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Raptors Notes: Coaching Staff, Poeltl, Trent, Dick

October 8th, 2023 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

New Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic clarified the roles that several of his assistants will have this season, explaining that Pat Delany is his lead assistant and defensive coordinator, Jama Mahlalela will oversee the offense, and James Wade will be focused on analytics, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link).

In the second row of the bench, Mike Batiste will work with the Raptors’ big men, Jim Sann will work primarily with the team’s younger players, Ivo Simovic and Vin Bhavnani will focus on scouting, and Mery Andrade and Drew Jones will be player development coaches, Lewenberg adds (via Twitter).

Here’s more on the Raptors:

  • After signing a new four-year, $78MM contract with the Raptors this offseason, Jakob Poeltl won’t just be asked to set screens and be a rim-runner on offense. Rajakovic would like to run more of the offense through Poeltl this season, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes. “Jakob is a great pick-and-roll player, but we’re going to use Jakob with the ball in his hands, we want to cut around him,” Rajakovic said. “He’s a really good passer, very unselfish player, so we’re going to be trying to play through him even more.”
  • Based on the Raptors’ lineups in scrimmages, it looks like the starting five will be Dennis Schröder, Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Poeltl, tweets Lewenberg. That would make Gary Trent Jr., who has started 128 of 153 games since arriving in Toronto, part of a second unit that also figures to feature Jalen McDaniels, Chris Boucher, and Malachi Flynn.
  • It remains to be seen whether veterans like Garrett Temple and Otto Porter Jr. will crack Toronto’s regular rotation, but they’re already providing value as veteran leaders for youngsters like No. 13 overall pick Gradey Dick, Lewenberg details in a TSN.ca story. “That’s the real OG,” Dick said of Temple. “Him, Otto, those guys are huge mentors to me right now. I can’t tell you the age gap between us; I can probably be their son. … I think it’s huge, [having] a guy that’s been in the league that long, learning the ropes from him and just trying to take everything that he says and put it into my game.”
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Raptors Announce Darko Rajakovic’s 2023/24 Coaching Staff

July 4th, 2023 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors will have a new head coach and a new-look coaching staff for the 2023/24 NBA season. After parting ways with Nick Nurse in April and hiring Darko Rajakovic in June, the team issued a press release on Tuesday announcing what Rajakovic’s staff will look like.

“This coaching staff reflects the team we want to see on the court – high character, high energy, and high creativity,” Rajakovic said in a statement. “We’ve already begun the work we know needs to be done as we head into our first season in Toronto together. We’re excited by the talent, by our team’s potential, and by the job ahead.”

Here are the Raptors’ assistants under Rajakovic for ’23/24, including several names that were previously reported:

Front of the bench:

  • Pat Delany, an experienced NBA assistant who has worked for Charlotte, Orlando, and – most recently – the Wizards.
  • Jama Mahlalela, who is returning to Toronto after spending eight seasons with the Raptors from 2013-21 (six as an assistant and two as the Raptors 905 head coach). He was an assistant with the Warriors from 2021-23.
  • James Wade, who has spent the last five seasons in the WNBA as the general manager and head coach of the Chicago Sky. He was previously an assistant under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio from 2012-16.

Second row:

  • Mike Batiste, a former assistant with the Hornets, the Magic, and – this past season – the Rockets. He has also held player development roles with the Nets and Wizards.
  • Vin Bhavnani, a longtime member of the Thunder organization who was an assistant coach for the last four seasons after serving as the manager of advance scouting/player development for five years.
  • Drew Jones, who was most recently a Pistons assistant from 2021-23.
  • Jim Sann, who has been with the Raptors as an assistant coach since 2016/17, serving under both Dwane Casey and Nurse.
  • Ivo Simovic, an experienced assistant at the NCAA level. He was on UCLA’s staff last season.

The Raptors have also hired Noah Lewis and Rashaun Broadus as assistant video coordinators/player development coaches, per today’s announcement.

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Scotto’s Latest: DiVincenzo, VanVleet, Poeltl, Lakers, Niang, Gallinari, More

June 29th, 2023 at 8:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Donte DiVincenzo is expected to be a popular target on the free agent market, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who identifies the Knicks, Timberwolves, Pistons, Pelicans, Rockets, Magic, and Bulls as teams that have interest in the veteran swingman. After settling for a $4.5MM salary in his last foray into free agency a year ago, DiVincenzo could get offers in the neighborhood of the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($12.4MM) this time around, says Scotto.

