Fischer/Stein’s Latest: Sweeney, Sixers, Snyder, Harden, Bulls
A league source tells Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) that the Magic are “very interested” in hiring Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney to fill their head coaching vacancy. Orlando officials were planning a trip to San Antonio this week to interview Sweeney during the Western Conference finals, according to the authors.
Sweeney, who’s in his first season with the Spurs, is considered the architect of the team’s aggressive defense that has helped to fuel this year’s playoff run. The Magic were perennially among the league’s best defensive teams under Jamahl Mosley, so the infrastructure is already in place for Sweeney to succeed.
Former Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and current Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy are the only candidates reported to have interviewed for the Magic opening since Mosley was fired May 4. Sweeney has also been linked to the head coaching vacancies in Chicago and Dallas.
Fischer and Stein share more inside information from around the league:
- Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey and Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren recently had interviews in Philadelphia to become the Sixers‘ head of basketball operations. Sources tell Fischer and Stein that Gansey and Sixers assistant GM Jameer Nelson are considered the leading candidates for the position.
- An extension for Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has been considered “inevitable” since the team’s playoff run ended, according to Fischer and Stein. They cite regular season rumors that Snyder could have been a potential candidate to replace Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland, but sources tell them that Atkinson was always expected to remain with the Cavaliers for a third season.
- Fischer and Stein’s sources also say the Cavaliers are optimistic about re-signing James Harden to a multiyear deal with a lower annual salary than the $39.4MM he made this season. “Rough early estimates” are in the range of $30MM per year, which could help the team escape the second apron.
- The Bulls are closer than the Mavericks to completing their head coaching search, but they’re still talking to several prospects, according to Fischer and Stein. Known candidates so far include Minnesota’s Micah Nori, Miami’s Chris Quinn, Cleveland’s Johnnie Bryant, Oklahoma City’s Dave Bliss and former New Orleans interim coach James Borrego. Nori is also a finalist for the Trail Blazers‘ opening, along with Van Gundy, Boston’s Tyler Lashbrook, Utah’s Mike Williams and acting head coach Tiago Splitter.
Cavaliers To Retain Head Coach Kenny Atkinson
Kenny Atkinson will remain in his role as the Cavaliers‘ head coach entering the 2026/27 season, reports Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
After the Cavs were outscored by 77 points over the course of a four-game sweep at the hands of the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, there had been speculation that the team might consider a head coaching change. But that won’t be the case, according to Vardon, who hears from sources that no major changes involving either the coaching staff or the front office are expected in Cleveland this offseason.
Atkinson, hired in 2024 to replace J.B. Bickerstaff, has led the Cavs to an outstanding 116-48 (.707) regular season record over the past two seasons and earned Coach of the Year honors for the 2024/25 season.
However, the team hasn’t had the sort of playoff success it hoped for during that time. Cleveland was eliminated in the second round as the East’s No. 1 seed last spring and narrowly eked by the Raptors and Pistons with Game 7 victories this spring before being dominated by New York.
Atkinson faced some criticism during the Knicks series for his game management during a fourth-quarter collapse in Game 1, when he declined to use his timeouts or change his defensive game plan as Jalen Brunson repeatedly beat James Harden on defense and the Knicks erased a 22-point deficit. He also raised eyebrows between Games 3 and 4 by claiming that his team had “analytically” earned two of three expected wins to that point in the series.
Still, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has maintained his support of Atkinson, who has three years left on his contract, Vardon reported earlier today. ESPN’s Shams Charania and Jamal Collier convey a similar sentiment, indicating that Atkinson remains highly regarded by key officials within the organization.
Star guards Donovan Mitchell and Harden also voiced their support for Atkinson in the wake of Monday’s Game 4 loss. All indications are that the veteran coach has strong relationships with both players.
Gilbert put out a statement on Monday night praising the Cavs for taking a step forward this season but adding that they’re “nowhere near where we need to be.” Those remarks suggest that major changes could be coming this offseason — since those changes apparently won’t impact the front office and coaching staff, it’s safe to assume this roster won’t look the same in October as it did in the conference finals.
“I have confidence — confidence in myself, first of all, confidence in the group,” Atkinson said on Monday when he was asked about his job security. “The roster talk, that’s for down the line. Our front office has done a phenomenal job giving us a great roster. Obviously, there’ll be decisions to be made like every summer, but I think we’re doing pretty well with those decisions since I’ve been here. Just keep trusting. Trusting our process. Trust our collaboration.”
