Lakers Notes: Smart, LeBron, Bronny, Schedule, Ayton
The Lakers are big underdogs in their series against the Rockets due to the injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. At least initially, that could work to the Lakers’ advantage, accoding to guard Marcus Smart.
“It’s going to take everybody,” Smart said, per Greg Beacham of the Associated Press. “With that, it’s a different style of play, and I don’t think it’s something that Houston has prepared for. To be fair, they haven’t seen us without those guys. When they’re playing us, they’ve always played us with them. They’ve always had a matchup and game plan for them, and it’ll be interesting to see how they play us without them.”
In any case, Smart says his team will put up a fight, regardless of playlng shorthanded.
“We’re competitors,” he said. “They’re going to try to come in and punk us, and if you will allow that, you will be punked. I don’t think we have any guys that are going to be punked on this team. We might not be the most athletic and the strongest, but we’ve got to have the most heart.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- LeBron James and son Bronny James will share the floor at times during the series. Bronny has carved out a rotation role due to the backcourt injuries. “Me being on the floor with him, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career, above everything that I’ve accomplished,” LeBron said to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “So, the fact that he’s put himself in a position to get his number called for a postseason game is pretty remarkable and pretty cool given the circumstances that he’s been given the last couple years. He earned it, he deserves it, and he’ll be ready.”
- If the Lakers can make it a series, they could get Doncic and/or Reaves back at some point. The playoff schedule works in the Lakers’ favor, with a day or two off between each game, Dan Woike of The Athletic tweets. “The mindset for our team and for those two guys, like we’re gonna try to make this season as long as possible so that we can get those guys back at some point,” coach JJ Redick said. “We don’t know what that is, and that’s just our job. And their job is to do everything they can to be in a position to come back at some point. It may not work, but that’s what we’re trying to do.”
- Deandre Ayton will be making his first playoff appearance since 2023. The Lakers big man knows he’ll have to ramp up his production. “I can play hard on offense. I can play hard on defense,” he said, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “So, that’s just really my goal — running the floor always and closing out possessions with rebounds and protecting the rim. So, just trying to enhance everything I can coming into the playoffs.” Redick says the team can play at an elite level when Ayton is productive. “The whole season for him has been about finding consistency,” he said. “When he’s at his best, we’re an elite basketball team. That’s just the reality. He raises our ceiling so much — and it’s on both sides of the ball.”
Raptors Guard Immanuel Quickley Won’t Play In Game 1
11:36am: Shead is listed in the starting lineup.
10:54am: Immanuel Quickley won’t play for the Raptors in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Cavaliers this afternoon, Michael Grange of Sportsnet tweets.
Quickley had been listed as questionable due to a hamstring injury. Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic told the media this morning that Quickley wouldn’t suit up.
Quickley, who was already battling right foot plantar fasciitis, strained his right hamstring in Toronto’s regular-season finale against Brooklyn on April 12. Quickley said this week he wasn’t sure if the injuries were related.
“Just day-to-day. Trying to take care of myself so I can be back on the floor with my teammates,” Quickley said.
Quickley is averaging 16.4 points, 5.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds this season. He averaged 13.3 points and 6.3 assists against the Cavaliers in three games.
His absence puts more onus on key backcourt backups, Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter, to hold their own against Cleveland’s high-scoring duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Rajakovic declined to say whether Shead or Walter would start in Quickley’s place.
Knicks Notes: Brown, Towns, Brunson, Robinson
Knicks owner James Dolan made it clear during a radio interview this winter what his expectations were for the postseason.
We want to get to the [NBA] Finals. And we should win the Finals,” Dolan said then. “This is sports and anything can happen. But getting to the Finals, we absolutely got to do.”
That postseason run begins today with Game 1 against Atlanta at Madison Square Garden. First-year coach Mike Brown is unfazed by the high bar raised by the owner, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic.
