Tom Thibodeau Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Knicks, Magic, Pacers

February 8th, 2016 at 11:05am CST by Chuck Myron

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg has drawn criticism from his players at times, but his job is safe, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, adding that GM Gar Forman has been acting as though his own job might not be as secure. Forman has been working to distance himself from the team’s shortcomings lately in an effort to polish his resume for his next job, knowing that he wouldn’t win a power struggle with executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson if it came to it, Cowley wrote in an earlier piece. Former coach Tom Thibodeau, who notoriously feuded with management, had more respect for Paxson than Forman, feeling as though Paxson was more up front with him, Cowley hears. Still, both Forman and Paxson appear safe for the time being, Cowley adds. See more from the Eastern Conference:

Thibodeau has long had his heart set on the Knicks head coaching job, a source close to him tells Ian O’Connor of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link), as we passed along amid much more news in the wake of the team’s decision to fire coach Derek Fisher.
Carmelo Anthony has had not one but two MRIs in the past three weeks as his surgically repaired left knee continues to bother him, a team source tells Isola, but Anthony said Sunday that doctors have assured him the lingering soreness is simply part of the recovery process, notes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo‘s 10-day contract with the Knicks and Keith Appling second 10-day deal with the Magic expired overnight, making them free agents. New York can re-sign Antetokounmpo to another 10-day pact, but that’s not the case with Appling. Orlando can’t ink him to any more contracts this season without signing him for the balance of 2015/16.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel has been impressed with lottery pick Myles Turner, who’s tamped down fears over his running style and come a long way from a disappointing season at the University of Texas last year, as Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com examines.

Eastern Notes: Thibodeau, Allen, Durant, Sixers

January 25th, 2016 at 9:28am CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavs would have given strong consideration to hiring Tom Thibodeau if they’d made a coaching change this past summer, a league source told Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com, but now, management has faith in Tyronn Lue, McMenamin writes. They’ve seen him manage to remain loyal to David Blatt while developing relationships of his own with the team’s stars, and they’re confident that Lue will command a level of effort from the team that they believe wasn’t always present under Blatt, McMenamin adds. See more from the Eastern Conference:

The Heat have had a standing offer to Ray Allen since the 2014 offseason, but he remains unmoved and that’s no surprise, given his frustration with the team during the 2013/14 season, his last one in Miami and last to date in the NBA, writes Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald. All of the former teammates and other acquaintances of Allen’s to whom Skolnick has spoken expect him to remain out of the game, though Allen said this past summer that he had no plans to officially retire.
Agents from around the league insist that the Nets are “in the mix” for soon-to-be free agent Kevin Durant, even though they look like long shots, writes Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com. Durant’s free agency, expected to be one of the major storylines of the 2015/16, has largely been a backburner issue in large measure because Durant has spoken little about it and has rarely given any indication that he wants to leave the Thunder.
Meddling from owners who aren’t basketball personnel experts is most damaging when it affects draft decisions, which is why a report that Sixers ownership was worried about how fans would react to Kristaps Porzingis and pushed the team to draft someone else instead is troublesome, contends Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine. Sixers CEO Scott O’Neil says the report isn’t true, however (Twitter link).

Nets Consider Karnisovas, Rosas For GM Job

January 25th, 2016 at 7:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Nuggets assistant GM Arturas Karnisovas and Rockets executive VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas have become serious candidates for the Nets GM vacancy, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. They join Bryan Colangelo and Danny Ferry, whom earlier reports identified as candidates. Karnisovas and Rosas have separated themselves from other candidates, Wojnarowski writes, but the Yahoo scribe also indicates that Colangelo and Ferry remain in “prominent consideration.” Owner Mikhail Prokhorov has so far not shown a willingness to lay out the 10-year, $120MM contract that John Calipari is seeking, according to Wojnarowski.

The Nets want to hire a GM before the February 18th trade deadline, which is three weeks from Thursday, and they plan to begin formal interviews early next month, Wojnarowski hears. Nets officials want a greater emphasis on international scouting, feeling as though the team lacked that under former GM Billy King, as Wojnarowski also reports, detailing the history that Karnisovas and Rosas have with players from overseas.