Here are a few more highlights from Scotto’s latest round-up of news and rumors from around the NBA:

  • The Raptors are hoping to re-sign Fred VanVleet on a three-year deal in the range of $90-100MM, says Scotto. The team is also looking to bring back center Jakob Poeltl, but may face serious competition from the Rockets on both players. Although Brook Lopez has been considered Houston’s primary target at center, there’s a belief that Lopez would prefer to return to the Bucks as long as their offer is in the same ballpark as Houston’s, Scotto explains. That could prompt Houston to pivot to Poeltl, who is also expected to receive from the Spurs, as previously reported.
  • While the Lakers would like to re-sign Dennis Schröder, they’re keeping an eye on several other free agent point guards, including Shake Milton, Cory Joseph, and Jevon Carter, says Scotto. In addition to the Bucks and Lakers, Carter is expected to receive interest from the Timberwolves and Suns, among others, Scotto adds.
  • Scotto is the second reporter to link Georges Niang to the Cavaliers today, noting that Cleveland offered a pair of second-round picks for him at the trade deadline. The Sixers, Bulls, and Spurs are a few of the other clubs expected to express interest in Niang, league sources tell HoopsHype.
  • Despite a report indicating that the Wizards are likely to buy out Danilo Gallinari, the two sides haven’t had any discussions about that possibility yet, per Scotto, who writes that the veteran forward is comfortable with the idea of opening the season in D.C.
  • According to Scotto, former NBA wing Glenn Robinson III is attempting a comeback, having signed with agent Keith Kreiter and scheduled workouts with a handful of NBA teams in Las Vegas last month. A career 37.3% three-point shooter, Robinson has been out of the league for the last two seasons.
  • Vin Bhavnani and Mike Batiste are expected to join the Raptors as assistants on Darko Rajakovic‘s new coaching staff, Scotto reports. Bhavnani is a former Thunder assistant, while Batiste was on Stephen Silas‘ staff in Houston last season.
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Rockets Adding Hollins, Batiste, Abdelfattah To Coaching Staff

July 3rd, 2022 at 9:22pm CST by JD Shaw

The Rockets are adding Lionel Hollins, Mike Batiste and Mahmoud Abdelfattah to Stephen Silas‘ coaching staff, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 (Twitter link).

They’ll seemingly replace Jeff Hornacek, Will Weaver and DeSagana Diop, all of whom left the team once the 2021/22 season ended.

Silas recently finished his second season with the organization. He was hired in October of 2020 after Mike D’Antoni left, bringing two decades of experience as an assistant with the Hornets, Cavaliers, Wizards, Warriors and Mavericks. Houston finished last season with the league’s worst record at 20-62 and will continue a full-scale rebuild.

Hollins owns head coaching experience with the Grizzlies from 2009-13 and the Nets from 2014-16, more recently serving as a Lakers assistant from 2019-21. Batiste has worked as an NBA assistant since 2014, while Abdelfattah coached the Rockets’ G League team to a championship this past season.

Hollins, Batiste and Abdelfattah will be tasked with developing Houston’s young nucleus, which includes Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, Josh Christopher, Alperen Sengun and No. 3 pick Jabari Smith.

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Wizards Notes: Beal, Point Guard, Porzingis, Batiste

February 11th, 2022 at 12:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Wizards guard Bradley Beal is out for the rest of the 2021/22 season after undergoing wrist surgery and can opt out of his contract this summer. However, president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard remains confident that Beal hasn’t played his last game with the franchise.

“I believe Bradley is going to be here moving forward,” Sheppard told reporters on Friday (Twitter link via Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington). “… Certainly we plan on him being here in the future. If he feels otherwise, he will let us know.”

Multiple reports in recent weeks, both before and after Beal’s injury, have stated that the Wizards remain committed to offering the star guard a five-year contract if he turns down his player option in the offseason.