“I don’t even think about the last part of the question,” Brown said. “Everybody in that locker room has a competitive spirit that I like, and I can say is unmatched. I love the group. We’re competing, not just for 53 wins; we’re competing, like everyone else is, to win it. … Our competitive spirit is there, and it’s not something that we take lightly.”
Karl-Anthony Towns knows the season will be looked upon as a failure if the Knicks don’t at least reach the Finals.
“It was great that we put ourselves in this position going into the playoffs,” Towns said. “At the end of the day, the regular season doesn’t mean anything if we don’t capitalize on this opportunity.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Speaking of Towns, he has a chance to define his legacy with the team in these playoffs, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post writes. Towns could be the key to the series against the Hawks, Schwartz notes, since Atlanta doesn’t match up well with Towns. Onyeka Okongwu is their biggest starter and is more of a natural power forward than center, giving Towns a size advantage. With Okongwu as his primary defender, Towns went 11-for-14 from the field — and 4-for-6 from 3-point range — along with five assists this season. Overall, Towns averaged 28.5 points — his most against any opponent — in the two games he played against the Hawks this year.
- The Knicks front office has built the team around Jalen Brunson and now we will find out if that approach was sound, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post opines. Their free agent signings and blockbuster trades have all been done with the notion of Brunson being the player to finally lead them to the title that has eluded the franchise for over 50 seasons.
- Mitchell Robinson is healthy for this postseason run. He’ll have to deal with Hack-A-Mitch tactics, with the career 50.8 percent free throw shooter being intentionally fouled to exploit his biggest weakness. Brown says he has a plan for that strategy. “We’ve talked about it. We have different things in mind that we’ll do,” he said, per Bondy. “A lot of them will come down to time and score and feel. But we understand that’s what teams may want to do, especially if our offense is clicking at that point in time.”
Kerr Uncertain Whether He’ll Remain Warriors’ Coach
Steve Kerr isn’t sure if he’ll be coaching the Warriors next season. He is certain he won’t be coaching another NBA team.
Golden State’s longtime head coach discussed his uncertain future after the Warriors were eliminated from postseason contention following Friday’s play-in loss in Phoenix.
There’s been plenty of speculation regarding Kerr, whose contract expired with the end of the Warriors’ season. The situation won’t be resolved immediately, as Kerr plans to take a week or two to gather his thoughts before meeting with controlling owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. regarding a new contract.
“We’ll talk about what’s next for the Warriors, what the plan is this offseason,” Kerr said, per the Associated Press. “And we will come to a collaborative decision on what’s next. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I still love coaching. But I get it. These jobs all have an expiration date.
“There’s a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas and all that. And, if that’s the case, then I will be just nothing but grateful for the most amazing opportunity any person could have to coach this franchise, in front of our fans in the Bay and to coach Steph Curry, to coach Dray and the whole group.”
Kerr has been the Warriors’ coach for 12 seasons. He’s won four championships with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green leading the way.
Both of them are hoping Kerr will be back for a 13th season and beyond. Each player has one year remaining on their contracts, though Green could become a free agent if he declines his $27.7MM player option.
“I want Coach to be happy. I want him to be excited about the job. I want him to believe you know he’s the right guy for the job,” Curry said. “I want him to have an opportunity to again enjoy what he does. So, whatever that means for him, you know, everybody’s plan is their own. And I’m not going to try to tell anybody what to do. He knows how I feel about him. That shouldn’t even need to be said.”
“I just don’t deal with change well,” Green said. “I don’t love it. So, I don’t want to think about that. I hope that’s not the case. but we’ll see what happens.”
Before the game ended, Kerr hugged both players and stated, “I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I love you guys to death. Thank you.”
Kerr indicated that coaching Curry the remainder of the Hall of Fame guard’s career is a consideration.
“That’s part of the equation,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. “I don’t want to walk away from Steph. I’m definitely not going and coaching somewhere else next year in the NBA. I would never walk away from Steph. But all this stuff has to be aligned and right. Those are all discussions that will be had.”
