NBPA Objects To Phil Jackson’s Statement
Players union head Michele Roberts has issued a statement calling Phil Jackson’s comments about Carmelo Anthony in Friday’s press conference “inappropriate,” tweets Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated.
The union objected to Jackson saying that Anthony would be “better off somewhere else” next season. Anthony remains under contract with the Knicks for two more years, although he has an early termination option for 2018/19.
“We voiced with the Commissioner today our view on the inappropriate comments by Knicks President Phil Jackson,” Roberts’ statement read. “If players cannot, under threat of league discipline, speak openly about their desire to be employed elsewhere, we expect management to adhere to the same standards. The door swings both ways when it comes to demonstrating loyalty and respect.”
Community Shootaround: Next Coach Fired
It was an unusually good year for NBA coaches in terms of job security. For the first time in 53 years, an entire season passed without a coach being fired. In fact, it has happened only twice before: during the 1960/61 season when the league had just eight teams and in 1963/64 when there were nine.
But this run can’t last forever, and eventually a coaching change will be made. It may even happen during the playoffs to a coach whose team gets knocked out earlier than expected.
Part of the explanation for the firing-free season is that so many of the league’s lower-tier teams recently made coaching moves. In the East, the Nets, Magic and Knicks all started the season with new men behind the bench, as did the Lakers, Timberwolves and Kings in the West. Earl Watson in Phoenix was hired midway through last season.
So who are the leading candidates to be the next coach fired?
- Alvin Gentry is rumored to be on the proverbial “hot seat” in New Orleans, with management threatening to ship off him and GM Dell Demps unless “significant progress” was made over the last month of the season. The Pelicans dropped six of their last 10 and finished seven games out of a playoff spot, so we’ll see if that’s significant enough.
- Fred Hoiberg has been under fire seemingly since the day he took the job with the Bulls. Last year, he was the target of public criticism from Jimmy Butler, and this season featured benchings, quickly followed by non-benchings, for Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic. But the Bulls crawled out of the pack to earn a playoff spot and Hoiberg still has a lot of support in the front office, so he might be safe.
- Stan Van Gundy has two seasons left on his $35MM deal with the Pistons, but things didn’t go well this year in Detroit. Reggie Jackson‘s physical problems and Andre Drummond‘s motivational issues raised questions about whether it was wise to invest so much in them. Van Gundy has a lot of power in the organization, but he’ll need to get off to a good start next season, especially with the franchise moving into a new downtown arena.
- Brett Brown has one of the worst coaching records in modern history, but little of it is his fault. The Sixers weren’t trying to win under former GM Sam Hinkie, and now that Brown has some talent to work with, most of it was injured. He should get a chance to coach a healthy Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Jerryd Bayless next season, but Philadelphia fans will get restless quickly if the team doesn’t start to show some success.
- Jeff Hornacek should be worried when Knicks president Phil Jackson starts using words like “mentoring.” That’s what Jackson plans to do more of next season, which means a greater emphasis on the triangle. If Hornacek can’t adjust, Jackson won’t hesitate to find another coach who will.
We want to get your input. Who do you believe will be the next NBA coach to be fired? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Reaction To Phil Jackson’s Press Conference
Feedback continues to pour in from Phil Jackson’s press conference on Friday, and almost all of it is negative. The Knicks president covered numerous topics in his first meeting with reporters since training camp, including the future of coach Jeff Hornacek, Derrick Rose‘s desire to stay with the team and whether Kristaps Porzingis is ready to be a franchise player. But the headlines revolved around the ongoing Carmelo Anthony dispute, with Jackson saying Anthony would be happier elsewhere.
Here’s a sampling of reaction from the media:
- Jackson is undermining Hornacek by announcing plans to do more “mentoring” next season, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Jackson suggested that he would rather still be coaching than handling front office duties and blames a vacation he took for the team falling apart. He also defended his triangle offense and insisted that any failures were caused by resistance from players “at the top,” which sounds like another swipe at Anthony.
- Jackson is blaming everyone but himself for the Knicks’ failures, charges Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Jackson “emerged from his ivory tower,” Bontemps writes, and insulted Anthony, undercut Hornacek and alienated Porzingis, who skipped his exit interview on Friday. Bontemps also blasts Knicks owner James Dolan, who had a chance to cut ties with Jackson this week, but instead picked up his option for two more years.