Here are a few more Wizards notes:

  • The Wizards’ point guard depth took a hit on Thursday when the team traded away Spencer Dinwiddie and Aaron Holiday just six months after acquiring them. Ish Smith and Raul Neto are handling point guard duties in the short term, but Sheppard said today that upgrading the position will be a priority for the club heading into 2022/23. “That’s our focus for sure in the offseason,” Sheppard said (Twitter link via Hughes).
  • The Wizards’ acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis was the “ultimate high-risk, high-reward move,” Josh Robbins writes for The Athletic. Discussing the move today, Sheppard said, “You can’t be afraid to take big swings” (Twitter link via Robbins).
  • Porzingis missed the Mavericks’ last five games due to a right knee bone bruise, but Sheppard expects the big man to be available soon, tweets Hughes. It’s possible Porzingis could make his Wizards debut as soon as Saturday.
  • Wizards assistant coach Mike Batiste was suspended two games without pay by the NBA for entering the stands in an attempt to confront a fan, the NBA announced on Thursday (via Twitter). The incident took place near the end of the team’s loss to Miami on Monday (video link). Batiste served the first game of his suspension on Thursday vs. Brooklyn and will serve the second on Saturday vs. Sacramento.
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And-Ones: Batiste, Hall Of Fame, Cotton, Gatwech

May 2nd, 2020 at 9:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

Magic assistant coach Mike Batiste shot down a rumor that he’s returning to Europe to coach Greece’s Panathinaikos, Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando relays. Batiste, who was a star player for the EuroLeague team, said on Greek radio’s ERA Sport he’s staying in Orlando. “No one has contacted me, these are rumors. I have a two-year contract and I will honor it, when I’m done with that I don’t know what will happen,” Batiste said.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • The Basketball Hall of Fame remains hopeful in can hold the induction ceremony for this year’s class as scheduled in late August, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. This year’s class has nine inductees, including the late Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.
  • Australia NBL MVP and former NBA player Bryce Cotton has opted out of his deal with the Perth Wildcats, Olgun Uluc of ESPN reports. The NBL and its players agreed to a tiered system of pay cuts and the highest-salaried players are having their pay cut in half.  The agreement allowed players to opt out of their contracts before May 4, with the Wildcats holding Cotton’s domestic rights. Cotton, who appeared in 23 NBA games before heading to Australia, is being pursued by European teams Panathinaikos and Asvel, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
  • Jimma Gatwech had his name pulled from the NBA draft, but will pursue other pro opportunities in 2020/21, Evan Daniels of 247Sports tweets. Gatwech, 19, spend the past year at CORE4 Academy in Atlanta.
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Southeast Notes: D’Alessandro, Batiste, Smith Jr.

June 9th, 2017 at 10:45pm CST by Austin Kent

The Magic will hire Pete D’Alessandro as their new assistant general manager, Adrian Wojnarowski of the Vertical tweets. D’Alessandro last served as an executive with the Nuggets, having previously served as the general manager of the Kings.

Just last month we wrote about the Magic adding Bucks executive John  Hammond to fill their general manager role following the departure of Rob Hennigan.

D’Alessandro will return to the basketball operations side of a franchise for the first time since his stint with the Kings which ranged from 2013 to 2015.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

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Southeast Notes: Morris, Heat, Draft, Batiste

May 14th, 2017 at 10:13am CST by Arthur Hill

Wizards forward Markieff Morris is suffering through a severe left ankle injury, but says there’s no chance it will prevent him from playing in Monday’s Game 7 against the Celtics, relays J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic. Morris was able to play 39 minutes in Game 6, putting up 16 points and 11 rebounds in a thrilling 92-91 victory. He has been fighting through the pain ever since landing on Al Horford‘s foot on a jump shot in Game 1 and hasn’t practiced since the injury. “I don’t shoot at all. I just go back to treatment every day,” Morris said. “It’s not swollen as much, but the pain is still there. It’s the worst injury I’ve ever had.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • The Heat should consider trading down in the draft if they don’t get lucky in Tuesday’s lottery, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. After barely missing the playoffs on a tie-breaker, Miami has the worst odds of any lottery team. The Heat have just a 0.5% chance to land the No. 1 pick and only a slightly better shot at slots two and three. While options such as Justin Jackson, Ivan Rabb, John Collins or T.J. Leaf might be tempting at No. 14, Winderman believes Miami would be better off trying to rebuild its draft future. The Heat owe their first-round picks in 2018 and 2021 to Phoenix and don’t have a second-round pick until 2022.
  • The Heat have some important contract dates in the next few weeks, Winderman notes in the same piece. Josh McRoberts, Dion Waiters and Willie Reed all have a June 29th deadline to decide whether to opt out for next season. Josh Richardson‘s $1,471,382 salary for 2017/18 becomes fully guaranteed a day later, as does Okaro White‘s $1,312,611 figure on July 1st. Winderman expects McRoberts to opt in for $6MM, Waiters and Reed to both opt out and the team to guarantee Richardson’s salary while getting White to defer his guarantee date.
  • The Hornets added Mike Batiste to their coaching staff this week, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. An opening was created when Patrick Ewing gave up his role as associate head coach to take over at Georgetown. Stephen Silas was promoted to lead assistant, and Batiste will become a regular assistant. Batiste played for the Grizzlies in 2002/03, but spent most of his career in Europe.
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Coaching Notes: Wizards, Nets, Grizzlies