Post-Play-In Update On 2026 Draft Order, Lottery Standings
As we explained on Monday following the conclusion of the NBA’s 2025/26 regular season, the results of the play-in tournament helped move the lottery standings and the 2026 draft order one step closer to being officially set.
Here’s what we know now…
Lottery teams
The lower seeds won three of this week’s six play-in games, but in the end, the teams that finished seventh and eighth in the East and West during the regular season are the ones advancing to the playoffs, with the ninth and 10th seeds having been bounced.
The only deviation from the regular season standings was the Suns and Trail Blazers flipping spots in the Western Conference as a result of Portland’s upset victory on Tuesday.
As a result, the tentative lottery standings are the same as the ones we laid out on Monday. Here’s what they look like, per Tankathon:
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAS | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 47.9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| IND* | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 27.8 | 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| BKN | 14 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 12 | 14.8 | 26 | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| UTA | 11.5 | 11.4 | 11.2 | 11 | 7.5 | 27.1 | 17.9 | 2.4 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| SAC | 11.5 | 11.4 | 11.2 | 11 | 2 | 18.2 | 25.5 | 8.5 | 0.6 | – | – | – | – | – |
| MEM | 9 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | – | 8.6 | 29.7 | 20.6 | 3.7 | 0.2 | – | – | – | – |
| NOP* | 6.8 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.9 | – | – | 19.8 | 35.6 | 13.8 | 1.4 | >0 | – | – | – |
| DAL | 6.7 | 7 | 7.4 | 7.8 | – | – | – | 32.9 | 31.1 | 6.6 | 0.4 | >0 | – | – |
| CHI | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 5.7 | – | – | – | – | 50.8 | 25.9 | 3 | 0.1 | >0 | – |
| MIL* | 3 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | 65.9 | 19 | 1.2 | >0 | >0 |
| GSW | 2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 77.6 | 12.6 | 0.4 | >0 |
| LAC* | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 86.1 | 6.7 | 0.1 |
| MIA | 1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 92.9 | 2.3 |
| CHA | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 97.6 |
(* Asterisks denote traded picks)
- The Pacers‘ pick will be sent to the Clippers if it’s outside the top four.
- The Jazz‘s pick will be sent to the Thunder if it’s outside the top eight.
- The most favorable of the Pelicans‘ and Bucks‘ picks will be sent to the Hawks, with Milwaukee receiving the least favorable of the two.
- The Clippers‘ pick will be sent to the Thunder.
Multiple tiebreakers will still be required before the pre-lottery draft order is locked in, since two pairs of lottery teams finished the regular season with identical records. The teams listed above in italics were tied, so the following spots in the chart could still be flipped, pending the results of random tiebreakers:
- Utah Jazz / Sacramento Kings (22-60)
- New Orleans Pelicans / Dallas Mavericks (26-56)
The Jazz and Kings will share identical odds at a top-four pick, while the winner of the Pelicans/Mavericks tiebreaker will get one extra ping pong ball in the draft lottery, giving that team the slightest possible edge at a top-four selection. The most meaningful aspect of the tiebreaker results is the fact that they set the floor for how fall a team’s pick can fall.
For instance, if Utah wins its tiebreaker with Sacramento, the most likely landing spot for the Jazz’s pick would be No. 6 overall and it would be guaranteed to land in the top eight, meaning it won’t be conveyed to the Thunder. On the other hand, if the Kings win that tiebreaker, the most likely slot for the Jazz’s pick is No. 7, and there would be a slight chance (0.6%) it could drop all the way to No. 9, in which case it would be sent to Oklahoma City.
Traded first-round picks
The play-in results also provided some clarity on certain first-round picks that were traded with protections.
Most notably, the Trail Blazers‘ playoff berth ensured that Chicago will receive Portland’s 2026 first-round pick, which featured top-14 protection. Since the Blazers had the worst regular season record of any playoff team, it’s a best-case scenario for the Bulls, who will get the 15th overall selection from Portland.
