Lawrence Frank Replaces Doc Rivers As Head Of Clippers’ Basketball Ops
Clippers head coach Doc Rivers will no longer oversee the team’s basketball operations, owner Steve Ballmer tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. According to Wojnarowski, Clippers executive VP of basketball operations Lawrence Frank will assume control of the club’s basketball ops going forward.
Although Rivers will continue to have a “strong voice” in personnel and basketball matters, and will work closely with Frank, he’ll no longer have the title of president of basketball operations, and will instead focus primarily on coaching, as Wojnarowski details. Both Frank and Rivers will report directly to Ballmer. Rivers confirmed his re-assignment and endorsed the decision, as Bill Oram of The So Cal News Group tweets.
“I’ve owned the team for three years now, and I really better understand what an owner’s responsibility is — and it turns out that running a franchise and coaching are two enormous and different jobs,” Ballmer told Wojnarowski. “The notion that one person can fairly focus on them and give them all the attention they need isn’t the case. To be as good as we can be, to be a championship franchise, we need two functioning strong people building teams out beneath them. There needs to be a healthy discussion and debate with two strong, independent minded people.”
This is the second time this offseason that a team has removed a president of basketball operations title from its head coach, assigning those duties to someone else. The Hawks did the same thing with Mike Budenholzer before hiring Travis Schlenk to run the front office. With Budenholzer and Rivers focused on coaching again, only Gregg Popovich, Stan Van Gundy, and Tom Thibodeau hold dual roles as head coach and president of basketball ops for their respective clubs.
For Frank, it represents another step forward in what has become an interesting career path. A longtime assistant coach and head coach, Frank transitioned into a front office role with the Clippers last year, handling day-to-day operations for the franchise. He was impressive enough in that capacity that he’ll be charged with overseeing the entire department now, though Rivers – and presumably consultant Jerry West – will remain involved in the process.
“There are different relationships that a player needs to have with the coach and the front office,” Ballmer said. “Doc put Lawrence in charge of the non-coaching aspects of the front office last year, and he’s done a fantastic job. I want each of them to dig in and do what they do best. Lawrence has come on so strong in that role, and that has helped us go down this path.”
Pistons Have Interest In Kyrie Irving
The Pistons are interested in star point guard Kyrie Irving, a person with knowledge of the team’s front office tells Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. As Ellis notes, Detroit’s interest shouldn’t come as a major surprise, considering approximately 20 teams are believed to have inquired with the Cavaliers about Irving.
[RELATED: At Least Six Teams Have Made Offers For Irving]
Pistons head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy confirmed that the Pistons have had “some level of conversation” with the Cavs about Irving, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com wrote earlier this week.
In discussing the subject, Langlois says he doesn’t see a logical match between the Pistons and Cavaliers, and Ellis is also skeptical that Irving will land in Detroit. Still, it’s not impossible to envision a package that might interest the Cavaliers.
As Langlois notes, Reggie Jackson or Avery Bradley could make some sense as a point guard replacement for Cleveland, and Tobias Harris may have some appeal to the Cavs. Stanley Johnson, who just recently turned 21, may also be an intriguing long-term piece. The Pistons also still hold all their future first-round picks, and Andre Drummond‘s name has come up in trade rumors multiple times this year.
Although the Pistons could potentially put together a viable trade offer for Irving, it almost certainly wouldn’t be an overwhelming one, so the Cavs will probably look elsewhere unless the other incoming offers for Irving are unimpressive. Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that the Pistons aren’t necessarily satisfied to stand pat with their current roster — particularly if an All-Star caliber player becomes available.
Timberwolves Rumors: Wiggins, Thibodeau, FAs
The Timberwolves’ trade offer for Kyrie Irving doesn’t include Andrew Wiggins, and that appears unlikely to change. According to Sid Hartman of The Star Tribune, team owner Glen Taylor has “made it clear” that the club intends to lock up Wiggins to a five-year, max extension in the near future. Hartman adds that the former top pick “is not available to anybody in a trade.”
While that news doesn’t come as a huge surprise, it’s hard to imagine the Wolves being putting together a viable package for Irving without including Wiggins, so Minnesota looks to be a long shot to acquire the Cavaliers’ star point guard.
Here’s more from out of Minnesota:
- Taylor owns about 70% of the Timberwolves, and while a pair of minority stakeholders are looking to sell their shares in the franchise, that’s not the case for Taylor, as Hartman details. “We have a couple of my limited [owners] that have indicated that they’re going to sell, and we have another limited [owner] that is going to buy them,” Taylor said. “I won’t be selling any of my stock. Whatever I have, I’m keeping.”
