Alex Jensen Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Mavericks Make Three Additions To Coaching Staff

July 4th, 2023 at 8:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks have added three assistants to their staff.

Alex Jensen, who had been with the Jazz since 2013, is leaving Utah to join Jason Kidd’s staff, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Bryan Gates is also coming to Dallas as an assistant, Wojnarowski adds in another tweet. Josh Broghamer is another newcomer to Dallas, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link).

Jensen played a major role in Rudy Gobert‘s development, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN, noting that rookie big man Dereck Lively should “benefit tremendously” from Jensen’s tutelage.

Prior to his stint in Utah, Jensen was the first coach for the G League Canton Charge.

Gates spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Suns under Monty Williams. He has also worked as an NBA assistant in Sacramento (2009-10 and 2016-19), New Orleans (2010-15) and Minnesota (2015-16 and 2019-21).

Broghamer comes over from the Cavaliers, where he served as the director of advance scouting and player development. He previously worked for the Bucks when Kidd was their head coach.

The Mavericks let go of three assistants after failing to make the playoffs, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News notes. Lead offensive assistant Greg St. Jean, shooting coach Peter Patton and Quinton Crawford were not retained. Patton has since joined the Bulls’ staff, while Crawford wound up with the Suns.

And-Ones: Wembanyama, EuroLeague, Coaching Rumors, Bronny

May 8th, 2023 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Before he becomes the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft, Victor Wembanyama is enjoying a farewell tour of France, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The 7’3″ phenom drew 15,000 fans to his game Sunday in Paris, and they responded with loud cheers to every positive thing he did.

Reynolds notes that Wembanyama’s Boulogne-Levallois team typically plays in a high-school-sized gym with crowds of about 4,000. But with Wembanyama as an attraction, the late-season games have been moved to Accor Arena, which is on par with an NBA facility.

“I have the impression that the people here were real basketball fans who bought their tickets in advance,” Wembanyama said after entertaining the crowd with 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. “It’s nice.”

The 19-year-old center is considered a generational talent who will make next week’s lottery one of the most anticipated since the event began in 1985. The Pistons, Rockets and Spurs have the best odds to land the top pick at 14% each.

Wembanyama indicated that he’s paying close attention to the procedure, tweeting Sunday in French, “Ten days before knowing my future team. It’s really a crazy thing.”

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

The EuroLeague has reached an agreement to have its games streamed on ESPN 3, according to BasketNews. The rights deal will cover the remainder of this year’s playoffs and all of the 2023/24 season. “I am delighted that all U.S. basketball fans will have the possibility to watch all EuroLeague games on ESPN platform,” said Alex Ferrer Kristjansson, Euroleague Basketball marketing and communication senior director. “Globalization is a cornerstone for sports market growth in general and basketball in particular. We are confident that all U.S. basketball fans will appreciate the diversity of our stories and the experience that the EuroLeague delivers during the whole season.”
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype passes along some information on NBA coaching staffs in his latest column. Scotto reports that Bryan Bailey, Alex Jensen, Igor Kokoskov and Antonio Lang are candidates for Quin Snyder‘s staff with the Hawks; G League head coach Scott Morrison will join Will Hardy’s staff with the Jazz; and David Adkins likely won’t return as the Trail Blazers‘ director of player development next season. Sources also tell Scotto that Will Voigt is a candidate to become the head coach of either the Blazers’ or Spurs‘ G League affiliate.
Fans shouldn’t pre-judge Bronny James because of however they feel about his father, states Joe Vardon of The Athletic, who agrees with LeBron James that USC is getting “a great kid.”

Northwest Notes: Alexander-Walker, Edwards, Markkanen, Jazz Staff

April 25th, 2023 at 8:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nickeil Alexander-Walker was basically a throw-in to the deal that brought Mike Conley to the Timberwolves in February but he has emerged as a playoff starter, Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes.

Alexander-Walker moved into a more prominent role after Jaden McDaniels broke his hand during the regular season finale. Alexander-Walker has shadowed Jamal Murray during a portion of the series against the Nuggets and contributed a couple of key three-pointers in Game 4. He’ll be a restricted free agent at the end of the season and hopes to stay with the Timberwolves.