Cavs Notes: Atkinson, Altman, Offseason, LeBron
Being on the receiving end of a four-game beat-down by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals was bad enough, but Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson opened himself up to additional criticism before Game 4 by telling reporters that his team had “analytically” earned two of three expected wins to that point in the series (story via ESPN).
Atkinson still has three years left on his contract, but a handful of questionable postseason game management and lineup decisions, a disastrous fourth-quarter collapse to open the Knicks series, and that aforementioned sound bite are among the factors that have made him a candidate to become the “fall guy” for a disappointing finish to the season, suggests Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
Still, Atkinson was team owner Dan Gilbert‘s preferred candidate for the job when the team hired him two years ago, according to Vardon, who suggests Gilbert’s support for the veteran coach doesn’t appear to have wavered as of late. Vardon adds that Atkinson is believed to have strong working relationships with both Mitchell and Harden, who reaffirmed their commitment to the team after the Game 4 loss and also spoke highly of their head coach.
“I love Kenny,” Mitchell said (Twitter link via Marc J. Spears of Andscape). “We love Kenny. I ride with Kenny.”
“He understands his team,” Harden said of Atkinson, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “Of course, somebody’s going to have to take criticism, whether it’s myself or Kenny or whoever, the entire team. They’re going to put it on somebody. But I think for Kenny, he did an unbelievable job of getting me acclimated as fast as possible to understanding what I’m supposed to be doing out there. It’s just an unfortunate situation. Any team coming off of a tough two series against two defensive monsters (Toronto and Detroit), it would have been challenging.”
Here’s more on the Cavs:
- If Gilbert wants to blame someone besides Atkinson, Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman could end up on the hot seat, Vardon writes. However, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link) says the “early talk” is that Altman is expected to remain in his current role.
- Atkinson spoke during his post-game presser on Monday about the Cavs having taken a step forward this season (Twitter video link via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype), and team owner Dan Gilbert echoed that sentiment in a statement on social media — with an important caveat. “We took a step ahead this spring, but we are nowhere near where we need to be,” Gilbert wrote (on Twitter). “I can’t thank the fans enough for the support this year. We will dig in all summer and do everything we possibly can to take the next step. We will grind until we get there.”
- Within his Cavaliers offseason preview, ESPN’s Bobby Marks examines the free agency decisions the team will have to make on Harden and defensive stopper Dean Wade and provides details on what an extension for Mitchell would look like based on the NBA’s latest cap projections.
- Is LeBron James the missing piece the Cavaliers need to get over the hump and into the NBA Finals? Chris Mannix of SI.com makes the case for why the team needs to try to lure the four-time MVP back to Cleveland this summer.
Cavs Notes: Game 1 Loss, Harden, Atkinson, Mitchell
After coming back from a 22-point deficit to defeat the Cavaliers in overtime in Game 1, the Knicks weren’t shy about discussing their late-game offensive strategy, as Vincent Goodwill of ESPN writes.
“It was no secret,” head coach Mike Brown told reporters. “We were attacking (James) Harden.”
As Zach Kram of ESPN details, the Knicks player who was being defended by Harden set a screen an incredible 16 times in the fourth quarter, with the team using the strategy at one point to ensure Harden was defending Jalen Brunson on 10 consecutive possessions. After going scoreless on the first two of those possessions, the Knicks scored 18 points on the next eight, including 13 from Brunson alone, Kram writes.
Still, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, head coach Kenny Atkinson said during his post-game media session on Tuesday that he never considered removing Harden from the game as the Cavaliers’ lead slipped away: “He’s been one of our best defenders in these playoffs. I trust him. Smart. Great hands. I didn’t think about that.”
Atkinson doubled down on those comments on Wednesday, placing the blame for the collapse on the Cavaliers’ team defense as a whole rather than on Harden specifically.
“One thing about James: I’ll just defend him,” the Cavs’ coach said, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “He’s a good isolation defender, always has been. He’s super smart. I said it [Tuesday] night, he has great hands.
“… Without you, we’re knocked out in the first round,” Atkinson said of his message to Harden. “We’re in a great position, you’ve played great. Sometimes micro experiences get exaggerated. Keep being yourself.”
Here’s more on the Cavs ahead of Game 2:
- Atkinson only used one timeout as the Knicks made their fourth-quarter comeback and still had two left when the fourth quarter concluded, notes Jamal Collier of ESPN. He defended that decision after the game and cited bad luck when he discussed the Cavs’ blown lead. “They hit some really tough shots in that fourth quarter,” Atkinson said. “We got a little unlucky, quite honestly. My only regret, and this can happen when you get a little fatigued, I think it just stopped moving. We were pinging the ball all over the place, great ball movement, and then it just got a little stagnant.”
