Western Notes: Teletovic, Wolves, Grizzlies
Mirza Teletovic wondered if his career was over after experiencing blood clots in his lungs that led to his hospitalization last January, notes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Teletovic was initially expected to miss at least the rest of last season for the Nets, though he returned for the playoffs. He wound up signing a one-year, $5.5MM contract with the Suns in the summer that looks like a bargain now that he’s playing a prominent role in the Phoenix rotation and is leading all NBA big men in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage, Coro points out.
“I never have got the chance that I’ve got here and the chance [coach] Jeff [Hornacek] has given me,” Teletovic said.
That’s a vote of confidence for the Suns coach, who’s job was reportedly in jeopardy a few weeks ago, from a soon-to-be free agent. See more from the Western Conference:
- The sale of 30% of the Timberwolves to private equity investor and Grizzlies minority owner Steve Kaplan is on track to be complete by the end of next month, according to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The transfer is reportedly a precursor to Kaplan and his partners eventually taking over majority control from Glen Taylor, though the stipulation that the team remains in Minnesota would be a part of any deal, Walters notes.
- The Wolves initially operated on the premise that the late Flip Saunders would be back coaching sometime in November after he took his leave of absence in September to recover from cancer treatment, as interim coach Sam Mitchell recently revealed to Britt Robson of MinnPost. Saunders died in October.
- Jeff Green didn’t play in the second half of the Grizzlies‘ loss to Memphis on Tuesday, the one-year anniversary of the trade that brought him to Memphis, a signal that the time has come for the team to trade him, argues Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal.
Nets Coaching Turnover Under Mikhail Prokhorov
No team has had more head coaches than the Nets have during Mikhail Prokhorov’s time as owner, even though Prokhorov downplayed the coaching turnover in Monday’s press conference that followed the Sunday firing of Lionel Hollins and installation of assistant coach Tony Brown as his interim replacement. Brown is the fifth head coach to have served under Prokhorov, joining Hollins, Jason Kidd, P.J. Carlesimo and Avery Johnson. The owner elected not retain Kiki Vandeweghe when he hired Johnson shortly after formally buying the team in 2010, so in some sense, Prokhorov has had six coaches.
Andy Vasquez of The Record cited six when he asked Prokhorov whether his new coach could be secure in his job, as Brian Fleurantin notes in his full transcription of the press conference for NetsDaily. Prokhorov responded that he only dismissed two coaches, since Kidd left of his own volition in 2014 and Carlesimo was an interim replacement for Johnson. Vandeweghe was also an interim coach, though it was the team’s decision not to retain him, just as it was with Carlesimo.
In any case, only the Kings, Lakers and Pistons have had as many head coaches as the Nets have since the start of 2010/11, Prokhorov’s first full season as owner. That includes interim coaches but not substitute coaches, like Luke Walton of the Warriors and Joe Prunty of the Bucks, since they’re serving because their respective head coaches are ailing, not because their teams decided to make a change.
