Brooks, Jeff Van Gundy Favorites For Rockets Job
4:04pm: Brooks is currently meeting with Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld, who is trying to reach an agreement with the coach this evening, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets.
3:11pm: The Wizards have intensified their pursuit of Brooks with the hope he can be signed prior to the Rockets post opening up, Stein relays (Twitter links). Houston is hopeful that Brooks will hold making a decision until their playoff run is complete, Stein adds.
12:43pm: Scott Brooks and Jeff Van Gundy are co-favorites for the Rockets head coaching job, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The Wizards are reportedly the front-runner for Brooks, but Houston is optimistic that he’ll wait until its playoff run is over, Stein adds. Adrian Wojnarowski and Chris Mannix of The Vertical earlier identified Van Gundy as the top candidate for the Rockets gig, but it appears Brooks is on the same level. Houston still hasn’t formally decided the fate of interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who reportedly enhanced his chances of keeping the job when the team clinched a playoff berth on the final night of the regular season, but the latest news seems to cast significant doubt on his return.
Brooks is wary of the uncertainty surrounding Dwight Howard‘s player option, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported, even though Howard has long been expected to opt out. Stein reported earlier that the Rockets were second only to the Wizards among the options Brooks was considering but pointed to Houston’s focus on the playoffs as a disadvantage. The Rockets are down 2-0 to the Warriors in their first-round series and could be eliminated as soon as Friday’s Game 4. The ex-Thunder coach knows James Harden well from their time together in Oklahoma City, and Kevin Durant remains a fan of Brooks.
The Rockets, like many teams, had interest in Tom Thibodeau, as Stein relayed last week, but Thibodeau is apparently finalizing a deal with the Timberwolves. That cuts off a route to a job for Van Gundy, who had reportedly been a co-favorite for Minnesota. Van Gundy, who still lives in Houston, last coached in the NBA with the Rockets in 2007.
Memphis SF Dedric Lawson To Test Draft Waters
Memphis freshman small forward Dedric Lawson has entered this year’s draft in spite of an announcement from his school last week that he wouldn’t do so, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter links). The 6’8″ 18-year-old won’t hire an agent, Spears was told, so his college eligibility remains intact should he have another change of heart and withdraw by May 25th. Lawson is No. 46 in Chad Ford’s ESPN Insider rankings. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress doesn’t have him in his top 100 but pegs him as the 28th-best freshman.
Lawson was No. 32 in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index entering college. He led the American Athletic Conference with 9.3 rebounds per game and was third with 1.7 blocks per contest this year. He also excelled on offense, averaging 15.8 points, though his 3-point accuracy wasn’t spectacular at 35.0%.
He capped his season with a double-double in a conference tournament loss to Connecticut, scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Still, he struggled with inconsistency, scoring at least 20 points 11 times and in single digits on seven occasions.
Wolves, Tom Thibodeau Finalizing Deal
1:49pm: Newton has the option to remain with the organization in a role that would put him under Thibodeau and Layden, reports Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
12:22pm: The Wolves and Thibodeau are now finalizing that deal, league sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
12:21pm: Thibodeau and the Wolves are close to a deal that would give him about $10MM a year as coach and president of basketball operations, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s conceivable Thibodeau will end up with an $11MM salary, USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt hears (Twitter link), which would mean Minnesota would be going up from the earlier-reported $11MM figure for both Thibodeau and Layden.
11:56am: The Timberwolves and Tom Thibodeau are having serious talks toward a deal that would make him the team’s coach and president of basketball operations, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter links). Spurs assistant GM Scott Layden would become Minnesota’s GM in that scenario, Wojnarowski adds. Layden has spoken with the Wolves within the past few days about assuming the role of GM in a Thibodeau-led front office, according to Wojnarowski.
The Wolves are negotiating around a figure of $11MM in combined annual salaries for Thibodeau and Layden, as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities hears (Twitter link). Still, several moving parts exist as the discussions continue, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press, suggesting the talks could drag on for a while. A previous report from Wojnarowski and Vertical colleague Chris Mannix suggests the Wolves were willing to go as high as $7MM annually for Thibodeau.
