Atlantic Rumors: Rambis, DeRozan, Karasev, C’s

New Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek has said he’ll have final say on his assistant coaches, but it certainly sounds as if Phil Jackson expects to see former interim coach Kurt Rambis on Hornacek’s staff, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News details.

“Kurt fits, he fits in a number of ways,” Jackson told SNY.tv during a Knicks event in Chelsea. “He was a teammate of Jeff’s in Phoenix at one point in their careers. He’s also a team guy. He has a great idea of what we’re trying to get accomplished and I think he can help Jeff feel his way through this club and find a best way for them to play.”

In addition to speaking positively about Rambis, Jackson noted that while his Knicks don’t currently have a draft pick, “we think subsequently we might” (link via Brian Lewis of The New York Post). That comes as no surprise, considering multiple reports have indicated New York is pushing hard to land a pick in a trade.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

  • As Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders explains, Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan earned $850K in incentives in 2015/16 based on his free throw attempts, assists per game, and Toronto reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. Now that certain bonuses in his contract are considered “likely,” DeRozan’s cap number for his player option next season has increased to $10.35MM. However, that point ultimately figures to be moot, since DeRozan will turn down his option by next Wednesday’s deadline.
  • NetsDaily.com (Twitter link) is hearing from an overseas source that Sergey Karasev is expected to return to Russia to play for his father Vasily Karasev in St. Petersburg. The coach of the year in the Russian league, Vasily was adamant last month that his son won’t be back with the Nets next season.
  • Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge believes it’s “still too early” to get a real sense of how the trade market during the draft might play out, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com. However, that doesn’t stop ESPN’s Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton (Insider link) from exploring potential trade options for Boston’s No. 3 overall pick and the team’s other seven selections.
  • Meanwhile, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said the team has “seven or eight guys” targeted as potential options at No. 3, assuming Boston keeps the pick. Petraglia has the details and the quotes at WEEI.com.
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