- Atkinson should have more than just one regret about the way Game 1 played out, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required), who argues that the head coach was one of the “primary culprits” of the improbable late-game collapse. In Fedor’s view, Atkinson should have taken a “clearly exhausted” Harden off the floor or at least adjusted his defensive scheme to stop letting the Knicks switch so easily onto him.
- While Atkinson spoke about getting “unlucky,” Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell offered a harsher assessment of his team’s performance down the stretch, according to Jenna Lemoncelli of The New York Post. “We f–king blew it,” Mitchell said during his post-game media session. “… That can’t happen. But it did. We play in two days. We can’t sit here and let it kill our momentum, kill what we’ve been doing. It’s not a good loss.”
- As discouraging as the Game 1 loss was, Atkinson believes that his team – which has won a pair of elimination games and came back from a 2-0 deficit in the second round against Detroit – has what it takes to bounce back and put it behind them, Braziller writes for The New York Post. “You live between misery and awesomeness in the playoffs, and this is of course misery,” Atkinson said. “But this is probably the fourth miserable game we’ve had in the playoffs. It’s like, ‘OK, get back on the horse.'”
Cavaliers Expected To Re-Sign James Harden To Multiyear Deal
No matter what happens in Sunday night’s Game 7 at Detroit, the Cavaliers plan to re-sign James Harden this summer, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
Windhorst suggests an “understanding” that a multiyear contract would be forthcoming was likely in place before Cleveland sent Darius Garland and a 2026 second-round pick to the Clippers in exchange for Harden at the trade deadline. Harden was in position to veto a trade and probably wouldn’t have joined the Cavs without the implicit promise of a new deal.
Windhorst hears that the organization worked to establish a bond with Harden before the trade was finalized, as head coach Kenny Atkinson took steps to make him a partner in the team’s success from the first time they talked. Windhorst points out that Harden has excelled throughout his career when he’s had a strong relationship with his coaches, so Atkinson and his staff have been cultivating that from the start.
Harden holds a $42.3MM player option for next season, but the annual salary in his next contract is expected to be smaller in exchange for more long-term security as he turns 37 this summer. That will provide some financial relief for the Cavaliers, who are carrying the league’s highest payroll at $226MM (more than $280MM with the luxury tax factored in) and are the only team currently operating over the second apron.
Windhorst states that a new deal with Harden will also provide some stability amid the uncertainty surrounding Donovan Mitchell, who has a $53.8MM player option for 2027/28 and will carry the equivalent of an expiring contract next season. Mitchell will become extension-eligible in July and can sign a new deal worth up to $272MM over four years. However, Windhorst notes that he would benefit by waiting until 2027 when he’ll have 10 years of service, which means he can increase his next contract to five years at around $350MM and will be eligible for other benefits, including a no-trade clause.
Waiting to sign his next deal means Mitchell will hit free agency next summer, which Windhorst states could lead to an “uncomfortable” situation, especially if the Cavs fail to advance past the second round again. There could be some hesitation about committing to a new deal that pays him $80MM when he’s 35.
An early playoff exit could affect the roster in other ways, Windhorst adds, as rival teams have expressed interest for years in trading for Jarrett Allen. The 28-year-old center is about to enter a three-year, $90MM extension that will make him significantly more expensive for a team that’s already under financial duress. Windhorst cites moving Max Strus, who’ll have a $16.6MM expiring contract next season, as another option, but notes that trading Allen or Strus is unlikely to bring back “star power” that would put Cleveland in position to win a title.
That could lead to discussions on whether to part with Evan Mobley, an elite defender who would generate plenty of interest around the league if the Cavs consider moving him. Windhorst states that the 25-year-old Mobley, who’s in the first season of a five-year, $270MM extension, has been “untouchable” so far.
Central Notes: Mitchell, Mobley, Duren, Edens
Star guard Donovan Mitchell made just 1-of-8 shots for four points in the first half of Game 4 on Monday as the Cavaliers faced a four-point deficit at halftime. However, Mitchell turned things around in a major way after the intermission, scoring 21 third-quarter points and leading Cleveland on a 22-0 run to open the second half, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
Mitchell added 18 more points in the fourth quarter for a total of 39 in the second half, tying Sleepy Floyd‘s playoff record for a single half. After the game, the Cavs veteran attributed his success in the last two quarters to “everybody having my back” after he struggled earlier in the night.