The Thunder are also now assured of receiving the Sixers‘ pick as a result of Philadelphia’s playoff berth. That pick included top-four protection, so if the 76ers had been eliminated in the play-in tournament, there would’ve been an outside shot of it moving up on lottery night and remaining in Philadelphia. Instead, it’ll convey to Oklahoma City and will be in the 16-18 range, pending a tiebreaker.
While the Thunder would’ve received the Clippers‘ first-round pick whether or not L.A. made the playoffs, it’s worth noting that the Clippers’ loss to Golden State on Wednesday means it will be a lottery selection. There’s a 7.2% chance that Oklahoma City will move into the top four with that Clippers pick, which would be a nightmare scenario for the rest of the NBA.
Playoff teams
Based on the play-in results, the draft order outside of the lottery will be as follows, pending tiebreakers:
- Chicago Bulls (from Trail Blazers)
- Memphis Grizzlies (from Magic) *
Charlotte Hornets (from Suns) *
Oklahoma City Thunder (from Sixers) * - San Antonio Spurs (from Hawks) *
Toronto Raptors * - Detroit Pistons (from Timberwolves)
- Atlanta Hawks (from Cavaliers) *
Philadelphia 76ers (from Rockets) * - Los Angeles Lakers *
New York Knicks * - Denver Nuggets
- Boston Celtics
- Minnesota Timberwolves (from Pistons)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (from Spurs)
- Dallas Mavericks (from Thunder)
It remains possible that the Grizzlies could end up with the Suns’ pick instead of the Magic’s selection, with the Hornets getting Orlando’s first-rounder in that scenario. Memphis has the right to the most favorable of the two picks, which will be determined by a tiebreaker. Each selection could land anywhere from No. 16 to No. 18.
The random tiebreakers for draft positioning are expected to be conducted on Monday. Once those tiebreakers are completed, we’ll publish a full pre-lottery order for both rounds of the 2026 draft.
Magic, Suns Advance; NBA’s Playoff Field Set
After losing their first play-in games earlier in the week, the Magic and Suns bounced back in impressive fashion on Friday, winning home games against the Hornets and Warriors, respectively, to clinch their spots in the playoffs. Orlando and Phoenix will enter the first round as No. 8 seeds, with the Magic taking on Detroit in round one and the Suns facing Oklahoma City.
The Magic ran out to a 22-point lead by the end of the first quarter in Friday’s early game and expanded that cushion to 31 points by the end of the second quarter. Their defense set the tone early by allowing the Hornets to make just 5-of-20 (25.0%) shots from the floor in the first period and 13-of-41 (31.7%) in the first half. Orlando maintained that significant lead in the second half, winning by a score of 121-90.
“When you play with a sense of desperation and urgency, when you know you’re either going home or extending your season, that’s what it looks like,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said after the game, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “There (are) no second chances.”
Paolo Banchero contributed 25 points and a team-high six assists to lead a balanced offensive attack that saw all five of the Magic’s starters score in double-digits. Franz Wagner added 18 points and matched Banchero’s six assists, while Desmond Bane was a team-best plus-30 in his 35 minutes of action despite scoring just 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting.
In the late game, the Suns emulated the Magic by building a big lead in the first quarter, though Phoenix gave most of that 18-point edge in the second quarter before putting the win away in the second half by a score of 111-96.
Suns guard Jalen Green, who struggled in his first taste of playoff action with Houston a year ago, was excellent in this week’s play-in games, scoring 35 points in Tuesday’s loss and then pouring in 36 more in Friday’s win over Golden State. Green made 14-of-20 shots, including 8-of-14 from beyond the arc, and also contributed six rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals. His eight three-pointers matched a career high.
The Suns also did an admirable job holding Warriors star Stephen Curry in check after he went off for 35 points in Wednesday’s win over the Clippers. Curry made just 4-of-16 shots from the field in Phoenix and had as many turnovers as assists (four apiece).