Here’s a breakdown of every team’s coaching turnover since 2010/11:
Five coaches
- Kings — (Paul Westphal, Keith Smart, Michael Malone, Tyrone Corbin, George Karl)
- Lakers — (Phil Jackson, Mike Brown, Bernie Bickerstaff, Mike D’Antoni, Byron Scott)
- Nets — (Avery Johnson, P.J. Carlesimo, Jason Kidd, Lionel Hollins, Tony Brown)
- Pistons — (John Kuester, Lawrence Frank, Maurice Cheeks, John Loyer, Stan Van Gundy)
Four coaches
- Bucks — (Scott Skiles, Jim Boylan, Larry Drew, Jason Kidd)
- Hornets — (Larry Brown, Paul Silas, Mike Dunlap, Steve Clifford)
- Magic — (Stan Van Gundy, Jacque Vaughn, James Borrego, Scott Skiles)
- Nuggets — (George Karl, Brian Shaw, Melvin Hunt, Michael Malone)
- Timberwolves — (Kurt Rambis, Rick Adelman, Flip Saunders, Sam Mitchell)
Three coaches
- Cavs — (Mike Brown, Byron Scott, David Blatt)
- Jazz — (Jerry Sloan, Tyrone Corbin, Quin Snyder)
- Knicks — (Mike D’Antoni, Mike Woodson, Derek Fisher)
- Rockets — (Rick Adelman, Kevin McHale, J.B. Bickerstaff)
- Suns — (Alvin Gentry, Lindsey Hunter, Jeff Hornacek)
- Trail Blazers — (Nate McMillan, Kaleb Canales, Terry Stotts)
- Warriors — (Keith Smart, Mark Jackson, Steve Kerr)
Two coaches
- Bulls — (Tom Thibodeau, Fred Hoiberg)
- Celtics — (Doc Rivers, Brad Stevens)
- Clippers — (Vinny Del Negro, Doc Rivers)
- Grizzlies — (Lionel Hollins, Dave Joerger)
- Hawks — (Larry Drew, Mike Budenholzer)
- Pacers — (Jim O’Brien, Frank Vogel)
- Pelicans — (Monty Williams, Alvin Gentry)
- Raptors — (Jay Triano, Dwane Casey)
- Sixers — (Doug Collins, Brett Brown)
- Thunder — (Scott Brooks, Billy Donovan)
- Wizards — (Flip Saunders, Randy Wittman)
One coach
- Heat — (Erik Spoelstra)
- Mavericks — (Rick Carlisle)
- Spurs — (Gregg Popovich)
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 1/13/16
Warriors interim coach Luke Walton, the NBA’s Western Conference Coach of the Month for November, has guided the Warriors to a 36-2 while Steve Kerr continues to recover from two back surgeries, which is quite impressive given Walton’s relative inexperience as a coach [Edit: the Warriors lost Wednesday to fall to 36-3]. To be fair, he did inherit a roster that won the NBA title a season ago, but nevertheless, Walton has done remarkable work this season, especially considering that he’s just three years removed from his playing days and was thrust into his role with little warning or prep time.
The 35-year-old has expressed an interest in formally becoming a head coach some day, though it’s “nothing I’m trying to rush into,” as he told Ben Golliver of SI.com in November. Walton is likely to be a hot commodity this offseason for teams seeking a new head coach, and the Nets are reportedly eyeing him as they seek a long-term replacement for the fired Lionel Hollins, sources informed Sam Amico of Amico Hoops and Fox Sports Ohio. While the Brooklyn post may not be ideal given the team’s current state and lack of future draft picks, the Nets do happen to have just $45MM in guaranteed salaries against a projected $89MM cap committed for next season. While the franchise may not have much in the way of talent to sell top tier free agents on, the presence of Walton could be an asset when recruiting.
This brings me to the topic/question for today: Would hiring Luke Walton as coach be the right move for the Nets, or should the team look to add a more experienced leader?
There’s no doubt that Walton has done an excellent job holding the team together in Kerr’s absence, but the question still remains as to whether or not Walton is merely a caretaker in Kerr’s absence, or if he is actively making the roster better with his coaching talents. Would the Nets be a good fit for Walton, as well as Walton for the Nets? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.
Bulls Gauge Trade Interest In Pau Gasol
The Bulls recently measured the trade market for Pau Gasol in discussions that have more often centered on Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, league sources tell Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher (video link). Chicago wants a talented young player in return, whether it’s a defensive-minded wing player or a stretch four, and to open playing time for Bobby Portis, Bucher adds.
Chicago has reportedly been determined to find an upgrade at the wing and believes that it needs more outside shooting, and the team is willing to part with some of its ample frontcourt depth to acquire the right player, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported recently. The players most often linked to such a move have been Gibson and Noah, and the revelation that the team is potentially shopping Gasol is a new twist. The Bulls have been mentioned in connection with Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin, who is reportedly available, as well as Jamal Crawford of the Clippers, though neither player fits the mold of the talented young player or defensive-minded wing that Bucher noted the team was seeking in his report.
