Stephen Silas Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Blazers Notes: Silas, Crabbe, Draft

May 22nd, 2016 at 3:28pm CST by Will Joseph

The Blazers were granted permission Sunday to talk to Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas about being the top assistant to Portland coach Terry Stotts, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. The Blazers have plenty of competition for Silas’ services. Silas will meet with Golden State coach Steve Kerr Monday in Oklahoma City to discuss the top assistant position with the Warriors. Silas also has a growing candidacy to become the Rockets next head coach.

Here’s more out of Portland:

Allen Crabbe has emerged as one of the most appealing restricted free agents in the league and is sure to receive contract offers exceeding $10MM per year, Haven Kaplan-Miner of RealGM writes. The combination of elite shooting and impressive on-ball defense makes Crabbe stand out, Kaplan-Miner adds. Crabbe’s midrange game, in particular, developed and that opened up the floor for his teammates this year and created the biggest problems for opposing defenses, Kaplan-Miner surmises.
The Blazers need to target a rim protector in the draft and preferably one who can add some scoring, NBA.com’s Scott Howard-Cooper opines (transcribed by John Canzano of The Oregonian). “It’s not about how many points he’ll score for you, but how many points he’ll save for you,” Cooper said, referring to the Blazers’ need for a big man.

Warriors To Interview Stephen Silas

May 22nd, 2016 at 12:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

SUNDAY, 12:26pm: Silas will meet with Golden State coach Steve Kerr Monday in Oklahoma City to discuss the top assistant’s position, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.

FRIDAY, 4:56pm: The Warriors are in need of a replacement for Luke Walton as top assistant and are targeting Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. Golden State requested permission from Charlotte today to discuss the post with Silas, Wojnarowski notes. The team is feeling pressure to ramp up its timetable regarding Silas because of his growing candidacy to become the Rockets next head coach, the scribe adds.

Silas, 43, is the son of longtime NBA coach Paul Silas. He has served as an assistant for the Hornets, Pelicans (prior to the team being re-named), Warriors and Cavaliers, as well as serving a brief stint as an advance scout for the Wizards. He was in Houston for a second interview Thursday and met with team owner Leslie Alexander. If the Rockets hire Silas, they would reportedly like to add former Nets coach Lionel Hollins as his top assistant.

Former NBA head coach Brian Shaw is eyeing the Warriors post should Silas not join the team, Wojnarowski relays. Shaw was reportedly offered the top assistant slot on Walton’s staff in Los Angeles, but the coach prefers the Warriors given that he is a Bay area native, the Vertical scribe writes.

And-Ones: Bender, Anderson, Trimble, Hollins

May 20th, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dragan Bender’s buyout with Maccabi Tel Aviv is just $1.3MM, which shouldn’t be an obstacle for the team that drafts him, reports Jonathan Givony of The Vertical. Bender, who is projected as a top 10 pick, signed a seven-year contract with the team in 2014 that included a clause requiring a buyout that is twice the amount that NBA teams are permitted to offer. That means whoever drafts Bender will pay $650K to Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Bender will contribute the rest out of his rookie contract. Givony called the buyout figure “relatively small” for a player who is expected to be drafted so high.

There’s more news from around the basketball world:

Kings swingman James Anderson wants to leave the NBA and play in Europe, tweets international journalist David Pick. He mentions Barcelona, Real Madrid and Fenerbahce as possible destinations for Anderson, who opted out of his contract with Sacramento on Wednesday.
Maryland point guard Melo Trimble is getting close to a decision on whether to stay in the draft or return to school, writes Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel. Trimble, whose draft stock fell as his production slipped during the latter part of his sophomore season, said he has benefited from the NBA’s new rule allowing underclassmen to pull out of the draft by May 25th if they don’t hire agents. After working out for the Bucks on Wednesday, Trimble said he is “leaning toward” his final decision. “At this workout I really found my confidence, just out there playing, being myself,” he said. “And to see [Bucks coach] Jason Kidd on the sideline was just a morale booster. You want to show what you can do best.”
The Nets stand to save some money if Lionel Hollins becomes an assistant coach with the Rockets, according to NetsDaily (Twitter link). Hollins is being considered as an assistant if the Rockets hire Stephen Silas as their head coach, and whatever Houston pays Hollins would lessen the amount that Brooklyn still owes him.
Nando De Colo, who played two seasons with the Spurs and Raptors, is free to return to the NBA next season, writes Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops. The French star, who led CSKA Moscow to the Euroleague Final, will become a free agent this summer. “We will talk with Nando de Colo after the end of the season,” said team president Andrey Vatutin. “He knows how much we want to keep him in Europe and in Moscow and we will do what we must. Beyond that the point is 100% what he thinks and what feels more like a challenge. The answer to this question belongs to the player.”

Rockets Consider Silas-Hollins Pairing

May 20th, 2016 at 12:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

12:52pm: The Rockets don’t expect to hire a coach this weekend, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. The front office wants to take more time to consider its decision.