- Jackson’s remarks toward Hornacek means the coach will be on a “short leash” starting next season, claims Marc Berman of The New York Post. Hornacek will be on the second year of a three-year contract and will be sharing control of the team with Jackson and assistant coach Kurt Rambis, another triangle advocate who served as interim coach before Hornacek was hired. Jackson cited “some disconnect at times with this team” at the press conference, and Berman states that discontent grew in the locker room as the season soured.
- The Knicks’ offseason may turn out to be worse than the regular season, suggests Al Iannazzone of Newsday. In 49 minutes, he writes, Jackson managed to lower Anthony’s trade value and scare off any prominent free agents who may have been considering New York. Iannazzone sums up Jackson’s strategy as making sure the triangle is emphasized and turning over the roster one more time.
Magic Notes: Skiles, Hennigan, Vogel, GM Search
In the wake of Magic GM Rob Hennigan’s firing on Thursday, CEO Alex Martins admits that former coach Scott Skiles may have been correct in their much-publicized feud, writes Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel. Skiles resigned last May after one year as coach because of repeated disagreements with Hennigan. Skiles didn’t like the roster that had been assembled and he thought the front office was undermining the coaching staff by coddling young players. Martins acknowledges that Skiles had a point, but wishes he hadn’t left the organization. “There were things Scott could have done better and one of them is that he could have been more patient,” Martins said. “We were clearly having those conversations [about the culture] and working toward solutions, but Scott didn’t want to be patient about it.”
There’s more news out of Orlando:
- Head coach Frank Vogel hopes the new GM will try to build a contender around the talent that’s already on the roster, relays John Denton of NBA.com. Orlando has the NBA’s second-worst record over the past five years, and Vogel thinks fans have waited long enough for a winner. “I think our mindset is to win now and I’m hopeful that whoever we bring in here shares that approach,’’ Vogel said. “I think our fans have endured enough losing and it’s time to get this thing into the playoffs as quickly as we can. That’s my mindset.’’
- The playoffs will have a role in determining how soon the Magic hire Hennigan’s replacement, Denton adds in the same story. Some of the candidates that Orlando has in mind can’t be contacted while their teams are still active. “The factor that is going to dictate [the pace of the search] is that there are some individuals that we’re interested in who [have teams that] are playing in the NBA playoffs and we’re not going to be able to talk to them until their teams are eliminated,’’ Martins said. “And I think it’s in our best interests to identify the right individual and talk to those who are involved in the playoffs. That’s what is going to dictate the majority of the timeframe.” Interim GM Matt Lloyd will handle draft preparation and other organizational moves until a new GM is hired.
- Martins doesn’t want one person to serve as coach and president of basketball operations, tweets Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. There were rumors recently that the Magic might have interest in bringing back Doc Rivers in a dual role.
Nets Notes: Free Agents, Lin, Dinwiddie, Goodwin
The Nets are optimistic that they can improve in free agency this summer, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn will enter the July bidding with the ability to clear enough cap space to offer two max deals, along with a feeling of momentum after going 11-13 in its last 24 games. Jeremy Lin, who signed with the team as a free agent last summer, said several players have already contacted him about coming to Brooklyn. “Players are asking about us because they saw the way that Kenny [Atkinson] coached,” he said. “They saw how hard these guys played night-in and night-out, how unselfish we played. They want to be a part of that, so there’s already been a lot of interest. People are already asking questions, whether it’s to me or Brook [Lopez] or other players.”
There’s more news out of Brooklyn:
- One of the Nets’ offseason objectives will be finding a backup for Lin, Lewis writes in a separate story. Lin played well in his first season in Brooklyn, averaging 14.5 points and 5.1 assists per night, but a lingering hamstring problem limited him to 36 games. The Nets had the league’s worst record at 20-62, but they were 13-20 with him as a starter and 10-12 after the All-Star break with their preferred starting lineup. Brooklyn added Greivis Vasquez as a backup point guard last summer, but he played just 39 minutes before ankle problems led to his buyout. “When we started the season, I thought we had Jeremy and the backup settled,’’ Atkinson said. “Now with Spencer [Dinwiddie], Archie [Goodwin] and Isaiah Whitehead], we have to answer, ‘Do we have the solution in-house now?’ I think we do, as the backups have played well. [But] we’ll have to look and see what offseason and next year moves we need to make.”