“They gave me a chance,” he said of the Timberwolves. “I’ve been working very, very hard, relentlessly and sometimes I’m too hard on myself, for an opportunity. So for me to get that, I would love to come back. I believe in this group. Believe that we can figure it out together and do something special.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Anthony Edwards carried the Timberwolves to an overtime victory in Game 4 with 34 points but he wasn’t impressed with himself, ESPN’s Andrew Lopez relays. “I played terrible if you ask me,” Edwards said. “I took three bad threes, three terrible possessions, and I (darn) near shot us out the game. I didn’t play that good.”
After being named the league’s Most Improved Player, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen wants to find more ways to improve, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. “I haven’t accomplished anything,” Markkanen said. “I’ve said this before, but I’m not trying to stop here. I’m just beginning. I want to get better this summer and make that next leap. I want to lead this team to the playoffs. Having this kind of season feels good, but I want to keep continually getting better. That’s my mindset.”
Jazz head coach Will Hardy is tweaking his staff as he heads toward his second season with the franchise. He is not retaining assistant coaches Alex Jensen and Irv Roland, Jones tweets.

Jazz Announce Assistant Coaches, Name Jeff Hornacek Coaching Consultant

September 15th, 2022 at 6:54pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Jazz have made some personnel additions. Utah announced today in a press release that the team will bring back assistant coaches Alex Jensen, Lamar Skeeter, and Bryan Bailey – all of whom operated as assistants under previous Jazz head coach Quin Snyder – to work under new head coach Will Hardy.

They will join a robust assistant staff that includes the previously announced Jason Terry, Evan Bradds, Irv Roland, and Sean Sheldon. Other staffers noted in the statement include player development coaches Chris Jones and Sanjay Lumpkin, who previously had different gigs under the Snyder regime.

Utah is hiring Becca Ward as its new director of team operations. The team’s video coordinator will be Anthony Beaumont, assisted by Andrew Warren and Matthew Temple.

In terms of other new additions, the Jazz also announced that former longtime Utah wing Jeff Hornacek will return to the team as a coaching consultant. Hornacek worked as an assistant coach for Utah from 2011-13 under head coach Tyrone Corbin. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach on Stephen Silas‘s Rockets staff from 2020-22.

Utah is undergoing a seismic roster rebuild, having already offloaded veterans Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Royce O’Neale and Patrick Beverley this summer in separate deals. The team appears to be prioritizing a long-term rebuild, accruing oodles of future draft picks and young players in its trades this summer and building a coaching group set to develop its youth for years to come.

Western Notes: LeBron, R. Paul, Lakers, Jensen

August 4th, 2022 at 8:45pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Newly extension-eligible Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James and his agent Rich Paul met with team president Rob Pelinka today at the team’s El Segundo practice facility to discuss their future, reports Dave McMenamin of ESPN. In remarks to McMenamin, Paul called the conversation “productive.”

The Lakers could now ink James to a two-year, $97.1MM extension, which would keep the 19-year veteran under contract with Los Angeles through the 2024/25 season. McMenamin adds that James may decide to sign a single-season extension with a player option for the second year. This way, LeBron can sign on to any club that drafts his son Bronny James when the younger James becomes draft-eligible during the 2024 offseason.

Here are some other notes from the Western Conference:

The Lakers appear to be hesitant to trade for players with multiple years left on their contracts, per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. Woike believes the front office would be more amenable to acquiring players on longer deals should James opt to sign an extension keeping him in L.A. beyond 2023.
Jazz assistant coach Alex Jensen is set to serve as Team USA’s head coach for the 2022 AmeriCup next month, USA Basketball announced in a press release. Steve Wojciechowski, Marquette head coach, and Mike Williams, head coach of the Wizards’ NBAGL affiliate (the Capital City Go-Go), will work as assistants under Jensen. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to coach the 2022 USA AmeriCup Team and look forward to working with Mike and Steve as well as a talented group of players,” Jensen said of his new NBA offseason gig. “I always enjoy my time with USA Basketball and am excited to be selected for my first head coaching assignment.” Sarah Todd of the Deseret News notes that Jensen was initially hired as an assistant for former Utah head coach Quin Snyder in 2013, but will be sticking around under new head coach Will Hardy this season.