The Suns and Thunder will tip off their series in Oklahoma City at 3:30 pm Eastern time on Sunday, with Game 1 of the Magic/Pistons matchup to follow in Detroit at 6:30 pm.
While Phoenix and Orlando will enter the series as massive underdogs, their regular season results against their first-round opponents offer a sliver of hope — the Suns went 2-3 against the Thunder, while the Magic went 2-2 vs. the Pistons.
And-Ones: Rivers, Awards, Playoff X-Factors, Wemby, Morant
In a podcast appearance with Bill Simmons of The Ringer (Twitter video link), Doc Rivers suggested his coaching career might be finished. The 64-year-old stepped down as head coach of the Bucks earlier this week.
“We met about seven weeks ago, me and (Bucks) ownership,” Rivers said (hat tip to Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports). “We had a great meeting. They asked me what I wanted to do. One of the owners says one plan is, ‘If we do this, you can hang in there for a year or two.’ I literally said, ‘Oh, no, no, no.’
“I told my coaches, I’m done. I loved coaching. Loved it. I had a lot of success at it, had way more ups than downs. But at the end of the day, I’ve given 47 years or whatever, I don’t even know how old I am … with no off time. I just wanted a break. I want to get away. The grandkids and just life in general, man. Right now, I can tell you, Bill, I think it was time, so I’d be surprised if I coached another game, I’ll put it that way.”
Rivers, who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this year, compiled a 1194-866 regular season mark (.580) over the course of 27 seasons as an NBA head coach.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports and Tim Bontemps of ESPN have released their full 2026 NBA awards ballots. While both media members have the same top-five finishers for Most Valuable Player, with Luka Doncic fourth and Cade Cunningham fifth, the order of the three finalists are different. O’Connor has Victor Wembanyama as his MVP, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, whereas Bontemps had SGA winning his second straight MVP award, with Jokic the runner-up and Wembanyama in third.
- In another story for Yahoo Sports, O’Connor lists his playoff X-factors for every team competing in the postseason. Celtics center Neemias Queta, Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson and Spurs guard Dylan Harper are a few of the players mentioned.
- The Professional Basketball Writers Association (PBWA) has named Spurs center Wembanyama the winner of the Magic Johnson award for the 2025/26 season, per a press release. The award “honors the NBA player who best combines excellence on the court with cooperation and grace in dealing with the media and fans.” Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) was the runner-up for the second straight season, while Stephen Curry (Warriors), Jaylen Brown (Celtics) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) were the other finalists.
- Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has purchased a stake in the Metropolitans 92, Wembanyama’s former team in France, according to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints. “I’m excited about how this first season with the Metros is going,” Morant told ClutchPoints. “They represent the culture, just like we do. I like what we are building and hopefully we get to take it into NBA Europe.” Morant made the investment alongside his media and business venture company, Catch12.
Suns’ Williams Out Friday; Porzingis Active For Warriors
The Suns received good and bad news on Friday, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Veteran guard Grayson Allen (left hamstring) was upgraded from questionable to available, but starting center Mark Williams (left foot soreness) was downgraded from questionable to out for Friday’s elimination game vs. Golden State.
As Rankin observes, Williams missed 15 consecutive games late in the regular season after sustaining a stress reaction in his left foot. Head coach Jordan Ott said the foot was bothering the fourth-year big man in the third quarter of Tuesday’s play-in loss to Portland.
“Just flared up,” Ott said. “Now we’re just waiting for the inflammation to calm down.”
Second-year center Oso Ighodaro will start in place of Williams (Twitter link via the team).
Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis also entered Friday’s game with a questionable tag. While his right ankle was “clearly bothering him” during warmups, the Latvian big man will suit up tonight, as Anthony Slater of ESPN reports (via Twitter).
Allen is under contract for two more years, while Williams (restricted) and Porzingis (unrestricted) are both heading for free agency this summer. Porzingis is also extension-eligible through June 30.