“They continued to understand that, hey, this is what you do,” Mitchell said. “They’re not really tripping on the fact that I started out one-of-whatever, so I think that helps.”
Mitchell had an opportunity to break Floyd’s record at the free throw line in the game’s final minute, but he made just one of two attempts and finished tied with the former Warriors guard. After the victory, Mitchell made it clear he wasn’t bothered by not being able to claim the record for himself.
“We won the game and we’re 2-2 going to Detroit,” Mitchell said. “Everybody let me know that I missed the free throw to break the record though. I will say that. But we’re 2-2 headed to Detroit. That was what we came home to do and that’s all that matters.”
We have more from out of the Central:
- While Mitchell was the star on offense for the Cavaliers in Game 4, head coach Kenny Atkinson was eager to heap praise on former Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley after the victory, as Fedor writes in another Cleveland.com story (subscription required). Mobley has faced some criticism in the postseason, especially after grabbing just one rebound in Cleveland’s Game 2 loss, but Atkinson has insisted that the big man’s impact goes well beyond the box score. “Evan Mobley was phenomenal,” the Cavs’ coach said on Monday. “That was the Defensive Player of the Year right there. I don’t know what the stats say, the traditional stats say, but we know within our locker room how great he’s playing. He affects winning on both ends. We should give a lot of flowers to Evan Mobley for tonight’s performance. Maybe the best I’ve seen him defensively.”
- While Mobley and Jarrett Allen thrived for Cleveland, Pistons center Jalen Duren struggled again in Game 4, registering just eight points and two rebounds. The big man, a restricted free agent this summer, is now averaging 9.5 PPG and 7.0 RPG in the series, and Detroit has been outscored when he’s on the court. “I’ve just gotta be better, man,” Duren said after the loss, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). “I have no excuses. I’m my biggest critic. I know what I’ve gotta do to be able to contribute to our team and our success, and I’m staying on myself about doing that no matter what the case may be. I’ve got great teammates, a great coaching staff. I know that as a group we’re going to come back stronger, I have no doubt about it.”
- Bucks co-owner Wes Edens is the victim of an alleged $1 billion extortion scheme, according to reports from James Fanelli and Corinne Ramey of The Wall Street Journal and Steven Martinez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Changli “Sophia” Luo faces federal blackmail and extortion charges after threatening to publicize explicit videos and photos of her and Edens after a brief affair. A spokesperson for Edens said the Bucks governor “expects to testify under oath at the upcoming trial.”
Central Notes: Bulls, Pacers, Harden, Atkinson
The Bulls enjoyed some lottery luck on Sunday, jumping from the No. 9 slot to No. 4. Their new head of basketball operations, Bryson Graham, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm about the team’s good fortune, according to The Athletic’s Jon Greenberg.
“It’s exciting, man,” he said. “I can’t believe it. I just got the job and I got the fourth pick. It’s crazy, man!”
However, Graham also knows that getting that No. 4 pick, potentially either Caleb Wilson or Cameron Boozer, won’t turn the franchise into an instant contender.
“Let’s not sit here and say because we have the fourth pick and all of a sudden this franchise is back, you know what I mean?” Graham said. “But this is just a good opportunity to add high-level talent to our group and build this, and like I keep saying, layer it appropriately. So it’s exciting, man.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- On the flip side, the Pacers not only didn’t get a top four pick, they had to convey the No. 5 pick to the Clippers, courtesy of the Ivica Zubac trade. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard issued an apology to the team’s fans over the loss of the pick. He provided more insight to the media why he didn’t get greater protections on the pick. “Everybody says, ‘Why didn’t you protect it a lot deeper?'” Pritchard said, per Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to. That was the vig for us to get Zu. You look at a lot of these big trades that are out there. You see four and five and six (first-round picks) and (first-round pick) swaps around a star with potential. We think Zu is a great fit for us. At the end of the day, this is what is really important. I felt like, for a championship team, we needed a starting center. That was priority one. They’ve earned the right to try to get a championship. That was not doable protecting this to eight or nine or 10 or wherever.” Pritchard added the Clippers would not budge from their demand that the pick only have top-four protection. “It was negotiated,” hehard said. “And we fought like heck. They’re very good negotiators. We would not have gotten Zu if we didn’t protect it to four. That’s just it.”