Northwest Notes: Lillard, B. Brown, Jazz Coaches

July 10th, 2022 at 10:56am CST by Arthur Hill

A year ago, there were rumors that Damian Lillard was ready to ask the Trail Blazers for a trade, but he has re-established himself as a franchise cornerstone by signing a two-year extension, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. At a press conference Saturday, Lillard said he chose to ignore advice from people who said he had to go to a different team to have a shot at winning an NBA title.

“I’ve always said that if I do something that goes against who I am, and say I do end up winning, I know me better than any of y’all know me,” Lillard said. “So I’d be happy with it, because I don’t think anybody wouldn’t be happy being a champion, but it wouldn’t be as fulfilling to me as I would want that moment to be. As long as I have an opportunity to do it, a good opportunity to [compete for a title], I’m willing to go out however.”

The 31-year-old guard is coming off a difficult season as he was limited to 29 games because of a core muscle injury and Portland sank close to the bottom of the Western Conference. Despite the adversity, Lillard felt it was important to show his loyalty to the Blazers and possibly serve as an example to the rest of the league.

“I feel proud to be that guy,” he said. “Because I don’t think you earn something like this just by going out there and scoring a bunch of points. And something that’s missing in our league is the character and the fight and the passion and pride about not just the name on the back, but the name on the front and how you impact the people that you come in contact with. And I think because of how much I’ve embraced that and I haven’t pretended to embrace it, that’s really who I am, and I think this just shows the power in that. It shows that there’s something there for being committed and having your heart in the right place and having your mind in the right place.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Lillard will consider playing in the 2024 Olympics, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. He captured a gold medal with Team USA last year.
Bruce Brown‘s decision to join the Nuggets in free agency was heavily influenced by former Nets teammate Jeff Green, who touted the advantages of playing alongside Nikola Jokic, per Mike Singer of The Denver Post. “I literally can’t wait,” Brown said about the chance to team up with Jokic. “He’s one of the guys I hate playing against, me being a defender because you can’t turn your head. You gotta keep your eye on the ball at all times, which is tough. He makes the perfect play every time.”
Jazz assistant coaches Alex Jensen and Lamar Skeeter are strong candidates to remain with the team on Will Hardy‘s staff, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic.

Latest On Jazz’s Head Coaching Search

June 7th, 2022 at 7:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Jazz have been given the green light to talk to several well-regarded current assistant coaches about their head coaching vacancy, per Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Several of the names Woj and MacMahon mention had been floated as possibilities in reports earlier this week, but Celtics assistant coach Joe Mazzulla joins an expanding list of assistant coaches under consideration by Jazz brass.

As Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets, Mazzulla worked as an assistant coach under both Brad Stevens and now Ime Udoka in Boston, and has assumed a more significant role while on Udoka’s bench this season. Mazzulla interviewed for the head coaching position with Boston in 2021 after Stevens moved into a front office role with the franchise and will get an opportunity to meet with the Jazz this spring.

Woj and MacMahon indicate that Utah is also set to interview current Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, who served on the staff of departed head coach Quin Snyder, along with former Blazers coach Terry Stotts, Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant, Celtics assistant Will Hardy, and Bucks assistant coach Charles Lee. These five candidates had been included on the team’s preliminary list.

Suns assistant coach Kevin Young and Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin were previously cited as possible candidates, but they weren’t mentioned in today’s ESPN report.

The other key piece of new information from Wojnarowski and MacMahon is that the coaching search is anticipated to expand further to include both assistants and recent NBA head coaches. According to ESPN’s duo, the team will cast a wide net and move gradually in its search.

In eight seasons with Snyder at the helm, Utah never advanced beyond the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. This year, the Jazz finished with a 49-33 regular season record and lost 4-2 in the first round to the Mavericks.

Jazz To Consider Stotts, Jensen, Others For Coaching Job

June 5th, 2022 at 6:27pm CST by JD Shaw

The Jazz have identified some initial candidates for the team’s vacant head coaching job, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Former Blazers coach Terry Stotts, Jazz assistant Alex Jensen, Celtics assistant Will Hardy, Knicks assistant Johnnie Bryant, and Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin will all be considered for the position.

In addition, the Jazz are also expected to consider Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Suns assistant Kevin Young, per Charania and The Athletic’s Tony Jones (Twitter link).