Noah, who’s averaging a career-low 4.3 points per game while struggling with shoulder issues, is making $13.4MM this year in the final season of his deal, and Gibson has an $8.5MM salary for this season, with $8.95MM owed to him for 2016/17. Gibson supposedly has a higher value on the trade market, as a Western Conference GM recently relayed to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, but the team would likely prefer to deal Noah, given the decline in his play and expiring contract. It’s doubtful Chicago would be able to extract much in the way of value for Noah, though Bucher indicates that a decent market for him exists.
As for Gasol, he possesses a player option worth $7,769,520 for 2016/17 and has said that he’s leaning toward opting out of his contract this summer. He did add that he would like to remain in Chicago beyond this season. “Yes, of course,” Gasol said about staying with the Bulls after 2015/16. “But when the time comes we’ll evaluate it. I’ll see how the season went. Where are the team’s interests, where are my interests, what options do I have? But most important is for me and the team to focus on what we have this season to make the best out of it and give ourselves a chance to win the title.”
The Bulls would have only Early Bird rights on Gasol if he does decide to opt out, meaning they’d have to use cap room if they wish to ink him to a starting salary on his next deal that’s more than 175% of his nearly $7.449MM salary for this season, a figure that would come to $13,035,330. The Bulls have more than $64.75MM in guaranteed salary against a projected $89MM cap, though some believe it could rise as high as $95MM next season. It’s not clear if the team is pessimistic that it will be able to retain Gasol, or if it understands that he is the player who would generate the best potential return in a trade.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
And-Ones: Wall, D-League, Pelicans
Wizards point guard John Wall expressed appreciation for what agent Dan Fegan of Relativity Sports did for him, but is excited about the possibilities his new agent, Rich Paul, will provide, J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic writes. “The people I was with, it was a great partnership for the five years I was with it. Did a lot of great and positive things for me but it’s just a situation where I felt me and my team wanted to go different ways in how we wanted to build out team,” Wall told Michael. “It was a decision I made to part ways with them. … I think just getting it off my chest was kind of a relief.”
Wall, whose shoe deal with Adidas expired earlier this season, says the agent change wasn’t about that particular endorsement opportunity, Michael adds. “It doesn’t factor in at all. That wasn’t even part of the decision why I wanted to make that. It’s just something that I’ve been thinking about for a while and I’m still open to every shoe company,” Wall said. “I’m going to talk to all those guys through the process, figure out what I can do. I still have interest in Adidas. … I’m just wearing what’s comfortable for my feet and protecting my feet for right now. I’m still weighing my options.”
Here’s the latest from around the league
- Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry isn’t sure how active the team will be at the trade deadline because the rash of injuries the roster has suffered makes it difficult to discern the team’s needs, Sam Amick of USA Today relays. “Well the first thing is that, you know, we’ve never really had our entire team on the floor, not for one single day,” Gentry told Amick. “So to anticipate that we would like to make changes or do something like that is really difficult to do because we really don’t know the team that we have, and one of the things we felt like is that last year the success they had is something that we could build on and grow on, so we’re not so eager to just all of a sudden start making trades. Now if there’s something that makes sense for our franchise, or is going to make us a much better team, I’m sure it’s something that [GM] Dell [Demps] and I will talk about and there will be a decision made, obviously, that we think is in the best interests of our club.”
- The Hawks have assigned swingman Lamar Patterson and center Edy Tavares to the D-League, the team announced via a press release. Both players will report to the Austin Spurs as part of the league’s flexible assignment rule since Atlanta doesn’t possess its own affiliate.
- The Bulls have recalled power forward Cristiano Felicio from the D-League, the team announced (via Twitter). This was Felicio’s first trip to the D-League on the season.
Western Notes: Barnes, Stotts, Scott
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is pleased with coach Byron Scott‘s tough-love approach with the team’s younger players and takes offense at the notion that Scott is stifling their development, writes Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times. “If you asked our young players, I think there would be a mutual respect, as you might expect maybe between a parent and a child,” Kupchak said. “In other words, I’m going to love you, I’m going to bring you along, but every now and then, I’ve got to teach you the right way to do things.”