11:39am: Stephen Silas is getting serious consideration for the Rockets’ head coaching job, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The Hornets assistant was in Houston for a second interview Thursday and met with team owner Leslie Alexander. If the Rockets hire Silas, they would like to add former Nets coach Lionel Hollins as his top assistant, Feigen reports.

Silas “crushed” his interviews, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, and a Silas-Hollins team is being weighed against a possible pairing of Mike D’Antoni and current Grizzlies assistant Jeff Bzdelik (Twitter link). Raptors assistant Rex Kalamian is a candidate to join the coaching staffs in both Houston and Washington, Wojnarowski adds.

Only 42, Silas already has 16 years of experience as an assistant coach. The son of former NBA player and coach Paul Silas was hired by the Charlotte Hornets in 2000 and has also spent time with the Cavaliers and Warriors. The Rockets have liked Hollins for years and had hoped to add him to Kevin McHale’s staff when Kelvin Sampson left, Feigen tweets, but he was hired in Brooklyn before that could happen.

Latest On Rockets Coaching Search

May 19th, 2016 at 5:25pm CST by Eddie Scarito

5:25pm: D’Antoni is still expected to be the team’s head coach, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Stein adds that Houston interviewed Memphis’ Jeff Bzdelik today, in addition to Silas and Kalamian, and the scribe reports that Houston is eyeing all three as candidates to serve as an associate head coach if D’Antonio is hired (Twitter links).

4:59pm: The team may be interested in Kalamian as a lead assistant if D’Antoni is hired, Stein tweets. Kalamian is close with shooting guard James Harden, Stein adds.

4:48pm: Raptors assistant coach Rex Kalamian also interviewed with the team today regarding its head coaching vacancy, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets.

11:27am: The Rockets are bringing in Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas for a second interview today, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. Silas, who made a strong impression on team officials during his first sit-down, will meet with team owner Leslie Alexander and GM Daryl Morey, the scribe adds. The 43-year-old is the son of longtime NBA coach Paul Silas. He has served as an assistant for the Hornets, Pelicans (prior to the team being re-named), Warriors and Cavaliers, as well as serving a brief stint as an advance scout for the Wizards.

Sixers associate head coach Mike D’Antoni has reportedly emerged as the frontrunner for Houston’s vacant post, and the Rockets may also be exploring the possibility of hiring Silas as D’Antoni’s top assistant, Wojnarowski posits. Due to concerns over D’Antoni’s lack of defensive focus, the franchise is reportedly entertaining the idea of bringing in a strong defensive-minded assistant to aid in that department. D’Antoni has met with representatives from the organization twice, including a sit-down with Alexander. The 65-year-old has an overall record of 455-426 in the regular season as a head coach and was named as the 2004/05 Coach of the Year.

The Rockets have also met with former Suns coach Jeff Hornacek, who is reportedly close to joining the Knicks, former Cavaliers coach David Blatt, Clippers assistant Sam Cassell and Rockets assistant Chris Finch. Former Pacers coach Frank Vogel and Spurs assistant Ettore Messina are also part of the process, with Messina having interviewed with the team last Saturday. Former interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff and former Rockets guard Kenny Smith were also interviewed, but Bickerstaff withdrew from consideration and Smith was told he was no longer a candidate as the Rockets decided to focus on coaches with either head coaching experience or extensive experience as an assistant. Jeff Van Gundy was also mentioned as a candidate, but he and the team never formally spoke about the post.

Rockets To Interview Jeff Hornacek, Stephen Silas

May 5th, 2016 at 9:18pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Rockets have interviews scheduled with former Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek and Hornets assistant coach Stephen Silas for their vacant head coaching position, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Calvin Watkins report (ESPN Now link). The specific dates and times of the meetings are not yet known.

Hornacek was fired by the Suns in February and replaced by Earl Watson, who recently had his interim tag removed and will lead Phoenix next season. The 53-year-old has a career regular season mark of 101-112, including a record of 14-35 in 2015/16. He failed to guide the Suns to the postseason during his tenure with the franchise. Hornacek has also been mentioned as a potential head coaching candidate for the Pacers, Kings, and Lakers.

Silas, 43, is the son of longtime NBA coach Paul Silas. He has served as an assistant for the Hornets, Pelicans (prior to the team being re-named), Warriors and Cavaliers, as well as serving a brief stint as an advance scout for the Wizards.

Houston is also reportedly considering Lionel Hollins, Mike D’Antoni, Kenny Smith, Sam Cassell, David Blatt, and Chris Finch for the vacant post, though, Jeff Van Gundy appears to be the favorite for the job. The Rockets are also said to be intrigued by college coaches Shaka Smart (Texas) and Bill Self (Kansas).