Charania mentioned those coaches are among the initial list of candidates, so more names may be added in the coming days. As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported (via Twitter), Utah is immediately launching a head coaching search in wake of Quin Snyder‘s decision to step down.

The Jazz are coming off a 49-33 season. The team lost in six games to the Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs, ending an inconsistent campaign. Despite making the playoffs six straight years, the team hasn’t been able to advance past the second round.

Utah is one of two teams that currently don’t have a head coach. The other is the Hornets, who are reportedly nearing a decision on their search.

L.A. Notes: Westbrook, Hayward, Lakers’ Coach, Clippers

April 18th, 2022 at 11:41am CST by Luke Adams

After a disappointing first season in Los Angeles, it may seem like the Lakers would take whatever they can get in a trade this offseason for Russell Westbrook and his $47MM+ salary, but that’s not the case, Marc Stein writes at Substack.com. According to Stein, Los Angeles will have “more boundaries than advertised” when weighing potential Westbrook deals.

For one, the Lakers will seriously consider a player’s injury history as they explore the trade market for Westbrook. Given how costly injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis were in 2021/22, the team doesn’t want to bring on another high-priced veteran who has been unable to stay healthy in recent years.

In Stein’s view, that means the Lakers are unlikely to be very interested in a trade with the Hornets that includes Gordon Hayward, who has missed 61 of 154 regular season games in Charlotte over the last two years, plus both play-in games. If the Lakers and Hornets discuss Westbrook, it’s possible Hayward could be moved to a third team or Terry Rozier could be substituted as a headliner, but those scenarios would be less appealing from Charlotte’s perspective.

Here are a few more items on the NBA’s two L.A. teams:

Outside of the previously-reported big-name targets who are currently coaching other teams – including Nick Nurse, Doc Rivers, and Quin Snyder – the Lakers may consider candidates such as Scott Brooks, Terry Stotts, former Lakers coach Mike Brown, and Jazz assistant Alex Jensen for their head coaching vacancy, per Dan Woike and Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times.
According to Woike and Turner, people with knowledge of coaching situations around the NBA believe the Lakers‘ open coaching position isn’t looked upon especially favorably, due to concerns about possible front office meddling and the roster/cap situation. “Is the Lakers’ job that attractive?” one coaching agent said. “I’m not so sure it is. But someone will take the job.”
Getting Kawhi Leonard and Paul George back in their lineup next season will significantly increase the Clippers‘ ceiling, but there are still areas to improve if the team wants to ensure it’s a title contender, says Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group. Fortifying the point guard spot will be an offseason goal, and replacements will be necessary if key rotation players like Isaiah Hartenstein (UFA) and Nicolas Batum (player option) don’t return.
While Leonard’s and George’s injuries limited the Clippers‘ potential in 2021/22, their absences allowed a handful of young players to step in and grow up fast, Swanson writes in a separate story. Luke Kennard, Terance Mann, Ivica Zubac, Hartenstein, Amir Coffey, and Brandon Boston Jr. – all of whom are 25 or younger – had bigger roles than they would have if the team had been healthier, which could pay off for the club down the road.

Quin Snyder, Danuel House Enter Protocols

January 30th, 2022 at 5:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Jazz head coach Quin Snyder has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced (via Twitter). Lead assistant Alex Jensen will serve as acting head coach when the club plays the Timberwolves on Sunday.

According to Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter links), Snyder was at the team’s morning shootaround. He’s currently feeling “alright,” Jensen said. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN also notes (via Twitter) that Snyder is the 18th head coach to enter health and safety protocols this season.

The Jazz will be playing without Donovan Mitchell (concussion), Rudy Gobert (calf) and Trent Forrest (ankle) in the contest. The team has been dealing with availability issues throughout the month, dropping to fourth in the Western Conference at 30-20. Utah owns just a 2-8 record in its last 10 games.

In addition to Snyder, forward Danuel House has also entered protocols. House is currently on his third 10-day contract with Utah. His first deal was signed via a hardship exception, so he’s currently on his second traditional 10-day contract.

Snyder is in his seventh season as Utah’s head coach. Following Sunday’s road game, the Jazz will return home for a six-game stint that starts with facing Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets on Wednesday.