Karnisovas just signed an extension with Denver, though teams generally don’t stand in the way if someone in the organization seeks a higher-level job elsewhere. Rosas thought that’s what he was doing when he left the Rockets to become Mavericks GM in 2013, but Dallas envisioned him as a clear subordinate to president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, and Rosas resigned just three months into the job. He returned to the Rockets two months after that. Karnisovas has strong relationships with Prokhorov associates, while Rosas is tight with coaches Tom Thibodeau, who’s already reportedly a candidate to become Brooklyn’s next head coach, and Jeff Van Gundy, according to Wojnarowski.

Nets Notes: Thibodeau, Brown, Losses

January 24th, 2016 at 10:27am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Nets own a record of 11-33 this season and although they rank seventh in the Forbes annual NBA team valuations, the team should be considered a failure both on and off the court, Richard Morgan of the New York Post opines. Morgan notes that Brooklyn was the only NBA franchise that didn’t make a profit last season, losing $5.7MM on the year.

Here’s more from Brooklyn:

Tom Thibodeau is likely Brooklyn’s favorite target for its head coaching position next season, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. The Nets reportedly have interest in newly unemployed David Blatt as well.
The Nets have lost 10 out of their last 11 games and effort has been a major reason why the team has gone into this tailspin, Kerber adds in the same piece. “All I can do is keep encouraging them to do it the right way. I am not going to change my approach,” interim coach Tony Brown said after the Nets’ blowout loss to the Jazz on Friday. “Some soul searching needs to be done.”
Brown believes the team’s injuries are partly to blame for the team’s losing streak, George Willis of the New York Post writes. “Not having Jarrett [Jack], not having Rondae [Hollis-Jefferson] impacts the game,” Brown said. “We miss Jarrett. We miss his leadership. We miss his intelligence at the end of games, and his playing-making ability.” Willis argues that Brown should be taking a “next man up” approach instead of making excuses. The scribe also believes the team should look to hire a coach who can restore a winning culture once the season ends.

And-Ones: Williams, Love, McLemore

January 21st, 2016 at 10:35pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Shooting guard Elliot Williams, whom the Grizzlies didn’t sign to a second 10-day contract after his first expired on Sunday, has declined multiple offers from overseas teams as he awaits another NBA team to come calling, international journalist David Pick reports (Twitter link). Williams averaged 1.6 points on 20% shooting in nine minutes per contest across five appearances for Memphis. The Grizzlies instead signed center Ryan Hollins to a 10-day contract today, filling the roster spot Williams had been in.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Bulls are a team in disarray, which is a byproduct of parting ways with former coach Tom Thibodeau, Colin McGowan of RealGM writes. Chicago wanted a coach who was more respectful of the chain of command, and it got that in new coach Fred Hoiberg, but the team has looked sluggish on offense and disinterested in defense far too often this season as a result of the switch, McGowan contends.
Kings shooting guard Ben McLemore‘s playing time has suffered due to the offseason additions of Rajon Rondo and Marco Belinelli, and the third-year player is still trying to adjust to his new role, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes. “I think I’m still trying to find my flow on this team,” McLemore told Jones. “I know what I need to do. I’m just trying to figure it out. Last year I figured it out pretty fast. Now I need to get over this hump and push from there.”
If the Cavaliers are to maximize their potential this season, power forward Kevin Love will need to fully embrace his role as the team’s third star, Kevin Cottrell Jr. of NBA.com writes. Love has struggled with his touches and role being reduced since arriving in Cleveland, something that Chris Bosh, a former teammate of LeBron James, cautioned could become an issue when the trade for Love was first announced, Cottrell notes.
LSU’s Ben Simmons tops the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider subscription required). The combo forward is followed on Ford’s list by Duke’s Brandon Ingram and Croatian big man Dragan Bender, who round out the top three.

Nets Rumors: Johnson, Brown, Thibodeau

January 17th, 2016 at 10:53am CST by Arthur Hill

Free-agent-to-be Joe Johnson has been the closest thing to a bright spot for the Nets, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The veteran forward has been shooting 53% from 3-point range over Brooklyn’s past nine contests and has raised his scoring average from 10.5 points per game to 14.7. It was reported earlier this week that Johnson hasn’t expressed interest in taking a buyout from the Nets, and a salary of nearly $25MM may limit his trade prospects. “I don’t think it’s any different from when it was earlier in the season,” Johnson said. “I’m just playing. Obviously I’m making shots, probably a bit more poised now that I’m not trying to force a shot. I’m just taking what the defense gives me.”