And-Ones: Dunn, Murray, Coaches

April 12th, 2016 at 3:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

Former Providence point guard Kris Dunn has hired Ty Sullivan of the Creative Artists Agency to represent him, as Dunn told Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Sullivan represents Elfrid Payton, among other NBA players. Jamal Murray, Dunn’s primary competition to become the first point guard drafted this year, has hired Mike George of Excel Sports to be his agent, sources told Goodman (Twitter link). International journalist David Pick reported earlier that Excel was the overwhelming favorite to land Murray, the former Kentucky standout. George has recently drafted standouts Tyler Ennis and Dwight Powell among his clients. See more on the representation for some of this year’s draft prospects amid a look at other future-focused NBA items:

Former St. Joseph’s small forward DeAndre’ Bembry has hired Pensack Sports, which has also partnered with former Iowa combo forward and fellow second-round prospect Jarrod Uthoff, Goodman reports (Twitter links). Adam Pensack will represent Uthoff, though it’s unclear who’ll be the primary agent for Bembry. N.C. State point guard Cat Barber is going with Sunny Shah of Paramount Sports (Twitter link) and former Iowa State combo forward Georges Niang will sign with Thad Foucher and Makhtar Ndiaye of Wasserman (Twitter link), Goodman also reports, while Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal hears former Syracuse swingman Michael Gbinije has signed with Rich Kleiman of Roc Nation Sports (Twitter link).
Swingman Josh Jackson, who chose Kansas for his college this week, tops the early look at 2017 draft prospects that Chad Ford of ESPN.com compiled for an Insider-only piece. Incoming Duke power forward Harry Giles is No. 2 and soon-to-be Washington point guard Markelle Fultz is No. 3. Jayson Tatum, a small forward who’s headed to Duke, is No. 1 on Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress 2017 mock draft but No. 4 on Ford’s list.
A panel including GMs, coaches, veteran players, agents, scouts and executives named assistant coaches Nate Tibbetts of the Trail Blazers, Jarron Collins of the Warriors, Nick Nurse of the Raptors, Chris Finch of the Rockets, Stephen Silas of the Hornets and Sean Sweeney of the Bucks as strong candidates to eventually become NBA head coaches, as Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com details.

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.

Eastern Links: Price, Knicks, Hinkie

June 20th, 2013 at 5:51pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Former NBA star Mark Price is in the process of joining Steve Clifford's coaching staff on the Bobcats, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Price – who had previously worked with Clifford on the Magic – figures to be an integral part of helping the team's overall shooting percentages improve. Bonnell adds that Stephen Silas will be retained and Bob Beyer is expected to join the team as another assistant. Here are some more miscellaneous notes out of the Eastern Conference this evening:

Patrick Hayes of the Detroit Free Press identifies what the reasonable expectations are for Kyle Singler, Jonas Jerebko, Khris Middleton, and Kim English going into next season for the Pistons.
Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York relays a list of players who participated in a free agent mini-camp hosted by the Knicks today, which included Keith Gallon, Malcolm Grant, Ricky Harris, Terrence Jennings, Ahmad Nivins, Dustin Salisbery, Tony Taylor Jr., and Brandon Webster.
While some may find it puzzling that the 76ers haven't decided on hiring a coach yet, one source tells Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer says that GM Sam Hinkie has a plan in place and knows what he's doing. Though he could not be reached for comment, Hinkie is expected to address the media on the night of the draft.

Pacific Rumors: Clippers, Paul, Warriors, Kings

June 1st, 2013 at 5:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Mark Jackson, having just completed his second year on the Warriors' bench, is the longest-tenured coach in the Pacific Division. Mike D'Antoni, whom the Lakers hired at midseason, is next, while the division's other three teams are making offseason changes. Jeff Hornacek is the new Suns coach, and Michael Malone is poised to take over the bench in Sacramento. It's unclear who'll lead the Clippers, but there's news on that among the items out of the Pacific this evening:

Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game counts Alvin Gentry and Jeff Van Gundy as the leading candidates for the Clippers coaching job. A source tells Bucher that Nate McMillan and Byron Scott probably won't end up with the gig. The Clippers want a proven head coach, making Brian Shaw another unlikely choice, particularly given his reputation for interviewing poorly (Sulia link).
The idea that Chris Paul didn't have anything to do with Vinny Del Negro's ouster as Clippers coach is preposterous, according to Bucher, who hears that Paul is telling team management who he wouldn't want to have as the next coach, rather than giving them his preferred choices. That way he can retain an air of removal from the team's decisions, as Bucher explains (Sulia link).
Michael Malone, set to become head coach of the Kings, might not be the only Warriors assistant coach headed out of town. Bob Beyer is a candidate to wind up on Malone's staff or with new Bobcats coach Steve Clifford, Bucher reports (Sulia link). The Warriors might not rush to fill those vacancies, Bucher says, but Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer notes that the W's have prior interest in 'Cats assistant Stephen Silas (Twitter link).
With Malone perhaps just the first of many Warriors to make the jump up the road to Sacramento, the new Kings owners are concerned about the perception they're poaching from Golden State, tweets USA Today's Sam Amick. Sacramento principal owner Vivek Ranadive has yet to formally divest himself of his Warriors share.