July 5th, 2016 at 8:32pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Wizards announced today that the team has named Tony Brown, Sidney Lowe, Chad Iske, Mike Terpstra and Maz Trakh as assistants on head coach Scott Brooks’ staff. Eric Sebastian, director of coaching operations, and Kamran Sufi, advance scout, were also named by the team while David Adkins will stay on as the team’s director of player development, according to the press release.

“The staff we have put together here in Washington is an impressive group of basketball minds with extensive coaching experience and knowledge of the game,” said Brooks. “I look forward to working alongside this versatile group every day in our quest to bring the best out of our players.”

Here’s more of the latest from the NBA’s coaching ranks:

  • The Grizzlies announced via press release that the organization has hired Keith Smart and Adam Mazarei as assistant coaches on head coach David Fizdale’s staff. Smart spent the last two seasons working with Fizdale as an assistant coach for the Heat, while Mazarei was a player development assistant for Memphis the past three years.
  • The Nets officially announced their coaching staff for the 2016/17 season. Joining new head coach Kenny Atkinson’s staff as assistant coaches are Jacque Vaughn, Chris Fleming and Bret Brielmaier, Adam Harrington as assistant coach and director of player development, Jordan Ott as assistant coach and manager of advance scouting and Mike Batiste as player development assistant.
  • The Timberwolves are bringing in Brian Pauga to serve as player personnel director, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets. Pauga previously worked with GM Scott Layden when both were members of the Spurs organization, Wojnarowski adds.
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Coaching Notes: Warriors, Pacers, Nets, Sixers

June 27th, 2016 at 9:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mike Brown has been offered the top assistant position by the Warriors, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. The former Cavaliers and Lakers head coach would replace Luke Walton, who was named the Lakers’ head coach, but terms of the deal are still being hammered out, Wojnarowski continues. Brown has remained close to his NBA mentor, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, and spent a considerable amount of time around their organization last season, Wojnarowski adds.

Brown’s ties to the Spurs, affable personality and head-coaching experience tipped the scales in his favor in head coach Steve Kerr’s mind, according to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link). Former Suns coach Ty Corbin was a finalist for the job before becoming one of Earl Watson‘s assistants with the Suns, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reports while also confirming Golden State’s plan to hire Brown. The Warriors also met with the Hornets’ Stephen Silas and the Trail Blazers’ Nate Tibbetts, Stein adds.

In other coaching developments around the league:

  • The Pacers have added Bill Bayno as an assistant coach and David McClure as player development coach, the club announced on its website. New head coach Nate McMillan will retain Dan Burke and Popeye Jones from Frank Vogel’s staff.
  • The Nets have hired D-League assistant and Euroleague legend Mike Batiste as their big man coach, international journalist David Pick tweets.
  • The Sixers have hired John Townsend as their shooting coach, league sources told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He held the same post with the Grizzlies the past two seasons and previously was the shooting coach for the Raptors and Trail Blazers. He replaces Gene Burroughs, who is now the head coach of the Sixers’ D-League team, the Delaware 87ers.
  • The Mavericks have hired Bob MacKinnon to coach their D-League team, the Texas Legends, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports. He replaces Nick Van Exel, who is now a Grizzlies assistant.
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