There’s more news out of Brooklyn:

After a week on the job, interim coach Tony Brown is already expressing frustration with the team’s lack of effort, Lewis writes in a separate piece. Brown addressed the problem after Saturday’s game with the Hawks, in which Brooklyn lost by 28 points after being tied midway through the third quarter. “What I told them is I want to see a little bit more fight,’’ the coach said. “When you get into adversity, things are not going your way, it’s easy to not do as much. We’ve got some guys not playing their best basketball, but they have to fight their way out of these situations.”
Tom Thibodeau would probably want a say in personnel if he becomes the next coach of the Nets, opines Sam Smith of Bulls.com. Smith says former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy has stressed to Thibodeau the importance of having control over personnel, similar to the situation that Stan Van Gundy has with the Pistons or that Doc Rivers has with the Clippers. A report on Friday indicated the Nets are strongly interested in hiring Thibodeau, and Smith writes that the former Bulls coach is eager to land his next job.
More than five years of free spending and short-sighted moves encouraged by owner Mikhail Prokhorov have led to the Nets’ dire situation, writes Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post.

Nets Strongly Interested In Thibodeau As Coach

January 15th, 2016 at 7:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jerry Lai / USA TODAY Sports Images

The Nets are strongly interested in Tom Thibodeau to be their next coach, according to Mike Mazzeo and Marc Stein of ESPN. Brooklyn is expected to pursue the former Bulls coach after it names a new GM.

Thibodeau compiled a 255-139 record in five seasons with Chicago before being fired after losing to the Cavaliers in last year’s Eastern semifinals. He led the Bulls to playoff appearances in all five seasons.

The Nets fired coach Lionel Hollins and reassigned GM Billy King in a shakeup last Sunday. It’s uncertain how soon a new GM might be hired, but reports on Wednesday linked former Suns and Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo to the position. Former Hawks GM Danny Ferry has also been rumored to be a candidate.

Other coaches reportedly being considered include Luke Walton, John Calipari, Monty Williams and Chris Mullin. However, Calipari “is not under serious consideration,” tweets Howard Beck of Bleacher Report.

And-Ones: Rose, Lillard, Bazemore, Labissiere

January 12th, 2016 at 12:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Derrick Rose has said in the past that he wants to play with the Bulls for the rest of his career, and while he raised eyebrows with his comments on media day that indicated he was looking forward to hitting free agency in 2017, he recently told Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com he still intends to stay put. The same is true for Damian Lillard, who said Friday that he plans to remain with the Trail Blazers until his playing days are over, calling his relationship with the organization “a hand-and-glove fit” for the way the Blazers have embraced him as a player and a person, as Jason Quick of CSNNW.com notes. Lillard is fresh off signing a five-year extension in the summer, so the matter of his free agency isn’t as pressing as Rose’s, though Lillard’s remarks are nonetheless soothing for Portland, given its history of star defections, Quick posits. See more from around the NBA:

Rose also told Friedell for the same piece that he doesn’t have any contact with Tom Thibodeau and doesn’t even think about his former coach, despite having had a “good relationship” with him, because he’s focused on adjusting to new Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg. He also spoke fondly of Jimmy Butler, despite reports of friction between the two, answering affirmatively when Friedell asked if Butler is the most talented teammate he’s ever had.
The Hawks unsurprisingly view 2016 free agent Al Horford as a building block for the long-term, writes Zach Lowe of ESPN.com, though he’s not the only player the team will have to pay if it wants to retain this summer. Estimates of the starting salary Kent Bazemore will be able to command on his next deal range from the mid-level, which tops out at $5.628MM, to $12MM, according to a dozen league executives to whom Lowe spoke.
The top three, including LSU combo forward Ben Simmons, are unchanged in the latest 2016 draft prospect rankings from Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider only), but Marquette big man Henry Ellenson is up to No. 4 from No. 6. Kentucky big man Skal Labissiere, who was Ford’s previous No. 4 and once a serious challenger for the No. 1 pick, has dropped to No. 10.

Central Notes: Parker, Cunningham, Butler

December 9th, 2015 at 7:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler says the team is dealing with frustration differently under new coach Fred Hoiberg than it did under former coach Tom Thibodeau, Scoop Jackson of ESPN.com relays. “The frustrating moments last year was kinda like, Thibs just being a hard-nosed guy,” Butler told Jackson. “He’s gonna yell, he’s gonna say some curse words, he’s going to let you know. With right here, [Hoiberg] is going to be like, “Hey, guys, you gotta do this, you gotta do that,” and then that’s the end of it.”