Minnesota has also reportedly interviewed Jeff Van Gundy for the coach/executive gig that Thibodeau is gunning for, and Mark Jackson apparently interviewed for the coaching job Tuesday. Thibodeau has nonetheless been the leading candidate throughout the team’s search and people around the league believe it’s inevitable that the Wolves will hire him, according to Krawczynski (Twitter links). Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times reported earlier this week that people around the league were convinced Thibodeau would end up in Minnesota, where he still feels a comfort from his time as an assistant coach there from 1989-91, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Korn Ferry, the search firm that Wolves owner Glen Taylor has used in the process, turned up Layden and Grizzlies executive VP of player personnel Ed Stefanski as possible candidates for the GM job, as Wojnarowski and Mannix reported earlier. Layden has previously served as the primary basketball executive of the Jazz, from 1992-99, before moving on to the Knicks from 1999-2003. He returned to the Jazz and spent several years as an assistant coach before the Spurs hired him in September 2012.
Question remains over what becomes of GM Milt Newton, who has been in control of Minnesota’s front office since former coach/executive Flip Saunders took a leave of absence in September to deal with complications from cancer treatment that proved to be fatal. Newton held the GM title under Saunders, who was president of basketball operations, the same title Thibodeau will apparently have, but the presence of Layden would appear to marginalize Newton.
The Timberwolves and Thibodeau engaged in “cursory contact” months ago, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, and Thibodeau has been a rumored candidate for just about every opening that’s emerged since the Bulls fired him last year. Taylor has been eyeing him for months, Stein hears (Twitter link), and armed with an intriguing young roster and the willingness to bestow the personnel power Thibodeau has reportedly sought, Minnesota appears to have landed the prime target on the coaching market.
Kevin Garnett Plans To Return To Timberwolves
Kevin Garnett plans to play another season with the Timberwolves, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Doubt had lingered about whether Garnett, who’ll turn 40 next month, would continue to play even though he’s under contract for $8MM next season. Wojnarowski points to Garnett’s strong relationship with Tom Thibodeau, who’s finalizing a deal to become Minnesota’s coach and president of basketball operations. Thibodeau was a Celtics assistant coach for three years while Garnett was in Boston.
Next season will be Garnett’s 22nd, so he’ll break an all-time NBA record, assuming he indeed steps onto the hardwood. He didn’t play after January 23rd this past season because of soreness in his right knee. He averaged career lows of 3.2 points and 14.6 minutes per game before that, but he nonetheless started in all 38 of his appearances.
Wolves owner Glen Taylor seemed optimistic about Garnett’s return earlier this month, though former Garnett teammate Sam Mitchell, who spent this past season as Wolves coach, wasn’t so sure. Still, Garnett signed a two-year contract last summer without an option clause, so both sides are financially committed. They could conceivable arrange a buyout, but that doesn’t appear to be the plan. Instead, Garnett seems poised to resume his role as locker room leader for a youthful Timberwolves core that includes the last two No. 1 overall picks. Minnesota is in line for another high lottery pick this year.
Quincy Acy To Opt Out From Kings
Quincy Acy has decided to turn down his minimum-salary player option for next season and hit free agency this summer, as USA Today’s Sam Amick hears (Twitter link). The Kings want to keep him around for on-court reasons as well as his locker room presence, according to James Ham of CSN California, who wrote earlier that the power forward would love to stay in Sacramento, so it appears the grounds for a new deal are in place. Still, the Mike Silverman client seems headed for the open market.
Acy, who’ll turn 26 in October, averaged 5.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game this past season, his second tenure with the Kings, who had him for most of the 2013/14 season. He spent a year with the Knicks in between his stints with Sacramento, and he put up the best numbers of his career in 2014/15 with New York, averaging 5.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 18.9 minutes. The Kings moved him in and out of the starting lineup this season, but he still wound up making 29 starts, his most ever.
Sacramento signed Acy this past summer to a two-year minimum-salary deal. The contract doesn’t require a formal decision on the player option until June 1st, so Acy still has time to change his mind and pick up the $1,050,961 option. That leeway doesn’t exist for teammates James Anderson and Seth Curry, who have to decide on their player options by today and Saturday, respectively. Caron Butler can wait until June 22nd.
The Kings have about $61.3MM in guaranteed salary for next season, not counting any of the player options. They’ll have enough flexibility under the projected $92MM cap to chase some max-level free agents, but they seem unlikely to land one, given their lack of appeal.
Timberwolves Interview Mark Jackson
WEDNESDAY, 9:42am: Jackson had his interview with the Wolves on Tuesday, Krawczynski notes amid a story on Sacramento’s coaching search.