- Although Taylor would have liked to see the Timberwolves play better in 2016/17, he remains confident in Tom Thibodeau‘s long-term vision for the team, per Hartman. “I brought him in here for the long run,” Taylor said of Thibodeau. “We tried it with the young players, and it appears that we need more experience on the team to get where we want to get. [Thibodeau] is flexible and he’s trying his best to bring in the quality guys we need to get to the championship, so I’m happy.”
- Taylor’s sights for 2017/18 are set higher, according to Hartman. “Well, of course we have to get into the playoffs,” Taylor said. “And where we get into … the playoffs is probably very important for us. To get into fourth place so you have home-court advantage would really be the super position.”
- The Wolves expect to sign three more players to veteran minimum contracts, according to Taylor, via Hartman. Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News indicated earlier this week (via Twitter) that the club had a contract offer out to a shooter.
Spurs Re-Sign Patty Mills To Four-Year Deal
AUGUST 4: More than a month after agreeing to terms with Mills, the Spurs have made his new deal official, announcing the signing in a press release.
JUNE 30: The Spurs and point guard Patty Mills have come to terms on a four-year, $50MM deal, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
With the status of Tony Parker in flux following his postseason-ending injury earlier this year, Mills could play a vital role in the future of the Spurs organization, if not as a starter than at least as a key reserve.
In 80 games for the Spurs last year, the backup guard averaged 9.5 points and 3.5 assists per game. Those numbers could easily increase if the veteran plays more than the 21.9 minutes per game he saw in 2016/17.
Last month we wrote that Parker has eyed a possible return date next January, but even if that holds true, Mills will have an opportunity to start for the first half of the 2017/18.
That said, with players like George Hill and Kyle Lowry on the market, Gregg Popovich and company could look to bring another starter on board, bumping Mills back to his reserve role.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jason Maxiell Retires As Piston
Longtime NBA big man Jason Maxiell has signed a contract with the Pistons in order to officially retire as a member of the organization, the club announced today in a press release. The 10-year NBA veteran spent eight of those seasons in Detroit.
“The best years of my professional career were spent in Detroit and it’s important to me to retire as a Detroit Piston,” Maxiell said in a statement. “This is a special franchise with great tradition and history. I want to thank all the fans who supported me during my eight seasons representing Detroit.”
Maxiell, the Pistons’ first-round pick in 2005, came off the bench for his first several years with the team, though he was the team’s starting power forward by the end of his time in Detroit. His best season came in 2007/08, when he appeared in all 82 games for Detroit, averaging 7.9 PPG and 5.3 RPG, with a .538 FG%.
In 618 career regular season games for the Pistons, Magic, and Hornets, Maxiell posted averages of 5.6 PPG and 4.2 RPG. Maxiell hadn’t played in the NBA since the 2014/15 season, having spent the last two seasons playing for teams in China and Turkey.
“Jason and his representatives reached out to us regarding his desire to sign one last contract with the team in order to retire as a Detroit Piston,” Pistons GM Jeff Bower said in a statement of his own. “Jason made an impact on and off the court with the organization, spending eight seasons in Detroit, many with deep playoff runs. We’re pleased that Jason has chosen to remain connected to our organization and wish him well in the future.”
Kevin Seraphin To Play For Barcelona
Veteran big man Kevin Seraphin will head back overseas to continue his basketball career, having reached an agreement on a two-year deal with Barcelona, according to an announcement from the team (Twitter link). Seraphin cleared waivers and became an unrestricted free agent earlier this week after being cut by the Pacers.
Seraphin, 27, averaged 4.7 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 49 games in Indiana last season, playing a part-time role in his first and only season with the team. Prior to his lone season with the Pacers, Seraphin spent one year with the Knicks and five with the Wizards.
A native of France, Seraphin started his professional career overseas, playing for Cholet Basket from 2007 to 2010 before he was selected in the first round of the 2010 draft. The 6’9″ forward/center also has a little experience playing in Spain — he signed with Baskonia in 2011 during the NBA lockout, but returned to the Wizards when the lockout ended.
Word of Barcelona’s interest in Seraphin surfaced last month as his NBA salary guarantee deadline approached, so his decision to sign with the team doesn’t come as a major surprise.
Several Teams Eyeing Alan Anderson
Alan Anderson is drawing interest from several teams, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Timberwolves, Nets, Raptors, and Knicks are among the teams to check in on the 34-year-old.