Clippers Notes: Kawhi, Lue, Investigation, Garland, Offseason
A couple days after Kawhi Leonard declined to discuss his future, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank reaffirmed the Clippers‘ commitment to the star forward, writes Kris Rhim of ESPN.com.
“Our plan is to win with Kawhi,” Frank said. “We obviously showed as an organization that we want to continue and we are driven to win. So, at the appropriate time, we’ll sit down with Kawhi, and very similar to 2024, lay out our plan. And if our goals are aligned, then we’d like to win with Kawhi.”
The two-time Finals MVP is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $50.3MM in 2026/27. He’ll be eligible this offseason to sign a two-year extension.
As Rhim notes, the Clippers made a couple major trades ahead of the February deadline, sending James Harden to Cleveland for Darius Garland and Ivica Zubac to Indiana for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and two first-round picks. Frank thinks those moves put the team in a better position to contend in the future.
“I think we do have great hope and optimism with our future,” he said. “Because as we build that bridge from competitive to contender, we’ve put ourselves in a very good position with emerging young players, draft capital and cap space going forward.”
Here’s more on the Clippers:
- Law Murray of The Athletic passes along several more quotes from Frank’s 45-minute press conference. The longtime executive confirmed head coach Tyronn Lue, who is under contract until 2029, isn’t going anywhere, as Murray previously reported. “I thought Ty and the staff did an unbelievable job of, every day, showing up with a great spirit, and just kept at it,” Frank said. “Ty’s an incredible coach, an incredible partner. And one of the characteristics we look for, not just in staff, but also in players, are people who are driven to improve. And all of us, you know, are very much driven to improvement.”
- Frank also doubled down on comments he made at the beginning of 2025/26, expressing confidence that the NBA’s investigation into Leonard’s alleged no-show endorsement deal with Aspiration won’t result in a significant punishment for the franchise. “If you know (owner) Steve (Ballmer) and know Steve’s integrity, you know there’s nothing to it,” Frank said. “And I can’t comment on the investigation, but I will stand by what I said up here back in September, October, whenever it was, that, you know, we believe and we’re very confident we’re on the right side of this.”
- Frank said he’d like to see Garland focus on adding strength to his frame in addition to getting healthy after dealing with a nagging toe injury for most of the last year, Murray writes. “The offseason is the time where you can make great gains with your body,” Frank said. “And I think when you look at the — in this league — smaller guards who have been able to excel, it’s the strength part of it.”
- Frank said the team needs to improve its rebounding, secondary ball-handling, and shooting, according to Murray, who points out that Frank made similar comments last year.
- Determining Leonard’s future, finding a workable contract with Mathurin, who will be a restricted free agent, and looking for a new starting center should be the Clips’ top three priorities entering the offseason, per Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
Pelicans Making ‘Significant’ Changes To Basketball Staff
The Pelicans have begun to make “significant” changes to their basketball operations, coaching, and medical staffs, multiple sources tell Shamit Dua of In The N.O. (Twitter links).
Several staff members have been informed they won’t be brought back for next season, according to Dua, who says a “significant portion” of the basketball operations, coaching, and medical departments were either on expiring contracts or had team options. New Orleans decided to go in a different direction as the team begins “restructuring” and “reorganizing” those three key departments, Dua adds.
In a full story at his Substack, Dua reports that assistant coaches Casey Hill and Corey Brewer were among the “more than a dozen” employees who won’t return in 2026/27.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line confirms Dua’s report (via Twitter), writing that “sweeping” organizational changes were made on Friday. As Fischer notes, the Pelicans have commenced a search for a new head coach and several positions on the coaching staff will be available once the lead coach has been hired.
Dua hears Nuggets assistant Jared Dudley is a name to watch in the Pelicans’ coaching search (Twitter link).
The Pelicans are entering their second offseason under executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars, who was hired last April. There have been rumors that Dumars has taken a hands-off approach as a decision-maker, with senior VP of basketball operations and general manager Troy Weaver believed to be behind last summer’s trades for Jordan Poole and Derik Queen.