TUESDAY, 9:44am: The Timberwolves will interview Mark Jackson for their coaching job, a source tells Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press (Twitter links). The team has reportedly made Tom Thibodeau and Jeff Van Gundy its top candidates, having interviewed both, and Minnesota is apparently thinking about hiring one or the other for a dual coach/executive role. It’s unclear if that’s the case with Jackson. Krawczynski doesn’t indicate that he’s up for the president of basketball operations position.
The Wolves also had interest in Jackson long ago, as he was one of the finalists when the team hired Kurt Rambis in 2009, as Krawczynski points out. Jackson, who frequently draws mention as a potential candidate for openings, has drawn interest from the Kings and was in the mix this spring for the Nets job that’s since gone to Kenny Atkinson. He’s been Van Gundy’s broadcast partner on ABC and ESPN since the Warriors fired him following a 51-win campaign two years ago. Jackson’s dismissal came in large measure because his personality clashed with key members of the organization, and it was in spite of the widespread support he had from players. Jackson was 121-109 in three seasons with the Warriors, helping turn around a long-dormant franchise that’s since gone on to record-breaking success under coach Steve Kerr.
Dave Joerger and Scott Brooks are also reportedly candidates for the Timberwolves coaching gig, and owner Glen Taylor apparently discussed the job with Brooks last week. Taylor, 74, has been trying to find a buyer who will eventually succeed him as primary owner, and the subject of just how long he plans to remain has come up during the coaching interviews, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
The Wolves have partnered with the search firm Korn Ferry, which helped the Pistons land Stan Van Gundy. Adrian Wojnarowski and Chris Mannix of The Vertical reported that Taylor is expected to be willing to pay the right candidate $7MM a year, but it appears that salary would be only for someone the team would hire to both coach and run the front office.
Do you think Jackson would fit with the Timberwolves? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.
Brandon Bass To Opt Out From Lakers
Brandon Bass will turn down his $3.135MM player option for next season and become a free agent this summer, a league source tells Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). A formal decision isn’t due until June 21st, but it appears the Lakers power forward intends to hit the open market.
The 11th-year veteran experienced statistical declines as he assumed a bench role in L.A. this season after having spent four years primarily as a starter for the Celtics. His 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 20.3 minutes per game were his fewest in each category since the 2009/10 season. Still, he spoke fondly in March of his role as a veteran mentor and won praise from coach Byron Scott, whose chances of remaining with the team appear to be improving.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens said in December that he remains high on Bass, who said shortly before then that he’d planned to play out the rest of his career with Boston until the C’s signed Amir Johnson instead last summer. The Tony Dutt client turned to the Lakers, signing a two-year, $6.135MM contract in July. The Lakers reportedly made Bass available for trades over the winter, but offers were unappealing.
Johnson’s contract for next season is non-guaranteed and Jared Sullinger is a restricted free agent, so the Celtics stand to enter next season thinner at the power forward position. Bass could serve as a mentor for Jordan Mickey, last year’s 33rd pick, but it remains to be seen if Boston will pursue a reunion with Bass.
The Lakers liked Bass’ contract, and with 2014 No. 7 pick Julius Randle still in need of development, it’s conceivable L.A. will give Bass a decent offer to re-sign. Still, he turns 31 later this month, so he probably wants either a short-term deal with a team that would offer more playing time and a chance to up his value or a long-term contract that would secure his future as he ages.
Where do you think Brandon Bass ends up playing next season? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.
Wisconsin PF Nigel Hayes To Test Draft Waters
Wisconsin power forward Nigel Hayes will enter this year’s draft, but he won’t immediately sign with an agent, allowing him the chance to return to college ball if he wants, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link). The 6’8″ 21-year-old is the 49th-best prospect in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings, but Chad Ford of ESPN.com places him well outside draft range at No. 93. Givony believes he has a decent chance to become a first-round pick if he waits on the draft for a year, listing him 30th in his 2017 mock draft. Hayes will retain his college eligibility for next season if he withdraws from the draft by May 25th and doesn’t hire an agent.
He experienced a troubling decline in 3-point shooting percentage from last season to this year, going from 36.9% on 2.5 attempts per game to 29.3% on 3.8 tries. He also rebounded less despite more minutes, collecting 5.8 per contest compared to 6.2 last year, but his scoring average rose from 12.4 to 15.7 as he assumed a more significant role in the Badgers offense.
