the NBA's Board of Governors will work on the terms of Adam Silver's agreement to become the next commissioner. 
  • Stern used the words "extreme importance" to describe his focus on continued international expansion. It should be noted that the league recently opened offices in Brazil and Mumbai. 
  • He urged the city of Sacramento to continue their support of the Kings and then hope for the best. Stern had separately stated that a new arena would be needed in order for the team to remain in Sacramento for the long-term. He also mentions that the league owners will discuss whether or not expanding the association beyond 30 teams should be considered, which could present a scenario in which Seattle would not have to purchase the Kings in order to own an NBA franchise (according to Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee).  
  • Stern denied any involvement in preventing Stan Van Gundy from becoming an analyst for ESPN. 
  • He endorsed the system used to facilitate the Dwight Howard trade, calling it a "pretty good system."
  • The number of years for contracts signed by free agents has been decreasing, which the Board believes will improve competition. 
  • The Grizzlies are expected to yield "much improved financial results" under their new ownership. 
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Odds & Ends: Van Gundy, Magic, Valanciunas

October 10th, 2012 at 10:37pm CST by Chuck Myron

Former Magic coach Stan Van Gundy is upset that ESPN is denying that they had an agreement for him to join the network's broadcasting team this year, he told Dan LeBatard on 790 The Ticket radio in Miami, as Jason McIntyre of Big Lead Sports observes. Van Gundy claims ESPN pulled the offer, and sources told McIntyre that the network did so at the behest of commissioner David Stern, with whom Van Gundy has feuded in the past. Van Gundy's shadow, not to mention Dwight Howard's, still looms over Orlando, and there's more on the Magic and news from around the league on a six-game preseason night.

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Jameer Nelson Talks Smith, Van Gundy, Howard

September 28th, 2012 at 9:31am CST by Luke Adams

Most of the Magic's offseason moves, most notably August's Dwight Howard blockbuster, indicated that the team was entering a full-on rebuilding process. However, one transaction that didn't seem to align with that approach was the team's re-signing of veteran point guard Jameer Nelson to a three-year deal that could pay him more than $25MM. Nelson will be one of the few core veteran players on a roster otherwise dominated by guys on rookie deals or bad contracts. He recently appeared on WYGM in Orlando to discuss his new role with the Magic, and Sports Radio Interviews transcribed a few of the highlights. Let's check them out….

On whether he approved of the team letting go of GM Otis Smith and head coach Stan Van Gundy:

"I’ve never said this publicly, but no, I wasn’t in favor of it. But I understand it’s a business. I had talks with Otis and Stan prior to the situation and after, so that tells you my relationship with those guys…. I just know that they put me in a great situation, being my coach and being my GM, and giving me opportunities…. But I also know that sometimes you need change and it’s not my decision to make the changes."

On his decision to re-sign with the Magic despite the looming front office and roster overhaul:

"The thing was, you have to make a business decision for yourself and your family when you’re dealing with any business…. After that, the thing I had to think about was, what’s my business going to be and where do I want to have my business? And I wouldn’t want to have it anywhere else but Orlando. I love the fans and the fans love me. They’ve definitely embraced myself and my family…. We feel like this is our home now."

On Howard being traded to the Lakers:

"He wanted a change and that’s what he got. My job, for Dwight and to Dwight, is to be a friend. I told him I was happy for him. I was happy for him to be able to move on with his career and I wished him best of luck and hoped he got his recovery and his rehab and everything went well…. We’d been together for X amount of years and it’s tough to see guys go, but like I said earlier, it’s always that business side of things."

On whether he and Howard had a falling out during Dwight's last days in Orlando:

“No. My agent actually told me that he read something saying that me and Dwight almost got into a fight and I just laughed it off. We’re grown men and anytime you’re competing, you’re going to have disagreements. That’s happened numerous amount of times and not just last year…. Everything and anything was just kind of taken out of proportion. And also we were watched closely. We never got into a scuffle, never got into a bad situation and we still remain friends to this day.”

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