“It’s two totally different coaching styles,” Butler continued. “Some works for some guys, some works for others. Some guys on this roster can’t take getting yelled at, some guys on this roster getting yelled at gets them going, you know what I mean? And there’s nothing wrong with that. But at the end of the day, we as players know what we are capable of and what we have to do. We’re all grown men, and we’ve been playing this game for so long a coach shouldn’t have to tell us, ‘Hey, this is what you have to do to win this game.’”

Here’s more from out of the Central Division:

The early season changes in the Bucks starting lineup indicate that the team believes its core players can’t shoot or defend well enough as a unit to remain on the floor for long stretches together, Zach Lowe of ESPN.com writes. Milwaukee envisions 2014 lottery pick Jabari Parker evolving into a stretch four, but the team understands it will take him time to adjust to the NBA, Lowe adds. “Jabari will be a really good stretch four in three years,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Right now, he’s not that. And that’s OK. He’s basically a rookie.“
The Cavaliers have benefited from Jared Cunningham‘s strong perimeter defense when matching up against smaller lineups this season, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. “Jared is a guy that can defend people and we needed his intensity, his one-on-one defending capability,” coach David Blatt said. “If you’re a young player or if you’re a player that doesn’t normally get a lot of minutes or is looking for a chance to play, you go out there and you defend your man and you hold your ground, then you’re going to earn minutes. And he’s playing because he earned minutes because he was able to do those things for us. And I think that’s a very positive thing.”
The Pistons have recalled Spencer Dinwiddie and Darrun Hilliard from their D-League affiliate in Memphis, the team announced. This was the second stint in Grand Rapids this season for both players.

And-Ones: Gasol, D-League, Terry, Cousins

December 4th, 2015 at 10:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bulls big man Pau Gasol, who possesses a player option worth $7,769,520 for 2016/17, has said that he’s leaning toward opting out, but he did note that he would like to remain in Chicago beyond this season, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays. Responding to whether or not he’d like to stay with the Bulls, Gasol said, “Yes, of course. But when the time comes we’ll evaluate it. I’ll see how the season went. Where are the team’s interests, where are my interests, what options do I have? But most important is for me and the team to focus on what we have this season to make the best out of it and give ourselves a chance to win the title.”

Gasol was also asked if he missed anything about former head coach Tom Thibodeau and told Friedell, “I appreciated a lot of things that Thibs brought to the table. I think his intensity. Sometimes it could be a little bit overwhelming. I think [I miss most] his intensity and his passion and dedication for the game.” The veteran also noted that he appreciates the freedom and versatility of coach Fred Hoiberg‘s system, the ESPN scribe adds.

Here’s more from around the league:

Jason Terry, who re-signed with the Rockets this past offseason, said he planned to join the Mavericks along with DeAndre Jordan, but Terry’s plans changed when Jordan decided to return to the Clippers, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News relays. “For me it was like a package deal,” Terry said. “If he [Jordan] came, I definitely was coming. Because that automatically made us a contender.” Terry also noted that he was shocked when Jordan reversed course and backed out of his verbal agreement with Dallas, Townsend adds. “When that happened, I kind of pushed the reset button,” Terry said. “Because I didn’t want to start over. I don’t want to be in a rebuilding phase. I don’t know if Dallas, at the time, knew if they were rebuilding or were they retooling. They were trying to see what was out there.“
The Spurs have sent Boban Marjanovic and Ray McCallum to their D-League Affiliate in Austin, the team announced. This is the first D-League assignment of the season for both players.
The Rockets have assigned swingman K.J. McDaniels to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This is the second D-League trip of the season for McDaniels, as our assignments and recalls tracker illustrates.
Kings coach George Karl believes that despite the rumored difficulties between he and center DeMarcus Cousins, the big man wants to remain in Sacramento, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets.
James Ennis has been assigned by the Grizzlies to their D-League affiliate in Iowa, the team announced.
The Clippers have assigned Branden Dawson to the D-League, and since the team does not have its own affiliate, Dawson will report to the Pistons’ squad in Grand Rapids, Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times tweets.