- Prior to the lottery, Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan said that regardless of what happened in the lottery he would be seeking help on the free agent and trade markets, Tony East of Forbes.com writes. “I think one thing this season revealed for us is the need for some scoring off our bench… Probably from the wing position,” he said. “Losing (Bennedict Mathurin), you lose some of that. But I think this team, we have some depth. We still have some holes to fill,” Buchanan said. An upgrade at backup center could also be on his agenda.
- James Harden made several clutch baskets to lift the Cavaliers to a Game 3 victory over Detroit on Saturday. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, coach Kenny Atkinson gave Harden a de facto pep talk during a phone conversation after Game 2. “It started (Friday). I just doubled down with him in our conversation. I told him, ‘You’re our guy.’ In between games, I think that’s when you really coach,” Atkinson said. “I think that’s where you make your money in this league. You have to have those conversations. Pick guys up when it’s not going perfect. Reaffirm your belief in them. Just double down on the trust you have in them. I was just like, ‘Man, we are good, you are good, you are making the right plays, you are doing the right things, you are helping us, you have done everything we have asked in terms of buying in.’ I told him, ‘Just keep playing to win. I trust you implicitly.’”
Cavaliers Notes: Atkinson, Bickerstaff, Mitchell, Harden
Kenny Atkinson was named Coach of the Year last season. Could Atkinson be in danger of losing his job if the Cavaliers fail to get past the Pistons in their second-round series?
According to Brett Seigel of ClutchPoints (Twitter video link), there could be roster upheaval as well as a coaching change if that happens.
“If they kind of flame out as they have in past seasons in this second round series, there’s going to be major question marks about what the future of this roster looks like and, more importantly, what Kenny Atkinson’s future with Cavaliers looks like,” he said.
In any case, whichever coach ends up on the losing end of this series will endure a miserable summer, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic opines.
Here’s more on the Cavs:
- Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who was fired by Cleveland after losing in the second round two seasons ago, does not have to worry about his job security in his current NBA home, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “We’re going to be here for a while, right?” he said. “And this group is going to be together for a while. So we have to do what’s best for this group in total and not just react to our emotions in the moment. Being here, working with (president of basketball operations) Trajan (Langdon) and (team owner) Tom (Gores), they’ve afforded me the ability to be able to do that and see the game that way, where you don’t feel like you have to win or lose every possession or your job’s on the line.”
- If the Cavs want to climb out of the 0-2 series hole, they’ll need even more from Donovan Mitchell, Lloyd writes. He struggled through the opening round series against Toronto and in Game 1 against Detroit. He produced in Game 2, getting to the paint and attacking the basket while scoring 31 points, but continued to misfire from distance.
- James Harden was acquired to put the Cavs over the top. Instead, he’s been a turnover machine, Joe Reedy of The Associated Press writes. The 17-year veteran has more turnovers than field goals in four of Cleveland’s nine playoff games, including the first two against Detroit. “You look within first. Look at my turnovers, and a lot of them are just on me,” he said. “If you get a shot on glass, even half of that, and it’s a different ball game. For me, I got to be better. I will be better (not) turning the basketball over and getting shots up. It gives our defense a chance to get back and be set.”
- How the Cavs finish this playoff run will have a significant impact on the reputations of both Harden and Mitchell, Jamal Collier of ESPN opines. Mitchell says he doesn’t feel pressure. “This isn’t pressure. Getting your next meal is pressure,” he said. “Where am I going to live? You know, that’s pressure. This is an opportunity. This is fun. At least I know we put our best foot forward regardless of the result. … In years past, some s–t just didn’t go my way. Now I’m like: We made the moves. We’ve done the talk. Now, just continue to walk the walk.”
Bontemps/Windhorst’s Latest: Celtics, Harden, Towns, Duren
Celtics big man Neemias Queta enjoyed a breakout year in an increased role in 2025/26, making 75 starts in the middle and averaging new career highs in points (10.2), rebounds (8.4), assists (1.7), and blocks (1.3) per game while finishing fourth in Most Improved Player voting. Still, center is considered a position Boston will look to upgrade this summer, sources tell Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
“Can Queta get you through 82 (games)?” one Western Conference scout said to ESPN. “Yes, but can he patchwork it through the playoffs? I think he keeps getting better, but there’s a ceiling. They have to get a higher-level center if they want to be considered serious contenders.”
The question is how the Celtics might be able to acquire a starting-caliber center after having moved so many of their larger, most tradable contracts last offseason. While the team should have some form of mid-level exception available, it’s not easy to add an impact free agent with that exception, especially since there’s no guarantee Boston will have access to the full non-taxpayer version of the MLE.