Hayes wasn’t in the Recruiting Services Consensus Index top 100 coming out of high school, but he played a prominent role as a reserve his freshman year on a team that went to the Final Four. He was a starter the past two seasons, including the 2014/15 run to the national title game. His college postseason career ended poorly this year as he followed up a 30-point regular season finale against Purdue by going just 11 for 54 from the field in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
Community Shootaround: Al Horford
Al Horford‘s future with the franchise is perhaps the biggest question facing the Hawks this offseason. The 29-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent. He stands to more than double his salary in free agency and may change the perception of who deserves a max contract, opined Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Horford is making $12MM this season, but when he hits the open market this summer after completing his ninth NBA season, he’ll be eligible for a contract starting at approximately 30% of the salary cap. That works out to a first-year salary of approximately $26MM and means that a four-year maximum contract for the veteran player would cost a team in the neighborhood of $111MM.
That is certainly a hefty sum for a player who has never averaged higher than 18.6 points per game in a season, but with the salary cap set to increase markedly for next season, the perception of player worth is likely to change dramatically as well. That brings me to the topic for today: Is Al Horford worth a maximum salary contract?
The big man is coming off a solid, if unspectacular campaign that saw him post averages of 15.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 32.1 minutes per outing. Horford is a perfect fit in coach Mike Budenholzer‘s offense, which certainly should factor into the Hawks’ decision-making process regarding the center. Signing any big man to a long-term pact is a major risk these days, and Horford, who turns 30 in June, is entering the decline phase of his career, which isn’t a plus when weighing the pros and cons of committing a sizeable chunk of cap space to him. The center has had injury issues in the past, missing significant parts of the 2011/12 and 2013/14 campaigns.
But what say you? Is Horford worth annual salaries of $26MM or more? If so, do you think he re-signs with the Hawks for that amount or heads elsewhere? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.
Draft Notes: Jackson, Sabonis, Zimmerman
Notre Dame junior point guard Demetrius Jackson, who declared for the draft last month, has signed with Priority Sports for his representation, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. Projections are divided for the 21-year-old who ranks as the 11th-best prospect according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress but comes in just 25th in the listings that Chad Ford of ESPN.com compiles.
Plenty of other news about the draft has emerged with the June 23rd event barely more than two months away. Here’s the latest.
- Gonzaga sophomore forward/center Domantas Sabonis has hired the Wasserman agency, reports Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (Twitter link), with Greg Lawrence and Jason Ranne to represent him, according to Liz Mullen of The Sports Business Journal (Twitter link). That closes off the possibility that he’d withdraw from the draft and return to school. The 6’10” 20-year-old is the 15th-best prospect in Chad Ford’s ESPN Insider rankings and No. 19 on Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress list.
- Texas A&M senior combo guard Alex Caruso has signed with agent Greg Lawrence of the Wasserman agency, Mullen relays (on Twitter).
- UNLV freshman center Stephen Zimmerman has also signed with the Wasserman Media Group,
- West Virginia junior power forward Devin Williams has signed with agent Aaron Turner of Verus Management, Goodman reports (Twitter link). The 6’9″ 21-year-old is the 94th-best prospect in Ford’s rankings, while Givony has him outside the top 100, simply listing him as the 35th-best junior.
- Florida Gulf Coast University junior Marc-Eddy Norelia will enter the draft without hiring an agent, the school announced. He’s a long-shot prospect, falling outside Ford’s and Givony’s rankings. The 6’8″ forward can retain his college eligibility if he withdraws from the draft by May 25th and doesn’t sign with an agent.
- Czech power forward Adam Pechacek is entering the draft, his representatives at SigmaSports announced (via Twitter). The 21-year-old averaged 13.1 points and 5.2 rebounds playing in Poland last season.
- Greek center Georgios Papagiannis, Turkish power forward/center Ege Arar and Slovenian point guard Aleksej Nikolic will all enter the draft, Jonathan Givony of Draft Express relays in a series of tweets. Of the trio, Papagiannis is the most likely to be drafted, with the 7’2″ 18-year-old coming in at No. 48 overall according to Givony. Neither Arar or Nikolic are locks to be selected, with Arar ranked as the No. 36 overall international prospect in his class by Givony, who slots Nikolic at No. 50.