This has been as thrilling of a first round as you could ask for, but this week has not been about basketball. Instead, the NBA (and the country as a whole) has been focused on Donald Sterling‘s ugly piece of audio. Here’s a look at this week’s fallout from the recording and, thankfully, things that had nothing to do with the embattled Clippers owner..
- With the support of owners from across the league, commissioner Adam Silver acted quickly and decisively, banning Sterling from the NBA for life. While Sterling still technically owns the team, he is barred from attending games and practices under the suspension. Sterling will be forced to sell the Clippers if three-fourths of the league’s owners vote him out and it sounds like it’ll be a clean sweep or very close to one.
- Sterling, who has a litigious past, won’t go down quietly.
- Clippers president Andy Roeser has been in charge since Silver banned Sterling, but the NBA will likely appoint a trustee to run the team.
- Doc Rivers reportedly wouldn’t return to the team next year if Sterling remained, which could have led to the team’s stars demanding trades.
- Phil Jackson told Carmelo Anthony that he expects to hire Steve Kerr as the Knicks’ next coach. The Knicks reportedly want to hire Kerr after the first round is finished but Kerr might have a different timetable.
- Kevin Durant will be named league MVP.
- Mike D’Antoni resigned as Lakers coach when the club declined to exercise his 2015/16 option. D’Antoni had concerns about having a lame duck status next season and when Mitch Kupchak & Co. wouldn’t give him security beyond this upcoming season, he decided to go elsewhere.
- D’Antoni walked away from the Lakers in part because the team is likely to attempt to re-sign Pau Gasol this summer, according to one report.
- The Kings intend to keep Rudy Gay.
- The Bulls are likely to try and move Carlos Boozer.
- The Mavs and Shawn Marion are interested in a new deal.
- The Magic decided to exercise their 2015/16 team options on GM Rob Hennigan and coach Jacque Vaughn.
- Jamal Crawford is your Sixth Man of the Year.
- The Bulls and point guard D.J. Augustin have mutual interest in a new deal this summer.
- Stan Van Gundy isn’t interested in the Wolves’ coaching job and some still see Flip Saunders as a possibility.
- The Rockets will pick up their team option for coach Kevin McHale.
- Michael Carter-Williams has been voted Rookie of the Year.
- There’s talk that Mark Jackson‘s job could be on the line in Golden State.
- Tom Izzo won’t coach in the NBA next season.
- Lakers coaching candidate Kevin Ollie has begun talks about a new deal with Connecticut.
- The Suns are likely to have their own D-League affiliate.
- Here’s the official early entrant list for the 2014 draft.
- Belgian league shooting guard Mateusz Ponitka is entering the draft.
- Three Spanish league prospects are going into the draft: Kristaps Porzingis, Marcus Eriksson, and Devon Van Oostrum.
- Spanish league swingman Mario Hezonja won’t enter the draft.