- Dinwiddie, who played 59 games after signing with the Nets in December, hopes his long-term future is in Brooklyn, relays NetsDaily.com. Dinwiddie’s contract calls for him to make $1.05MM next season and $1.125MM in 2018/19, but both years are non-guaranteed. “You never know in this business how anything can happen or how it will all shake out,” he said, “but I’ve loved my time here and hopefully look forward to being here for a long time. The organization is great. The staff is great and hopefully we can turn this thing around and just make the playoffs next year. That’d be nice.”
- Goodwin, who joined the team in mid-March, also has a non-guaranteed deal for next season, tweets NetsDaily. He will receive a $200K guarantee on his $1.58MM salary if he is still with the team October 31st.
Pacers Notes: George, Teague, Stephenson
Paul George will be eligible for the new Designated Veteran Player Extension if he’s named to an All-NBA team this season. By being selected to one of the three teams, George could net approximately $70MM more in an extension compared to what he’d be eligible for without being voted in. He’s aware of the pending situation and he’s hoping to be honored by the voters, as Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports relays.
“Man I hope so,” George said. “You’ve got a couple guys that so-called have been ahead of me, who have other guys on that list. I’ve been trying to lead and do it at both ends this whole season. Hopefully they take that into account, especially closing this year out, get us in the playoffs.
Here’s more from Indiana:
- The point guard market will likely dictate whether or not the Pacers bring back Jeff Teague, Mark Montieth of NBA.com contends. The scribe believes Teague’s price tag and the other available point guard options will be huge factors in determining what the franchise does.
- It would be surprising if Lance Stephenson isn’t on the Pacers‘ roster next season, Montieth opines in the same piece. He adds that Stephenson may be best suited to play the point guard position.
- Stephenson is exactly what the Pacers need for their playoff series against the Cavs, Tom Withers of the Associated Press writes. “He’s different. He’s the oddball and you need that,” George said of the 26-year-old. “You need the guy that’s energetic and live, a guy who’s going to stir the pot and we work very well off of each other.”
Kings Notes: Point Guards, Bogdanovic, Gay
GM Vlade Divac said it’s “too early to say” whether or not the Kings will try to bring back Darren Collison or Ty Lawson next year, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes. Jones adds that the team is stocked at many positions, but point guard is not of them.
Lawson had an uninspiring season in Sacramento, scoring 9.9 points per game while dishing out 4.9 assists per night. He made 24 starts for the club. Collison was suspended for the first eight games of the season because of domestic battery charges. He ended up playing in 68 contests for the Kings, averaging 13.2 points, 4.6 assists, and a steal per game. Both veterans will be unrestricted free agents this summer.
Here’s more from Sacramento:
- Divac said Bogdan Bogdanovic, whose rights were acquired by the Kings in a 2016 draft night trade, is a “natural shooting guard” and added that the team wants him to come stateside, Jones relays in the same piece. “We would love to have him here. We have his rights, and this summer we’ll talk about it,” Divac said.
- The Kings added an assistant GM last offseason and they remain open to expanding the front office even further, Jones adds in the same piece. “We’re open, always, to improve,” Divac said. “The team, the front office, everything is always open for improvement. I’m very happy and confident in what we have right now, but we should be open if something can make you better.”
- Both Divac and coach Dave Joerger would like Rudy Gay to return to the Kings next season, Sean Cunningham of ABC10 tweets. Gay can become a free agent this summer by turning down a player option in his contract, but he remains undecided on whether or not he will do so.
Pistons Notes: KCP, Baynes, Drummond
The Pistons would like to bring Kentavious Caldwell-Pope back next season, but GM Jeff Bower sounds as if the organization will wait for another team to make an offer before making any commitments, Rod Beard of The Detroit News passes along.
“With the timing of things, you never know for sure until the period begins. There is a danger because we don’t have it with any certainty,” Bower said. “Hopefully, we’re able to move along with the things we have and everything is aligned. That’s a hand we have to be ready to play, no matter what direction we go. We have a lot of control in the situation, which is something we value and expect to be able to take advantage of.”
Here’s more from Detroit:
- Aron Baynes hasn’t yet made a decision on his player option for the 2017/18 campaign, which is worth $6.5MM. He’ll take his time on the decision, but staying with the Pistons remains a strong possibility, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press relays (Twitter links). “Being here, it kind of feels like we have some unfinished business,” Baynes said.
- Coach/executive Stan Van Gundy must figure out if the Andre Drummond– Reggie Jackson pairing is the best option for the Pistons long-term, John Niyo of The Detroit News argues.Drummond has four years remaining on the max contract he signed last offseason, while Jackson has three years remaining on the five-year, $80MM deal he signed back in 2015.