Kupchak also told Bresnahan that Kobe Bryant‘s retirement tour is actually a benefit to the team’s young roster since the attention paid to the veteran deflects much of the spotlight away from the other players. “I guess there was some backlash to the comment that we can’t move on until Kobe retires,” Kupchak said. “There’s no doubt this season is in great part a tribute to him and what he’s meant for this organization. It’s what he deserves, it’s what we want to give him, it’s what the fans want and it’s a justifiable tribute to his career. Having said all that, to think that we’re not developing our young players? I mean, who’s starting? Larry Nance. Anthony Brown. And Jordan Clarkson. Who’s playing 20 to 30 minutes a game? Julius Randle. D’Angelo Russell. In fact, Kobe gives the younger guys a chance to fly under the radar a little bit. They can make mistakes. Maybe they don’t get the attention they normally get under a normal season. On top of that, they get to learn by being around Kobe.”
Here’s more news out of the Western Conference:
- The NBPA has filed a grievance on behalf of Grizzlies small forward Matt Barnes that appeals his two-game unpaid suspension for the off-court altercation he had in October with Knicks coach Derek Fisher, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports. Barnes will lose $64,409 in salary because of the suspension if it is upheld. This appeal will ensure that Barnes is able to take the court this Saturday when the Grizzlies square off against the Knicks in Memphis.
- Portland GM Neil Olshey raved about the performance of Terry Stotts and cited the coach’s improvement over his time with the Trail Blazers in an appearance on “The Vertical” hosted by Wojnarowski (audio link). Stotts has a team option on his contract for next season.
- Suns power forward Markieff Morris is excited about his expanded role in the team’s rotation that’s come about because Alex Len is sidelined with a sprained right hand, though Morris is not sure if he will remain in the regular lineup regardless of how long Len is out, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic relays.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Ujiri, D-League
The Raptors are currently enjoying one of the most successful runs in franchise history and GM Masai Ujiri needs to capitalize on that momentum by swinging for the fences at the trade deadline this season, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes. The most effective way to add to the team’s core would be to use the team’s surplus of first round picks, four in the next two years, which could land an impact player, Grange notes. The Sportsnet scribe does acknowledge the team may face stiff competition to re-sign future unrestricted free agent DeMar DeRozan, and building around him could be a risky proposition as a result, but it would be folly for the team to not go all in this season and shoot for the stars in the trade market.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Joel Embiid‘s hiring of Leon Rose as his new agent is a positive move for the Sixers, Jake Fischer of Liberty Ballers opines (on Twitter). The scribe points to Rose being based out of New Jersey and his history of representing Sixers players as reasons for his optimism. The center’s former agency, the Wasserman Group, is based out of Los Angeles.
- The continued emergence of rookie Jerian Grant changes the dynamic of the Knicks‘ offense, and the point guard’s energy and defense have become assets to the team, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes.
- The Celtics have recalled power forward Jordan Mickey and point guard Terry Rozier from their D-League affiliate in Maine, the team announced. This was Mickey’s ninth stint with the Red Claws on the season and Rozier’s fifth.
Nets Notes: Prokhorov, King, Offseason
The Nets won’t be able to move forward as a franchise and avoid making similar roster errors until the front office and ownership admit to the mistakes they have made in the past, Howard Beck of Bleacher Report writes. Much of the blame for the state of the team should fall on the shoulders of owner Mikhail Prokhorov, whose bold prediction of winning a championship within five years of purchasing the team influenced a number of unsuccessful personnel moves, Beck notes. For his part, Prokhorov declines to acknowledge the flaw with mortgaging the team’s future for an opportunity to make a quick turnaround. “Frankly speaking, I deserve championship now much more than six years ago,” Prokhorov said, according to NetsDaily. “I think we have been really bold and did our best in order to reach championship. And I still believe with some luck, our results might have been more promising.”