Here are a few more items of interest from Bontemps and Windhorst:
- Given their cap/apron situation, the Cavaliers will be incentivized to negotiate a new multiyear deal with James Harden that lowers his cap hit for 2026/27 rather than simply having him pick up his $42.3MM player option, Bontemps and Windhorst observe. “(That is the) best path to get under the apron without materially salary dumping,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “The Cavs will pay him more than he could get in free agency. They’ll probably work something out.” Sources tell ESPN that Harden and Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson have established a strong working relationship.
- Karl-Anthony Towns technically has two years left on his contract after this season, but 2027/28 is a player option, so the Knicks big man looks like a prime offseason extension candidate. A deal could hinge on how the rest of New York’s playoff run goes, but Towns had another All-Star season in 2025/26 and has been excellent so far in the postseason. “They’re probably in a spot with KAT that they should either extend him or look to trade him,” an Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “If this playoff run convinces everyone this is a good fit, maybe they can get him to take a little discount off his max like (Jalen) Brunson did and help them keep the core together.”
- Earning an All-NBA spot this spring would make Jalen Duren eligible for a Rose Rule contract worth up to 30% of the salary cap (instead of 25%), but Bontemps and Windhorst suggest the Pistons will probably be reluctant to go that high for the All-Star center. One Western Conference executive who spoke to ESPN speculated that Duren might not even get a standard (25%) max deal, pointing to an average annual salary around $35MM as a figure that might work. “What’s a number that could leave both sides uncomfortable?” that exec said. “That might be what it takes to ultimately get a deal done.”
Amick’s Latest: Lottery Reform, Mosley, Lakers, Wolves, More
A “heavy frontrunner” has emerged as the NBA considers its options to reduce tanking, league and team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.
In March, the league presented three separate lottery reform concepts to its governors to address the problem. It appears option No. 1, which expands the draft lottery to 18 teams from the current 14, has received the best reception, according to Amick. The proposal would give each of the bottom 10 teams an 8% chance of landing the top overall pick, and the remaining 20% would be distributed among the other eight. It’s a significant change from the current system, which provides the three worst teams with a 14% chance at the No. 1 selection, with the odds steadily declining for the rest.
Several general managers that Amick contacted point out that option No. 1 could result in new problems that should be addressed before a vote is taken. There could be an outcry if one of the four lottery teams that reaches the playoffs winds up winning the top overall selection. Although the odds of that happening are slim, the huge jumps taken by Atlanta, Dallas and other teams in the last two lotteries show that it’s possible.
The next step in the process will take place on Tuesday with a league-wide meeting of GMs on Zoom. Draft reform won’t be the only topic of discussion, but it will be the main issue, Amick adds. He hears that commissioner Adam Silver is taking a “collaborative approach,” welcoming extensive feedback, with the league’s competition committee taking the lead and representatives from the players union also involved.
A vote on reform is expected at the next Board of Governors meeting in May, and at least 23 of the 30 teams must approve the proposal for it to be adopted. Silver stated in February that he hopes to have a new system in place by next season.
There’s more from Amick:
- Orlando’s playoff success may be complicating a few expected coaching moves. Amick notes that rumors about Jamahl Mosley being on the hot seat have been circulating since October, and they intensified when the Magic lost their final regular season game and their first play-in contest. Former Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Bucks associate head coach Darvin Ham were seen as potential replacements, and Mosley was viewed as a possible candidate for the Pelicans. However, Orlando holds a 2-1 lead in its series with top-seeded Detroit, and Amick believes Mosley is worthy of a “second look” from Magic officials if he can get the team to at least the second round.
- Amick addresses a few other coaching situations, including Tiago Splitter‘s unique position with the Trail Blazers and Mike Brown‘s Finals-or-bust mandate with the Knicks. Amick also believes pressure has increased on the Sixers’ Nick Nurse and the Cavaliers’ Kenny Atkinson following Sunday’s playoff losses.
- The Lakers and Timberwolves have experienced terrible injury luck, with L.A. losing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves before its series started and Minnesota seeing Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards both suffer significant injuries in Saturday’s game. Amick praises the foresight of the Lakers’ Rob Pelinka and the Wolves’ Tim Connelly for adding depth that gives their teams a chance to survive those losses. Pelinka signed Marcus Smart last summer following a buyout with Washington, then acquired Luke Kennard from Atlanta in February. Connelly made possibly the best deal at this year’s deadline, getting Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago in exchange for two little-used players and a package of second-round picks.