Anderson played for the Clippers last season after signing a one-year deal with the club. He didn’t play much for Doc Rivers, appearing in only 30 games. He scored 2.9 points in 10.3 minutes per contest.
Prior to arriving in Los Angeles, Anderson played for the Wizards, Nets, Raptors, and Bobcats. He also spent time abroad playing for teams in Italy, Russia, Croatia, and Israel.
Jamil Wilson Signs Two-Way Deal With Clippers
AUGUST 3: The Clippers have officially signed Wilson to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 15: After a strong showing in the Summer League with the Clippers, Jamil Wilson will opt-out of his EuroLeague deal with Brose Baskets Bamberg to sign a two-way deal with the Clippers, per European basketball journalist David Pick (via Twitter).
Wilson, 26, had agreed to join the Baskets earlier this month after spending time with Fiat Torino of Italy-Serie A and in Puerto Rico with Cangrejeros De Sauntruce. However, his play in Vegas this summer may lead to a more substantial opportunity than in years’ past.
In the Clippers’ first four Summer League games, Wilson averaged 13.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG while shooting an outstanding 81% (22-for-27) from the floor.
Going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, Wilson has had several tours of duty in the Summer League and the now NBA G League with the Wizards and Mavericks.
Western Notes: Kings, Rondo, Irving
The Kings‘ organization has had its share of dysfunction over the past few years, but Brandon Williams, who was recently named the team’s assistant GM, believes the franchise doesn’t get enough credit, as Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee passes along.
“I started to feel like I know what a lot of people outside of the organization know, and reading reports. And who knows if that’s true?” Williams said. “There’s always a little bit of truth, but who knows until you’re a part of it? And what I felt being around him and others is that the organization might be a little bit misunderstood.
“I do think there’s a real strong desire to put good people in place and to compete for something special, and there’s certainly no disillusionment that it isn’t going be hard. It’s going to take a lot of grinding effort.”
Before joining the Kings, Williams worked in the Sixers’ front office during their rebuild and his time in Philadelphia should only help him as he looks to build the Kings into playoff contenders.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Kings added several veterans this offseason and Garrett Temple tells Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype that he believes it will help the team build a winning culture. Sacramento added Zach Randolph on a two-year, $24MM deal, George Hill on a three-year, $51MM contract, and Vince Carter on a one-year, $8MM deal this summer.
- DeMarcus Cousins believes Rajon Rondo, who signed a one-year deal with Pelicans, can bring leadership to the team, as William Guillory of The Times-Picayune relays. “His [basketball] IQ is through the roof,” Cousins said. “He’s so smart sometimes that it’s actually kind of scary. You might think he’s psychic, it’s kind of freaky. He has leadership qualities, he’s always going to bring out the best in his teammates.”
- If they are going to enter the Kyrie Irving sweepstakes, the Jazz would likely have to give up No. 13 overall pick Donovan Mitchell, Benjamin Mehic of The Deseret News speculates. Mehic argues that a proposal of Ricky Rubio and Mitchell for Irving should entice both sides.
Clippers Sign Willie Reed
August 3: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
July 18: The Clippers have reached an agreement with free agent center Willie Reed, reports Chris Haynes of ESPN. According to Haynes, Reed will sign a one-year, $1.5MM contract, which suggests it’s a minimum salary deal.
[RELATED: 2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker]
Reed, 27, enjoyed a modest breakout season for the Heat in 2016/17, averaging 5.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 71 games for the club. The Missouri native played just 14.5 minutes per contest, but made his limited playing time count, chipping in 0.7 BPG and a .568 FG% as well. Miami’s defensive efficiency numbers were also a few points better with Reed on the court.
It has been an active offseason so far for the Clippers, who lost Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, and other veterans, but added Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari, Milos Teodosic, Sam Dekker, and Montrezl Harrell. That list of incoming names didn’t include a true center, so the Clippers had remained on the lookout for a backup for DeAndre Jordan, and did well to land Reed, one of the more notable centers left on the market.
The Clippers have a small portion of their mid-level exception left, but as our minimum salary breakdown shows, a player with Reed’s experience is eligible for a minimum of $1,577,230, so the club shouldn’t need to dip into its MLE to sign the big man.
Reed previously drew some interest from the Hawks, Heat, Sixers, Pacers, and Rockets, according to various reports. Haynes adds that the Warriors also had interest in Reed.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.