Here’s more from Brooklyn:
- No franchise in the NBA has a worse long-term outlook than the Nets, whose lack of talent and future draft picks could prevent anyone the team hires to replace GM Billy King from making an impact, Tom Ziller and Paul Flannery of SB Nation opine. The two scribes note that Prokhorov is responsible for much of the mess Brooklyn finds itself in, but King does not escape the blame, and the duo point to the lack of protections placed on the franchise’s traded first round picks as examples of how the former GM failed in his duties.
- The Nets sorely need for Prokhorov to maintain a more prominent presence around the team physically, and the owner’s absentee style has created a disjointed and dysfunctional organization, Ben Golliver of SI.com writes.
- One strategy that the Nets would be wise to emulate going forward is that of the Sixers, who have acted as a clearinghouse for numerous player-friendly contracts over the years, and have acquired a number of future draft picks by doing so, Danny Leroux of The Sporting News posits. This strategy would be practical if the team were to strike out in free agency this summer and find itself left with a plethora of leftover cap space as a result, Leroux adds.
NCAA Alters NBA Draft Rules For Underclassmen
The NCAA has officially made a number of significant changes to its policies regarding underclassmen and the NBA Draft, the organization announced (Twitter links). The first change will be to push back the date that players must remove their names from NBA draft to 10 days after conclusion of draft combine. The previous deadline for underclassmen who declared themselves eligible for the draft to withdraw and maintain their NCAA eligibility was April 15th. The NCAA also removed the restriction that limited players to withdrawing from the draft no more than once during their college careers. The changes are effective immediately, and players can take advantage of the new process for the 2016 NBA draft.
“The rule is a good idea because it provides men’s basketball student-athletes the opportunity to test their dream of going beyond the stage of amateurism into the professional level without completely sacrificing their collegiate career, should they find they are not as prepared as they had hoped for the next level,” said Cody McDavis, a member of the Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee. “[The rule allows] student-athletes to realize their dreams without punishing them for having such dreams. Almost every men’s basketball student-athlete has dreamt of playing in the NBA. This proposal allows them to attempt to make those dreams a reality without taking away their ability to come back and play in amateur collegiate sport if they happen to be unsuccessful.”
McDavis also noted in the release that the limit on the number of players invited to the NBA combine, which will encompass fewer than 100 participants, would likely encourage many uninvited players to return to school. “I am of the belief that a student-athlete who does not receive an invite to the draft or an invite to work out with a team will make the smart decision to return back to college to continue to grow as a player,” he said. “However, should they receive an invite, they will have an opportunity to compete against draft-potential competition and receive feedback on their performance. Either way, they have an opportunity to make an educated decision that is best for them and their family. That is why this is so important.”
Dan Guerrero, chair of the Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee and athletics director at UCLA, indicated that the new rules would help students make decisions with as much information as possible. “The cooperation between the NCAA, NBA and [the National Association of Basketball Coaches] was vital to the success of this idea. We reached an excellent outcome that will undoubtedly benefit every group involved, most importantly the student-athlete,” Guerrero said. “We all worked toward the same goal – providing students and their families with the opportunity to assess their future professional sports prospects in a realistic timeline. The rule change will allow students the chance to pursue their dreams while still preserving their ability to play collegiately.”
These changes will certainly allow early entrants to better gauge their draft prospects by participating in the combine, which is often a major determining factor for draft slotting. A lack of an invitation to the combine would provide a signal to a player that he’s not likely to find work in the NBA, as Kentucky coach John Calipari suggested to ESPN’s Andy Katz. A player invited to the combine will still be allowed to work out with his college coaches from the time he receives his invitation until he withdraws from the draft. Those workouts will be kept to the in-season limit of four hours a day for up to 20 hours per week, the press release notes.
The new rules won’t change the timing of the draft process for international players and others without NCAA ties, who can withdraw anytime up to 10 days before the draft.
Submit Your Questions For Hoops Rumors Mailbag
In addition to our regular weekly chat, which Chuck Myron facilitates every Wednesday, we have a second opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in our weekly mailbag feature, which is posted every Saturday.
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