- Van Gundy feels Drummond needs to take additional steps to reach his potential, Niyo passes along in the same piece. “He needs to have a sense of urgency to elevate his game,” Van Gundy said. “He’s been in the league five years now. He’s still young, he hasn’t turned 24. The sky’s the limit for him. But he needs to do some work to get there.”
Hoops Rumors Originals: 4/8/17 – 4/15/17
Throughout the week, the Hoops Rumors staff likes to publish original content to supplement our news feed. Here are some of our favorites from the week that was.
- We examine important dates for the NBA offseason, all the way up to the start of training camps in late September.
- Two-way contracts will be introduced next season that will increase roster sizes and affect the way players are assigned to the D-League.
- Our weekly look at the NBA’s best blog posts will be moving to a new day.
- Luke Adams broke down the playoff and draft implications of the final day of the regular season.
- Draft lottery odds are set with the season coming to an end.
- The Hoops Rumors staff made its picks for Executive of the Year and Coach of the Year.
- We look back at our over/under predictions for the just-completed season.
- A Community Shootaround asked readers to forecast first-round playoff upsets.
- Miss last week’s Hoops Rumors Originals summary? Look back on it here.
Week In Review: 4/8/17 – 4/15/17
With the playoffs ready to begin in a few hours, we look back at the final week of the regular season, as football and basketball came together in Dallas and Carmelo Anthony and Phil Jackson looked ready to break apart in New York.
Transactions
- The Cavaliers waived DeAndre Liggins.
- The Mavericks claimed Liggins off waivers.
- The Suns signed Elijah Millsap to a multi-year contract.
- The Pistons tried to waive Beno Udrih and sign Lorenzo Brown, but the move was blocked by the league.
- The Hornets picked up their option for next season on GM Rich Cho.
- The Pelicans signed Axel Toupane.
- The Sixers signed Alex Poythress for the rest of the season.
- The Cavaliers signed Dahntay Jones.
- The Cavaliers waived Larry Sanders and signed Edy Tavares.
Injuries
- A “significant” wrist injury sidelined Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo.
- A strained left calf will keep Wizards center Ian Mahinmi out for the start of the playoffs.
- A torn rotator cuff will keep Knicks center Joakim Noah out of action for four to six months.
- A strained calf has sidelined Grizzlies guard Tony Allen indefinitely.
News
- A New York-based knee specialist assessed Derrick Rose‘s medical outlook after his latest surgery.
- Russell Westbrook broke the NBA record for triple doubles in a season.
- Indiana’s OG Anunoby declared for the NBA draft.
- Metta World Peace said he hopes to play two more NBA seasons, bringing his career total to 20.
- Spurs assistant James Borrego turned down a coaching offer from New Mexico.
- Baylor’s Johnathan Motley entered the draft.
- Michigan’s DJ Wilson and Moritz Wagner will test the draft waters.
- Oregon’s Tyler Dorsey declared for the draft.
- Gonzaga’s Zach Collins entered the draft.
- Texas’ Jarrett Allen declared for the draft.
- The NBA rejected the idea of Tony Romo signing a contract with the Mavericks.
- Oregon’s Dillon Brooks decided to test the draft waters.
- Stan Van Gundy promised that change is coming to the Pistons.
- The Nuggets aren’t sure if Danilo Gallinari will be re-signed if he opts out.
- Wake Forest’s John Collins entered the draft.
- Team president Phil Jackson and the Knicks exercised a mutual option for the next two seasons.
- The Magic fired GM Rob Hennigan.
- North Carolina’s Justin Jackson declared for the draft.
- Carmelo Anthony asked for a “commitment to win” from the Knicks.
- Dirk Nowitzki announced that he will return for a 20th season with the Mavericks.
- Udonis Haslem said he wants to play another season for the Heat.
- Kevin Durant stated that he doesn’t plan to leave Golden State.
- Phil Jackson said Anthony might be “better off somewhere else.”
- Michigan State’s Miles Bridges will skip the draft.
- Kristaps Porzingis missed his exit interview with Phil Jackson.
Rumors
- The Nuggets plan to pursue an extension with Gary Harris.
- Changes may be coming to the league’s buyout and waiver process.
- The Knicks‘ Carmelo Anthony is leaning toward waiving his no-trade clause.
- An extension for Clippers guard Chris Paul may already be in place.